2020-15628. Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Application

Take notice that on June 29, 2020, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern), 1111 South 103rd Street, Omaha, NE 68124, filed an application in Docket No. CP20-487-000, pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) requesting a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and operate new facilities as part of its Pipeline and Facilities Construction Project (Project). All relevant information is more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. The filing may also be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC at [e-mail] or call toll-free, [phone] or TTY, [phone].

Any questions regarding this application should be directed to Michael T. Loeffler, Senior Director of Certificates and External Affairs for Northern, 1111 South 103rd Street, Omaha, NE 68124, at [phone].

Specifically, Northern intends to (1) abandon in-place approximately 79.21 miles of its 14- and 16-inch-diameter South Sioux City to Sioux Falls M561 A-line (A-line) and appurtenances and to replace the abandoned pipeline with approximately 82.23 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline 1 and appurtenances in Dakota and Dixon counties, Nebraska, and Lincoln and Union counties, South Dakota; (2) install an approximately 3.15-mile-long 12-inch-diameter tie-over pipeline and appurtenances in Lincoln County, South Dakota; (3) abandon in-place the existing 0.16-mile-long 2-inch-diameter Ponca branch line and replace it with an approximately 1.87-mile-long 3-inch-diameter branch line and appurtenances in Dixon County, Nebraska; (4) abandon in-place the existing 0.06-mile-long 2-inch-diameter Jackson branch line and appurtenances in Dakota County, Nebraska; (5) modify existing and install new above-grade facilities in various counties in Nebraska and South Dakota; and (6) abandon and remove short segments of pipeline in various counties in Nebraska and South Dakota.

On July 23, 2019, the Commission staff granted Northern's request to utilize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pre-Filing Process and assigned Docket No. PF19-8-000 to staff activities involving the Project. Now, as of the filing of this application on June 29, 2020, the NEPA Pre-Filing Process for this project has ended. From this time forward, this proceeding will be conducted in Docket No. CP20-487-000, as noted in the caption of this Notice.

Pursuant to § 157.9 of the Commission's rules, 18 CFR 157.9, within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will either: Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's public record for this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and state agencies of the timing for the completion of all necessary reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's FEIS or EA.

There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or before the comment date stated below file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit 3 copies of filings made in the proceeding with the Commission and must provide a copy to the applicant and to every other party. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding.

However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly involved in the protest.

Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commentors will be placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, and will be notified of any meetings associated with the Commission's environmental review process. Environmental commentors will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentors will not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will not have the right to seek court review of the Commission's final order.

In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at [e-mail] or call toll-free, [phone] or TYY, [phone].

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFile” link at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Hand delivered submissions in docketed proceedings should be delivered to Health and Human Services, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 4, 2020.

Dated: July 14, 2020.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.