2023-15936. ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed; Wisconsin Reliability Project

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Wisconsin Reliability Project, proposed by ANR Pipeline Company (ANR) in the above-referenced docket. ANR requests authorization to construct and operate facilities in Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, and Winnebago counties, Wisconsin, and McHenry County, Illinois.

The Wisconsin Reliability Project would provide about 144,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas to the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. The Project includes replacing 48 miles of existing pipeline, modification and replacement of compression facilities at two compressor stations, modifications to six meter stations, and installation and removal of auxiliary facilities. According to ANR, the Project would provide natural gas supply to meet the increasing market demand in Wisconsin and Illinois while increasing the reliability and efficiency of ANR's existing system.

The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Wisconsin Reliability Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection participated as cooperating agencies in preparation of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The proposed Project includes the following:

• Install two new 3,750-horsepower (hp) Dual Drive Technologies, Ltd.^[TM] (dual-drive) ^[1] compressor units, remove five existing compressor units, and uprate one existing unit at the existing Kewaskum Compressor Station (CS) in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin;

• Install two new 3,750-hp dual-drive compressor units, remove one existing compressor unit, install an electric substation, and upsize station inlet and discharge piping at the existing Weyauwega CS in Waupaca County, Wisconsin;
• Replace approximately 48 miles of existing 14-inch-diameter and 22-inch- diameter pipeline on ANR's ML–301 system (ML–301) with 30-inch-diameter and 36-inch-diameter pipeline, and existing 24-inch-diameter pipeline on ANR's ML–226 system (ML–226) with 30-inch-diameter pipeline in Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Outagamie, and Winnebago counties, Wisconsin, and McHenry County, Illinois;
• Modify the existing Lena, Merrill, Oshkosh, South Wausau, Stevens Point, and Two Rivers Meter Stations (MS) to accommodate deliveries of incremental capacity in Oconto, Lincoln, Winnebago, Marathon, Portage, and Manitowoc counties, Wisconsin; and
• Install or modify other minor appurtenant facilities.

The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. The EA is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website ( www.ferc.gov), on the natural gas environmental documents page ( https://www.ferc.gov/​industries-data/​natural-gas/​environment/​environmental-documents). In addition, the EA may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link ( https://elibrary.ferc.gov/​eLibrary/​search), select “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field, excluding the last three digits ( i.e., CP23–15). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail] or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502–8659.

The EA is not a decision document. It presents Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in this proceeding. Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments should focus on the EA's disclosure and discussion of potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on August 21, 2023.

For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208–3676 or [e-mail]. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.

(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature on the Commission's website ( www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;

(2) You can also file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature on the Commission's website ( www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on “eRegister.” You must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select “Comment on a Filing”; or

(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP23–15–000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the Commission's decision. At this point in this proceeding, the timeframe for filing timely intervention requests has expired. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene out-of-time pursuant to Rule 214(b)(3) and (d) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214(b)(3) and (d)) and show good cause why the time limitation should be waived. Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/​how-intervene.

Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC website ( www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.

The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502–6595 or [e-mail].

In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/​ferc-online/​overview to register for eSubscription.

Dated: July 21, 2023.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Dual Drive Technologies, Ltd.TM. units are redundant prime mover systems composed of a combination electric motor connected to an engine for powering a gas compressor. These units can switch between electricity and natural gas in the event of an abnormal operating condition ( e.g., power outage) to provide enhanced system reliability and maintain customer commitments.