[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 20808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09713]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-251-000]


Portland Natural Gas Transmission System; Notice of Application

    Take notice that on April 20, 2018, Portland Natural Gas 
Transmission System (Portland Natural Gas), 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 
700, Houston, TX 77002-2700, filed an application under section 7(c) of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Parts 157 and 284 of the Commission's 
rules and regulations for Phase I of the Portland Xpress Project. 
Portland Natural Gas requests authorization to increase the 
certificated capacity on its wholly-owned north system from Pittsburg, 
New Hampshire, to Westbrook, Maine, by 39.841 million cubic feet per 
day (MMcf/d), and to increase the certificated capacity on its system 
facilities jointly-owned with Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. 
from Westbrook, Maine to Dracut, Massachusetts by 1.641 MMcf/d, 
effective November 1, 2018, all as more fully described 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 [email protected] or 
call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TTY, (202) 502-8659.
    Additionally, pursuant to section 3 of the NGA (15 U.S.C. 717b), 
Part 153 of the Commission's regulations, Executive Order 10485, as 
amended by Executive Order 12038, and Secretary of Energy Delegation 
Order No. 0204-112, Portland Natural Gas requests authorization to 
increase its import and export capacity from 210 MMcf/d to 274.216 
MMcf/d. Portland Natural Gas also proposes to amend its Presidential 
Permit issued on September 24, 1997, as amended on November 18, 2003, 
and on November 28, 2017, to reflect the increase mentioned above.\1\
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    \1\ See Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, 80 FERC 61,346 
(1997); 105 FERC 61,235 (2003); and 161 FERC 61,230 (2017).
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    Portland Natural Gas states that it's Phase I of the Portland 
XPress Project would expand gas service delivery options for the New 
England market. Portland Natural Gas proposes no construction or 
modifications to its existing system or border crossing facilities in 
connection with this request, and as such, there are no costs 
associated with the project.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Robert Jackson, Manager, Certificates & Regulatory Administration, 
Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 
700, Houston, Texas 77002-2700, or call (832) 320-5487, or email: 
[email protected].
    Pursuant to section 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 7 copies of filings made in the proceeding with the Commission 
and must mail 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, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of 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 (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link at 
http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and 5 copies of the protest or intervention to the 
Federal Energy regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, 
DC 20426.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 23, 2018

    Dated: May 2, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-09713 Filed 5-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


