[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8418-8420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02749]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP23-29-000]


Saguaro Connector Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Scoping Period 
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Border 
Facilities Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental document, that will discuss 
the environmental impacts of the Border Facilities Project (Project) 
involving construction and operation of facilities by Saguaro Pipeline 
Connector, L.L.C. (Saguaro) in Hudspeth County, Texas. The Commission 
will use this environmental document in its decision-making process to 
determine whether the project is in the public interest.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies regarding the project. As part of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review process, the Commission takes into account 
concerns the public may have about proposals and the environmental 
impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the 
issuance of an authorization. This gathering of public input is 
referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to 
focus the analysis in the environmental document on the important 
environmental issues. Additional information about the Commission's 
NEPA process is described below in the NEPA Process and Environmental 
Document section of this notice.
    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of issues to address in the environmental document. To ensure 
that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your 
comments so that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or 
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March

[[Page 8419]]

6, 2023. Comments may be submitted in written form. Further details on 
how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section 
of this notice.
    Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, 
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental 
impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what 
issues they need to evaluate in the environmental document. Commission 
staff will consider all written comments during the preparation of the 
environmental document.
    If you submitted comments on this project to the Commission before 
the opening of this docket on December 20, 2022, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. CP23-29-000 to ensure they are considered 
as part of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    Saguaro provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC 
entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I 
Need To Know?'' which addresses typically asked questions, including 
the use of eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's 
proceedings. This fact sheet along with other landowner topics of 
interest are available for viewing on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the Natural Gas Questions or Landowner Topics link.

Public Participation

    There are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the 
Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your 
comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or [email protected].
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for 
submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located 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 will be asked to select the type of filing you 
are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a ``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-
29-000) 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.
    Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and 
submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These 
instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification 
and provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of 
time you spend researching proceedings. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Saguaro proposes to site, construct, connect, operate, and maintain 
a 48-inch in-diameter natural gas pipeline from the United States 
(U.S.) to the Estados Unidos Mexicanos (Mexico) International Border in 
Hudspeth County, Texas. The section under the jurisdiction of the 
Commission extends from approximately 1,000 feet on State of Texas land 
to the U.S.-Mexico international border in the middle of the Rio Grande 
River. The 48-inch-diameter pipeline segment from a point approximately 
1,000 feet in Hudspeth County to the international border is referred 
to as the ``Border Facilities.'' The Border Facilities would be 
interconnected to the NewCo Mexico Pipeline on the Mexico side of the 
Rio Grande River and to approximately 155 miles of non-FERC 
jurisdictional intrastate pipeline in Texas, which would have a design 
capacity of 2.834 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas per day 
for the entire length of the Border facilities and non-jurisdictional 
intrastate pipeline. According to Saguaro, the Border Facilities 
interconnect would allow for natural gas produced in Texas to be 
exported to a natural gas facility in Mexico.
    The Border Facilities would consist of the following components:
     approximately 1,000 feet of 48-inch in-diameter pipeline;
     50-foot-wide permanent easement;
     Additional temporary workspaces (total of 14.2 acres) and
     6.9 miles of temporary access road (Indian Hot Springs 
Road).
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov, using the link called ``eLibrary''. For instructions 
on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. 
For assistance, contact FERC at [email protected] or call 
toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

    The Project would affect approximately 35.5 acres of land during 
construction, of which 34.4 acres would be restored. The remaining 1.1 
acre, which includes a 50-foot-wide permanent easement for the 
approximately 1,000 feet of 48-inch-diameter pipeline, would be used 
for operation of the Project. The entire Border Facilities would be in 
a greenfield (new construction) and there would be no aboveground 
facilities associated. In the application, Saguaro indicates that it 
would also construct and own new pipeline facilities (approximately 155 
miles of 48-inch-diameter intrastate pipeline, two new compressor 
stations, one new meter station, approximately five launchers and 
receivers, and approximately seven mainline valve sites) that are not 
under FERC jurisdiction. These facilities are located in Pecos, Reeves, 
Jeff Davis, and Culberson counties, Texas. Although FERC does not have 
regulatory authority to modify or deny the construction of these 
facilities, we will disclose available information regarding the 
construction impacts in our environmental document.

NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

    Any environmental document issued by the Commission will discuss 
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation 
of the proposed project under the relevant general resource areas, as 
applicable:
     geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     threatened and endangered species;
     cultural resources;
     land use;
     socioeconomics;
     air quality and noise;
     cumulative impacts; and

[[Page 8420]]

     reliability and safety.
    Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the 
proposed project or portions of the project and make recommendations on 
how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Your 
comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues 
that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially 
eliminate others from further study and discussion in the environmental 
document.
    Following this scoping period, Commission staff will determine 
whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present Commission 
staff's independent analysis of the issues. If Commission staff 
prepares an EA, a Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an 
Environmental Assessment will be issued. The EA may be issued for an 
allotted public comment period. The Commission would consider timely 
comments on the EA before making its decision regarding the proposed 
project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued, which will open up an 
additional comment period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS which 
will be issued for public comment. Commission staff will consider all 
timely comments received during the comment period on the draft EIS and 
revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any EA 
or draft and final EIS will be available in electronic format in the 
public record through eLibrary \2\ and the Commission's natural gas 
environmental documents web page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents). If eSubscribed, you 
will receive instant email notification when the environmental document 
is issued.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with 
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the 
environmental issues of this project to formally cooperate in the 
preparation of the environmental document.\3\ Agencies that would like 
to request cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for 
filing comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Section 1501.8.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Consultation Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, the Commission is using this notice to initiate 
consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s), 
and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies, 
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential 
effects on historic properties.\4\ The environmental document for this 
project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties 
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the project and includes a mailing address with their 
comments. Commission staff will update the environmental mailing list 
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that Commission notices related to 
this environmental review are sent to all individuals, organizations, 
and government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by 
the proposed project.
    If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please complete one of 
the following steps:
    (1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your 
request. You must include the docket number CP23-29-000 in your 
request. If you are requesting a change to your address, please be sure 
to include your name and the correct address. If you are requesting to 
delete your address from the mailing list, please include your name and 
address as it appeared on this notice. This email address is unable to 
accept comments.

OR

    (2) Return the attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 2).

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number 
in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at [email protected] or (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the 
texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    Public sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with 
other related information.

    Dated: February 3, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-02749 Filed 2-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


