[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 71 (Thursday, April 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22444-22445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07809]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP22-466-000]


WBI Energy Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wahpeton 
Expansion Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for the Wahpeton Expansion Project, proposed by WBI Energy 
Transmission, Inc. (WBI Energy) in the above-referenced docket. WBI 
Energy requests

[[Page 22445]]

authorization to construct and operate the Wahpeton Expansion Project 
to provide firm transportation service for about 20,600 equivalent 
dekatherms of natural gas per day to meet a growing demand for natural 
gas in southeastern North Dakota. The project is supported by a binding 
Precent Agreement with Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU) for 20,000 
equivalent dekatherms of natural gas per day from the existing Mapleton 
Compressor Station to the proposed MDU-Kindred and MDU-Wahpeton Border 
Stations to provide natural gas services to the communities of Kindred 
and Wahpeton, North Dakota.
    The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Wahpeton Expansion Project in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed 
project, with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, would 
result in some adverse environmental impacts. Most of these impacts 
would be temporary and occur during construction (e.g., impacts on 
wetlands, land use, traffic, and noise). With the exception of climate 
change impacts, that are not characterized in the EIS as significant or 
insignificant, staff conclude that project effects would not be 
significant. As part of the analysis, Commission staff developed 
specific mitigation measures (included in the final EIS as 
recommendations). Staff recommend that these mitigation measures be 
attached as conditions to any authorization issued by the Commission.
    No agencies elected to participate as a cooperating agency in the 
preparation of the EIS.
    The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following project facilities:
     a new 60.2-mile-long, 12-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline;
     minor modifications to WBI Energy's existing Mapleton 
Compressor Station;
     a new MDU-Wahpeton Border Station;
     a new MDU-Kindred Border Station:
     seven new block valve settings:
     four new pig launcher/receiver settings; and
     ancillary 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 final EIS 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 final EIS 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., CP22-466). Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at [email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, 
or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
    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.
    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: April 7, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-07809 Filed 4-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


