[Federal Register: September 3, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 171)]
[Notices]
[Page 51466-51467]
[DOCID:fr03se08-61]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2008-0294; FRL-8710-6]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants
(Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1057.11, OMB Control Number 2060-0041

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the
nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before October 3,
2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OECA-2008-0294, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method), or by e-mail to<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or by mail to:
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency,
Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center, mail code
2201T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB
at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management
and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Learia Williams, Compliance Assessment
and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail Code 2223A,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:<PHONE_NUMBER>; fax number:
(202) 564-0050; e-mail address<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On May 30, 2008 (73 FR 31088), EPA sought comments on this ICR
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional
comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days
of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under docket ID
number EPA-HQ-OECA-2008-0294, which is available for public viewing
online at http://www.regulations.gov, in person viewing at the
Enforcement and Compliance Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The
EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone
number for the Reading Room is<PHONE_NUMBER>, and the telephone number
for the Enforcement and Compliance Docket is<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper will be made
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, as EPA
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains
copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://
www.regulations.gov.
    Title: NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1057.11, OMB Control Number 2060-0041.
    ICR Status: This ICR is schedule to expire on October 31, 2008.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, and displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Sulfuric
Acid Plants were proposed on August 17, 1971, and promulgated on
December 23, 1971. These standards apply to any sulfuric acid facility
commencing construction, modification or reconstruction after the date
of proposal. The control of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and acid
mist requires not only the installation of properly designed equipment,
but also the proper operation and maintenance of that equipment. Sulfur
dioxide and acid mist emissions from sulfuric acid plants result from
the burning of sulfur or sulfur-bearing feed-stock to form
SO2, catalytic oxidation of SO2 to sulfur
trioxide, and absorption of SO2 in a strong acid stream.
These standards rely on the capture of SO2 and acid mist by
venting to a control device.
    Owners or operators of sulfuric acid plants are required to make
the following one-time-only reports, notification of the date of
construction or reconstruction, notification of actual startup dates,
notification of any physical or operational change to an existing
facility, and notification of demonstration of the continuous emissions
monitoring system (CEMS).

Owners and operators must also submit notification date of the initial
performance test, and the results of the initial performance test.
After the initial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, semiannual
reports are required if there has been an exceedance of control device
operating parameters. Respondents are also required to maintain records
of occurrence and duration of any startup, shutdown, or malfunction, or
any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative.
    Notifications are to inform the Agency or delegated authority when
a source becomes subject to the standard. The reviewing authority may
then inspect the source to ensure that the pollution control devices
are properly installed and operating and that the standards are being
met. Performance test reports are required as these are the Agency's
records of a sources' initial capability to comply with the emission
standards and to serve as a record of the operating conditions under
which compliance are to be achieved. The information generated by
monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements described in this
ICR are used by the Agency to ensure that facilities that are affected
by the standard continue to operate the control equipment and achieve
continuous compliance with the regulation.
    All reports are sent to the delegated state or local authority. In
the event that there is no such delegated authority, the reports are
sent directly to the EPA regional office. This information is being
collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 60, subpart H, as
authorized in sections 112 and 114(a) of the Clean Air Act. The
required information consists of emissions data and other information
that have been determined to be private.
    An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for EPA's
regulations listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15 is identified
on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information estimated to average 127
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
disclose and provide information to or for a Federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information. All
existing ways will have to adjust to comply with any previously
applicable instructions and requirements that have subsequently
changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Sulfuric acid plants.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 103.
    Frequency of Response: Initially, occasionally, and semiannually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 26,177.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $2,576,771, which includes $463,500
O&M costs and $2,113,271 labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the labor hours or
cost in this ICR compared to the previous ICR. This is due to two
considerations: (1) The regulations have not changed over the past
three years and are not anticipated to change over the next three
years; and (2) the growth rate for the industry is very low, negative
or non-existent, so there is no significant change in the overall
burden. It should be noted that the previous ICR rounded the burden
cost up to the nearest one thousand. In this ICR, the exact cost figure
is reported which results in an apparent decrease in the cost when, in
fact, no decrease has occurred.
    Since there are no changes in the regulatory requirements and there
is no significant industry growth, the labor hours and cost figures in
the previous ICR was used in this ICR, and there is no change in burden
to industry.

    Dated: August 27, 2008.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E8-20396 Filed 9-2-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64379-64382]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25627]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF14-18-000]

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation Empire Pipeline, Inc.;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned
Northern Access 2016 Project, Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the Northern Access 2016 Project
(Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (Supply) and Empire Pipeline Inc.
(Empire) (collectively National Fuel) in Pennsylvania and New York. The

Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the project. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. The Commission
staff will also use the scoping process to help determine whether
preparation of an environmental impact statement is more appropriate
for this Project based upon the potential significance of the
anticipated levels of impact. Please note that the scoping period will
close on November 21, 2014.
    You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meetings scheduled as follows:

        FERC Public Scoping Meetings Northern Access 2016 Project
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             Date and time                           Location
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November 3, 2014, 7 p.m................  Doyle Hall, St. Bonaventure
                                          University, 3261 W. State St.,
                                          St. Bonaventure, NY 14778.
November 5, 2014, 7 p.m................  Springville-Griffith High
                                          School, 290 North Buffalo
                                          Street, Springville, NY 14141.
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    National Fuel staff will be available from 6:00-7:00 p.m., prior to
the public scoping meetings at the locations listed above.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with
state law.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Summary of the Planned Project

    National Fuel plans to construct and operate certain facilities in
Pennsylvania and New York which collectively would provide about
350,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas transportation
service to the northeastern United States and Canada. Supply would
provide approximately 350,000 Dth/d of new firm natural gas
transportation service from a receipt point in McKean County,
Pennsylvania to an interconnection with Empire's existing pipeline
system in Niagara County, New York. Empire would provide approximately
350,000 Dth/d of new firm transportation service from such Supply
interconnection to Empire's existing interconnection with TransCanada
Pipelines Limited.
    The planned project would consist of the following Supply
components:
     Construction of approximately 97 miles of new 24-inch-
diameter pipeline, from Sergeant Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania,
to an interconnection with Supply's existing Line X-North, near
Supply's existing Porterville Compressor Station in the Town of Elma,
Erie County, New York;

     an addition of approximately 5,000 horsepower to
Porterville Compressor Station; and
     an interconnection with Tennessee Gas Pipeline's 200 Line
in the Town of Wales, Erie County, New York.
The planned Project would also consist of the following Empire
components:
     Construction of a 24-inch pipeline segment of
approximately 4 miles, replacing 3.3 miles of existing 16-inch Supply
pipeline and 0.7 miles of existing Empire pipeline in the towns of
Wheatfield and Pendleton, Niagara County, New York;
     construction of a new, approximately 22,000 horsepower
compressor station in the Town of Pendleton, Niagara County, New York;
and
     construction of a new natural gas dehydration facility in
the Town of Wheatfield, Niagara County, New York.

The general location of the planned project facilities is shown in
Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to
all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call<PHONE_NUMBER>. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    National Fuel is still in the planning phase of the Project and
workspace requirements have not been finalized. However, National Fuel
is planning on using a 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way for the
24-inch-diameter pipeline segments. Following construction, National
Fuel would retain a 50-foot-wide easement for operation of the
pipelines. National Fuel would also require land for additional
workspaces at road, railroad, waterbody, and wetland crossings; topsoil
storage; access roads; storage or pipeyards; and for other purposes
during construction. About 92 percent of the planned pipeline route
parallels existing power line or pipeline rights-of-way.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about
proposals. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on important
environmental issues. By this

notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues
to address in the EA.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EA, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned Project under these
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     fisheries and aquatic resources;
     threatened, endangered, and other special-status species;
     land use, recreation, special interest areas, and visual
resources;
     socioeconomics;
     cultural resources;
     air quality and noise;
     reliability and safety; and
     cumulative environmental impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned Project
or portions of the Project, and make recommendations on how to lessen
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we
participated in public open house meetings sponsored by National Fuel
in the project area in August 2014 to explain the environmental review
process to interested stakeholders. We have also begun to contact
federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping
process and the preparation of the EA.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We
will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations
to the Commission. We will publish and distribute the EA for public
comment. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and address your
comments, please follow the instructions in the Public Participation
section beginning on page 6.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues related to this
Project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA.\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. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers has expressed its intention to participate as a cooperating
agency in the preparation of the EA to satisfy its NEPA
responsibilities related to this Project.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Consultations 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, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) 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\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the project
develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum
encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include
construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor
stations, and access roads). Our EA for this project will document our
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status
of consultations under section 106.
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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Historic
properties are defined in those regulations as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities,
comments made to us at National Fuel's open houses, preliminary
consultations with other agencies, and the environmental information
provided by National Fuel. This preliminary list of issues may be
changed based on your comments and our analysis:
     Forested areas including fragmentation;
     agricultural areas including impacts on soils;
     property values;
     surface water;
     groundwater including wells and springs;
     wildlife and vegetation;
     federal and state-listed threatened, endangered, and
sensitive species;
     eminent domain; and
     cumulative impacts.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. Your comments should focus on
the 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 your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before
November 21, 2014.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the
project docket number (PF14-18-000) with your submission. The
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert
staff available to assist you at<PHONE_NUMBER> or<EMAIL_ADDRESS>    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. 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 following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.

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 by 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. We will update the environmental mailing list as the
analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related to
this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies will be sent to the
environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would
prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of a CD version
or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return
the attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once National Fuel files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for
intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission
receives a formal application for the project.

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 Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number,
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF14-
18). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or toll free at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or for TTY,
contact<PHONE_NUMBER>. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of 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 http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.

    Dated: October 22, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-25627 Filed 10-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P