Gas Pipeline – Transco
2800 Post Oak Blvd
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Houston, Texas 77056
July 9, 2012 Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20426 Re: Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project PF09-8 Response to Scoping Issues Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, On May 25, 2012, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project. This NOI also contained a request for comments on environmental issues and notice of public scoping meetings. The formal scoping period closed on June 25, 2012. The attached table provides Transco’s response to the issues raised during the public scoping period. Those issues not resolved in the attached table will be further addressed in Transco’s Draft Resource Reports or when Transco files its formal 7(c) application. Any technical questions regarding this filing should be directed to Roberta Zwier at (973) 839-2410 or roberta.zwier@williams.com. Sincerely, Tim Powell Manager, Natural Resources cc: Kara Harris, Commission Staff
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Transco’s Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project (Project) on May 25, 2012. In addition to accepting written comments, FERC conducted formal public scoping meetings on June 12 and June 13, 2012. The following table identifies the scoping issues raised to date and provides Transco’s response. Transco’s response addresses comments submitted and uploaded on the FERC E-library through Friday June 29, 2012. As additional relevant comments are submitted after June 29, 2012, Transco will work with FERC staff to ensure that issues are addressed throughout the NEPA process.
Issue Response
Expand Discussion of Purpose and Need for Project including a Quantification of Energy Demand in the Region.
Transco is in the process of updating the first draft of Resource Report 1, which will include an expanded discussion of purpose and need in order to address this comment as well as questions raised by FERC Staff in their Comments to the Initial Drafts of Resource Reports 1 and 10 issued on May 10, 2012. The expanded discussion will be included in the next draft of Resource Report 1, which Transco expects to file in August 2012.
Source/Supply of Natural Gas
Transco’s Rockaway Delivery Lateral is supported by customer demand and is not designed to provide natural gas from any particular source. National Grid is responsible for sourcing natural gas supplies to meet this demand.
Radon Content in Natural Gas
New York City’s PlanNYC (the “Plan”) contains an initiative for increasing natural gas transmission to improve reliability and encourage conversion from highly polluting fuels (New York City, 2011). The Plan goes on to identify Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project as way to ease supply constraints and reinforce gas supplies in Brooklyn and Queens (New York City, 2011). The increased use of natural gas in residences in New York City resulting from the Project and other sources will improve air quality by replacing the systems that use fuel oil to heat residences. Poor air quality directly contributes to health risks and mortality on a greater scale than any alleged risks posed by radon.
Response to Scoping Issues Raised During the May 25-June 25, 2012 FERC Scoping Period Rockaway Lateral Delivery Project FERC Docket PF09-8