Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC;
| Citation | 91 FR 55573 |
| Published date | 28 August 2026 |
| FR Document | 2026-17632 |
| Pages | 55573-55576 |
| Section | Notices |
| Issuer | Energy Department,Federal Energy Regulatory Commission |
Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55573-55576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17632]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP26-547-000]
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Texas Gateway Project, Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Schedule for Environmental Review
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will discuss the environmental effects of the Texas Gateway Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Gulf South
Pipeline Company, LLC (Gulf South) in Panola, Shelby, San Augustine,
Sabine, Jasper, Newton, and San Jacinto counties, Texas, and Beauregard
Parish,
[[Page 55574]]
Louisiana.\1\ The Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making
process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience
and necessity. The schedule for preparation of the EIS is discussed in
the Schedule for Environmental Review section of this notice.
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\1\ For tracking purposes under the National Environmental
Policy Act, the unique identification number for documents relating
to this environmental review is EISX-019-20-000-1786695591.
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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
effects that could result from its action whenever it considers the
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity/
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 the EIS section of this notice.
By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the
scope of issues to address in the environmental document, including
comments on potential alternatives and effects, and any relevant
information, studies, or analyses of any kind concerning effects
affecting the quality of the human environment. 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 September 24, 2026. Comments may be submitted
in written form. Further details on how to submit comments are provided
in the Public Participation section of this notice.
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 proposed facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You
are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the project, the Natural Gas Act conveys the right of eminent
domain to the company. Therefore, if you and the company do not reach
an easement agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings in court. In such instances, compensation would be
determined by a judge in accordance with state law. The Commission does
not grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of eminent domain
authority. The courts have exclusive authority to handle eminent domain
cases; the Commission has no jurisdiction over these matters.
Gulf South 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, Landowner Topics link.
Public Participation
There are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the
Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and
has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or
[email protected]. Please carefully follow these instructions
so that your comments are properly recorded.
(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 (CP26-
547-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to:
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office
of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
Summary of the Proposed Project, the Project Purpose and Need, and
Expected Effects
Gulf South proposes to construct and operate the Texas Gateway
Project which will comprise approximately 154 miles of new natural gas
pipelines and associated metering and compression facilities in east
Texas and southwest Louisiana. Gulf South also proposes to construct a
new compressor station along its existing Index 129 Legacy System in
San Jacinto County, Texas and expand two existing compressor stations
located along the new pipeline route. Overall, the project will allow
Gulf South to transport approximately 1.8 billion cubic feet per day of
natural gas from existing facilities in Carthage, Texas to delivery
points in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.
According to Gulf South, its project would support liquefied
natural gas (LNG), industrial, and utility demand by connecting
shippers to diverse natural gas supplies from the Permian, Eagle Ford,
and Haynesville basins. The project would enhance system reliability,
supply security, flow assurance, and long-term economic development in
southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas by linking these production
areas to the growing market centers in southeast Texas and southwestern
Louisiana, including LNG export facilities located near the Gillis Hub
and surrounding Gulf Coast Region.
The Texas Gateway Project would consist of the following
facilities:
a new 154-mile-long natural gas pipeline comprised of 36-
inch- and 42-inch-diameter pipe segments, in Panola, Shelby, San
Augustine, Sabine, Jasper, Newton, and San Jacinto counties, Texas, and
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana;
three new delivery meter and regulator stations;
a new 13,410-horsepower compressor station (the Cleveland
Compressor Station [CS]) along Gulf South's existing Index 129 Legacy
System in San Jacinto County, Texas;
expansion of compressor capacity at the existing Carthage
Junction CS in Panola County, Texas and the existing Magasco CS in
Sabine County, Texas; and
[[Page 55575]]
a new bi-directional check meter and regulator station at
the Carthage Junction CS in Panora County, Texas.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\2\
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\2\ 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.
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Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 2,970
acres of land for the above ground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, Gulf South would maintain about 991 acres for
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage
would be restored and revert to former uses. About 44 percent of the
proposed pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road
rights-of-way.
Based on an initial review of Gulf South's proposal, Commission
staff have identified several expected effects that deserve attention
in the EIS. These include effects from waterbody crossings, including
two designated Scenic Rivers; effects to wetlands, including permanent
conversion of about 29 acres of forested wetland to emergent wetland;
crossing federally managed land, including a designated Wildlife
Management Area; crossing the El Camino Real de los Tejas Historic
Trail, crossing private land managed under a conservation easement; and
potential effects to designated Critical Habitat for species listed
under the Endangered Species Act.
The NEPA Process and the EIS
The EIS issued by the Commission will discuss effects that could
occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed
project under the relevant general resource areas:
geology and soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation and wildlife;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
land use;
socioeconomics;
air quality and noise; and
reliability and safety.
Commission staff will also make recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid effects on the various resource areas. Your comments will help
Commission staff focus its analysis on the issues that may have a
significant effect on the human environment.
The EIS will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the
issues. The following are cooperating agencies in the preparation of
the EIS: \3\ the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Bureau of Land
Management; U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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\3\ Cooperating agency responsibilities are addressed in Section
107(a)(3) of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4336(a)(3)).
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Staff will 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 draft and final EIS will be
available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary
\4\ 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.
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\4\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the
last page of this notice.
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Alternatives Under Consideration
The EIS will evaluate reasonable alternatives that are technically
and economically feasible and meet the purpose and need for the
proposed action. Alternatives currently under consideration include:
the no-action alternative, meaning the project is not
implemented;
pipeline route alternatives, including minor deviations;
aboveground facility site alternatives; and
compression alternatives.
With this notice, the Commission requests specific comments
regarding any additional potential alternatives to the proposed action
or segments of the proposed action. Please focus your comments on
reasonable alternatives (including alternative facility sites and
pipeline routes) that meet the project objectives, are technically and
economically feasible, and avoid or lessen environmental effects.
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 Offices,
and other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the public
to solicit their views and concerns regarding the project's potential
effects on historic properties.\5\ The project EIS will document
findings on the effects on historic properties and summarize the status
of consultations under section 106.
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\5\ 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.
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Schedule for Environmental Review
On July 15, 2026, the Commission issued its Notice of Application
for the project. Among other things, that notice alerted other agencies
issuing federal authorizations of the requirement to complete all
necessary reviews and to reach a final decision on the request for a
federal authorization within 90 days of the date of issuance of the
Commission staff's final EIS for the project. We developed this
schedule based on a thorough review of the relevant factors, including
the size and greenfield nature of the project, the absence of pre-
filing review, and the need to allot adequate time for coordination
with cooperating agencies. This notice identifies the Commission
staff's planned schedule for completion of the final EIS for the
project, which is based on an issuance of the draft EIS in April 2027,
opening a 45-day comment period.
Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--September 24, 2027
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \6\--December 23, 2027
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\6\ The Commission's deadline applies to the decisions of other
federal agencies, and state agencies acting under federally
delegated authority, that are responsible for federal
authorizations, permits, and other approvals necessary for proposed
projects under the Natural Gas Act. Per Title 18 Code of Federal
Regulations 157.22(a), the Commission's deadline for other agency's
decisions applies unless a schedule is otherwise established by
federal law.
In accordance with Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface
Transportation Act, agencies are to publish completion dates for all
federal environmental reviews and authorizations. This notice
identifies the Commission's anticipated schedule for issuance of the
final order for the project, which is based on the anticipated issuance
date for the final EIS. We currently anticipate issuing a final order
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for the project no later than:
Issuance of Final Order--December 16, 2027
If a schedule change becomes necessary, an additional notice will
be provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the
project's progress.
[[Page 55576]]
Permits and Authorizations
The table below lists the anticipated permits and authorizations
for the project required under federal law. This list may not be all-
inclusive and does not preclude any permit or authorization if it is
not listed here. Agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special
expertise may formally cooperate in the preparation of the Commission's
EIS and may adopt the EIS to satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related
to this project. 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.
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Agency Permit
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Federal Energy Regulatory Commission... Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management......... Right-of-way Grant.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Section 7 of the Endangered
Coastal and Central Plains Ecological Species Act, Threatened and
Services Field Office. Endangered Species
Consultation.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Section 7 of the Endangered
Louisiana Ecological Services Field Species Act, Threatened and
Office. Endangered Species
Consultation.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston Section 404 Clean Water Act/
District. Section 10 Rivers and Harbors
Act--Individual Permit.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Section 404 Clean Water Act--
Worth District. Nationwide Permit 12.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Section 404 Clean Water Act/
Orleans District. Section 10 Rivers and Harbors
Act--Individual Permit.
U.S. Forest Service.................... Archaeological Resource
Protection Act Permit.
U.S. Forest Service.................... SF-299 Survey Permit.
Railroad Commission of Texas........... Individual Section 401 Water
Quality Certification.
Railroad Commission of Texas........... Hydrostatic Test Discharge
Permit.
Railroad Commission of Texas........... Landfarming Permit.
Texas Commission on Environmental General Permit to Discharge
Quality. Hydrostatic Test Water
(TXG670000).
Texas Commission on Environmental Temporary Water Rights Permit.
Quality.
Texas Commission on Environmental Permit-by-Rule Air
Quality. Authorization.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.... State Threatened and Endangered
Species Consultation/
Clearance.
Advisory Council on Historic Section 106 of the National
Preservation/Texas Historical Historic Preservation Act.
Commission.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Individual Section 401 Water
Quality. Quality Certification.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Hydrostatic Water Discharge
Quality. General Permit (LAG670000).
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and State Threatened and Endangered
Fisheries. Species Clearance.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Louisiana State Scenic River
Fisheries. Permit.
Louisiana State Historic Preservation Section 106 of the National
Office. Historic Preservation Act.
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Environmental Mailing List
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for the project which includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; local police departments and
police juries; local fire departments and districts; local learning
institutions; elected officials; Native American Tribes; environmental
and public interest groups; other interested parties; and local
libraries and media outlets. 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.
State and local government representatives should notify their
constituents of this proposed project and encourage them to comment on
their areas of concern.
If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would
like to remove your name from themailing list, please complete one of
the following steps:
(1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your
request. You must include the docket number CP26-547-000 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 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, excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP26-
547). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance with eLibrary, 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.
Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription. This service provides automatic notification of filings
made to subscribed dockets, document summaries, and direct links to the
documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register
for eSubscription.
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.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: August 25, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-17632 Filed 8-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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