Public Scoping Session on the Heartland Project (Docket No. PF24-3-000)

There are five 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 FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.

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 (PF24-3-000) on your letter.  Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting 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, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

4)    In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend one of the public scoping sessions its staff will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows:

The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in the environmental document.  Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter.  This format is designed to receive the maximum amount of oral comments in a convenient way during the timeframe allotted.

The scoping session in Yorkville, Illinois is scheduled from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm Central Daylight Time and the session in Green Bay, Wisconsin is scheduled from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Central Daylight Time.  You may arrive at any time after the scheduled start time.  There will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when the session opens.  If you wish to speak, the Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of your arrival.  Comments will be taken until 6:30 pm in Yorkville, Illinois and 7:00 pm in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  However, if no additional numbers have been handed out and all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do so, staff may conclude the session up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled end time.  Please see appendix 1 for additional information on the session format and conduct.[1]

Your scoping comments will be recorded by a court reporter (with FERC staff or representative present) and become part of the public record for this proceeding.  Transcripts will be publicly available on FERC’s eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice for instructions on using eLibrary).  If a significant number of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one settings, a time limit of 5 minutes may be implemented for each commentor. 

It is important to note that the Commission provides equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form or provided orally at a scoping session.  Although there will not be a formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the scoping session to answer your questions about the environmental review process.  Representatives from ANR will also be present to answer project-specific questions. 

5)       For your convenience, the Commission also invites you to attend a virtual public scoping session its staff will conduct by telephone, scheduled as follows:

Note that the scoping session will start at 4:00 pm and will end once all participants wishing to comment have had the opportunity to do so, or at 6:00 pm, whichever comes first.  Individual oral comments will be taken one at a time with a court reporter present on the line. 

There will be a brief introduction by Commission staff when the session opens, so please attempt to call in at the beginning of the session.  All participants will be able to hear the comments provided by other participants; however, all lines will remain closed during the comments of others and then opened one at a time for providing comments.  Once you call in, the operator will provide directions on how to indicate you would like to provide a comment.  A time limit of 5 minutes may be implemented for each commentor. 

Your oral comments will be recorded by the court reporter and become part of the public record for this proceeding.  Transcripts of all comments received during the scoping session(s) will be publicly available on FERC’s eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice for instructions on using eLibrary).

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.

The Commission’s Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission proceedings.  OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access publicly available information and navigate Commission processes.  For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.