Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company Requests Variance for Cumberland Project

Strategic Insights -

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. has submitted a request for variance approval for access road workspace adjustments for access road AR-26, as part of their Cumberland Project. The proposed modifications would remove 0.197 acre from the currently approved workspace and add 0.463 acre of new workspace for a net increase of 0.266 acre. The new route proposed for AR-26 follows an existing pathway at the edge of an open field and a tree line, avoiding additional impacts associated with the originally approved route. The project has undergone various environmental assessments, including field surveys for ecological resources, cultural resources, and hydrologic determinations, with no significant impacts to potential waters of the United States or endangered species identified.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. has submitted a request for variance approval for access road workspace adjustments for access road AR-26.
  • The proposed modifications would remove 0.197 acre from the currently approved workspace and add 0.463 acre of new workspace for a net increase of 0.266 acre.
  • The new route proposed for AR-26 follows an existing pathway at the edge of an open field and a tree line, avoiding additional impacts associated with the originally approved route.
  • Field surveys for ecological resources, cultural resources, and hydrologic determinations have been conducted, with no significant impacts to potential waters of the United States or endangered species identified.
  • The landowner has reviewed and verbally approved the proposed modification for Access Road AR-26.
  • TGP respectfully requests approval of this variance request for modifications to the workspaces for Access Road AR-26 by July 1, 2025.

Statistics:

  • 0.197 acre: the amount of workspace that would be removed from the currently approved workspace.
  • 0.463 acre: the amount of new workspace that would be added for access road AR-26.
  • 0.266 acre: the net increase in workspace for access road AR-26.
  • January 18, 2024: the date the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued its "Order Issuing Certificate" for the Cumberland Project.
  • August 29, 2024: the date the Commission issued its Notice to Proceed with Project construction.
  • March 2024: the month field surveys for cultural resources were conducted.
  • April 2025: the month addendum 3 to the Phase I Cultural Resources Investigation Report was submitted to the Tennessee Historical Commission, State Historic Preservation Office.
  • June 5, 2025: the date the SHPO provided final concurrence and Addendum 3 to the Phase I Cultural Resources Investigation Report was submitted.

Sources:

  • Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., Docket No. CP22-493-000 Cumberland Project Request for Variance (Number 17) - Proposed Workspace Modification to Access Road AR-26, submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on June 16, 2025.
  • 18 C.F.R. § 388.112 (2024), cited in the document for privileged treatment of certain information.
  • Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 186 FERC P 61,046 (2024); order on reh'g, 187 FERC P 61,136 (2024), cited in the document for the Commission's "Order Issuing Certificate" for the Cumberland Project.