FERC就Gulf South的Texas Gateway天然气管道项目追加NEPA环评公众征询期，属程序性步骤而非审批落地

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP26-547-000]
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Texas Gateway Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission)
will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will discuss the environmental
impacts 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,
Louisiana. The Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making process to
determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.

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 impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the issuance
of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. 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. On August 25,
2026, the Commission issued a 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 (NOI). Through the NOI,
the Commission initiated an initial public scoping period and requested comments on the

scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. With this current Notice, the
Commission is announcing an additional scoping period, which will also allow interested
stakeholders an opportunity to participate in in-person scoping sessions. Comments
received during the previous and current scoping periods will be considered in the
Commission staff's environmental review and in the development of the EIS. Additional
information about the Commission’s NEPA process is described below in the NEPA
Process and Environmental Document section of this notice.

By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues to
address in the EIS. 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 pm Eastern Time on November 12, 2026. Comments may be
submitted in written or oral form. Further details on how to submit comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.

Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will
help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS.
Commission staff will consider all written or oral comments during the preparation of the
EIS.

If you submitted comments on this project to the Commission before the opening
of this docket on June 26, 2026, you will need to file those comments in Docket No.
CP26-547-000 to ensure they are considered as part of this proceeding.

This notice is being sent to the Commission’s current environmental mailing list
for this 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 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 subsequently grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of
that 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 four 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”;

3)

You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the
Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP26-547000) 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; or

4)

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

Date and Time

Location
Cleveland Reception Hall

Monday, October 26, 2026

502 N. Washington Ave.

6:00 – 8:00 PM Central

Cleveland, TX 77327
(832) 241-8929
City of San Augustine Civic Center
(Log Cabin)

Tuesday, October 27, 2026
611 W. Columbia St.
6:00 – 8:00 PM Central
San Augustine, TX 75972
(936) 275-2121
Lone Star Community Center
Wednesday, October 28, 2026

750 Burch St.

6:00 – 8:00 PM Central

Jasper, TX 75951
(409) 384-7155
The Barn at Promise Ranch

Thursday, October 29, 2026

17734 US-171

6:00 – 8:00 PM Central

Ragley, LA 70657
(337) 485-7430

The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify the
specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in the
EIS. 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.

Each scoping session is scheduled from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Central
Daylight Time. You may arrive at any time after 6:00 pm. 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 8:00 pm. 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 at 7:30 pm. Please see appendix 1 for additional information on the
session format and conduct.1

Your oral 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. Although there will not be a formal

1 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 5028659.

presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the scoping
session to answer your questions about the environmental review process.
Representatives from Gulf South will also be present to answer projectspecific questions.

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 virtual scoping session.

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/ferconline/overview to register for eSubscription.

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 OPP@ferc.gov.

Summary of the Proposed Project

Gulf South proposes to construct, and operate the Texas Gateway Project which
will comprise approximately 155 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 Gulf South’s existing Index 129 Legacy System, to support the proposed
new pipeline. 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. Gulf South asserts that 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:

•

New approximate 155-mile-long natural gas pipeline comprised of 36-inchand 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 (M&R) stations.

•

A new 13,410 nominal horsepower2 (hp) compressor station (the Cleveland
Compressor Station [CS]) along its existing Index 129 Legacy System in
San Jacinto County, Texas.

•

Expansion of compressor capacity at the existing Carthage Junction CS and
Magasco CS.

•

A new bi-directional check M&R station at the Carthage Junction CS.

The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 2.

Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 3,034 acres of land for
the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, Gulf South would
maintain about 996 acres for permanent operation of the project’s facilities; the remaining
acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. About 40 percent of the proposed
pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way.

NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

The EIS issued by the Commission will discuss impacts that could occur as a
result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under the relevant general

2 The listed horsepower (hp) is based on the site rating hp at 95 °F.

The National
Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) hp is 14,189, and the International
Standards Organization (ISO) standard conditions hp is 15,876.

resource areas:

•

geology and soils;

•

water resources and wetlands;

•

vegetation and wildlife;

•

threatened and endangered species;

•

cultural resources;

•

socioeconomics;

•

land use;

•

air quality and noise; and

•

reliability and safety.

Based on an initial review of Gulf South’s proposal, Commission staff have
identified several expected effects that deserve attention in the EIS. The project would
cross 766 waterbodies, including 9 major waterbodies, and would disturb about 165.4
acres of wetlands during construction and about 29.7 during operation. About 24.3 acres
of forested wetland would be converted to emergent wetland. Habitat for a number of
species, including alligator snapping turtle, Louisiana pigtoe, Texas heelsplitter, monarch
butterfly, tricolored bat, and whooping crane, as well as migratory birds would be
affected. Flowage easements and fee-owned lands managed/owned by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and a Clean Water Act Section 10 waterbody would be crossed, as
well as the Sabine National Forest.

Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed project
or portions of the project and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts
on the various resource areas. Your comments will help Commission staff identify and
focus on the issues that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially
eliminate others from further study and discussion in the EIS.

The EIS will present Commission staff’s independent analysis of the issues. The
scheduling information contained in the Commission’s August 25, 2026 NOI will be
maintained unless revised via additional notice. 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. The draft and final EIS will be available in
electronic format in the public record through eLibrary3 and the Commission’s natural
gas environmental documents webpage (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/naturalgas/environment/environmental-documents). If eSubscribed, you will receive instant
email notification when the draft and final EISs are issued.

With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of this project to
formally cooperate in the preparation of the EIS.4 Agencies that would like to request

For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.

Cooperating agency responsibilities are addressed in Section 107(a)(3) of NEPA
(42 U.S.C. § 4336(a)(3)).
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided
under the Public Participation section of this notice.

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, and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma are cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the EIS.5

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
Office(s), 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.6 The
EIS for this project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations under section 106.

Cooperating agency responsibilities are addressed in Section 107(a)(3) of NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4336(a)(3)).
6 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.

Environmental Mailing List

The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local government
representatives and agencies; 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.
If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to
remove your name from the mailing list, please complete one of the following steps:

1) Send an email to GasProjectAddressChange@ferc.gov 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 e-mail address is unable to accept comments.

OR

2) Return the attached “Mailing List Update Form” (appendix 3).

Additional Information

Additional information about the project is available from 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. Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support
at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov 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.

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: October 13, 2026
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 2026-21191 Filed: 10/15/2026 8:45 am; Publication Date: 10/16/2026]