The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an independent agency that regulates and oversees the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, and electricity, as well as regulating natural gas and hydropower projects. FERC also regulates the permitting process associated with pipeline and utility projects, which may require compliance with cultural resource laws and regulations. Knowledge of their policies and strategies is crucial to the successful completion of a FERC-permitted study. New South Associates has been proactive in its efforts to stay knowledgeable of FERC’s regulations; staff members have attended FERC’s and related pipeline association symposia and training sessions on cultural resource consulting.
New South Associates is aware that with pipeline and utility projects, time is almost always of the essence. Indeed, time is money when construction delays can be critical to the success or failure of a permit application or a contract to supply energy products. New South Associates knows this, and has worked with several pipeline companies to provide expedited response to cultural resource requirements. We employ field computers and GPS to record survey data on a daily basis and provide our utility and pipeline clients with updates of our findings and recommendations. Our staff has worked with most of the South’s major utilities and pipeline companies, as well as with local agencies. Some examples of this work include:
• Archaeological Survey of Lake Keowee Shoreline, Recreation Areas, and Islands, for Duke Energy (South Carolina);
• Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Bremen-Tallapoosa Transmission Line, Haralson County, for Georgia Power (Georgia);
• Phase I Cultural Resource Survey of a 40-mile CO2 Pipeline, Lauderdale, Clarke, and Jasper counties, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. for Mississippi Power (Mississippi);
• Archaeological Surveys for Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant, for CH2M Hill and Tetra Tech (North Carolina);
• Archaeological Surveys and Testing at Plant Vogtle Nuclear Plant, for Southern Nuclear and Tetra Tech (Georgia);
• Phase I Cultural Resource Assessment Survey for the Levy County Nuclear Power Plant, for CH2M Hill (Florida);
• Murray Pipeline General Archaeological Monitoring and Survey, Foster Wheeler (PA) for East Tennessee Natural Gas Company and Duke Energy (Tennessee and Georgia);
• Phase I Archaeological and Historic Architectural Survey of the Williams Gas Pipelines – Transco Proposed Sundance Expansion Project, for Williams Gas Pipelines (Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina);
• Phase I Archaeological Survey of Piedmont Natural Gas’ Mayland Project Section 3 in Avery and Burke Counties, for Piedmont Natural Gas (North Carolina);
• Lincoln County Pipeline Archaeological Survey, for Williams Gas Pipelines (North Carolina); and
• Lee County Transmission Line Survey, for Ecological Associates (South Carolina)
At New South Associates, we are ready and able to assist pipeline or utility companies in meeting their FERC permitting requirements and NHPA Section 106 requirements.