PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Montgomery has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program funding through the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) as a sub- recipient. Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990, FEMA is required to consider alternatives, and to provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority and low-income populations. This notice may also fulfill requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Funding for this project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state, and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions. Sub-Applicant: City of Montgomery Project Title: City of Montgomery- Sanitary and Storm Water Project; LPDM-PJ-03-WV-2023-006 Location of Proposed Work: City of Montgomery, West Virginia. Storm sewer line replacements located on Jackson Street and Lee Street1/2th Avenue. Wastewater plant located at 1422 3rd Avenue, Montgomery, WV. The existing Morris Creek Lift Station located at 38.180508, -81.334637. Special Flood Hazard Area Zone: This project is for replacement of storm sewer lines and upgrading equipment in Fayette and Kanawha Counties. Portions of the work along Jackson Street and Lee Street1/2th Avenue are in Zone X (shaded) (0.2% Annual Chance Flood Risk) flood zone, Zone AE (1% Chance Annual Flood Risk) flood zone, and a small part of the Regulatory Floodway. The Morris Creek Lift Station is in Zone X (shaded) (0.2% Annual Chance Flood Risk) flood zone. For these areas, confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) was determined by the Fayette County Effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Number: # 54019C0037D, dated 09 31/4010. The wastewater treatment plant is in Zone X (shaded) (0.2% Annual Chance Flood Risk) flood zone. Confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) was determined by the Kanawha County Effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Number: # 54039C0637E, dated 02 61/4008. The proposed work will conform to all applicable State of West Virginia and local floodplain regulations. The work has the potential to be impacted by flooding events due to its location in the floodplain. The proposed work will not take place in a wetland per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory and will have no potential to impact or affect wetland values. Proposed Work and Purpose: The City of Montgomery proposes to replace storm sewer lines and purchase and upgrade equipment for the Sanitary Department wastewater facility in the City of Montgomery. New storm sewer line replacements will be installed in road rights-of-way on Jackson Street and Lee Street1/2th Avenue. New drop inlets and storm manholes will be installed to transport stormwater to newly constructed outfalls on the Kanawha River and there will be videotaping of the project area. Equipment to be purchased and installed includes Oxidation Ditch – Sensors and Controls; Blowers and Controls; New Telemetry at the wastewater treatment plant; and a spare 20 HP Submersible Pump for the existing Morris Creek Lift Station. The purpose of this project is to improve the inadequate stormwater system and eliminate combined sewer overflows. Project Alternatives: Alternative #1: (No action alternative): The ‘no action’ alternative would not separate the sanitary sewer and storm drainage collection systems and eliminate combined sewer overflows, which is required by permit. Additionally, the current combined system is unable to handle excessive water during storm events, which can cause erosion issues and health-related risks. Comment Period: Comments are solicited from the public; local, state, or federal agencies, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to: FEMA Internal 11988 Reviewer FEMA Region 3 One Independence Mall 615 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404 Alternatively, comments may be emailed to: fema-r3-ehp-publiccomment @fema.dhs.gov Please send comments with the subject line LPDM-PJ-03-WV-2023-006 EO11988 COMMENT. All comments are due by no later than 15 days of the posted date of this notice. LC-176853 07-12,2024
Legal Notices
CASE NO. 24-0443-G-PC HOPE GAS, INC. and CONSUMERS GAS UTILITY COMPANY Joint petition for consent and approval for Hope Gas, Inc. to acquire Consumers Gas Utility Company NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING On May 10, 2024, Hope Gas, Inc. (Hope) and Consumers Gas Utility Company (Consumers) (jointly, petitioners) filed with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (Commission) a joint petition (Joint Petition) for Commission consent and approval of a transaction pursuant to which Hope would acquire the capital stock in Consumers and merge Consumers into Hope. Consumers currently provides natural gas sales to approximately 8,500 customers in six counties in West Virginia. In the Joint Petition, Consumers and Hope assert that the transaction will have no adverse effect on Consumers’ or Hope’s customers, other public utilities, or the public in general. Following the transaction, the former utility assets of Consumers will be owned and operated by Hope, subject to the Commission’s continuing jurisdiction and regulation. From and after the closing of the transaction, the former customers of Consumers will become customers of Hope. Upon the closing of the Transaction, Consumers’ customers will continue to pay Consumers’ existing base rates. Hope proposes to charge those customers the lower of Consumers’ or Hope’s purchased gas adjustment (PGA) rate as of the closing of the transaction, as it changes from time to time, and a Legacy Surcharge rate increment, which surcharge equates to Hope’s pipeline replacement and expansion (PREP) rate increment, as it changes from time to time. Consequently, at close, based on the Consumers’ current base, Hope’s current PGA and current surcharge rates proposed, the average monthly bill impact for Consumers’ customers as a result of the Transaction will be as follows: Residential ($) Increase $6.53 (%) Increase 9.86% Commercial ($) Increase $10.85 (%) Increase 5.10% Hope proposes that the Consumers customers will eventually pay the Hope base rates plus PGA rates and Legacy Surcharge as those rates change from time to time. If the Consumers customers were immediately charged the current Hope base rates, the current Hope PGA rate, and the current Legacy Surcharge rate, the average monthly bill impact for Consumers’ customers as a result of the transaction would be as follows: Residential ($) Increase $11.70 (%) Increase 17.65% Commercial ($) Increase $13.24 (%) Increase 6.22% The Commission schedules this matter for evidentiary hearing to be held on August 27, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in the Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room, Public Service Commission Building, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia. Interested persons should be able to view the evidentiary hearing via an internet livestream. In lieu of an in-person or virtual public comment hearing, the Commission will receive public comments online and by mail or hand delivery to the Executive Secretary’s Office. All written comments should state the case name and number and be addressed to Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323. The Commission website, www.psc.state.wv.us, contains links to “Case Information,” “Submit a Comment,” and “Commission Webcast.” The Joint Petition is on file with and available for public inspection at the Commission, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia, and is available online at the Commission website (www.psc.state.wv.us). Anyone desiring to intervene or protest should file a written request to intervene or protest no later than ten (10) days following the date of this notice, unless such period is otherwise modified by Commission Order. Failure to timely intervene or protest can affect your right to participate in or protest aspects of this proceeding. All requests to intervene or protest should briefly state the reason for the request to intervene or protest and comply with the rules set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. All requests to intervene and protests should state the case name and number and be addressed to the Executive Secretary at the address listed above. In the absence of substantial protest received within ten (10) days of the issuance of this notice, the Commission may waive formal hearing and grant the Joint Petition based on the Commission’s review of the evidence submitted with the Joint Petition. HOPE GAS, INC. CONSUMERS GAS UTILITY COMPANY LH-176846 07-12;2024