Final Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in National Environmental Policy Act Reviews, 51866-51867 [2016-18620]

Download as PDF 51866 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Notices Dining Hall, Building 263, 2920 Headquarters Avenue, Sioux City, IA Service Type: Custodial Service Mandatory for: 185th Air Refueling Wing, Buildings 234 and 241, 2920 Headquarters Avenue, Sioux City, IA Mandatory Source(s) of Supply: Goodwill Community Rehabilitation Services, Inc., Sioux City, IA Contracting Activity: Dept of the Army, W7M8 USPFO ACTIVITY IA ARNG Barry S. Lineback, Director, Business Operations. [FR Doc. 2016–18647 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6353–01–P COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Final Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in National Environmental Policy Act Reviews Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability. AGENCY: The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is issuing its final guidance on considering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews. Many projects and programs proposed by, or requiring the approval of, Federal agencies have the potential to emit or sequester GHGs and may be affected by climate change. It follows that, under NEPA, Federal decisionmakers and the public should be informed about a proposal’s GHG emissions and climate change implications. Such information can help a decision-maker make an informed choice between alternative actions that will result in different levels of GHG emissions or consider mitigation measures that reduce climate change impacts. This final guidance applies to all types of proposed Federal agency actions, including land and resource management actions, and provides agencies with a framework for agency consideration of the effects of GHGs and climate change to ensure efficient and transparent agency decision-making. DATES: The guidance is effective August 5, 2016. ADDRESSES: The Final Guidance is available at https://www.whitehouse. gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/ nepa/ghg-guidance and https:// ceq.doe.gov/. Paper copies are also available upon request. mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:42 Aug 04, 2016 Jkt 238001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council on Environmental Quality (ATTN: Ted Boling, Associate Director for the National Environmental Policy Act), 722 Jackson Place NW., Washington, DC 20503. Telephone: (202) 395–5750. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Enacted by Congress in 1969, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., is this Nation’s basic charter for harmonizing our environmental, economic, and social goals and is a cornerstone of the Nation’s efforts to protect the environment. NEPA is based on a recognition that many Federal activities affect the environment and mandates that Federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions before deciding to adopt proposals and take actions.1 On December 24, 2014, CEQ issued revised draft guidance 2 developed after considering comments received on the February 2010 draft guidance from the public, Federal agencies, and other affected stakeholders.3 A Federal Register notice announced the availability of the revised draft guidance for public review and opened a 60-day public comment period through February 23, 2015. 79 FR 77801 (Dec. 24, 2014). In response to stakeholders who requested additional time to review and comment on the revised draft guidance, CEQ extended the public comment period 30 days until March 25, 2015. 80 FR 9443 (Feb. 23, 2015). There were over 100 public comments from a broad range of stakeholders, including private citizens, members of Congress, corporations, environmental organizations, trade associations, academics, tribes, and Federal, state, and local agencies. CEQ considered the comments and the revised guidance reflects its consideration of the input. This guidance is not a regulation. It presents CEQ’s interpretation of what is appropriate under NEPA and the CEQ Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR 1 For more information on the applicability of NEPA, see the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), ‘‘A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA,’’ available at https://ceq.doe.gov/nepa/Citizens_Guide_ Dec07.pdf. 2 See CEQ, ‘‘Revised Draft Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews,’’ (Dec. 24, 2014), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/docs/nepa_revised_draft_ghg_ guidance_searchable.pdf. 3 See CEQ, ‘‘Draft NEPA Guidance on Consideration of the Effects of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions,’’ (Feb. 18, 2010), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/microsites/ceq/20100218-nepaconsideration-effects-ghg-draft-guidance.pdf. PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 parts 1500–1508 (CEQ Regulations). This guidance does not change or substitute for any law, regulation, or other legally binding requirement. With this guidance, CEQ provides Federal agencies with an overarching framework for determining how to consider GHG emissions and climate change effects in NEPA reviews. Consequently, this guidance could reduce agency uncertainty and avoid impacts on project timelines and costs that stem from such uncertainty. Agency discretion is an integral aspect of NEPA implementation and this guidance offers an approach to agencies on how to exercise that discretion. This guidance preserves agency discretion and recognizes agencies’ abilities to evaluate the facts in the NEPA review at hand and determine how GHG emissions and climate change should be taken into account, the appropriate depth and scope for meaningfully comparing alternatives, and the appropriate GHG emission quantification tools. The final guidance recommends that agencies use projected GHG emissions as a proxy for assessing potential climate change effects when preparing a NEPA analysis for a proposed agency action; recommends that agencies quantify projected direct and indirect GHG emissions, taking into account available data and GHG quantification tools that are suitable for the proposed agency action; and recommends that where agencies do not quantify the GHG emissions for a proposed agency action because tools, methodologies, or data inputs are not reasonably available, agencies include a qualitative analysis in the NEPA document and explain the basis for determining that quantification is not reasonably available. The guidance also: • Counsels agencies to use information developed during the NEPA review to consider alternatives that would make the actions and affected communities more resilient to the effects of a changing climate. • Outlines special considerations for analysis of biogenic carbon dioxide sources and carbon stocks associated with land and resource management actions. • Encourages agencies to use and leverage existing NEPA tools and practices to assist in their analyses, such as scoping, broad-scale reviews and tiering, incorporation by reference, and available information. • Advises agencies to rely on their expert judgment and experience to determine which tools and methodologies should be used when they conduct their analyses. E:\FR\FM\05AUN1.SGM 05AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Notices This guidance is effective for use on all new proposals when a NEPA review is initiated. CEQ recommends that agencies consider applying this guidance to projects in ongoing EIS or EA processes where GHG emissions may be a significant aspect of the proposal. The final guidance is available on the National Environmental Policy Act Web site (www.nepa.gov) specifically at, https://ceq.doe.gov/ceq_regulations/ guidance.html, and on the CEQ Web site at https://www.whitehouse.gov/ administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/ nepa/ghg-guidance. For the reasons stated in the preamble, above, CEQ issues the following guidance on the consideration of GHG emissions and the effects of climate change in NEPA reviews. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4332, 4342, 4344 and 40 CFR parts 1500, 1501, 1502, 1503, 1505, 1506, 1507, and 1508. Dated: August 1, 2016. Christy Goldfuss, Managing Director, Council on Environmental Quality. [FR Doc. 2016–18620 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3225–F6–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Global Positioning System Directorate (GPSD) Meeting Notice Global Positioning System Directorate (GPSD), Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of meeting—2016 Public Interface Control Working Group and Open Forum for the NAVSTAR GPS public documents. AGENCY: This notice informs the public that the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Directorate will host the 2016 Public Interface Control Working Group and Open Forum on 21 and 22 September 2016 for the following NAVSTAR GPS public documents: IS– GPS–200 (Navigation User Interfaces), IS–GPS–705 (User Segment L5 Interfaces), IS–GPS–800 (User Segment L1C Interface), ICD–GPS–240 (NAVSTAR GPS Control Segment to User Support Community Interfaces), and ICD–GPS–870 (NAVSTAR GPS Control Segment to User Support Community Interfaces). Additional logistical details can be found below. The purpose of this meeting is to update the public on GPS public document revisions and collect issues/ comments for analysis and possible integration into future GPS public mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:42 Aug 04, 2016 Jkt 238001 document revisions. All outstanding comments on the GPS public documents will be considered along with the comments received at this year’s open forum in the next revision cycle. The 2016 Interface Control Working Group and Open Forum are open to the general public. For those who would like to attend and participate, we request that you register no later than September 7, 2016. Please send the registration information to SMCGPER@us.af.mil, providing your name, organization, telephone number, email address, and country of citizenship. Comments will be collected, catalogued, and discussed as potential inclusions to the version following the current release. If accepted, these changes will be processed through the formal directorate change process for IS–GPS–200, IS–GPS–705, IS–GPS–800, ICD–GPS–240, and ICD–GPS–870. All comments must be submitted in a Comments Resolution Matrix (CRM). These forms along with current versions of the documents and the official meeting notice are posted at: https:// www.gps.gov/technical/icwg/. Please submit comments to the SMC/ GPS Requirements (SMC/GPER) mailbox at SMCGPER@us.af.mil by August 19, 2016. Special topics may also be considered for the Public Open Forum. If you wish to present a special topic, please coordinate with SMC/ GPER no later than September 7, 2016. For more information, please contact Capt Robyn Anderson at 310–653–3064 or Daniel Godwin at 310–653–3640. Table of Contents • DATES: • ADDRESSES: • FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Date/Time: 21–22 Sept 2016, 0830–1600 * (Pacific Standard Time P.S.T.). Registration/check-in on 21 Sept 2016 will begin at 0800 hrs DATES: PCT: 100 North Sepulveda Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, The Great Room. Dial-In Information and Location: Phone Number: 1–310–653–2663, Meeting ID: 6272252, Passcode: 000001. * Identification will be required at the entrance of the PCT facility (e.g., Passport, state ID or Federal ID). PCT Facility Phone Number: 310– 615–0122. ADDRESSES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Captain Robyn Anderson, robyn.anderson.1@us.af.mil, (310) 653– PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51867 3064. Daniel Godwin, daniel.godwin.5@ us.af.mil, (310) 653–3640. Bao-Anh Trinh, Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2016–18595 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–10–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Record of Decision and Floodplain Statement of Findings for the Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC Application To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade Agreement Countries Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Record of decision. AGENCY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its decision in Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC (Lake Charles LNG Export), DOE/ FE Docket No. 13–04–LNG,1 to issue DOE/FE Order No. 3868 granting final long-term, multi contract authorization for Lake Charles LNG Export to engage in export of domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Lake Charles Terminal located in Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (Terminal), in a volume equivalent to 730 Bcf/yr of natural gas for a term of 20 years. Lake Charles LNG Export is seeking to export LNG from the Terminal to countries with which the United States has not entered into a free trade agreement (FTA) that requires national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (nonFTA countries). Order No. 3868 is issued under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) 2 and 10 CFR part 590 of the DOE regulations.3 DOE participated as a cooperating agency with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) 4 analyzing the potential SUMMARY: 1 On Oct. 10, 2014, Trunkline LNG Export, LLC filed a request in DOE/FE Dkt. No. 13–04–LNG to change its corporate name to Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC. Subsequently, DOE/FE issued Order 3252–A granting the name change. See Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 3252–A, FE Dkt. No. 13–04–LNG (March 18, 2015). 2 The authority to regulate the imports and exports of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas, under section 3 of the NGA (15 U.S.C. 717b) has been delegated to the Assistant Secretary for FE in Redelegation Order No. 00–006.02 issued on November 17, 2014. 3 10 CFR part 590 (2012). 4 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Charles Liquefaction Project, Docket Nos. CP14– E:\FR\FM\05AUN1.SGM Continued 05AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51866-51867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18620]


=======================================================================
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COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY


Final Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on 
Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate 
Change in National Environmental Policy Act Reviews

AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is issuing its 
final guidance on considering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 
climate change in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews. 
Many projects and programs proposed by, or requiring the approval of, 
Federal agencies have the potential to emit or sequester GHGs and may 
be affected by climate change. It follows that, under NEPA, Federal 
decision-makers and the public should be informed about a proposal's 
GHG emissions and climate change implications. Such information can 
help a decision-maker make an informed choice between alternative 
actions that will result in different levels of GHG emissions or 
consider mitigation measures that reduce climate change impacts. This 
final guidance applies to all types of proposed Federal agency actions, 
including land and resource management actions, and provides agencies 
with a framework for agency consideration of the effects of GHGs and 
climate change to ensure efficient and transparent agency decision-
making.

DATES: The guidance is effective August 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The Final Guidance is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/nepa/ghg-guidance 
and https://ceq.doe.gov/. Paper copies are also available upon request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Council on Environmental Quality 
(ATTN: Ted Boling, Associate Director for the National Environmental 
Policy Act), 722 Jackson Place NW., Washington, DC 20503. Telephone: 
(202) 395-5750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Enacted by Congress in 1969, the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., is this 
Nation's basic charter for harmonizing our environmental, economic, and 
social goals and is a cornerstone of the Nation's efforts to protect 
the environment. NEPA is based on a recognition that many Federal 
activities affect the environment and mandates that Federal agencies 
consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions before 
deciding to adopt proposals and take actions.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ For more information on the applicability of NEPA, see the 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), ``A Citizen's Guide to the 
NEPA,'' available at https://ceq.doe.gov/nepa/Citizens_Guide_Dec07.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On December 24, 2014, CEQ issued revised draft guidance \2\ 
developed after considering comments received on the February 2010 
draft guidance from the public, Federal agencies, and other affected 
stakeholders.\3\ A Federal Register notice announced the availability 
of the revised draft guidance for public review and opened a 60-day 
public comment period through February 23, 2015. 79 FR 77801 (Dec. 24, 
2014). In response to stakeholders who requested additional time to 
review and comment on the revised draft guidance, CEQ extended the 
public comment period 30 days until March 25, 2015. 80 FR 9443 (Feb. 
23, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ See CEQ, ``Revised Draft Guidance for Federal Departments 
and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the 
Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews,'' (Dec. 24, 2014), 
available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/nepa_revised_draft_ghg_guidance_searchable.pdf.
    \3\ See CEQ, ``Draft NEPA Guidance on Consideration of the 
Effects of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions,'' (Feb. 18, 
2010), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ceq/20100218-nepa-consideration-effects-ghg-draft-guidance.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There were over 100 public comments from a broad range of 
stakeholders, including private citizens, members of Congress, 
corporations, environmental organizations, trade associations, 
academics, tribes, and Federal, state, and local agencies. CEQ 
considered the comments and the revised guidance reflects its 
consideration of the input.
    This guidance is not a regulation. It presents CEQ's interpretation 
of what is appropriate under NEPA and the CEQ Regulations for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 
(CEQ Regulations). This guidance does not change or substitute for any 
law, regulation, or other legally binding requirement. With this 
guidance, CEQ provides Federal agencies with an overarching framework 
for determining how to consider GHG emissions and climate change 
effects in NEPA reviews. Consequently, this guidance could reduce 
agency uncertainty and avoid impacts on project timelines and costs 
that stem from such uncertainty.
    Agency discretion is an integral aspect of NEPA implementation and 
this guidance offers an approach to agencies on how to exercise that 
discretion. This guidance preserves agency discretion and recognizes 
agencies' abilities to evaluate the facts in the NEPA review at hand 
and determine how GHG emissions and climate change should be taken into 
account, the appropriate depth and scope for meaningfully comparing 
alternatives, and the appropriate GHG emission quantification tools.
    The final guidance recommends that agencies use projected GHG 
emissions as a proxy for assessing potential climate change effects 
when preparing a NEPA analysis for a proposed agency action; recommends 
that agencies quantify projected direct and indirect GHG emissions, 
taking into account available data and GHG quantification tools that 
are suitable for the proposed agency action; and recommends that where 
agencies do not quantify the GHG emissions for a proposed agency action 
because tools, methodologies, or data inputs are not reasonably 
available, agencies include a qualitative analysis in the NEPA document 
and explain the basis for determining that quantification is not 
reasonably available. The guidance also:
     Counsels agencies to use information developed during the 
NEPA review to consider alternatives that would make the actions and 
affected communities more resilient to the effects of a changing 
climate.
     Outlines special considerations for analysis of biogenic 
carbon dioxide sources and carbon stocks associated with land and 
resource management actions.
     Encourages agencies to use and leverage existing NEPA 
tools and practices to assist in their analyses, such as scoping, 
broad-scale reviews and tiering, incorporation by reference, and 
available information.
     Advises agencies to rely on their expert judgment and 
experience to determine which tools and methodologies should be used 
when they conduct their analyses.

[[Page 51867]]

    This guidance is effective for use on all new proposals when a NEPA 
review is initiated. CEQ recommends that agencies consider applying 
this guidance to projects in ongoing EIS or EA processes where GHG 
emissions may be a significant aspect of the proposal.
    The final guidance is available on the National Environmental 
Policy Act Web site (www.nepa.gov) specifically at, https://ceq.doe.gov/ceq_regulations/guidance.html, and on the CEQ Web site at 
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/nepa/ghg-guidance. For the reasons stated in the preamble, above, CEQ issues the 
following guidance on the consideration of GHG emissions and the 
effects of climate change in NEPA reviews.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 4332, 4342, 4344 and 40 CFR parts 1500, 
1501, 1502, 1503, 1505, 1506, 1507, and 1508.

    Dated: August 1, 2016.
Christy Goldfuss,
Managing Director, Council on Environmental Quality.
[FR Doc. 2016-18620 Filed 8-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3225-F6-P
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