Beacon Port Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application; Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement, 33916-33918 [05-11558]

Download as PDF 33916 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 111 / Friday, June 10, 2005 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY National Institutes of Health Coast Guard Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, June 30, 2005, 8:30 a.m. to June 30, 2005, 3 p.m., Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 which was published in the Federal Register on May 31, 2005, 70 FR 30958–30961. The meeting title has been changed to ‘‘Small Business: Digestive Sciences’’. The meeting is closed to the public. Dated: June 1, 2005. LaVerne Y. Stringfield, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 05–11567 Filed 6–9–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, June 30, 2005, 8 a.m. to June 30, 2005, 5 p.m., Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, MD, 20814 which was published in the Federal Register on May 31, 2005, 70 FR 30956– 30961. The meeting title has been changed to ‘‘Small Business: Pulmonary Sciences’’. The meeting is closed to the public. Dated: June 1, 2005. LaVerne Y. Stringfield, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 05–11568 Filed 6–9–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–M [USCG–2005–21232] Beacon Port Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application; Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement Coast Guard, DHS; Maritime Administration, DOT. AGENCY: Notice of intent; notice of public meetings; request for comments. ACTION: SUMMARY: The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) announce that the Coast Guard intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) as part of the environmental review of this license application. The application describes a project that would be located in the Gulf of Mexico, in lease block High Island Area 27, on the outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Main Terminal would be located approximately 45 miles South of High Island and 50 miles East-Southeast of Galveston, Texas, with a riser platform in lease block West Cameron 167, approximately 27 miles South of Holly Beach and 29 miles SouthSoutheast of Johnson?s Bayou, Louisiana. Publication of this notice begins a scoping process that will help identify and determine the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. This notice requests public participation in the scoping process and provides information on how to participate. The public meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas will be held on June 28, 2005; the public meeting in Galveston, Texas will be held on June 29, 2005; and the public meeting in Lafayette, Louisiana will be held on June 30, 2005. Each public meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will be preceded by an open house from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Public meetings may end earlier or later than the stated time, depending on the number of persons wishing to speak. Material submitted in response to the request for comments must reach the Docket Management Facility by July 11, 2005. DATES: The public meetings will be held at: Omni Bayfront Tower, 900 North Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 78401; telephone 361–887–1600; ADDRESSES: VerDate jul<14>2003 17:22 Jun 09, 2005 Jkt 205001 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 San Luis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77551; telephone 409– 744–1500; and Holiday Inn Central, 2032 NE Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette, LA 70501; telephone 337–233–6815. Address docket submissions for USCG–2005–21232 to: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590–0001. The Docket Management Facility accepts hand-delivered submissions, and makes docket contents available for public inspection and copying at this address, in room PL–401, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Facility’s telephone is 202–366–9329, its fax is 202–493–2251, and its website for electronic submissions or for electronic access to docket contents is https://dms.dot.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Martin, U.S. Coast Guard, telephone: 202–267–1683, e-mail: rmartin@comdt.uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone: 202–366– 0271. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Meetings and Open Houses We invite you to learn about the proposed deepwater port at an informational open house, and to comment at a public meeting on environmental issues related to the proposed deepwater port. Your comments will help us identify and refine the scope of the environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at the public meetings, we may limit speaker time, or extend the meeting hours, or both. You must identify yourself, and any organization you represent, by name. Your remarks will be recorded or transcribed for inclusion in the public docket. You may submit written material at a public meeting, either in place of or in addition to speaking. Written material must include your name and address, and will be included in the public docket. Public docket materials will be made available to the public on the Docket Management Facility’s Docket Management System (DMS). See ‘‘Request for Comments’’ for information about DMS and your rights under the Privacy Act. All our public meeting locations are wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to attend an open house or public meeting, and need special assistance such as sign E:\FR\FM\10JNN1.SGM 10JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 111 / Friday, June 10, 2005 / Notices language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation, please notify the Coast Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 3 business days in advance. Include your contact information as well as information about your specific needs. Request for Comments We request public comments or other relevant information on environmental issues related to the proposed deepwater port. The public meetings are not the only opportunity you have to comment. In addition to or in place of attending a meeting, you can submit comments to the Docket Management Facility during the public comment period (see DATES). We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Submissions should include: • Docket number USCG–2005–21232. • Your name and address. • Your reasons for making each comment or for bringing information to our attention. Submit comments or material using only one of the following methods: • Electronic submission to DMS, https://dms.dot.gov. • Fax, mail, or hand delivery to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES). Faxed or hand delivered submissions must be unbound, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, and suitable for copying and electronic scanning. If you mail your submission and want to know when it reaches the Facility, include a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the DMS Web site (https:// dms.dot.gov), and will include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that is available on the DMS Web site, or the Department of Transportation Privacy Act Statement that appeared in the Federal Register on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477). You may view docket submissions at the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES), or electronically on the DMS website. Background Information about deepwater ports, the statutes, and regulations governing their licensing, and the receipt of the current application for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port appears at 70 FR 29776, May 24, 2005. The ‘‘Summary of the Application’’ from that publication is reprinted below for your convenience. VerDate jul<14>2003 17:22 Jun 09, 2005 Jkt 205001 Consideration of a deepwater port license application includes review of the proposed deepwater port’s natural and human environmental impacts. The Coast Guard is the lead agency for determining the scope of this review, and in this case the Coast Guard has determined that review must include preparation of an EIS. This notice of intent is required by 40 CFR 1508.22, and briefly describes the proposed action and possible alternatives and our proposed scoping process. You can address any questions about the proposed action, the scoping process, or the EIS to the Coast Guard official identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Proposed Action and Alternatives The proposed action requiring environmental review is the Federal licensing of the proposed deepwater port described in ‘‘Summary of the Application’’ below. The alternatives to licensing the proposed port are: (1) Licensing with conditions (including conditions designed to mitigate environmental impact), and (2) denying the application, which for purposes of environmental review is the ‘‘no-action’’ alternative. Scoping Process Public scoping is an early and open process for identifying and determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. Scoping begins with this notice, continues through the public comment period (see DATES), and ends when the Coast Guard has completed the following actions: • Invites the participation of Federal, State, and local agencies, any affected Indian tribe, the applicant, and other interested persons; • Determines the actions, alternatives, and impacts described in 40 CFR 1508.25; • Identifies and eliminates from detailed study those issues that are not significant or that have been covered elsewhere; • Allocates responsibility for preparing EIS components; • Indicates any related environmental assessments or environmental impact statements that are not part of the EIS; • Identifies other relevant environmental review and consultation requirements; • Indicates the relationship between timing of the environmental review and other aspects of the application process; and • At its discretion, exercises the options provided in 40 CFR 1501.7(b). Once the scoping process is complete, the Coast Guard will prepare a draft EIS, PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 33917 and we will publish a Federal Register notice announcing its public availability. (If you want that notice to be sent to you, please contact the Coast Guard officer identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.) You will have an opportunity to review and comment on the draft EIS. The Coast Guard will consider those comments and then prepare the final EIS. As with the draft EIS, we will announce the availability of the final EIS and once again give you an opportunity for review and comment. Summary of the Application The application plan calls for the proposed deepwater port terminal to be located outside State waters in the Gulf of Mexico on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Beacon Port would consist of a Main Terminal, Riser Platform, and connecting pipelines. The Main Terminal would be located approximately 50 miles (80 km) off the coast, East-Southeast of Galveston, TX (approximately 45 miles (72 km) South of High Island, TX) in OCS lease block High Island Area 27 (HIA 27). The Riser Platform would be located approximately 29 miles off the coast, South-Southeast of Johnson’s Bayou, LA (approximately 27 miles South of Holly Beach, LA) in OCS lease block West Cameron 167 (WC 167). Beacon Port would serve as an LNG receiving, storage, and regasification facility. The Main Terminal would be located in water depth of approximately 65 feet (20 m). The proposed Beacon Port Main Terminal would include: Two concrete Gravity Based Structures (GBS) that would contain the LNG storage tanks, LNG carrier berthing provisions, LNG unloading arms, low and high pressure pumps, vaporizers, metering, utility systems, general facilities and accommodations. The Main Terminal would be able to receive LNG carriers up to 253,000 cubic meters cargo capacity. LNG carrier arrival frequency would be planned to match specified terminal gas delivery rates. The terminal would have storage capacity for up to 300,000 cubic meters of LNG (150,000 cubic meters per tank) on site. Regasification of LNG would be accomplished through the use of open rack vaporizers (ORVs). In normal operation, four pumps would operate having a combined total flow rate of approximately 167.5 million gallons per day (26,400 m3/hr). At peak operation, five pumps would operate with a combined total flow rate of approximately 203 million gallons per day (32,000 m3/hr). Beacon Port proposes the installation of approximately 46 miles of offshore E:\FR\FM\10JNN1.SGM 10JNN1 33918 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 111 / Friday, June 10, 2005 / Notices natural gas transmission pipeline on the OCS. A 42-inch diameter pipeline would connect the Main Terminal with the Riser Platform. Three additional pipelines (24-inch, 20-inch, and 12.75inch diameter) are proposed to connect the Riser Platform with existing gas distribution pipelines in the West Cameron (WC) 167 OCS block. The deepwater port would be designed to handle an average delivery of approximately 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscfd) with a peak delivery of approximately 1.8 Bscfd. Dated: June 7, 2005. Raymond J. Petow, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard. H. Keith Lesnick, Senior Transportation Specialist, Deepwater Ports, Program Manager, U.S. Maritime Administration. [FR Doc. 05–11558 Filed 6–9–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–15–P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [CGD05–05–029] Implementation of Sector Delaware Bay Coast Guard, DHS. Notice of organizational change. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the stand-up of Sector Delaware Bay and its subordinate entity, Sector Field Office (SFO) Atlantic City. Sector Delaware Bay is subordinate to the Fifth Coast Guard District Commander. Air Station Atlantic City remains an independent unit that is subordinate to the Fifth Coast Guard District Commander. The Sector Delaware Bay Commander has the authority, responsibility and missions of the prior Group Philadelphia Commander, Captain of the Port (COTP), Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC), Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC), and Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC). The SFO Atlantic City Commander has the authority, responsibility, and missions of the prior Group Atlantic City Commander and may be delegated Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator authority. The Coast Guard has established a continuity of operations whereby all previous practices and procedures will remain in effect until superseded by an VerDate jul<14>2003 17:22 Jun 09, 2005 Jkt 205001 authorized Coast Guard official and/or document. DATES: This change was effective on March 31, 2005. ADDRESSES: Documents indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket are part of docket CGD05–05– 029 and are available for inspection or copying at Fifth District Marine Safety, 431 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander Brian Hall, Fifth District Marine Safety Division at 757–398– 6691. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Discussion of Notice Sector Delaware Bay is located at 1 Washington Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19147–4395. A command center supporting Sector Delaware Bay is located at Philadelphia, PA. A second command center operated by SFO Atlantic City will support the Sector Field Office and the SFO’s subordinate units. Sector Delaware Bay is composed of a Response Department, Prevention Department, and Logistics Department. All existing missions and functions performed by Marine Safety Office (MSO)/Group Philadelphia and Group Atlantic City have been realigned under this new organizational structure as of March 31, 2005. MSO/Group Philadelphia and Group Atlantic City no longer exist as organizational entities. Sector Delaware Bay is responsible for all Coast Guard missions in the Philadelphia Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone, which are now referred to as the Delaware Bay Marine Inspection Zone and Delaware Bay Captain of the Port Zone. Group Eastern Shore retains responsibility for Search and Rescue (SAR) mission coordination for coastal Delaware and for inland portions of lower Delaware, South of Cape Henlopen at latitude 38 degrees 45 minutes N. latitude. The boundary of the Sector Delaware Bay Marine Inspection and Captain of the Port zone is as follows: ‘‘Beginning on the New Jersey coast at 40 degrees 18 minutes N. latitude and 73 degrees 58.8 minutes W. Longitude, thence proceeds westward to 40 degrees 18 minutes N. latitude, 74 degrees 30.5 minutes W. longitude, thence north-northwesterly to the junction of the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania boundaries at Tristate; thence northwesterly along the east bank of the Delaware River to 42 degrees 00 minutes N. latitude; thence west along the New York-Pennsylvania boundary to 78 degrees 55 minutes W. PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 longitude; thence south to 41 degrees 00 minutes N. latitude; thence west to 79 degrees 00 minutes W. longitude; thence south to the Pennsylvania-Maryland boundary; thence east to the intersection of the Maryland-Delaware boundary; thence south and east along the Maryland-Delaware boundary to the sea, including Fenwick Island Light. The revised offshore boundary starts at Fenwick Island Light and proceeds east to a point at 38 degrees 26.41 minutes N. latitude and 74 degrees 26.76 minutes W. longitude; thence south eastwardly to 37 degrees 19.23 minutes N. latitude and 72 degrees 13.22 minutes W. longitude; thence east to 37 degrees 19.23 minutes and 67 degrees 54.11 minutes W. longitude; then to a point on the New Jersey coast at 40 degrees 18 minutes N. latitude and 73 degrees 58.8 minutes W. longitude.’’ A chart that depicts this area can be found on the Fifth District Web page at https://www.uscg.mil/d5/D5_Units/ Sectors.htm. The SFO Atlantic City SMC AOR includes the waters of the Delaware Bay and those coastal offshore areas of the Sector Delaware Bay zone, except for those waters that have been assigned to Coast Guard Group Eastern Shore. The SFO Atlantic City SMC zone is as follows: ‘‘The Sector Field Office Atlantic City Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator AOR starts on the New Jersey coast at 40 degrees 18 minutes N. latitude and 73 degrees 58.8 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds westward to 40 degrees 18 minutes N. latitude and 74 degrees 30.5 minutes W. longitude, thence south to 39 degrees 57 minutes N. latitude and 74 degrees 30.5 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds southwestward to 39 degrees 36 minutes N. latitude and 74 degrees 42 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds westward to 39 degrees 30 minutes N. latitude and 75 degrees 19 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds south to 39 degrees 19 minutes N. latitude and 75 degrees 19 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds west to a point at 39 degrees 18.9 minutes N. latitude and 75 degrees 46.3 minutes W. longitude on the MarylandDelaware boundary, thence proceeds south along the Maryland-Delaware boundary to a point 38 degrees 45 minutes N. latitude and 75 degrees 43.5 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds east continuing along the MarylandDelaware boundary to the sea, including Fenwick Island Light, thence proceeds offshore from Fenwick Island Light southeastwardly to 37 degrees 19.23 minutes N. latitude and 72 degrees 13.22 minutes W. longitude, thence proceeds east to 37 degrees 19.23 E:\FR\FM\10JNN1.SGM 10JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 111 (Friday, June 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33916-33918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11558]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[USCG-2005-21232]


Beacon Port Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application; 
Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS; Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent; notice of public meetings; request for 
comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) 
announce that the Coast Guard intends to prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) as part of the environmental review of this 
license application. The application describes a project that would be 
located in the Gulf of Mexico, in lease block High Island Area 27, on 
the outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Main Terminal would be located 
approximately 45 miles South of High Island and 50 miles East-Southeast 
of Galveston, Texas, with a riser platform in lease block West Cameron 
167, approximately 27 miles South of Holly Beach and 29 miles South-
Southeast of Johnson?s Bayou, Louisiana. Publication of this notice 
begins a scoping process that will help identify and determine the 
scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. This notice 
requests public participation in the scoping process and provides 
information on how to participate.

DATES: The public meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas will be held on June 
28, 2005; the public meeting in Galveston, Texas will be held on June 
29, 2005; and the public meeting in Lafayette, Louisiana will be held 
on June 30, 2005. Each public meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 
p.m. and will be preceded by an open house from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Public meetings may end earlier or later than the stated time, 
depending on the number of persons wishing to speak. Material submitted 
in response to the request for comments must reach the Docket 
Management Facility by July 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at:

Omni Bayfront Tower, 900 North Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 
78401; telephone 361-887-1600;
San Luis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77551; telephone 409-
744-1500; and
Holiday Inn Central, 2032 NE Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette, LA 70501; 
telephone 337-233-6815.

    Address docket submissions for USCG-2005-21232 to: Docket 
Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    The Docket Management Facility accepts hand-delivered submissions, 
and makes docket contents available for public inspection and copying 
at this address, in room PL-401, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Facility's telephone is 
202-366-9329, its fax is 202-493-2251, and its website for electronic 
submissions or for electronic access to docket contents is https://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Martin, U.S. Coast Guard, 
telephone: 202-267-1683, e-mail: rmartin@comdt.uscg.mil. If you have 
questions on viewing the docket, call Andrea M. Jenkins, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone: 202-366-0271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Meetings and Open Houses

    We invite you to learn about the proposed deepwater port at an 
informational open house, and to comment at a public meeting on 
environmental issues related to the proposed deepwater port. Your 
comments will help us identify and refine the scope of the 
environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS.
    In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at the public 
meetings, we may limit speaker time, or extend the meeting hours, or 
both. You must identify yourself, and any organization you represent, 
by name. Your remarks will be recorded or transcribed for inclusion in 
the public docket.
    You may submit written material at a public meeting, either in 
place of or in addition to speaking. Written material must include your 
name and address, and will be included in the public docket.
    Public docket materials will be made available to the public on the 
Docket Management Facility's Docket Management System (DMS). See 
``Request for Comments'' for information about DMS and your rights 
under the Privacy Act.
    All our public meeting locations are wheelchair-accessible. If you 
plan to attend an open house or public meeting, and need special 
assistance such as sign

[[Page 33917]]

language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation, please 
notify the Coast Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 3 
business days in advance. Include your contact information as well as 
information about your specific needs.

Request for Comments

    We request public comments or other relevant information on 
environmental issues related to the proposed deepwater port. The public 
meetings are not the only opportunity you have to comment. In addition 
to or in place of attending a meeting, you can submit comments to the 
Docket Management Facility during the public comment period (see 
DATES). We will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period.
    Submissions should include:
     Docket number USCG-2005-21232.
     Your name and address.
     Your reasons for making each comment or for bringing 
information to our attention.
    Submit comments or material using only one of the following 
methods:
     Electronic submission to DMS, https://dms.dot.gov.
     Fax, mail, or hand delivery to the Docket Management 
Facility (see ADDRESSES). Faxed or hand delivered submissions must be 
unbound, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and suitable for copying 
and electronic scanning. If you mail your submission and want to know 
when it reaches the Facility, include a stamped, self-addressed 
postcard or envelope.
    Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the DMS Web site 
(https://dms.dot.gov), and will include any personal information you 
provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You 
may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that is available on the DMS 
Web site, or the Department of Transportation Privacy Act Statement 
that appeared in the Federal Register on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477).
    You may view docket submissions at the Docket Management Facility 
(see ADDRESSES), or electronically on the DMS website.

Background

    Information about deepwater ports, the statutes, and regulations 
governing their licensing, and the receipt of the current application 
for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port appears at 70 FR 
29776, May 24, 2005. The ``Summary of the Application'' from that 
publication is reprinted below for your convenience.
    Consideration of a deepwater port license application includes 
review of the proposed deepwater port's natural and human environmental 
impacts. The Coast Guard is the lead agency for determining the scope 
of this review, and in this case the Coast Guard has determined that 
review must include preparation of an EIS. This notice of intent is 
required by 40 CFR 1508.22, and briefly describes the proposed action 
and possible alternatives and our proposed scoping process. You can 
address any questions about the proposed action, the scoping process, 
or the EIS to the Coast Guard official identified in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The proposed action requiring environmental review is the Federal 
licensing of the proposed deepwater port described in ``Summary of the 
Application'' below. The alternatives to licensing the proposed port 
are: (1) Licensing with conditions (including conditions designed to 
mitigate environmental impact), and (2) denying the application, which 
for purposes of environmental review is the ``no-action'' alternative.

Scoping Process

    Public scoping is an early and open process for identifying and 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. Scoping 
begins with this notice, continues through the public comment period 
(see DATES), and ends when the Coast Guard has completed the following 
actions:
     Invites the participation of Federal, State, and local 
agencies, any affected Indian tribe, the applicant, and other 
interested persons;
     Determines the actions, alternatives, and impacts 
described in 40 CFR 1508.25;
     Identifies and eliminates from detailed study those issues 
that are not significant or that have been covered elsewhere;
     Allocates responsibility for preparing EIS components;
     Indicates any related environmental assessments or 
environmental impact statements that are not part of the EIS;
     Identifies other relevant environmental review and 
consultation requirements;
     Indicates the relationship between timing of the 
environmental review and other aspects of the application process; and
     At its discretion, exercises the options provided in 40 
CFR 1501.7(b).
    Once the scoping process is complete, the Coast Guard will prepare 
a draft EIS, and we will publish a Federal Register notice announcing 
its public availability. (If you want that notice to be sent to you, 
please contact the Coast Guard officer identified in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.) You will have an opportunity to review and 
comment on the draft EIS. The Coast Guard will consider those comments 
and then prepare the final EIS. As with the draft EIS, we will announce 
the availability of the final EIS and once again give you an 
opportunity for review and comment.

Summary of the Application

    The application plan calls for the proposed deepwater port terminal 
to be located outside State waters in the Gulf of Mexico on the U.S. 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Beacon Port would consist of a Main 
Terminal, Riser Platform, and connecting pipelines. The Main Terminal 
would be located approximately 50 miles (80 km) off the coast, East-
Southeast of Galveston, TX (approximately 45 miles (72 km) South of 
High Island, TX) in OCS lease block High Island Area 27 (HIA 27). The 
Riser Platform would be located approximately 29 miles off the coast, 
South-Southeast of Johnson's Bayou, LA (approximately 27 miles South of 
Holly Beach, LA) in OCS lease block West Cameron 167 (WC 167). Beacon 
Port would serve as an LNG receiving, storage, and regasification 
facility. The Main Terminal would be located in water depth of 
approximately 65 feet (20 m).
    The proposed Beacon Port Main Terminal would include: Two concrete 
Gravity Based Structures (GBS) that would contain the LNG storage 
tanks, LNG carrier berthing provisions, LNG unloading arms, low and 
high pressure pumps, vaporizers, metering, utility systems, general 
facilities and accommodations. The Main Terminal would be able to 
receive LNG carriers up to 253,000 cubic meters cargo capacity. LNG 
carrier arrival frequency would be planned to match specified terminal 
gas delivery rates. The terminal would have storage capacity for up to 
300,000 cubic meters of LNG (150,000 cubic meters per tank) on site.
    Regasification of LNG would be accomplished through the use of open 
rack vaporizers (ORVs). In normal operation, four pumps would operate 
having a combined total flow rate of approximately 167.5 million 
gallons per day (26,400 m3/hr). At peak operation, five 
pumps would operate with a combined total flow rate of approximately 
203 million gallons per day (32,000 m3/hr).
    Beacon Port proposes the installation of approximately 46 miles of 
offshore

[[Page 33918]]

natural gas transmission pipeline on the OCS. A 42-inch diameter 
pipeline would connect the Main Terminal with the Riser Platform. Three 
additional pipelines (24-inch, 20-inch, and 12.75-inch diameter) are 
proposed to connect the Riser Platform with existing gas distribution 
pipelines in the West Cameron (WC) 167 OCS block. The deepwater port 
would be designed to handle an average delivery of approximately 1.5 
billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscfd) with a peak delivery of 
approximately 1.8 Bscfd.

    Dated: June 7, 2005.
Raymond J. Petow,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, 
Security, and Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard.

H. Keith Lesnick,
Senior Transportation Specialist, Deepwater Ports, Program Manager, 
U.S. Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-11558 Filed 6-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P
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