Neptune L.L.C., Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application; Final Application Public Hearings and Final Environmental Impact Statement, 64606-64608 [E6-18496]
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64606
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 212 / Thursday, November 2, 2006 / Notices
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Issued in Washington, DC on October 27,
2006.
Robert C. Ashby,
Deputy Assistant General Counsel for
Regulation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E6–18475 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Agency Information Collection Activity
Seeking OMB Approval
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
SUMMARY: The FAA invites public
comments about our intention to request
the Office of Management and Budget’s
(OMB) revision of a current information
collection. The Federal Register notice
with a 60-day comment period soliciting
comments on the following collection of
information was published on June 28,
2006, vol. 71, no. 124, page 36869. The
FAA Aviation Research and
Development Grants Program
establishes uniform policies and
procedures for the award and
administration of research grants to
colleges, universities, and not for profit
organizations.
DATES: Please submit comments by
December 4, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carla Mauney at Carla.Mauney@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Title: FAA Research and Development
Grants.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
OMB Control Number: 2120–0559.
Form(s): 9550–5, SF–424, SF–3881,
SF–269, SF–270, SF–272.
Affected Public: An estimated 100
Respondents.
Frequency: This information is
collected on occasion.
Estimated Average Burden per
Response: Approximately 9.25 hours
per response.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An
estimated 925 hours annually.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:49 Nov 01, 2006
Jkt 211001
Abstract: The FAA Aviation Research
and Development Grants Program
establishes uniform policies and
procedures for the award and
administration of research grants to
colleges, universities, and not for profit
organizations. This program implements
OMB Circular A–110, Pub. L. 101–508
Section 9205 and 9208.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments on
the proposed information collection to
the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget. Comments should be addressed
to Nathan Lesser, Desk Officer,
Department of Transportation/FAA, and
sent via electronic mail to
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed
to (202) 395–694.
Comments are invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; the accuracy of
the Department’s estimates of the
burden of the proposed information
collection; ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Issued in Washington, DC, on October 26,
2006.
Carla Mauney,
FAA Information Collection Clearance
Officer, Information Systems and Technology
Services Staff, ABA–20.
[FR Doc. 06–9024 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG–2005–22611]
Neptune L.L.C., Liquefied Natural Gas
Deepwater Port License Application;
Final Application Public Hearings and
Final Environmental Impact Statement
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice of availability; notice of
public hearings; request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration
(MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) announce the availability of the
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) for the Neptune LNG LLC,
Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port
license application. Also, public
hearings will be held on matters
relevant to the approval or denial of the
license application. The application
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Sfmt 4703
describes a project that would be
located in Federal waters of
Massachusetts Bay, in Block 125,
approximately 8 miles southeast of
Gloucester, MA and 22 miles northeast
of Boston, MA. The Coast Guard and
MARAD request public comments on
the FEIS and application. Publication of
this notice begins a 30 day comment
period and provides information on
how to participate in the process.
As a point of clarification, there is
another deepwater port application by
Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.L.C.
in the same vicinity. These applications
are being processed and reviewed
independently. The Northeast Gateway
Energy Bridge, L.L.C. FEIS was noticed
on an earlier date and is available on the
Docket at USCG–2005–22219.
DATES: Public hearings will be held in
Gloucester, MA on November 14, 2006
and in Salem, MA on November 15,
2006. Both hearings will be from 6 p.m.
to 8 p.m. and will be preceded by an
informational open house from 4:30
p.m. to 6 p.m. The public hearings may
end later than the stated time,
depending on the number of persons
wishing to speak.
Material submitted in response to the
request for comments on the FEIS and
application must reach the Docket
Management Facility by December 2,
2006 ending the 30 day public comment
period.
Federal and State agencies must
submit comments, recommended
conditions for licensing, or letters of no
objection by January 2, 2007 (45 days
after the final public hearings). Also by
January 2, 2007, the Governor of
Massachusetts (the adjacent coastal
state) may approve, disapprove, or
notify MARAD of inconsistencies with
State programs relating to
environmental protection, land and
water use, and coastal zone management
for which MARAD may condition the
license to make consistent.
MARAD must issue a record of
decision (ROD) to approve, approve
with conditions, or deny the DWP
license application by February 13, 2007
(90 days after the public hearings).
For dates required by the
Massachusetts Environmental Policy
Act (MEPA) schedule, please see that
section at the end of this notice.
ADDRESSES: The public hearing in
Gloucester will be held at the Gloucester
High School Auditorium, 32 Leslie O.
Johnson Road, Gloucester, MA,
telephone: 617–635–4100. The public
hearing in Salem will be at the Salem
State College Library, Charlotte Forten
Hall, 360 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA,
telephone: 978–542–7192.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 212 / Thursday, November 2, 2006 / Notices
The FEIS, the application, comments
and associated documentation are
available for viewing at the DOT’s
Docket Management System Web site:
https://dms.dot.gov under docket number
22611. The FEIS is also available at
public libraries in Beverly, Boston
(Central Library), Gloucester,
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead,
and Salem.
Address docket submissions for
USCG–2005–22611 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 number is 202–366–
9329, its fax number is 202–493–2251,
and its Web site for electronic
submissions or for electronic access to
docket contents is https://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roddy Bachman, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202–372–1451, e-mail:
Roddy.C.Bachman@uscg.mil. If you
have questions on viewing the docket,
call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone: 202–493–
0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Public Hearing and Open House
We invite you to learn about the
proposed deepwater port at an
informational open house, and to
comment at a public hearing on the
proposed action and the evaluation
contained in the FEIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance
to speak at the public hearings, we may
limit speaker time, or extend the hearing
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
the public hearing, 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 of our public hearing locations are
wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to
attend an open house or public hearing,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:49 Nov 01, 2006
Jkt 211001
and need special assistance such as sign
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 the FEIS and
application. The public hearing is not
the only opportunity you have to
comment. In addition to or in place of
attending a hearing, you can submit
comments to the Docket Management
Facility during the public comment
period (see DATES). The Coast Guard and
MARAD will consider all comments and
materials received during the comment
period.
Submissions should include:
• Docket number USCG–2005–22611.
• 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 Web site.
Background
We published the Notice of
Application for the proposed Neptune
liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater
port and information on regulations and
statutes governing licensing in the
Federal Register at 70 FR 58729,
October 7, 2005; the Notice of Intent to
Prepare an EIS for the proposed action
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
64607
was published at 70 FR 61151, October
20, 2005; and the Notice of Availability
of the Draft EIS was published at 71 FR
32382, June 5, 2006. Information from
the ‘‘Summary of the Application’’ from
previous Federal Register notices is
included below for your convenience.
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. These alternatives are more
fully discussed in the FEIS. The Coast
Guard is the lead Federal agency for the
preparation of the EIS. You can address
any questions about the proposed action
or the FEIS to the Coast Guard project
manager identified in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Summary of the Application
Neptune LNG LLC proposes to own,
construct, and operate a deepwater port,
named Neptune, in the Federal waters
of the Outer Continental Shelf on blocks
NK 19–04 6525 and NK 19–04 6575,
approximately 8 miles southeast of
Gloucester, MA and 22 miles northeast
of Boston, Massachusetts, in a water
depth of approximately 250 feet. The
Neptune deepwater port would be
capable of mooring up to two
approximately 140,000 cubic meter
capacity LNG carriers by means of a
submerged unloading buoy system.
The LNG carriers, or shuttle and
regasification vessels (SRVs), would be
equipped to store, transport and
vaporize LNG, and to odorize and meter
natural gas which would then be sent
out by conventional subsea pipelines.
Each SRV would have insulated storage
tanks located within its hull. Each tank
would be equipped with an in-tank
pump to circulate and transfer LNG to
the vaporization facilities located on the
deck of the SRV. The proposed
vaporization system would be a closedloop water-glycol heat exchanger heated
by steam from natural gas-fired boilers.
The major fixed components of the
proposed deepwater port would be an
unloading buoy system, eight mooring
lines consisting of wire rope and chain
connecting to anchor points on the
seabed, eight suction pile anchor points,
approximately 2.3 miles of natural gas
flow line with flexible pipe risers and
risers manifolds, and approximately 11
miles of 24-inch natural gas
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64608
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 212 / Thursday, November 2, 2006 / Notices
transmission line to connect to the
existing Algonquin HubLine.
Neptune would have an average
throughput capacity of 500 million
standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd)
and a peak capacity of approximately
750 MMscfd. Natural gas would be sent
out by means of two flexible risers and
subsea flowlines leading to a 24-inch
gas transmission pipeline. The
transmission pipeline would connect
the deepwater port to the existing 30inch Algonquin HubLine. No onshore
components or storage facilities are
associated with the proposed deepwater
port application. Construction of the
deepwater port components would be
expected to take 36 months, with a
startup of commercial operations in late
2009. The deepwater port would be
designed, constructed and operated in
accordance with applicable codes and
standards and would have an expected
operating life of approximately 20 years.
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permits
Pipelines within the three-mile limit
require an Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) permit under Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of
the Rivers and Harbors Act. Structures
such as the moorings and lateral
pipelines beyond the three-mile limit
require a Section 10 permit.
As required by their regulations, the
USACE has maintained a permit file.
The USACE New England District
phone number is 978–318–8338 and
their Web site is https://
www.nae.usace.army.mil.
Comments sent to the USACE have
been incorporated into the EIS; will
continue to be incorporated into the
DOT docket; and will continue to be
considered in the licensing and USACE
permitting decisions. The USACE,
among others, is a cooperating agency;
is assisting in the NEPA process as
described in 40 CFR 1501.6., and has
conducted joint public hearings with
the Coast Guard and MARAD.
Massachusetts Environmental Policy
Act (MEPA)
Through a Special Review Procedure
established by the Massachusetts
Executive Office of Environmental
Affairs (EOEA), the USCG and the
MEPA Office are conducting a
coordinated NEPA/MEPA review
allowing a single document to serve
simultaneously as both the EIS under
NEPA and the Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) under MEPA. The
Certificates establishing the Special
Review Procedure and the Scope for the
Draft Environmental Impact Report can
be viewed at https://www.mass.gov/
envir/mepa/secondlevelpages/
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14:49 Nov 01, 2006
Jkt 211001
recentdecisions.htm. The EIR will be
published in the Environmental Monitor
on November 8, 2006; ENF comments
are due November 28, 2006; ENF
decisions are due December 8, 2006; the
Secretary of Environmental Affairs will
accept written comments on the
Environmental Impact Report through
December 8, 2006; and the EIR decisions
(Certificate) is due December 15, 2006.
Comments may be submitted
electronically, by mail, via FAX, or by
hand delivery. Please note that
comments submitted on MEPA
documents are public records. The
mailing address for comments is:
Secretary Robert W. Golledge, Jr., EOEA,
Attn: MEPA Office, Richard Bourre,
EOEA No. 13473/13474, 100 Cambridge
Street, Suite 900, Boston MA 02114.
Dated: October 30, 2006.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E6–18496 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. AB–998X]
Timber Rock Railroad, Inc.—
Discontinuance of Service
Exemption—In Burleson, Brazos,
Grimes, Montgomery, Liberty, Hardin
and Jefferson Counties, TX
On October 13, 2006, Timber Rock
Railroad, Inc. (TIBR) filed with the
Surface Transportation Board a petition
under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption
from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10903.
TIBR seeks to discontinue service over
a 116-mile portion of rail line that it
operates under lease from BNSF
Railway Company (BNSF), the owner of
the line. The line extends between (1)
milepost 149.5 near Silsbee, TX, and
milepost 52.5 near Dobbin, TX, (2)
milepost 20.70 near Silsbee, TX, and
milepost 4.5 near Beaumont, TX, and (3)
milepost 149.5 and milepost 152.30 and
track No. 498 in the Silsbee Yard near
Silsbee, TX. TIBR also seeks to
discontinue its 54.72 miles of overhead
trackage rights operations over BNSF
lines extending between (1) milepost
52.5 near Dobbin, TX, and milepost
144.0 on the BNSF Galveston
Subdivision at Somerville, TX, and (2)
milepost 4.5 near Beaumont, TX, and
milepost 2.28 at Beaumont, TX.1 The
1 TIBR was authorized to lease from BNSF and
operate approximately 117.82 miles of rail line in
Texas. TIBR also was authorized to acquire 54.72
miles of incidental overhead trackage rights over
connecting BNSF rail lines. See Timber Rock
PO 00000
Frm 00100
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
lines traverse U.S. Postal Service Zip
Codes 77703, 77708, 77713, 77657,
77709, 77656, 77625, 77374, 77376,
77369, 77368, 77327, 77328, 77301,
77302, 77304, 77306, 77316, 77356,
77333, 77363, 77868, 77869 and 77879.
The lines are located in Burleson,
Brazos, Grimes, Montgomery, Liberty,
Hardin and Jefferson Counties, TX. They
include the stations of Dobbin,
Montgomery, Conroe, Youens,
Waukegan, Security, Fostoria,
Cleveland, Hightower, Rayburn, Dollen,
Romayor, Votaw, Bragg, Honey Island
and Kountze. TIBR states that BNSF will
resume providing both local and
overhead operations on the lines.
The lines do not contain federally
granted rights-of-way. Any
documentation in TIBR’s possession
will be made available promptly to
those requesting it.
The interest of railroad employees
will be protected by the conditions set
forth in Oregon Short Line R. Co.—
Abandonment—Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91
(1979).
By issuance of this notice, the Board
is instituting an exemption proceeding
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final
decision will be issued by January 31,
2007.
Any offer of financial assistance
(OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) to
subsidize continued rail service will be
due no later than 10 days after service
of a decision granting the petition for
exemption. Each offer must be
accompanied by a $1,300 filing fee. See
49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).2
All filings in response to this notice
must refer to STB Docket No. AB–998X,
and must be sent to: (1) Surface
Transportation Board, 1925 K Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20423–0001, and
(2) Karl Morell, Ball Janik LLP, 1455 F
Street, NW., Suite 225, Washington, DC
20005.
Persons seeking further information
concerning discontinuance procedures
may contact the Board’s Office of Public
Services at (202) 565–1592 or refer to
the full abandonment or discontinuance
regulations at 49 CFR part 1152.
Railroad, Inc. Lease Exemption—The Burlington
Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, STB
Finance Docket No. 34503 (STB served July 14,
2004, and Oct. 8, 2004). TIBR will continue to lease
the 0.46-mile line between milepost 0.5 and
milepost 0.96 near Kirbyville, TX, a .26-mile
portion between milepost 152.30 and milepost
152.56 at Silsbee, TX, and a 1.10-mile portion
between milepost 20.70 and 21.8 at Silsbee, TX, and
the Silsbee Yard Tracks, except for Track No. 498,
to accommodate better the continued interchange of
traffic between BNSF and TIBR at Silsbee, TX.
2 Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and
not an abandonment, trail use/rail banking and
public use conditions are not appropriate. Likewise,
no environmental or historic documentation is
required under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and 1105.8.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 212 (Thursday, November 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64606-64608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18496]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG-2005-22611]
Neptune L.L.C., Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License
Application; Final Application Public Hearings and Final Environmental
Impact Statement
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; notice of public hearings; request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) announce the availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the Neptune LNG LLC, Liquefied Natural Gas
Deepwater Port license application. Also, public hearings will be held
on matters relevant to the approval or denial of the license
application. The application describes a project that would be located
in Federal waters of Massachusetts Bay, in Block 125, approximately 8
miles southeast of Gloucester, MA and 22 miles northeast of Boston, MA.
The Coast Guard and MARAD request public comments on the FEIS and
application. Publication of this notice begins a 30 day comment period
and provides information on how to participate in the process.
As a point of clarification, there is another deepwater port
application by Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.L.C. in the same
vicinity. These applications are being processed and reviewed
independently. The Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.L.C. FEIS was
noticed on an earlier date and is available on the Docket at USCG-2005-
22219.
DATES: Public hearings will be held in Gloucester, MA on November 14,
2006 and in Salem, MA on November 15, 2006. Both hearings will be from
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be preceded by an informational open house
from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public hearings may end later than the
stated time, depending on the number of persons wishing to speak.
Material submitted in response to the request for comments on the
FEIS and application must reach the Docket Management Facility by
December 2, 2006 ending the 30 day public comment period.
Federal and State agencies must submit comments, recommended
conditions for licensing, or letters of no objection by January 2, 2007
(45 days after the final public hearings). Also by January 2, 2007, the
Governor of Massachusetts (the adjacent coastal state) may approve,
disapprove, or notify MARAD of inconsistencies with State programs
relating to environmental protection, land and water use, and coastal
zone management for which MARAD may condition the license to make
consistent.
MARAD must issue a record of decision (ROD) to approve, approve
with conditions, or deny the DWP license application by February 13,
2007 (90 days after the public hearings).
For dates required by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act
(MEPA) schedule, please see that section at the end of this notice.
ADDRESSES: The public hearing in Gloucester will be held at the
Gloucester High School Auditorium, 32 Leslie O. Johnson Road,
Gloucester, MA, telephone: 617-635-4100. The public hearing in Salem
will be at the Salem State College Library, Charlotte Forten Hall, 360
Lafayette Street, Salem, MA, telephone: 978-542-7192.
[[Page 64607]]
The FEIS, the application, comments and associated documentation
are available for viewing at the DOT's Docket Management System Web
site: https://dms.dot.gov under docket number 22611. The FEIS is also
available at public libraries in Beverly, Boston (Central Library),
Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, and Salem.
Address docket submissions for USCG-2005-22611 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
number is 202-366-9329, its fax number is 202-493-2251, and its Web
site for electronic submissions or for electronic access to docket
contents is https://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roddy Bachman, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202-372-1451, e-mail: Roddy.C.Bachman@uscg.mil. If you have
questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone: 202-493-0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Hearing and Open House
We invite you to learn about the proposed deepwater port at an
informational open house, and to comment at a public hearing on the
proposed action and the evaluation contained in the FEIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at the public
hearings, we may limit speaker time, or extend the hearing 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 the public hearing, 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 of our public hearing locations are wheelchair-accessible. If
you plan to attend an open house or public hearing, and need special
assistance such as sign 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 the
FEIS and application. The public hearing is not the only opportunity
you have to comment. In addition to or in place of attending a hearing,
you can submit comments to the Docket Management Facility during the
public comment period (see DATES). The Coast Guard and MARAD will
consider all comments and materials received during the comment period.
Submissions should include:
Docket number USCG-2005-22611.
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 Web site.
Background
We published the Notice of Application for the proposed Neptune
liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port and information on
regulations and statutes governing licensing in the Federal Register at
70 FR 58729, October 7, 2005; the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS
for the proposed action was published at 70 FR 61151, October 20, 2005;
and the Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS was published at 71 FR
32382, June 5, 2006. Information from the ``Summary of the
Application'' from previous Federal Register notices is included below
for your convenience.
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.
These alternatives are more fully discussed in the FEIS. The Coast
Guard is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of the EIS. You
can address any questions about the proposed action or the FEIS to the
Coast Guard project manager identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Summary of the Application
Neptune LNG LLC proposes to own, construct, and operate a deepwater
port, named Neptune, in the Federal waters of the Outer Continental
Shelf on blocks NK 19-04 6525 and NK 19-04 6575, approximately 8 miles
southeast of Gloucester, MA and 22 miles northeast of Boston,
Massachusetts, in a water depth of approximately 250 feet. The Neptune
deepwater port would be capable of mooring up to two approximately
140,000 cubic meter capacity LNG carriers by means of a submerged
unloading buoy system.
The LNG carriers, or shuttle and regasification vessels (SRVs),
would be equipped to store, transport and vaporize LNG, and to odorize
and meter natural gas which would then be sent out by conventional
subsea pipelines. Each SRV would have insulated storage tanks located
within its hull. Each tank would be equipped with an in-tank pump to
circulate and transfer LNG to the vaporization facilities located on
the deck of the SRV. The proposed vaporization system would be a
closed-loop water-glycol heat exchanger heated by steam from natural
gas-fired boilers.
The major fixed components of the proposed deepwater port would be
an unloading buoy system, eight mooring lines consisting of wire rope
and chain connecting to anchor points on the seabed, eight suction pile
anchor points, approximately 2.3 miles of natural gas flow line with
flexible pipe risers and risers manifolds, and approximately 11 miles
of 24-inch natural gas
[[Page 64608]]
transmission line to connect to the existing Algonquin HubLine.
Neptune would have an average throughput capacity of 500 million
standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) and a peak capacity of
approximately 750 MMscfd. Natural gas would be sent out by means of two
flexible risers and subsea flowlines leading to a 24-inch gas
transmission pipeline. The transmission pipeline would connect the
deepwater port to the existing 30-inch Algonquin HubLine. No onshore
components or storage facilities are associated with the proposed
deepwater port application. Construction of the deepwater port
components would be expected to take 36 months, with a startup of
commercial operations in late 2009. The deepwater port would be
designed, constructed and operated in accordance with applicable codes
and standards and would have an expected operating life of
approximately 20 years.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permits
Pipelines within the three-mile limit require an Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. Structures such as the
moorings and lateral pipelines beyond the three-mile limit require a
Section 10 permit.
As required by their regulations, the USACE has maintained a permit
file. The USACE New England District phone number is 978-318-8338 and
their Web site is https://www.nae.usace.army.mil.
Comments sent to the USACE have been incorporated into the EIS;
will continue to be incorporated into the DOT docket; and will continue
to be considered in the licensing and USACE permitting decisions. The
USACE, among others, is a cooperating agency; is assisting in the NEPA
process as described in 40 CFR 1501.6., and has conducted joint public
hearings with the Coast Guard and MARAD.
Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)
Through a Special Review Procedure established by the Massachusetts
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), the USCG and the MEPA
Office are conducting a coordinated NEPA/MEPA review allowing a single
document to serve simultaneously as both the EIS under NEPA and the
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under MEPA. The Certificates
establishing the Special Review Procedure and the Scope for the Draft
Environmental Impact Report can be viewed at https://www.mass.gov/envir/
mepa/secondlevelpages/recentdecisions.htm. The EIR will be published in
the Environmental Monitor on November 8, 2006; ENF comments are due
November 28, 2006; ENF decisions are due December 8, 2006; the
Secretary of Environmental Affairs will accept written comments on the
Environmental Impact Report through December 8, 2006; and the EIR
decisions (Certificate) is due December 15, 2006. Comments may be
submitted electronically, by mail, via FAX, or by hand delivery. Please
note that comments submitted on MEPA documents are public records. The
mailing address for comments is: Secretary Robert W. Golledge, Jr.,
EOEA, Attn: MEPA Office, Richard Bourre, EOEA No. 13473/13474, 100
Cambridge Street, Suite 900, Boston MA 02114.
Dated: October 30, 2006.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-18496 Filed 11-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P
