Broadwater Energy LLC; Broadwater Pipeline LLC; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Broadwater LNG Project, 3458-3459 [E8-868]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3458-3459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-868]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP06-54-000; CP06-55-000]


Broadwater Energy LLC; Broadwater Pipeline LLC; Notice of 
Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Broadwater LNG Project

January 11, 2008.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard); 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(COE); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine 
Fisheries Service; and the New York Department of State has prepared a 
final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipeline (referred to as the 
Broadwater LNG Project) proposed by Broadwater Energy LLC and 
Broadwater Pipeline LLC (jointly referred to as Broadwater) in the 
above-referenced dockets. Broadwater Energy LLC is jointly owned by 
TCPL USA LNG, Inc. (a subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation) and Shell 
Broadwater Holdings LLC (a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company). Broadwater 
Pipeline LLC is owned by Broadwater Energy LLC.
    The proposed LNG terminal would be located in New York State waters 
of Long Island Sound, approximately 9 miles from the nearest shoreline 
of Long Island, and about 10 miles from the nearest shoreline in 
Connecticut. The terminal would be a floating storage and 
regasification unit (FSRU) that would be attached to a yoke mooring 
system (YMS) that includes a mooring tower embedded in the seafloor. 
The FSRU would look like a marine vessel and would remain moored in 
place for the duration of the Project (expected to be 30 years or 
more). The YMS would allow the FSRU to pivot or ``weathervane'' around 
the YMS, enabling the FSRU to orient in response to the prevailing 
wind, tide, and current conditions.
    LNG would be delivered to the FSRU by LNG carriers, temporarily 
stored, vaporized (regasified), and then transported in a new subsea 
natural gas pipeline that would extend from the seafloor beneath the 
FSRU approximately 21.7 miles to an offshore connection with the 
existing Iroquois Gas Transmission System (IGTS) pipeline in Long 
Island Sound.
    Natural gas would be routed from the FSRU to the subsea pipeline 
and into the IGTS pipeline for delivery at an average flow rate of 
about 1.0 billion cubic feet per day. LNG would be delivered to the 
FSRU by 2 to 3 LNG carriers per week to meet the Project's planned 
send-out volumes of natural gas. LNG carriers would transit from the 
Atlantic Ocean to either the Point Judith Pilot Station (northeast of 
Block Island) or the Montauk Pilot Station (southwest of Block Island). 
From the Point Judith Pilot Station, carriers would transit Block 
Island Sound north of Block Island, head generally west to enter Long 
Island Sound at its eastern end (an area known as the Race), and then 
proceed to the FSRU. From the Montauk Pilot Station, carriers would 
head generally northwest to approach the Race, then proceed to the 
FSRU.
    The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following LNG and natural gas 
pipeline facilities:
     A double-hulled FSRU approximately 1,215 feet long and 200 
feet wide, with a closed-loop shell-and-tube vaporization system and a 
total

[[Page 3459]]

storage capacity of 350,000 cubic meters (approximately 8 billion cubic 
feet);
     A berthing facility at the FSRU for receiving LNG ships 
with capacities up to 250,000 cubic meters;
     A YMS embedded in the seafloor to moor the FSRU;
     Approximately 2 to 3 LNG carriers per week that would call 
at the FSRU;
     LNG carriers that would transit through waters subject to 
federal jurisdiction as well as waters under the jurisdiction of the 
state of New York, and in some cases, may transit waters under the 
jurisdiction of the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut;
     Approximately 21.7 miles of 30-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline, a pig launcher and receiver facility, and a meter station at 
the interconnect with the IGTS pipeline; and
     Onshore facilities at either Greenport or Port Jefferson, 
New York, including administrative offices, a warehouse, guardhouse, 
and an existing commercial pier.
    Broadwater proposes to construct the Project in two phases. The 
first phase would include installation of the subsea pipeline between 
October 2009 and April 2010. The second phase would include 
installation of the YMS, hookup of the FSRU, and connection of the 
project components between September and December 2010. Broadwater 
anticipates that the Project would be in service by the end of December 
2010.
    As part of this evaluation, FERC staff has prepared a final EIS to 
assess the environmental impacts of the Project. The final EIS was 
prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).
    The Coast Guard has assessed potential risks to navigation safety 
and port security associated with the proposed Project. The Coast 
Guard's safety and security assessment is documented in the Captain of 
the Port Long Island Sound's Waterways Suitability Report (WSR). The 
final EIS includes an analysis of the environmental impacts related to 
the Coast Guard's Letter of Recommendation regarding the suitability of 
the involved waterways for LNG carrier operations.
    The Coast Guard Captain of the Port Long Island Sound will issue a 
Letter of Recommendation to Broadwater Energy and the appropriate 
federal, state and local agencies, in accordance with 33 CFR 127.009. 
The Letter of Recommendation, which will be based on the Coast Guard's 
WSR, is an official determination regarding the suitability or 
unsuitability of Long Island Sound to support the proposed FSRU and 
associated LNG marine traffic. The Coast Guard intends to adopt all or 
portions of the EIS being prepared by FERC to serve as the NEPA 
analysis for the Letter of Recommendation. The Letter of Recommendation 
will not be issued until after the NEPA process has been completed.
    The final EIS also evaluates alternatives to the proposal, 
including alternative energy sources, system alternatives, alternative 
sites for the LNG import terminal, alternative designs, pipeline 
alternatives, and alternatives to the Coast Guard Letter of 
Recommendation action. Based on the analysis included in the final EIS, 
the FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed Project with 
appropriate mitigating measures as recommended, would have limited 
adverse environmental impacts.
    The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    A limited number of hard copies and CDs are available at the Public 
Reference Room identified above. CD copies of the final EIS have been 
mailed to federal, state, and local agencies; public interest groups; 
and individuals who requested a copy of the final EIS or provided 
comments during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area; 
and parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the final EIS 
were mailed to those specifically requesting them.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the 
FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. 
Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the 
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number 
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link on the FERC Internet website 
also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time 
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with 
notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to 
the documents. Go to the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web 
site.

 Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-868 Filed 1-17-08; 8:45 am]
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