Port Dolphin Energy LLC, Port Dolphin Energy Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application, 21012-21014 [E8-8343]
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21012
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 75 / Thursday, April 17, 2008 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Application of Mccall Aviation, Inc. for
Commuter Air Carrier Authorization
Department of Transportation.
Notice of Order to Show Cause
(Order 2008–4–18), Docket DOT–OST–
2007–28657.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of
Transportation is directing all interested
persons to show cause why it should
not issue an order finding McCall
Aviation, Inc., fit, willing, and able, and
awarding it commuter air carrier
authorization to engage in scheduled
passenger air transportation as a
commuter air carrier.
DATES: Persons wishing to file
objections should do so no later than
April 24, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Objections and answers to
objections should be filed in Docket
DOT–OST–2007–28657 and addressed
to Docket Operations, (M–30, Room
W12–140), U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590,
and should be served upon the parties
listed in Attachment A to the order.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ˆ
Ronale Taylor, Air Carrier Fitness
Division (X–56, Room W86–464), U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington,
DC 20590, (202) 366–9721.
Dated: April 10, 2008.
Michael W. Reynolds,
Acting Assistant Secretary For Aviation and
International Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8–8262 Filed 4–16–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG–2006–28532]
Port Dolphin Energy LLC, Port Dolphin
Energy Liquefied Natural Gas
Deepwater Port License Application
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice of availability; notice of
public meeting; request for comments.
AGENCY:
sroberts on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration
(MARAD) and the Coast Guard
announce the availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for Port Dolphin Energy LLC, Port
Dolphin Energy Liquefied Natural Gas
Deepwater Port license application. The
application describes a project that
would be located approximately 28
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18:11 Apr 16, 2008
Jkt 214001
miles off the western coast of Florida,
and approximately 42 miles from Port
Manatee, Manatee County, Florida.
Publication of this notice begins a 45
day comment period and provides
information on how to participate in the
process.
DATES: The public meeting in Palmetto,
FL will be held on May 6th, 2008. The
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. The
public meeting 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 June 2,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Public Open House and
Meeting: The Manatee Convention
Center, Conference Center, One Haben
Blvd., Palmetto, Florida 3422. (941)
722–3244.
The DEIS, the application, and
associated documentation is available
for viewing at the Federal Docket
Management System Web site: https://
www.regulations.gov under docket
number 28532.
Docket submissions for USCG–2006–
28532 should be addressed to:
Department of Transportation, Docket
Management Facility, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., West Building, Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC
20590–0001.
The Federal Docket Management
Facility accepts hand-delivered
submissions, and makes docket contents
available for public inspection and
copying at this address between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. The Facility
telephone number is 202–366–9329, the
fax number is 202–493–2251, and the
Web site for electronic submissions or
for electronic access to docket contents
is https://regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray
Martin, U.S. Coast Guard, telephone:
202–372–1449, e-mail:
raymond.w.martin@uscg.mil or Chris
Hanan, U.S. Maritime Administration,
telephone: 202–366–1900, e-mail:
Christopher.Hanan@dot.gov. If you have
questions on viewing the docket, call
Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone 202–493–
0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Meeting and Open House
We invite you to learn about the
proposed deepwater port at an
informational open house, and to
comment at a public meeting on the
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proposed action and the evaluation
contained in the DEIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance
to speak at the public meeting, 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
the 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 Federal
Docket Management System (FDMS).
See ‘‘Request for Comments’’ for
information about FDMS and your
rights under the Privacy Act.
All public meeting locations will be
wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to
attend the open house or public
meeting, 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 DEIS. The
public meeting is not the only
opportunity you have to comment. In
addition to or in place of attending a
meeting, you can submit comments to
the Federal Docket Management Facility
during the public comment period (see
DATES). We will consider all comments
and material received during the
comment period for the DEIS. We will
announce the availability of the Final
EIS (FEIS) and once again give you the
opportunity to review and comment. If
you want that notice sent directly to you
please contact representatives at the
public meeting or the Coast Guard
representative identified in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Submissions should include:
• Docket number USCG–2006–28532.
• Your name and address.
Submit comments or material using
only one of the following methods:
• Electronic submission to FDMS,
https://regulations.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
E:\FR\FM\17APN1.SGM
17APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 75 / Thursday, April 17, 2008 / Notices
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 FDMS Web site (https://
regulations.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 FDMS website, 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
FDMS website.
Background
Information about deepwater ports,
the statutes, and regulations governing
licensing, and the receipt of the current
application for the proposed Port
Dolphin liquefied natural gas (LNG)
deepwater port appears in the Federal
Register on June 25, 2007 (72 FR 34741).
The Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS
for the proposed action was published
in the Federal Register in Volume 72 FR
38116, Thursday, July 12, 2007. The
DEIS, application materials and
associated comments are available on
the docket. Information from the
‘‘Summary of the Application’’ from
previous Federal Register notices is
included below for your convenience.
sroberts on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed action requiring
environmental review is the Federal
licensing action of the proposed
deepwater port described in ‘‘Summary
of the Application’’ below. The
alternatives available for the licensing
decision on the proposed port are: (i)
Licensing as proposed, (ii) licensing
with conditions (including conditions
designed to mitigate environmental,
safety and security impacts), and (iii)
denying the license, which for purposes
of environmental review is the ‘‘noaction’’ alternative. Alternates examined
under NEPA are more fully discussed in
the DEIS. The Coast Guard and MARAD
are the lead Federal agencies for the
preparation of the EIS. Address any
questions about the proposed action or
the DEIS to the Coast Guard project
manager identified in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Summary of the Application
Port Dolphin Energy LLC, proposes to
own, construct, and operate a deepwater
port, named Port Dolphin, in the
Federal waters of the Outer Continental
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17:08 Apr 16, 2008
Jkt 214001
Shelf in the St. Petersburg (PB) blocks:
PB545, PB589 and PB590,
approximately 28 miles off the west
coast of Florida to the southwest of
Tampa Bay, in a water depth of
approximately 100 feet. Port Dolphin
would consist of a permanently moored
unloading buoy system with two
submersible buoys separated by a
distance of approximately three miles.
Each unloading buoy would be
permanently secured to eight mooring
lines, consisting of wire rope, chain, and
buoyancy elements, each attached to
anchor points on the seabed.
The buoys would be designed to moor
specialized type of LNG vessels called
Shuttle and Regasification Vessels (SRV)
of 145,000 and 217,000 cubic meter
capacities. SRV vessels are equipped to
vaporize cryogenic LNG cargo to natural
gas through an onboard closed loop
vaporization system, and to odorize and
meter gas for send-out by means of the
unloading buoy to conventional subsea
pipelines. The SRVs would moor to the
unloading buoys which connect through
the hull of the vessels to specially
designed turrets that would enable the
vessels to weathervane or rotate in
response to prevailing wind, wave, and
current directions. When the vessels are
not present, the buoys would be
submerged on a special landing pad on
the seabed, 60–70 feet below the sea
surface.
Each unloading buoy would connect
through a 16-inch flexible riser and a
36-inch flowline to a Y intersection and
then a 36-inch pipeline approximately
42 miles in length that would connect
onshore in Port Manatee, Manatee
County, Florida. The pipeline would
connect with the Gulfstream Natural
Gas System, LLC and Tampa Electric
Company (TECO).
The 36-inch gas transmission line will
make landfall on Port Manatee property.
The onshore portion of the transmission
pipeline will proceed in a generally
easterly direction for approximately 4
miles to interconnection points with the
Gulfstream and TECO pipeline systems.
Only shuttle and regasification vessels
(SRVs) will call on Port Dolphin.
Offloading should require between 4–8
days and when empty the SRV would
disconnect from the buoy and leave the
port.
Initially it is expected that Port
Dolphin would be capable of a natural
gas throughput of 400 mmscfd and
would eventually be capable of 800
mmscfd with a peak capacity of 1200
mmscfd by having at least one SRV
regasifying and discharging at all times.
The system would be designed so that
two SRVs can be moored
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21013
simultaneously for continuous
unloading of natural gas.
Concurrent with their application for
the deepwater port, the Applicant
submitted an application to the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
for a Certificate of Public Convenience
and Necessity (Certificate) under section
7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), as
amended, to construct and operate a
new natural gas pipeline and ancillary
facilities in Florida. FERC is the
cooperating Federal agency responsible
for the review of the onshore portion of
the natural gas pipelines and associated
aboveground components. The
application was assigned FERC Docket
Nos. CP07–191 and 192. FERC issued a
Notice of Application in the Federal
Register for the Proposed Onshore
Pipeline on May 9, 2007.
After discussions with Florida
Department of Natural Resources, the
Applicant made changes to their
onshore pipeline route. Subsequently,
the Applicant filed an amended
application with the FERC. On January
28, 2008, the FERC issued a new Notice
of Amendment for the Proposed
Onshore Pipeline, which was published
in the Federal Register on February 4,
2008. The amended application was
assigned Docket No. CP07–191–001.
FERC also opened an additional scoping
period to solicit comments on the
proposed revisions to the onshore
pipeline route.
As required by FERC regulations,
FERC will also maintain a docket for the
FERC portion of the project. The docket
number is CP07–191–001. The filing
may also be viewed on the web at
https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call (866)
208–3767 or TYY, (202) 502–8659.
In addition, pipelines and structures
such as the moorings may require
permits under Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act which are administered
by the Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE).
Port Dolphin will also require permits
from the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) pursuant to the
provisions of the Clean Air Act, as
amended, and the Clean Water Act, as
amended.
The new pipeline will be included in
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) review as part of the deepwater
port application process. FERC, EPA,
and the USACE, among others, are
cooperating agencies and will
participate in the NEPA process as
described in 40 CFR 1501.6; and will
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21014
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 75 / Thursday, April 17, 2008 / Notices
incorporate the EIS into their permitting
processes.
Construction of the deepwater port is
expected to take approximately 11
months with startup of commercial
operations following construction,
should a license be issued. The
deepwater port would be designed,
constructed and operated in accordance
with applicable codes and standards.
Privacy Act
The electronic form of all comments
received by the Federal Docket
Management System can be searched by
the name of the individual submitting
the comment (or signing the comment,
if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). The DOT
Privacy Act Statement can be viewed in
the Federal Register published on April
11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, pages
19477–78) or you may visit https://
regulations.gov.
(Authority: 49 CFR 1.66)
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: April 11, 2008.
Christine Gurland,
Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–8343 Filed 4–16–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Finance Docket No. 35129]
SSP Railroad Holding LLC—
Acquisition and Operation
Exemption—Mittal Steel USA—
Railways Inc
sroberts on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
SSP Railroad Holding LLC (SSP), a
newly formed noncarrier, has filed a
verified notice of exemption under 49
CFR 1150.31 to acquire from Mittal
Steel USA—Railways Inc. (Mittal
Railways) and to operate approximately
183 miles of rail lines in and around
Sparrows Point, MD.1 Previously, BIP
1 SSP is a wholly owned subsidiary of Severstal
U.S. Holdings, LLC, which in turn is a wholly
owned subsidiary of OAO Severstal, a publicly
owned Russian steel company. ArcelorMittal USA
Inc. (ArcelorMittal USA) is the U.S. subsidiary of
ArcelorMittal, an international steel company.
ArcelorMittal USA and its subsidiaries, including
Mittal Railways, own various properties in the
United States, including a steel plant at Sparrows
Point and an extensive rail network serving the
plant.
SSP states that, pursuant to a 2007 consent decree
resulting from an action brought by the U.S.
Department of Justice, ArcelorMittal USA has
agreed to divest its properties at Sparrows Point,
including the rail lines that are the subject of this
notice. As provided in the sale agreement, OAO
Severstal has agreed to purchase the non-rail
properties at Sparrows Point and SSP has agreed to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:08 Apr 16, 2008
Jkt 214001
Acquisition Sub, Inc. obtained Board
authority to acquire and operate the
subject lines as part of a proposed sale
of the Sparrows Point properties;
however, that proposed sale of the
properties was terminated and the line
sale transaction was never
consummated.2
SSP has certified that its projected
annual revenues as a result of this
transaction will not exceed those that
would qualify it as a Class III railroad.
SSP states that it intends to consummate
the transaction as soon as possible after
May 1, 2008.3
Pursuant to the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. 110–
161, section 193, 121 Stat. 1844 (2007),
nothing in this decision authorizes the
following activities at any solid waste
rail transfer facility: collecting, storing
or transferring solid waste outside of its
original shipping container; or
separating or processing solid waste
(including baling, crushing, compacting
and shredding). The term ‘‘solid waste’’
is defined in section 1004 of the Solid
Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. 6903.
If the verified notice contains false or
misleading information, the exemption
is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the
exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)
may be filed at any time. The filing of
a petition to revoke will not
automatically stay the effectiveness of
the exemption. Stay petitions must be
filed by April 24, 2008 (at least 7 days
before the exemption may become
effective).
An original and 10 copies of all
pleadings, referring to STB Finance
Docket No. 35129, must be filed with
the Surface Transportation Board, 395 E
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20423–
0001. In addition, a copy of each
pleading must be served on Richard A.
Allen, Zuckert, Scoutt & Rasenberger
L.L.P., 888 Seventeenth Street, NW.,
Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006.
Board decisions and notices are
available on our Web site at ‘‘https://
www.stb.dot.gov.’’
Decided: April 9, 2008.
acquire the rail properties, which SSP intends to
operate as a common carrier.
2 See BIP Acquisition Sub, Inc.—Acquisition and
Operation Exemption—Mittal Steel USA—Railways
Inc., STB Finance Docket No. 35074 (STB served
Aug. 24, 2007).
3 SSP states that its projected annual revenues
following the transaction will exceed $5 million.
On April 1, 2008, SSP concurrently filed a
certification of labor notice compliance and a
petition for partial waiver of the 60-day advance
labor notice requirements at 49 CFR 1150.32(e).
That request is being addressed by the Board in a
separate decision. Unless the Board grants the
waiver request, the earliest this transaction may be
consummated will be May 31, 2008.
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By the Board, David M. Konschnik,
Director, Office of Proceedings.
Anne K. Quinlan,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–7962 Filed 4–16–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Docket No. AB–882; STB Docket No.
AB–884]
Minnesota Commercial Railway
Company—Adverse Discontinuance—
In Ramsey County, MN; M T Properties,
Inc.—Adverse Abandonment—In
Ramsey County, MN
On March 28, 2008, The City of New
Brighton, MN (the City), filed an
application under 49 U.S.C. 10903,
requesting that the Surface
Transportation Board (Board) authorize
the third-party or adverse abandonment
and discontinuance of service over an
approximately 0.69-mile line of rail,
extending from a junction switch near
milepost 10.5 on Minnesota Commercial
Railway’s (MCRC) main industrial lead
track and terminating at the western
right-of-way of Interstate Highway 35W
(the Line).1 The Line is owned by M T
Properties, Inc. and operated by MCRC.
The line traverses United States Postal
Service Zip Code 55112, and includes
no stations.
The line sought to be abandoned does
not contain federally granted rights-ofway. Any documentation in the City’s
possession will be made available
promptly to those requesting it.
The City states that there are no
existing or potential railroad customers
located on the line. The City also states
that the shippers who last used the Line
have relocated and continue to be
served by MCRC.
In a decision served in these
proceedings on January 25, 2008, the
City was granted exemptions from
certain statutory provisions as well as
waivers of certain Board regulations at
49 CFR part 1152 that were not relevant
to its adverse abandonment and
discontinuance application or that
sought information not available to it.
Specifically, the City was granted, as
pertinent, waivers of and exemptions
from the notice requirements at 49
U.S.C. 10903(c), 49 CFR 1152.10–14, 49
CFR 1152.21, 49 CFR 1152.22(a)(5), and
49 CFR 1152.24(e)(1), and waiver of the
regulatory requirement that the
application be executed and verified by
1 The line is a stub-ended track and has no
mileposts.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 75 (Thursday, April 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21012-21014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8343]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG-2006-28532]
Port Dolphin Energy LLC, Port Dolphin Energy Liquefied Natural
Gas Deepwater Port License Application
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; notice of public meeting; request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Coast Guard
announce the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for Port Dolphin Energy LLC, Port Dolphin Energy Liquefied
Natural Gas Deepwater Port license application. The application
describes a project that would be located approximately 28 miles off
the western coast of Florida, and approximately 42 miles from Port
Manatee, Manatee County, Florida. Publication of this notice begins a
45 day comment period and provides information on how to participate in
the process.
DATES: The public meeting in Palmetto, FL will be held on May 6th,
2008. The 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. The public meeting
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 June
2, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Public Open House and Meeting: The Manatee Convention
Center, Conference Center, One Haben Blvd., Palmetto, Florida 3422.
(941) 722-3244.
The DEIS, the application, and associated documentation is
available for viewing at the Federal Docket Management System Web site:
https://www.regulations.gov under docket number 28532.
Docket submissions for USCG-2006-28532 should be addressed to:
Department of Transportation, Docket Management Facility, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
The Federal Docket Management Facility accepts hand-delivered
submissions, and makes docket contents available for public inspection
and copying at this address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Facility telephone number is 202-
366-9329, the fax number is 202-493-2251, and the Web site for
electronic submissions or for electronic access to docket contents is
https://regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Martin, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202-372-1449, e-mail: raymond.w.martin@uscg.mil or Chris
Hanan, U.S. Maritime Administration, telephone: 202-366-1900, e-mail:
Christopher.Hanan@dot.gov. If you have questions on viewing the docket,
call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone
202-493-0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Meeting and Open House
We invite you to learn about the proposed deepwater port at an
informational open house, and to comment at a public meeting on the
proposed action and the evaluation contained in the DEIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at the public meeting,
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 the 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
Federal Docket Management System (FDMS). See ``Request for Comments''
for information about FDMS and your rights under the Privacy Act.
All public meeting locations will be wheelchair-accessible. If you
plan to attend the open house or public meeting, 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
DEIS. The public meeting is not the only opportunity you have to
comment. In addition to or in place of attending a meeting, you can
submit comments to the Federal Docket Management Facility during the
public comment period (see DATES). We will consider all comments and
material received during the comment period for the DEIS. We will
announce the availability of the Final EIS (FEIS) and once again give
you the opportunity to review and comment. If you want that notice sent
directly to you please contact representatives at the public meeting or
the Coast Guard representative identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Submissions should include:
Docket number USCG-2006-28532.
Your name and address.
Submit comments or material using only one of the following
methods:
Electronic submission to FDMS, https://regulations.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
[[Page 21013]]
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 FDMS Web site
(https://regulations.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 FDMS
website, 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 FDMS website.
Background
Information about deepwater ports, the statutes, and regulations
governing licensing, and the receipt of the current application for the
proposed Port Dolphin liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port
appears in the Federal Register on June 25, 2007 (72 FR 34741). The
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the proposed action was
published in the Federal Register in Volume 72 FR 38116, Thursday, July
12, 2007. The DEIS, application materials and associated comments are
available on the docket. 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 action of the proposed deepwater port described in ``Summary
of the Application'' below. The alternatives available for the
licensing decision on the proposed port are: (i) Licensing as proposed,
(ii) licensing with conditions (including conditions designed to
mitigate environmental, safety and security impacts), and (iii) denying
the license, which for purposes of environmental review is the ``no-
action'' alternative. Alternates examined under NEPA are more fully
discussed in the DEIS. The Coast Guard and MARAD are the lead Federal
agencies for the preparation of the EIS. Address any questions about
the proposed action or the DEIS to the Coast Guard project manager
identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Summary of the Application
Port Dolphin Energy LLC, proposes to own, construct, and operate a
deepwater port, named Port Dolphin, in the Federal waters of the Outer
Continental Shelf in the St. Petersburg (PB) blocks: PB545, PB589 and
PB590, approximately 28 miles off the west coast of Florida to the
southwest of Tampa Bay, in a water depth of approximately 100 feet.
Port Dolphin would consist of a permanently moored unloading buoy
system with two submersible buoys separated by a distance of
approximately three miles. Each unloading buoy would be permanently
secured to eight mooring lines, consisting of wire rope, chain, and
buoyancy elements, each attached to anchor points on the seabed.
The buoys would be designed to moor specialized type of LNG vessels
called Shuttle and Regasification Vessels (SRV) of 145,000 and 217,000
cubic meter capacities. SRV vessels are equipped to vaporize cryogenic
LNG cargo to natural gas through an onboard closed loop vaporization
system, and to odorize and meter gas for send-out by means of the
unloading buoy to conventional subsea pipelines. The SRVs would moor to
the unloading buoys which connect through the hull of the vessels to
specially designed turrets that would enable the vessels to weathervane
or rotate in response to prevailing wind, wave, and current directions.
When the vessels are not present, the buoys would be submerged on a
special landing pad on the seabed, 60-70 feet below the sea surface.
Each unloading buoy would connect through a 16-inch flexible riser
and a 36-inch flowline to a Y intersection and then a 36-inch pipeline
approximately 42 miles in length that would connect onshore in Port
Manatee, Manatee County, Florida. The pipeline would connect with the
Gulfstream Natural Gas System, LLC and Tampa Electric Company (TECO).
The 36-inch gas transmission line will make landfall on Port
Manatee property. The onshore portion of the transmission pipeline will
proceed in a generally easterly direction for approximately 4 miles to
interconnection points with the Gulfstream and TECO pipeline systems.
Only shuttle and regasification vessels (SRVs) will call on Port
Dolphin. Offloading should require between 4-8 days and when empty the
SRV would disconnect from the buoy and leave the port.
Initially it is expected that Port Dolphin would be capable of a
natural gas throughput of 400 mmscfd and would eventually be capable of
800 mmscfd with a peak capacity of 1200 mmscfd by having at least one
SRV regasifying and discharging at all times. The system would be
designed so that two SRVs can be moored simultaneously for continuous
unloading of natural gas.
Concurrent with their application for the deepwater port, the
Applicant submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
(Certificate) under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), as amended,
to construct and operate a new natural gas pipeline and ancillary
facilities in Florida. FERC is the cooperating Federal agency
responsible for the review of the onshore portion of the natural gas
pipelines and associated aboveground components. The application was
assigned FERC Docket Nos. CP07-191 and 192. FERC issued a Notice of
Application in the Federal Register for the Proposed Onshore Pipeline
on May 9, 2007.
After discussions with Florida Department of Natural Resources, the
Applicant made changes to their onshore pipeline route. Subsequently,
the Applicant filed an amended application with the FERC. On January
28, 2008, the FERC issued a new Notice of Amendment for the Proposed
Onshore Pipeline, which was published in the Federal Register on
February 4, 2008. The amended application was assigned Docket No. CP07-
191-001. FERC also opened an additional scoping period to solicit
comments on the proposed revisions to the onshore pipeline route.
As required by FERC regulations, FERC will also maintain a docket
for the FERC portion of the project. The docket number is CP07-191-001.
The filing may also be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov using
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For
assistance, call (866) 208-3767 or TYY, (202) 502-8659.
In addition, pipelines and structures such as the moorings may
require permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10
of the Rivers and Harbors Act which are administered by the Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE).
Port Dolphin will also require permits from the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to the provisions of the Clean Air
Act, as amended, and the Clean Water Act, as amended.
The new pipeline will be included in the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) review as part of the deepwater port application
process. FERC, EPA, and the USACE, among others, are cooperating
agencies and will participate in the NEPA process as described in 40
CFR 1501.6; and will
[[Page 21014]]
incorporate the EIS into their permitting processes.
Construction of the deepwater port is expected to take
approximately 11 months with startup of commercial operations following
construction, should a license be issued. The deepwater port would be
designed, constructed and operated in accordance with applicable codes
and standards.
Privacy Act
The electronic form of all comments received by the Federal Docket
Management System can be searched by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). The DOT Privacy Act
Statement can be viewed in the Federal Register published on April 11,
2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, pages 19477-78) or you may visit https://
regulations.gov.
(Authority: 49 CFR 1.66)
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: April 11, 2008.
Christine Gurland,
Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-8343 Filed 4-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P
