Calais LNG Project Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Calais LNG Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 72789-72792 [E8-28306]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 231 / Monday, December 1, 2008 / Notices
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is December 22,
2008.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with Internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First St., NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list.
They are also available for review in
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room in Washington, DC. There is an
eSubscription link on the Web site that
enables subscribers to receive e-mail
notification when a document is added
to a subscribed dockets(s). For
assistance with any FERC Online
service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–28300 Filed 11–28–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF08–24–000]
Calais LNG Project Company, LLC;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Calais LNG Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting
November 20, 2008.
The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC or Commission) is
in the process of evaluating the Calais
LNG Project planned by Calais LNG
Project Company, LLC (Calais). The
project would consist of an onshore
liquefied natural gas (LNG) import and
storage terminal in Washington County,
Maine, and about 20.5 miles natural gas
sendout pipeline.
As a part of this evaluation, FERC
staff will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) that will address
the environmental impacts of the
project. In cooperation with the FERC
staff, the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, U.S. Coast Guard (Coast
Guard) will assess the maritime safety
and security of the project. This Notice
of Intent (NOI) announces the opening
of the scoping process the Commission
will use to gather input from the public
and interested agencies on the planned
project. Your input will help determine
which issues need to be evaluated in the
EIS. Please note that the scoping period
will close on December 22, 2008.
Comments regarding this project may
be submitted in written form or
verbally. Further details on how to
submit written comments are provided
in the Public Participation section of
this NOI. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, we invite
you to attend the public scoping
meeting scheduled as follows:
Date and
time
Location
December 4,
2008,
6 p.m..
Washington County Community
College—Auditorium, One College Drive, Calais, ME 04619,
207–454–1000.
The Commission will use the EIS in
its decision-making process to
determine whether to authorize the
project. The Coast Guard will assess the
safety and security of the Calais LNG
Project and issue a Letter of
Recommendation. As described above,
the FERC staff will hold a public
scoping meeting to allow the public to
provide input on these assessments.
This NOI explains the scoping process
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that we 1 will use to gather information
on the project from the public and
interested agencies, and summarizes the
process that the Coast Guard will use.
Your input will help identify the issues
that need to be evaluated in the EIS and
in the Coast Guard’s safety and security
assessment.
The public scoping meeting listed
above will be combined with the Coast
Guard’s public meeting regarding the
maritime safety and security of the
project. At the meeting, the Coast Guard
will discuss: (1) The waterway
suitability assessment that it will
conduct to determine whether the
waterway can safely accommodate the
LNG vessel traffic and operation of the
planned LNG marine terminal; and (2)
the security assessment it will conduct
in accordance with the requirements of
the Maritime Transportation Security
Act. The Coast Guard will not be issuing
a separate meeting notice for the
maritime safety and security aspects of
the project.
The FERC will be the lead federal
agency for the preparation of the EIS.
The Coast Guard and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (Corps) will serve as
cooperating agencies during preparation
of the EIS. The document will satisfy
the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA). In addition, with this NOI, we
are asking other Federal, State, and local
agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to
environmental issues to cooperate with
us in the preparation of the EIS. These
agencies may choose to participate once
they have evaluated Calais’s proposal
relative to their responsibilities.
Agencies that would like to request
cooperating status should follow the
instructions for filing comments
described later in this NOI.
Consultations have already been
initiated with the Corps, and other State
and/or Federal agencies. Consultations
with these and other agencies will
continue throughout the project review
and permitting period. Corps staff will
be in attendance at the scoping meeting.
This NOI is being sent to Federal,
State, and local government agencies;
elected officials; Canadian officials and
agencies; affected landowners;
environmental and public interest
groups; Indian tribes and regional
Native American organizations; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. We encourage
government representatives to notify
their constituents of this planned
1 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the FERC’s Office of Energy
Projects.
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project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner affected by the
sendout pipeline receiving this NOI,
you may be contacted by a Calais
representative about the acquisition of
an easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the planned project facilities.
The pipeline company would seek to
negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is
approved by the FERC, that approval
conveys with it the right of eminent
domain for the sendout pipeline.
Therefore, if easement negotiations fail
to produce an agreement, the pipeline
company could initiate condemnation
proceedings in accordance with federal
or state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ addresses a number of
typically asked questions, including the
use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission’s
proceedings. It is available for viewing
on the FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Planned Project
Calais plans to construct and operate
an LNG import terminal and storage
facility, and associated natural gas
sendout pipeline with a nominal
capacity of 1.0 billion standard cubic
feet of natural gas per day. The terminal
would be located just north of Ford
Point, approximately 6 miles southeast
of the downtown area of the Town of
Calais, on the St. Croix River, in
Washington County, Maine.
More specifically, the facilities would
consist of:
• A single berth marine LNG
terminal, comprising breasting dolphins
and mooring dolphins, and an
unloading platform affixed to a pier
about 1,000 feet long to accommodate
LNG vessels ranging in cargo capacity
from 120,000 to 170,000 cubic meters
(m3);
• Three cargo unloading arms and
one vapor return arm on the pier, with
an unloading capacity rate of 12,000 m3
of LNG per hour;
• Two full-containment LNG storage
tanks, each having a capacity of 160,000
m3;
• Boil-off gas and vapor handling
system, and sendout pumps;
• LNG vaporization system to revaporize LNG to natural gas;
• Emergency generator and separate
uninterruptible power supply system;
• Ancillary terminal facilities,
including control building, maintenance
building, warehouse, administration
building, instrument air shed, electrical
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buildings, compressor building, marine
electrical building/switch room, fire/
water pump house, and gate house/
security center;
• A sendout meter to provide custody
transfer measurement to the pipeline;
• About 20.5 miles of 36-inchdiameter sendout pipeline, extending
from the planned LNG terminal to the
existing Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline,
LLC pipeline system in Princeton,
Maine; and
• A hazard monitoring system
incorporating combustible gas detectors,
low temperature detectors, smoke
detectors, and three levels of shut-down
controls.
A location map depicting the planned
facilities, including its preferred
pipeline route and three pipeline
alternatives, is attached to this NOI as
appendix 1. 2
The EIS Process
The NEPA requires the Commission
to take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
when it considers whether or not to
approve an LNG import terminal or an
interstate natural gas pipeline. The
FERC will use the EIS to consider the
environmental impacts that could result
if it issues project authorizations to
Calais under sections 3 and 7 of the
Natural Gas Act. The NEPA also
requires us to discover and address
concerns the public may have about
proposals. This process is referred to as
‘‘scoping.’’ The main goal of the scoping
process is to focus the analysis in the
EIS on the important environmental
issues. With this NOI, we are requesting
public comments on the scope of the
issues to be addressed in the EIS. All
comments received will be considered
during preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction, operation, maintenance,
and abandonment of the planned project
under these general headings:
• Geology and Soils.
• Water Resources.
• Aquatic Resources.
• Vegetation and Wildlife.
• Threatened and Endangered
Species.
• Land Use, Recreation, and Visual
Resources.
• Cultural Resources.
2 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are
available on the Commission’s Web site (excluding
maps) at the ‘‘e-Library’’ link or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room or call (202)
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the end of this notice. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail.
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• Socioeconomics.
• Marine Transportation.
• Air Quality and Noise.
• Reliability and Safety.
• Cumulative Impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate
possible alternatives to the planned
project or portions of the project, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on affected
resources.
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be included in a draft EIS.
The draft EIS will be mailed to federal,
state, and local government agencies;
elected officials; Canadian officials and
agencies; affected landowners;
environmental and public interest
groups; Indian tribes and regional
Native American organizations;
commentors; other interested parties;
local libraries and newspapers; and the
FERC’s official service list for this
proceeding. A 45-day comment period
will be allotted for review of the draft
EIS. We will consider all comments on
the draft EIS and revise the document,
as necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
We will consider all comments on the
final EIS before we make our
recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure that your comments are
considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation
section of this NOI.
Although no formal application has
been filed, the FERC staff has already
initiated its NEPA review under its PreFiling Process. The purpose of the PreFiling Process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders
and to identify and resolve issues before
an application is filed with the FERC. In
addition, the Coast Guard, as a
cooperating agency under NEPA, has
initiated its review of the project as
well.
Coast Guard Letter of Recommendation
Process
The Coast Guard is responsible for
matters related to navigation safety,
vessel engineering and safety standards,
and all matters pertaining to the safety
of facilities or equipment located in or
adjacent to navigable waters up to the
last valve immediately before the
receiving tanks. The Coast Guard also
has authority for LNG facility security
plan review, approval, and compliance
verification as provided in title 33 of the
Code of Federal Regulations 105 (33
CFR part 105), and as it pertains to the
management of vessel traffic in and
around the LNG facility.
Upon receipt of a letter of intent from
an owner or operator intending to build
a new LNG facility, the Coast Guard
Captain of the Port (COTP) conducts an
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analysis that results in a Letter of
Recommendation issued to the owner or
operator and to the state and local
governments having jurisdiction,
addressing the suitability of the
waterway to accommodate LNG vessels.
Specifically the Letter of
Recommendation addresses the
suitability of the waterway based on:
• The physical location and a
description of the facility arrangements;
• the LNG vessels’ characteristics and
the frequency of LNG shipments to the
facility;
• charts showing waterway channels
and identifying commercial, industrial,
environmentally sensitive, and
residential area in and adjacent to the
waterway used by the LNG vessels en
route to the facility (within 25
kilometers [15.5 miles] of the facility);
• density and character of the marine
traffic in the waterway;
• locks, bridges, or other manmade
obstructions in the waterway;
• depth of water;
• tidal range;
• natural hazards, including reef,
rocks, and sandbars;
• underwater pipelines and cables;
and
• distance of berthed vessels from the
channel, and the width of the channel.
In addition, the Coast Guard will
review and approve the facility’s
operations manual and emergency
response plan (33 CFR 127.019), as well
as the facility’s security plan (33 CFR
105.410). The Coast Guard will also
provide input to other federal, state, and
local government agencies reviewing the
project. Other agencies that must
approve the project are the Corps, Maine
Department of Environmental
Protection, and the Maine Bureau of
Parks and Lands.
In order to complete a thorough
waterway suitability analysis and fulfill
the regulatory mandates cited above, the
COTP Sector Northern New England
will be conducting a formal risk
assessment evaluating the various safety
and security aspects associated with the
Calais LNG Project. This risk assessment
will be accomplished through a series of
workshops focusing on the areas of
waterways safety, port security, and
consequence management, with
involvement from a broad cross-section
of government and port stakeholders
with expertise in each of the respective
areas. The workshops will be by
invitation only; however, comments
received during the public comment
period will be considered as input in
the risk assessment process.
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Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have already identified issues that
we think deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the project area
and the planned facility information
provided by Calais. This preliminary list
of issues, which is presented below,
may be revised based on your comments
and our continuing analyses.
• Impact of LNG vessel traffic on
other Passamaquoddy Bay and St. Croix
River users, including fishing and
recreational boaters.
• Safety and security issues relating
to LNG vessel traffic, including transit
through Head Harbor Passage and
Western Passage of Passamaquoddy Bay,
and the St. Croix River.
• Potential impacts on residents in
the project area, including safety issues
at the import and storage facility, noise,
air quality, and visual resources.
• Project impacts on the Moosehorn
National Wildlife Refuge and Saint
Croix Island International Park.
• Project impacts on wetlands,
vegetation, threatened and endangered
species, and wildlife habitat.
• Project impacts on cultural
resources.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the
planned project. By becoming a
commentor, your concerns will be
addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments
should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and
measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly
recorded, please send in your comments
so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before December
22, 2008.
For your convenience, there are three
methods which you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In
all instances please reference the project
docket number with your submission.
The docket number can be found on the
front of this NOI. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments and has dedicated eFiling
expert staff available to assist you at
(202) 502–8258 or eFiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments
electronically by using the Quick
Comment feature, which is located on
the Commission’s Internet Web site at
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https://www.ferc.gov under the link to
Documents and Filings. A Quick
Comment is an easy method for
interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project.
(2) You may file your comments
electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the
Commission’s Internet Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov under the link to
Documents and Filings. eFiling involves
preparing your submission in the same
manner as you would if filing on paper,
and then saving the file on your
computer’s hard drive. You will attach
that file as your submission. New
eFiling users must first create an
account by clicking on ‘‘Sign up’’ or
‘‘eRegister.’’ You will be asked to select
the type of filing you are making. A
comment on a particular project is
considered a ‘‘Comment on a Filing.’’
(3) You may file your comments via
mail to the Commission by sending an
original and two copies of your letter to:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington,
DC 20426.
• Label one copy of the comments for
the attention of Gas Branch 1, PJ–11.1.
• Reference Docket No. PF08–24–000
on the original and both copies.
The public scoping meeting (date,
time, and location listed above) is
designed to provide another opportunity
to offer comments on the planned
project. Interested groups and
individuals are encouraged to attend the
meeting and to present comments on the
safety, security, and environmental
issues that they believe should be
addressed in the EIS. A transcript of the
meeting will be generated so that your
comments will be accurately recorded.
Environmental Mailing List
If you wish to remain on the
environmental mailing list, please
return the attached Mailing List Form
(appendix 2). Also, indicate on the form
your preference for receiving a paper
version in lieu of an electronic version
of the EIS on CD–ROM. If you do not
return this form or provide comments,
we will remove your name from our
mailing list.
Additional Information
Once Calais formally files its
application with the Commission, you
may want to become an ‘‘intervenor,’’
which is an official party to the
proceeding. Intervenors play a more
formal role in the process and are able
to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be
heard by the courts if they choose to
appeal the Commission’s final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in a
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Commission proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for
becoming an intervenor are included in
the User’s Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’
link on the Commission’s Web site.
Please note that you may not request
intervenor status at this time. You must
wait until a formal application is filed
with the Commission.
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at 1–866–208–FERC (3372) or on the
FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov) using the ‘‘eLibrary link.’’
Click on the eLibrary link, select
‘‘General Search’’ and enter the project
docket number excluding the last three
digits (i.e., PF08–24) in the ‘‘Docket
Number’’ field. Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance with eLibrary, the eLibrary
helpline can be reached at 1–866–208–
3676, TTY (202) 502–8659, or by e-mail
at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The
eLibrary link on the FERC Internet Web
site also provides access to the texts of
formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rule makings.
In addition, the FERC offers a free
service called eSubscription that 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. To register for this service,
go to https://www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at https://www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Finally, Calais has established an
Internet Web site for this project at
https://www.calaislng.com. The Web site
includes a project overview, status,
potential impacts and mitigation, and
answers to frequently asked questions.
You can also request additional
information by calling Calais directly at
(207) 214–7074 or visiting the Calais
Office at 421 Main Street, Calais, ME.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–28306 Filed 11–28–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER07–1372–005]
Midwest Independent Transmission
System Operator, Inc.; Notice
Shortening Answer Period
November 21, 2008.
On November 20, 2008, the Midwest
Independent Transmission System
Operator, Inc. (the Midwest ISO) filed a
Motion for Extension of Authority and
Request for Expedited Consideration, in
the above-proceeding (November 20
Motion). In the filing, the Midwest ISO
requests an extension of authority to
compensate Market Participants through
manual redispatch make-whole
payment provisions for on-going
operational tests associated with the
Midwest ISO’s proposed Ancillary
Services Markets as granted by the
Commission’s order issued May 7, 2008,
in this docket. Midwest Independent
Transmission System Operator, Inc.,
123 FERC ¶ 61,135 (2008). Included in
the filing was a request to shorten the
dates for filing answers to the motion.
By this notice, the date for filing
answers to the Midwest ISO’s November
20 Motion is shortened to and including
November 28, 2008.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–28402 Filed 11–28–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. Anyone filing a motion
to intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant and
all the parties in this proceeding.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on December 22, 2008.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–28297 Filed 11–28–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. RM98–1–000]
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Records Governing Off-the-Record
Communications; Public Notice
[Docket No. QM09–2–001]
November 21, 2008.
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; Notice of
Filing
This constitutes notice, in accordance
with 18 CFR 385.2201(b), of the receipt
of prohibited and exempt off-the-record
communications.
Order No. 607 (64 FR 51222,
September 22, 1999) requires
Commission decisional employees, who
make or receive a prohibited or exempt
off-the-record communication relevant
to the merits of a contested proceeding,
to deliver to the Secretary of the
Commission, a copy of the
communication, if written, or a
summary of the substance of any oral
communication.
Prohibited communications are
included in a public, non-decisional file
associated with, but not a part of, the
decisional record of the proceeding.
Unless the Commission determines that
the prohibited communication and any
November 20, 2008.
Take notice that on November 19,
2008, the Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.
filed an amendment to Attachment A of
its October 22, 2008 application.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 231 (Monday, December 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72789-72792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28306]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF08-24-000]
Calais LNG Project Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Calais LNG Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting
November 20, 2008.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) is in
the process of evaluating the Calais LNG Project planned by Calais LNG
Project Company, LLC (Calais). The project would consist of an onshore
liquefied natural gas (LNG) import and storage terminal in Washington
County, Maine, and about 20.5 miles natural gas sendout pipeline.
As a part of this evaluation, FERC staff will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will address the
environmental impacts of the project. In cooperation with the FERC
staff, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard
(Coast Guard) will assess the maritime safety and security of the
project. This Notice of Intent (NOI) announces the opening of the
scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public
and interested agencies on the planned project. Your input will help
determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period will close on December 22, 2008.
Comments regarding this project may be submitted in written form or
verbally. Further details on how to submit written comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this NOI. In lieu of or
in addition to sending written comments, we invite you to attend the
public scoping meeting scheduled as follows:
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Date and time Location
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December 4, 2008, 6 p.m................ Washington County Community
College--Auditorium, One
College Drive, Calais, ME
04619, 207-454-1000.
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The Commission will use the EIS in its decision-making process to
determine whether to authorize the project. The Coast Guard will assess
the safety and security of the Calais LNG Project and issue a Letter of
Recommendation. As described above, the FERC staff will hold a public
scoping meeting to allow the public to provide input on these
assessments. This NOI explains the scoping process that we \1\ will use
to gather information on the project from the public and interested
agencies, and summarizes the process that the Coast Guard will use.
Your input will help identify the issues that need to be evaluated in
the EIS and in the Coast Guard's safety and security assessment.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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The public scoping meeting listed above will be combined with the
Coast Guard's public meeting regarding the maritime safety and security
of the project. At the meeting, the Coast Guard will discuss: (1) The
waterway suitability assessment that it will conduct to determine
whether the waterway can safely accommodate the LNG vessel traffic and
operation of the planned LNG marine terminal; and (2) the security
assessment it will conduct in accordance with the requirements of the
Maritime Transportation Security Act. The Coast Guard will not be
issuing a separate meeting notice for the maritime safety and security
aspects of the project.
The FERC will be the lead federal agency for the preparation of the
EIS. The Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will
serve as cooperating agencies during preparation of the EIS. The
document will satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). In addition, with this NOI, we are asking
other Federal, State, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues to cooperate
with us in the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated Calais's proposal relative to
their responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described
later in this NOI. Consultations have already been initiated with the
Corps, and other State and/or Federal agencies. Consultations with
these and other agencies will continue throughout the project review
and permitting period. Corps staff will be in attendance at the scoping
meeting.
This NOI is being sent to Federal, State, and local government
agencies; elected officials; Canadian officials and agencies; affected
landowners; environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes and
regional Native American organizations; other interested parties; and
local libraries and newspapers. We encourage government representatives
to notify their constituents of this planned
[[Page 72790]]
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner affected by the sendout pipeline receiving
this NOI, you may be contacted by a Calais representative about the
acquisition of an easement to construct, operate, and maintain the
planned project facilities. The pipeline company would seek to
negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if the project is
approved by the FERC, that approval conveys with it the right of
eminent domain for the sendout pipeline. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with federal or state
law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' addresses a number
of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Planned Project
Calais plans to construct and operate an LNG import terminal and
storage facility, and associated natural gas sendout pipeline with a
nominal capacity of 1.0 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas per
day. The terminal would be located just north of Ford Point,
approximately 6 miles southeast of the downtown area of the Town of
Calais, on the St. Croix River, in Washington County, Maine.
More specifically, the facilities would consist of:
A single berth marine LNG terminal, comprising breasting
dolphins and mooring dolphins, and an unloading platform affixed to a
pier about 1,000 feet long to accommodate LNG vessels ranging in cargo
capacity from 120,000 to 170,000 cubic meters (m\3\);
Three cargo unloading arms and one vapor return arm on the
pier, with an unloading capacity rate of 12,000 m\3\ of LNG per hour;
Two full-containment LNG storage tanks, each having a
capacity of 160,000 m\3\;
Boil-off gas and vapor handling system, and sendout pumps;
LNG vaporization system to re-vaporize LNG to natural gas;
Emergency generator and separate uninterruptible power
supply system;
Ancillary terminal facilities, including control building,
maintenance building, warehouse, administration building, instrument
air shed, electrical buildings, compressor building, marine electrical
building/switch room, fire/water pump house, and gate house/security
center;
A sendout meter to provide custody transfer measurement to
the pipeline;
About 20.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter sendout pipeline,
extending from the planned LNG terminal to the existing Maritimes &
Northeast Pipeline, LLC pipeline system in Princeton, Maine; and
A hazard monitoring system incorporating combustible gas
detectors, low temperature detectors, smoke detectors, and three levels
of shut-down controls.
A location map depicting the planned facilities, including its
preferred pipeline route and three pipeline alternatives, is attached
to this NOI as appendix 1. \2\
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\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the ``e-Library'' link or
from the Commission's Public Reference Room or call (202) 502-8371.
For instructions on connecting to e-Library refer to the end of this
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving
this notice in the mail.
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The EIS Process
The NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the
environmental impacts that could result from an action when it
considers whether or not to approve an LNG import terminal or an
interstate natural gas pipeline. The FERC will use the EIS to consider
the environmental impacts that could result if it issues project
authorizations to Calais under sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
The NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the public
may have about proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.''
The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the
EIS on the important environmental issues. With this NOI, we are
requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed
in the EIS. All comments received will be considered during preparation
of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of the
planned project under these general headings:
Geology and Soils.
Water Resources.
Aquatic Resources.
Vegetation and Wildlife.
Threatened and Endangered Species.
Land Use, Recreation, and Visual Resources.
Cultural Resources.
Socioeconomics.
Marine Transportation.
Air Quality and Noise.
Reliability and Safety.
Cumulative Impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the
planned project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; Canadian officials and
agencies; affected landowners; environmental and public interest
groups; Indian tribes and regional Native American organizations;
commentors; other interested parties; local libraries and newspapers;
and the FERC's official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will
consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We will consider all comments on
the final EIS before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To
ensure that your comments are considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation section of this NOI.
Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has
already initiated its NEPA review under its Pre-Filing Process. The
purpose of the Pre-Filing Process is to encourage early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an
application is filed with the FERC. In addition, the Coast Guard, as a
cooperating agency under NEPA, has initiated its review of the project
as well.
Coast Guard Letter of Recommendation Process
The Coast Guard is responsible for matters related to navigation
safety, vessel engineering and safety standards, and all matters
pertaining to the safety of facilities or equipment located in or
adjacent to navigable waters up to the last valve immediately before
the receiving tanks. The Coast Guard also has authority for LNG
facility security plan review, approval, and compliance verification as
provided in title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations 105 (33 CFR
part 105), and as it pertains to the management of vessel traffic in
and around the LNG facility.
Upon receipt of a letter of intent from an owner or operator
intending to build a new LNG facility, the Coast Guard Captain of the
Port (COTP) conducts an
[[Page 72791]]
analysis that results in a Letter of Recommendation issued to the owner
or operator and to the state and local governments having jurisdiction,
addressing the suitability of the waterway to accommodate LNG vessels.
Specifically the Letter of Recommendation addresses the suitability of
the waterway based on:
The physical location and a description of the facility
arrangements;
the LNG vessels' characteristics and the frequency of LNG
shipments to the facility;
charts showing waterway channels and identifying
commercial, industrial, environmentally sensitive, and residential area
in and adjacent to the waterway used by the LNG vessels en route to the
facility (within 25 kilometers [15.5 miles] of the facility);
density and character of the marine traffic in the
waterway;
locks, bridges, or other manmade obstructions in the
waterway;
depth of water;
tidal range;
natural hazards, including reef, rocks, and sandbars;
underwater pipelines and cables; and
distance of berthed vessels from the channel, and the
width of the channel.
In addition, the Coast Guard will review and approve the facility's
operations manual and emergency response plan (33 CFR 127.019), as well
as the facility's security plan (33 CFR 105.410). The Coast Guard will
also provide input to other federal, state, and local government
agencies reviewing the project. Other agencies that must approve the
project are the Corps, Maine Department of Environmental Protection,
and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.
In order to complete a thorough waterway suitability analysis and
fulfill the regulatory mandates cited above, the COTP Sector Northern
New England will be conducting a formal risk assessment evaluating the
various safety and security aspects associated with the Calais LNG
Project. This risk assessment will be accomplished through a series of
workshops focusing on the areas of waterways safety, port security, and
consequence management, with involvement from a broad cross-section of
government and port stakeholders with expertise in each of the
respective areas. The workshops will be by invitation only; however,
comments received during the public comment period will be considered
as input in the risk assessment process.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the project area and the planned
facility information provided by Calais. This preliminary list of
issues, which is presented below, may be revised based on your comments
and our continuing analyses.
Impact of LNG vessel traffic on other Passamaquoddy Bay
and St. Croix River users, including fishing and recreational boaters.
Safety and security issues relating to LNG vessel traffic,
including transit through Head Harbor Passage and Western Passage of
Passamaquoddy Bay, and the St. Croix River.
Potential impacts on residents in the project area,
including safety issues at the import and storage facility, noise, air
quality, and visual resources.
Project impacts on the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge
and Saint Croix Island International Park.
Project impacts on wetlands, vegetation, threatened and
endangered species, and wildlife habitat.
Project impacts on cultural resources.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the planned project. By becoming a
commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please send in your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before December 22, 2008.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number with your submission. The docket
number can be found on the front of this NOI. The Commission encourages
electronic filing of comments and has dedicated eFiling expert staff
available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or eFiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site
at https://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project.
(2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. New eFiling users
must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' or
``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you are
making. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on
a Filing.''
(3) You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by
sending an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 1, PJ-11.1.
Reference Docket No. PF08-24-000 on the original and both
copies.
The public scoping meeting (date, time, and location listed above)
is designed to provide another opportunity to offer comments on the
planned project. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to
attend the meeting and to present comments on the safety, security, and
environmental issues that they believe should be addressed in the EIS.
A transcript of the meeting will be generated so that your comments
will be accurately recorded.
Environmental Mailing List
If you wish to remain on the environmental mailing list, please
return the attached Mailing List Form (appendix 2). Also, indicate on
the form your preference for receiving a paper version in lieu of an
electronic version of the EIS on CD-ROM. If you do not return this form
or provide comments, we will remove your name from our mailing list.
Additional Information
Once Calais formally files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the
proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and are
able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts if
they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in a
[[Page 72792]]
Commission proceeding by filing a request to intervene. Instructions
for becoming an intervenor are included in the User's Guide under the
``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. Please note that you
may not request intervenor status at this time. You must wait until a
formal application is filed with the Commission.
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC (3372) or on
the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary
link.'' Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter
the project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF08-
24) in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance with eLibrary, the eLibrary
helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or by e-
mail at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC
Internet Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents
issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
In addition, the FERC offers a free service called eSubscription
that 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. To register for this service, go to https://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx
along with other related information.
Finally, Calais has established an Internet Web site for this
project at https://www.calaislng.com. The Web site includes a project
overview, status, potential impacts and mitigation, and answers to
frequently asked questions. You can also request additional information
by calling Calais directly at (207) 214-7074 or visiting the Calais
Office at 421 Main Street, Calais, ME.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-28306 Filed 11-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
