Downeast LNG, Inc. and Downeast Pipeline, LLC.; Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Downeast LNG Project, 24846-24847 [E9-12076]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24846-24847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12076]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP07-52-000; Docket Nos. CP07-53-000, CP07-53-001]


Downeast LNG, Inc. and Downeast Pipeline, LLC.; Notice of 
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Downeast LNG Project

May 15, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) has prepared this draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
to address Downeast LNG, Inc.'s and Downeast Pipeline, LLC.'s 
(hereafter collectively referred to as Downeast) proposed liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) terminal, natural gas pipeline, and associated 
facilities in the above-referenced docket. The Downeast LNG Project 
(Project) would be located in Washington County, Maine.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers; National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service; U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency; and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection 
are cooperating agencies for the development of this EIS. A cooperating 
agency has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to 
potential environmental impacts associated with the proposal and is 
involved in the NEPA analysis.
    Based on the analysis included in the EIS, the FERC staff concludes 
construction and operation of the Downeast LNG Project would result in 
some adverse environmental impacts. However, most of these impacts 
would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the 
implementation of Downeast's proposed mitigation measures and the 
additional measures we recommend in the EIS.
    The Project would establish a LNG marine terminal in New England 
capable of unloading cargo from LNG vessels, storing up to 320,000 
cubic meters of LNG in specially designed tanks, vaporizing the LNG 
back into natural gas, and providing an average sendout of 500 million 
cubic feet of natural gas per day to the New England region's 
interstate pipeline grid. Downeast's proposed 29.8-mile-long pipeline 
would transport natural gas from the LNG terminal to an interconnect 
point with Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline's L.L.C. (M&NE) existing 
pipeline system near the town of Baileyville, Maine. Downeast states 
that the Project would provide an additional supply source of natural 
gas to meet increasing demand and increase the reliability of the 
interstate gas delivery system in New England.
    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of 
construction and operation of the following facilities proposed by 
Downeast:
     A new marine terminal that would include a 3,862-foot-long 
pier with a single berth and vessel mooring system, intended to handle 
LNG vessels ranging from 70,000 to 165,000 cubic meters in capacity, 
with future expansion capabilities to handle vessels with 220,000 cubic 
meters of cargo capacity;
     two full-containment LNG storage tanks, each with a 
nominal usable storage capacity of 160,000 cubic meters;
     LNG vaporization and processing equipment;
     piping, ancillary buildings, safety systems, and other 
support facilities;
     a 29.8-mile-long, 30-inch-diameter underground natural gas 
pipeline;
     natural gas metering facilities located at the LNG 
terminal site; and
     various ancillary facilities including pigging \1\ 
facilities and three mainline block valves.
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    \1\ A ``pig'' is a tool for cleaning and inspecting the inside 
of a pipeline.
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    The Project would also include the transit of LNG vessels through 
both United States and Canadian waters to and from the LNG terminal in 
Robbinston, Maine. The intended vessel transit routes include the 
waters of the Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy, Grand Manan Channel, Head 
Harbor Passage,

[[Page 24847]]

Friar Roads, Western Passage, and Passamaquoddy Bay. The draft EIS also 
includes information regarding potential modifications and expansions 
of the M&NE pipeline system to transport the natural gas volumes that 
would be supplied by the Downeast sendout pipeline.
    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal 
Regulatory Energy Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First St., 
NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    Only volume 1 of the draft EIS, containing text of the analysis, 
was printed in hard copy. Volume 2, containing additional appendices, 
was produced as .pdf files on a compact disk (CD) that can be read by a 
computer with a CD-ROM drive. A limited number of hard copies and CDs 
of the draft EIS are available from the FERC's Public Reference Room, 
identified above. This draft EIS is also available for public viewing 
on the FERC's Internet Web site at https://www.ferc.gov, via the 
eLibrary link, and at project area libraries listed in Appendix A of 
the draft EIS.
    Copies of the document have been mailed to Federal, State, and 
local government agencies; elected officials; Native American tribes 
and regional organizations; local libraries and newspapers; intervenors 
in the FERC's proceeding; and other interested parties (i.e., 
individuals and groups who provided scoping comments or asked to remain 
on the mailing list). All parties on the mailing list were sent a CD of 
the draft EIS. A hard copy was also mailed to those who specifically 
requested one.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS is encouraged to do 
so. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, 
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental 
impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. 
To ensure consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, 
it is important that your comments be received before July 6, 2009. 
Please carefully follow the instructions below so that your comments 
are properly recorded.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
Project Docket Numbers CP07-52-000, CP07-53-000, and CP07-53-001 with 
your submission. 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;'' or
    (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 St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
    Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 3, 
PJ-11.3. Mail your comments promptly, so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 6, 2009.
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public comment meeting we will conduct in the Project 
area. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. (EST), and is scheduled as 
follows:
    Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009.
    Location: Robbinston Grade School Cafeteria 904 U.S. Route 1 
Robbinston, Maine (207) 454-3694.
    This public meeting will be posted on the FERC's calendar located 
at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx. Interested groups 
and individuals are encouraged to attend and present written or oral 
comments on the draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings will be 
prepared.
    After the comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are 
investigated, and necessary modifications are made to the draft EIS, a 
final EIS will be published and distributed. The final EIS will contain 
our responses to timely comments filed on the draft EIS that are 
related to environmental issues.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission and the cooperating 
agencies but will not serve to make the commentor a party to the 
proceeding. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must 
file a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (Title 18 CFR 385.214). Only 
intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's 
decision. Further instructions for becoming an intervenor are included 
in the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web 
site (https://www.ferc.gov). You do not need intervenor status to have 
your comments considered.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372). The 
administrative public record for this proceeding to date is on the FERC 
Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov). Click on the eLibrary link, 
click on ``General Search,'' and enter the docket number excluding the 
last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP07-52). 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 Web site 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 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 the eSubscription 
link on the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp).

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-12076 Filed 5-22-09; 8:45 am]
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