Liberty Natural Gas LLC, Liberty Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Deepwater Port License Application, 4417-4419 [2011-1448]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Notices
Expiration Date of Approval: Three
years from date of approval by the
Office of Management and Budget.
Annual Estimated Burden Hours:
2500 hours.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention
MARAD Desk Officer.
Comments are invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways
to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
A comment to OMB is best assured of
having its full effect if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication.
scoping process and provides
information on how to participate.
DATES: There will be a series of three
public scoping meetings held in
connection with the application. The
first public meeting will be held in
Rockaway Park, New York on February
8, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and
will be preceded by an open house from
5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The second public meeting will be
held in Long Branch, New Jersey on
February 9, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8
p.m., and will be preceded by an open
house from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The third public meeting will be held
in Edison, New Jersey on February 10,
2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will
be preceded by an open house from 5
p.m. to 6 p.m.
Each of the three public meetings may
end later than the stated time,
depending on the number of persons
wishing to speak. Additionally,
materials submitted in response to the
request for comments on the license
application must reach the Docket
Management Facility by February 23,
2011.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: January 19, 2011.
Christine Gurland,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
ADDRESSES:
[FR Doc. 2011–1449 Filed 1–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG–2010–0993]
Liberty Natural Gas LLC, Liberty
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Deepwater Port License Application
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice of intent; notice of public
meeting; request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Maritime Administration,
in coordination with the U.S. Coast
Guard, will prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) as part of the
environmental review of the Liberty
Deepwater Port License Application.
The application describes an offshore
natural gas deepwater port facility that
would be located approximately 16.2
miles off the coast of New Jersey and
will connect via offshore pipeline to a
9.2 mile onshore pipeline. Publication
of this notice begins a scoping process
that will help identify and determine
the scope of environmental issues to be
addressed in the EIS. This notice
requests public participation in the
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SUMMARY:
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The open house and public
meeting in Rockaway Park will be held
at Beach Channel High School, 100–00
Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway Park,
NY 11694–2818, (718) 945–6900. The
New York City Department of Education
disclaims involvement in the open
house and public meeting to be held on
the premises of Beach Channel High
School.
The open house and public meeting
in Long Branch will be held at Long
Branch Middle School, 350 Indiana
Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740–6198,
(732) 229–5533.
The open house and public meeting
in Edison will be held atthe New Jersey
Convention & Exposition Center at
Raritan Center, Edison, 97 Sunfield
Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837–3810, (732)
417–1400.
The license application, comments
and associated documentation are
available for viewing at the Federal
Docket Management System (FDMS)
Web site: https://www.regulations.gov
under docket number USCG–2010–
0993.
Docket submissions for USCG–2010–
0993 should be addressed to:
Department of Transportation, Docket
Management Facility, West Building,
Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington,
DC 20590–0001.
The Federal Docket Management
Facility accepts hand-delivered
submissions, and makes docket contents
available for public inspection and
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4417
copying at the above 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://
www.regulations.gov.
Mr.
Ray Martin, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202–372–1449, e-mail:
Raymond.W.Martin@uscg.mil, or Ms.
Yvette M. Fields, Director, Office of
Deepwater Ports and Offshore
Activities, Maritime Administration,
telephone: 202–366–0926, e-mail:
Yvette.Fields@dot.gov. If you have
questions on viewing the Docket, call
Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone 202–493–
0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Public Meeting and Open House
We invite you to learn about the
proposed deepwater port at any of the
above informational open houses, and to
comment at any of the above public
meetings on environmental issues
related to the proposed deepwater port.
Your comments will help us identify
and refine the scope of the
environmental issues to be addressed in
the EIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance
to speak at a 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 a
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 Facility (see
Request for Comments).
Our public meeting locations are
wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to
attend an open house or public meeting,
and need special assistance such as sign
language interpretation or other
reasonable accommodation, please
notify the U.S. 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 environmental
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4418
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Notices
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
issues related to the proposed
deepwater port. 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.
Submissions should include:
• Docket number USCG–2010–0993.
• Your name and address.
Submit comments or material using
only one of the following methods:
• Electronic submission to the
Federal Docket Management Facility,
https://www.regulations.gov.
• Fax, mail, or hand deliver to the
Federal Docket Management Facility
(see ADDRESSES). Faxed or hand
delivered submissions must be
unbound, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11
inches, and suitable for copying and
electronic scanning. If you mail your
submission and want to know when it
reaches the Facility, include a stamped,
self-addressed postcard or envelope.
Regardless of the method used for
submitting comments or material, all
submissions will be posted, without
change, to the FDMS Web site (https://
www.regulations.gov), and will include
any personal information you provide.
Therefore, submitting this information
makes it public. You may wish to read
the Privacy and Use Notice that is
available on the FDMS Web site, and the
Department of Transportation Privacy
Act Notice that appeared in the Federal
Register on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477), see PRIVACY ACT. You may
view docket submissions at the
Department of Transportation Docket
Management Facility or electronically
on the FDMS Web site (see ADDRESSES).
Background
Information about deepwater ports,
the statutes, and regulations governing
their licensing, and the receipt of the
current application for the proposed
Liberty Deepwater Port appears in the
November 17, 2010 Federal Register
(75 FR 70350.) The ‘‘Summary of the
Application’’ from that publication is
reprinted below for your convenience.
Consideration of a deepwater port
license application includes review of
the proposed deepwater port’s natural
and human environmental impacts. The
U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency for
determining the scope of this review,
and in this case the U.S. Coast Guard
has determined that review must
include preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement. This
notice of intent is required by 40 CFR
1501.7, and briefly describes the
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18:40 Jan 24, 2011
Jkt 223001
proposed action, possible alternatives,
and our proposed scoping process. You
can address any questions about the
proposed action, the scoping process, or
the Environmental Impact Statement to
the U.S. Coast Guard project manager
identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
the draft EIS. The Coast Guard will
consider those comments, and then
prepare the final EIS. As with the draft
EIS, we will announce the availability of
the final EIS, and once again give you
an opportunity for review and comment.
Summary of the Application
Liberty Natural Gas, LLC, proposes to
Proposed Action and Alternatives
own, construct, and operate a natural
gas deepwater port, known as Liberty
The proposed action requiring
Deepwater Port. It would be located
environmental review is the Federal
approximately 16 miles off the coast of
licensing of the proposed deepwater
New Jersey to the east of Asbury Park
port described in ‘‘Summary of the
in a water depth of approximately 100
Application’’ below. The alternatives to
to 120 feet. It will connect via offshore
licensing the proposed port are: (1)
pipeline to a 9.2 mile onshore pipeline
Licensing with conditions (including
that will traverse through Perth Amboy,
conditions designed to mitigate
Woodbridge and Carteret in Middlesex
environmental impact), or (2) denying
County, New Jersey and terminate in
the application, which for purposes of
environmental review is the ‘‘no-action’’ Linden, Union County, New Jersey.
Liberty Deepwater Port would receive
alternative.
and transfer natural gas from purposeScoping Process
built LNG regasification vessels
(LNGRVs) with a total cargo tank
Public scoping is an early and open
process for identifying and determining capacity of approximately 145,000 m3.
The vessels would be equipped to
the scope of issues to be addressed in
vaporize LNG cargo to natural gas
the Environmental Impact Statement.
through onboard closed loop
Scoping begins with this notice,
vaporization systems and odorize and
continues through the public comment
meter gas for send-out by means of a
period (see DATES), and ends when the
Submerged Turret LoadingTM (STL)
U.S. Coast Guard has completed the
Buoy system. When the vessels are not
following actions:
• Invites the participation of Federal, present, the buoy would be submerged
on a special landing pad on the seafloor,
State, and local agencies, any affected
100–120 feet below the sea surface. The
Indian tribe, the applicant, and other
top of the buoy would be approximately
interested persons;
• Determines the actions, alternatives, 50–70 feet below the surface of the
water.
and impacts described in 40 CFR
Liberty Deepwater Port would consist
1508.25;
of up to four Submerged Turret
• Identifies and eliminates, from
LoadingTM (STL) Buoy systems. Each
detailed study, those issues that are not
buoy system would connect to an 18significant or that have been covered
inch diameter pipeline, called a Lateral,
elsewhere;
at a pipeline end manifold (PLEM)
• Allocates responsibility for
installed on the seafloor. The Laterals
preparing EIS components;
• Indicates any related environmental would be approximately 0.6 miles to 1
mile in length. Natural gas would flow
assessments or environmental impact
through each Lateral to the 36-inch
statements that are not part of the EIS;
diameter, 44.37 mile long Offshore
• Identifies other relevant
Pipeline. The Offshore Pipeline would
environmental review and consultation
connect to a 36-inch diameter, 9.2 mile
requirements;
long Onshore Pipeline that would
• Indicates the relationship between
timing of the environmental review and traverse through Perth Amboy,
other aspects of the application process; Woodbridge and Carteret in Middlesex
County, New Jersey and terminate in
and
• At its discretion, exercises the
Linden, Union County, New Jersey. The
options provided in 40 CFR 1501.7(b).
Onshore Pipeline would connect to
Once the scoping process is complete, Transco and TETCO pipeline systems.
The Liberty Deepwater Port would be
the U.S. Coast Guard will prepare a draft
installed in two phases, with the first
EIS, and in conjunction with the
Maritime Administration, will publish a two Submerged Turret LoadingTM (STL)
Federal Register notice announcing
Buoy systems and accompanying
public availability of the draft EIS. (If
onshore and offshore pipeline
you want that notice to be sent to you,
infrastructure proposed to be installed
please contact the Coast Guard project
and operational by the end of 2013. The
manager identified in FOR FURTHER
second phase, consisting of an
INFORMATION CONTACT.) You will have an additional pair of Submerged Turret
LoadingTM (STL) Buoy systems and
opportunity to review and comment on
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Notices
associated Laterals, would be
constructed at a later date.
The Offshore Pipeline ultimately used
by four STL Buoy systems will have a
delivery capacity of approximately 2.4
billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of
natural gas. Each LNGRV will have an
average natural gas delivery capacity of
600 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/
d) with a maximum capacity of 750
MMcf/d.
Liberty Natural Gas LLC is currently
seeking Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) approval for the
onshore pipelines. As required by FERC
regulations, FERC will also maintain a
docket for the FERC portion of the
project. The docket number is CP11–10.
The filing may also be viewed on the
web at https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Choose ‘‘General Search’’
and enter the docket number excluding
the last three digits in the docket
number field to access the document.
For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
or call (866) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
In addition, pipelines and structures,
such as the Submerged Turret
LoadingTM (STL) Buoy systems, 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 U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE).
Liberty Deepwater Port may 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 offshore and onshore pipelines
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 assist in the NEPA
process as described in 40 CFR 1501.6.
Also, these agencies may participate in
the scoping meetings and will
incorporate the EIS into their permitting
processes. Comments sent to the FERC
docket, or to the EPA, USACE, and/or
other agencies will be incorporated into
the DOT docket and considered as the
EIS is developed to ensure consistency
with the NEPA Process.
Should a license be issued,
construction of the deepwater port
would be expected to take
approximately 18 months over a twoyear period with startup of commercial
operations following construction. The
deepwater port would be designed,
constructed, and operated in accordance
with applicable codes and standards.
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18:40 Jan 24, 2011
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Privacy Act
The electronic form of all comments
received into 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://
www.regulations.gov.
Authority: 49 CFR 1.66.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: January 19, 2011.
Christine Gurland,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–1448 Filed 1–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket No. MARAD–2011–0004]
Requested Administrative Waiver of
the Coastwise Trade Laws
Maritime Administration,
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Invitation for public comments
on a requested administrative waiver of
the Coastwise Trade Laws for the vessel
FIRST CAST.
AGENCY:
As authorized by 46 U.S.C.
12121, the Secretary of Transportation,
as represented by the Maritime
Administration (MARAD), is authorized
to grant waivers of the U.S.-build
requirement of the coastwise laws under
certain circumstances. A request for
such a waiver has been received by
MARAD. The vessel, and a brief
description of the proposed service, is
listed below. The complete application
is given in DOT docket MARAD–2011–
0004 at https://www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties may comment on the
effect this action may have on U.S.
vessel builders or businesses in the U.S.
that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD
determines, in accordance with 46
U.S.C. 12121 and MARAD’s regulations
at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April
30, 2003), that the issuance of the
waiver will have an unduly adverse
effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a
business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in
that business, a waiver will not be
granted. Comments should refer to the
docket number of this notice and the
vessel name in order for MARAD to
properly consider the comments.
Comments should also state the
commenter’s interest in the waiver
SUMMARY:
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4419
application, and address the waiver
criteria given in § 388.4 of MARAD’s
regulations at 46 CFR part 388.
Submit comments on or before
February 24, 2011.
DATES:
Comments should refer to
docket number MARAD–2011–0004.
Written comments may be submitted by
hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk,
U.S. Department of Transportation,
Docket Operations, M–30, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. You may also
send comments electronically via the
Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
All comments will become part of this
docket and will be available for
inspection and copying at the above
address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
E.T., Monday through Friday, except
federal holidays. An electronic version
of this document and all documents
entered into this docket is available on
the World Wide Web at https://
www.regulations.gov.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joann Spittle, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Maritime
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Room W21–203,
Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 202–
366–5979.
As
described by the applicant the intended
service of the vessel FIRST CAST is:
Intended Commercial Use of Vessel:
‘‘Excursion charter fishing’’.
Geographic Region: ‘‘Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Delaware, Washington D.C.,
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and
their respective inland tributaries.’’
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Privacy Act
Anyone is able to search the
electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the comment, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume
65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78).
Dated: January 19, 2011.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Christine Gurland,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–1452 Filed 1–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
E:\FR\FM\25JAN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4417-4419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1448]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG-2010-0993]
Liberty Natural Gas LLC, Liberty Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Deepwater Port License Application
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent; notice of public meeting; request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration, in coordination with the U.S.
Coast Guard, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) as
part of the environmental review of the Liberty Deepwater Port License
Application. The application describes an offshore natural gas
deepwater port facility that would be located approximately 16.2 miles
off the coast of New Jersey and will connect via offshore pipeline to a
9.2 mile onshore pipeline. Publication of this notice begins a scoping
process that will help identify and determine the scope of
environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. This notice requests
public participation in the scoping process and provides information on
how to participate.
DATES: There will be a series of three public scoping meetings held in
connection with the application. The first public meeting will be held
in Rockaway Park, New York on February 8, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8
p.m., and will be preceded by an open house from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The second public meeting will be held in Long Branch, New Jersey
on February 9, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will be preceded by
an open house from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The third public meeting will be held in Edison, New Jersey on
February 10, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be preceded by an
open house from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Each of the three public meetings may end later than the stated
time, depending on the number of persons wishing to speak.
Additionally, materials submitted in response to the request for
comments on the license application must reach the Docket Management
Facility by February 23, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The open house and public meeting in Rockaway Park will be
held at Beach Channel High School, 100-00 Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway
Park, NY 11694-2818, (718) 945-6900. The New York City Department of
Education disclaims involvement in the open house and public meeting to
be held on the premises of Beach Channel High School.
The open house and public meeting in Long Branch will be held at
Long Branch Middle School, 350 Indiana Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740-
6198, (732) 229-5533.
The open house and public meeting in Edison will be held atthe New
Jersey Convention & Exposition Center at Raritan Center, Edison, 97
Sunfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837-3810, (732) 417-1400.
The license application, comments and associated documentation are
available for viewing at the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)
Web site: https://www.regulations.gov under docket number USCG-2010-
0993.
Docket submissions for USCG-2010-0993 should be addressed to:
Department of Transportation, Docket Management Facility, West
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
The Federal Docket Management Facility accepts hand-delivered
submissions, and makes docket contents available for public inspection
and copying at the above 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://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ray Martin, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202-372-1449, e-mail: Raymond.W.Martin@uscg.mil, or Ms.
Yvette M. Fields, Director, Office of Deepwater Ports and Offshore
Activities, Maritime Administration, telephone: 202-366-0926, e-mail:
Yvette.Fields@dot.gov. If you have questions on viewing the Docket,
call Ms. 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 any of
the above informational open houses, and to comment at any of the above
public meetings on environmental issues related to the proposed
deepwater port. Your comments will help us identify and refine the
scope of the environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS.
In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at a 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 a 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 Facility (see Request for Comments).
Our public meeting locations are wheelchair-accessible. If you plan
to attend an open house or public meeting, and need special assistance
such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation,
please notify the U.S. 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
environmental
[[Page 4418]]
issues related to the proposed deepwater port. 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.
Submissions should include:
Docket number USCG-2010-0993.
Your name and address.
Submit comments or material using only one of the following
methods:
Electronic submission to the Federal Docket Management
Facility, https://www.regulations.gov.
Fax, mail, or hand deliver to the Federal Docket
Management Facility (see ADDRESSES). Faxed or hand delivered
submissions must be unbound, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and
suitable for copying and electronic scanning. If you mail your
submission and want to know when it reaches the Facility, include a
stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material,
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the FDMS Web site
(https://www.regulations.gov), and will include any personal information
you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public.
You may wish to read the Privacy and Use Notice that is available on
the FDMS Web site, and the Department of Transportation Privacy Act
Notice that appeared in the Federal Register on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477), see PRIVACY ACT. You may view docket submissions at the
Department of Transportation Docket Management Facility or
electronically on the FDMS Web site (see ADDRESSES).
Background
Information about deepwater ports, the statutes, and regulations
governing their licensing, and the receipt of the current application
for the proposed Liberty Deepwater Port appears in the November 17,
2010 Federal Register (75 FR 70350.) The ``Summary of the Application''
from that publication is reprinted below for your convenience.
Consideration of a deepwater port license application includes
review of the proposed deepwater port's natural and human environmental
impacts. The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency for determining the
scope of this review, and in this case the U.S. Coast Guard has
determined that review must include preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement. This notice of intent is required by 40 CFR 1501.7,
and briefly describes the proposed action, possible alternatives, and
our proposed scoping process. You can address any questions about the
proposed action, the scoping process, or the Environmental Impact
Statement to the U.S. Coast Guard project manager identified in FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
The proposed action requiring environmental review is the Federal
licensing of the proposed deepwater port described in ``Summary of the
Application'' below. The alternatives to licensing the proposed port
are: (1) Licensing with conditions (including conditions designed to
mitigate environmental impact), or (2) denying the application, which
for purposes of environmental review is the ``no-action'' alternative.
Scoping Process
Public scoping is an early and open process for identifying and
determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the Environmental
Impact Statement. Scoping begins with this notice, continues through
the public comment period (see DATES), and ends when the U.S. Coast
Guard has completed the following actions:
Invites the participation of Federal, State, and local
agencies, any affected Indian tribe, the applicant, and other
interested persons;
Determines the actions, alternatives, and impacts
described in 40 CFR 1508.25;
Identifies and eliminates, from detailed study, those
issues that are not significant or that have been covered elsewhere;
Allocates responsibility for preparing EIS components;
Indicates any related environmental assessments or
environmental impact statements that are not part of the EIS;
Identifies other relevant environmental review and
consultation requirements;
Indicates the relationship between timing of the
environmental review and other aspects of the application process; and
At its discretion, exercises the options provided in 40
CFR 1501.7(b).
Once the scoping process is complete, the U.S. Coast Guard will
prepare a draft EIS, and in conjunction with the Maritime
Administration, will publish a Federal Register notice announcing
public availability of the draft EIS. (If you want that notice to be
sent to you, please contact the Coast Guard project manager identified
in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.) You will have an opportunity to
review and comment on the draft EIS. The Coast Guard will consider
those comments, and then prepare the final EIS. As with the draft EIS,
we will announce the availability of the final EIS, and once again give
you an opportunity for review and comment.
Summary of the Application
Liberty Natural Gas, LLC, proposes to own, construct, and operate a
natural gas deepwater port, known as Liberty Deepwater Port. It would
be located approximately 16 miles off the coast of New Jersey to the
east of Asbury Park in a water depth of approximately 100 to 120 feet.
It will connect via offshore pipeline to a 9.2 mile onshore pipeline
that will traverse through Perth Amboy, Woodbridge and Carteret in
Middlesex County, New Jersey and terminate in Linden, Union County, New
Jersey.
Liberty Deepwater Port would receive and transfer natural gas from
purpose-built LNG regasification vessels (LNGRVs) with a total cargo
tank capacity of approximately 145,000 m3. The vessels would
be equipped to vaporize LNG cargo to natural gas through onboard closed
loop vaporization systems and odorize and meter gas for send-out by
means of a Submerged Turret Loading\TM\ (STL) Buoy system. When the
vessels are not present, the buoy would be submerged on a special
landing pad on the seafloor, 100-120 feet below the sea surface. The
top of the buoy would be approximately 50-70 feet below the surface of
the water.
Liberty Deepwater Port would consist of up to four Submerged Turret
Loading\TM\ (STL) Buoy systems. Each buoy system would connect to an
18-inch diameter pipeline, called a Lateral, at a pipeline end manifold
(PLEM) installed on the seafloor. The Laterals would be approximately
0.6 miles to 1 mile in length. Natural gas would flow through each
Lateral to the 36-inch diameter, 44.37 mile long Offshore Pipeline. The
Offshore Pipeline would connect to a 36-inch diameter, 9.2 mile long
Onshore Pipeline that would traverse through Perth Amboy, Woodbridge
and Carteret in Middlesex County, New Jersey and terminate in Linden,
Union County, New Jersey. The Onshore Pipeline would connect to Transco
and TETCO pipeline systems.
The Liberty Deepwater Port would be installed in two phases, with
the first two Submerged Turret Loading\TM\ (STL) Buoy systems and
accompanying onshore and offshore pipeline infrastructure proposed to
be installed and operational by the end of 2013. The second phase,
consisting of an additional pair of Submerged Turret Loading\TM\ (STL)
Buoy systems and
[[Page 4419]]
associated Laterals, would be constructed at a later date.
The Offshore Pipeline ultimately used by four STL Buoy systems will
have a delivery capacity of approximately 2.4 billion cubic feet per
day (bcf/d) of natural gas. Each LNGRV will have an average natural gas
delivery capacity of 600 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) with a
maximum capacity of 750 MMcf/d.
Liberty Natural Gas LLC is currently seeking Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval for the onshore pipelines. As
required by FERC regulations, FERC will also maintain a docket for the
FERC portion of the project. The docket number is CP11-10. The filing
may also be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov using the
``eLibrary'' link. Choose ``General Search'' and enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call (866) 208-3676 or TYY, (202) 502-
8659.
In addition, pipelines and structures, such as the Submerged Turret
Loading\TM\ (STL) Buoy systems, 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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Liberty Deepwater Port may 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 offshore and onshore pipelines 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 assist in the NEPA process as described
in 40 CFR 1501.6. Also, these agencies may participate in the scoping
meetings and will incorporate the EIS into their permitting processes.
Comments sent to the FERC docket, or to the EPA, USACE, and/or other
agencies will be incorporated into the DOT docket and considered as the
EIS is developed to ensure consistency with the NEPA Process.
Should a license be issued, construction of the deepwater port
would be expected to take approximately 18 months over a two-year
period with startup of commercial operations following construction.
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 into 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://www.regulations.gov.
Authority: 49 CFR 1.66.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: January 19, 2011.
Christine Gurland,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-1448 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P