Cameron Interstate Pipeline, LLC, Cameron LNG, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Cameron Pipeline Expansion Project and Cameron LNG Liquefaction Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 48145-48148 [2012-19777]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Notices
on the Commission’s Web site. Please
note that the Commission will not
accept requests for intervenor status
during the pre-filing period. You must
wait until the Commission receives
applications for these projects.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Administrative Review of BLM and
Forest Service Decisions To Amend
Land Management Plans
Cameron Interstate Pipeline, LLC,
Cameron LNG, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Planned Cameron
Pipeline Expansion Project and
Cameron LNG Liquefaction Project,
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
Decisions by the BLM and Forest
Service to amend land management
plans are subject to administrative
review. In accordance with 36 CFR
219.59, the Forest Service has elected to
use the administrative review
procedures (otherwise known as protest
procedures) of the BLM. Administrative
objections to Forest Service land
management plan amendment decisions
and protests of BLM land management
plan amendment decisions may be filed
under the provisions of 43 CFR 1610.5–
2.
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Additional Information
Additional information about the
projects is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
site (www.ferc.gov). On the FERC Web
page, go to Documents & Filings, and
click on the eLibrary link. Then click on
‘‘General Search,’’ and enter the docket
number, excluding the last three digits
in the field (i.e., PF12–7 or PF12–17). Be
sure you have selected an appropriate
date range. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact
(202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription which
allows you to keep track of all formal
issuances and submittals in specific
dockets. This can reduce the amount of
time you spend researching proceedings
by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document
summaries, and direct links to the
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits
will be posted on the Commission’s
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Dated: August 2, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–19781 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. PF12–12–000; PF12–13–000]
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that will identify and address the
environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of
the Cameron Pipeline Expansion Project
and the Cameron Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) Liquefaction Project (collectively
Cameron Liquefaction Project or Project)
planned by Cameron Interstate Pipeline,
LLC and Cameron LNG, LLC
(collectively Cameron), respectively.
The Commission will use this EIS in its
decision-making process to determine
whether the Project is in the public
interest.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping process the Commission
will use to gather input from the public
and interested agencies on the Project.
Your input will help the Commission
staff determine what issues they need to
evaluate in the EIS. Please note that the
scoping period will close on September
4, 2012.
You may submit comments in written
form or verbally. Further details on how
to submit written comments are in the
Public Participation section of this
notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the
Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meeting scheduled as
follows: FERC Public Scoping Meeting,
Cameron Liquefaction Project, August
21, 2012, 6:00 p.m., Holiday Inn Express
(Indigo Meeting), 330 Arena Road,
Sulphur, LA 70665.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this Project. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, a company representative may
contact you about the acquisition of an
easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the planned facilities. The
company would seek to negotiate a
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48145
mutually acceptable agreement.
However, if the Commission approves
the Project, that approval conveys with
it the right of eminent domain.
Therefore, if easement negotiations fail
to produce an agreement, Cameron
could initiate condemnation
proceedings where compensation would
be determined in accordance with state
law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility on My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC Internet Web site
(www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked
questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the
Commission’s proceedings.
Summary of the Planned Project
Cameron plans to expand its existing
LNG import terminal in Cameron
Parish, Louisiana to enable the terminal
to liquefy natural gas and export the
LNG. The planned facility would have
an export capacity of 12 million metric
tons per year (MTPY) while maintaining
the current capability to import and regasify LNG. The related Cameron
Pipeline Expansion Project would be
constructed and operated to provide
natural gas to the planned export
terminal. The general locations of the
planned pipeline and LNG export
terminal are depicted in the figure
included as Appendix 1.1
The Cameron Pipeline Expansion
Project would include construction and
operation of the following facilities:
• Approximately 21 miles of new 42inch-diameter pipeline extending from
an interconnection with the Florida Gas
Transmission Pipeline in Calcasieu
Parish, Louisiana to a new
interconnection with the Trunkline Gas
Pipeline in Beauregard Parish,
Louisiana;
• A new 66,000-horsepower
compressor station in Calcasieu Parish,
Louisiana;
• A new interconnection and
metering facilities with the Trunkline
Gas Pipeline in Beauregard Parish,
Louisiana; and
• Modifications to existing
interconnections and metering facilities
in Beauregard, Calcasieu, and Cameron
Parishes.
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Cameron plans to initiate construction
of the Cameron Pipeline Expansion
Project in the first quarter of 2015 and
complete construction during the
second quarter of 2016. The
construction schedule would be driven
by the need to complete construction of
the pipeline by the planned time for
commissioning of the initial
liquefaction train at the LNG terminal in
the fourth quarter of 2016 as described
below.
The Cameron LNG Liquefaction
Project would include construction and
operation of the following facilities:
• Three liquefaction trains, with each
train including a feed gas treatment
unit, a heavy hydrocarbon removal unit,
and a liquefaction unit (with a
maximum LNG production capacity of 4
million MTPY each);
• A new 160,000-cubic-meter LNG
storage tank;
• A new natural gas liquids (NGL)
and refrigerant storage area;
• A new truck loading/unloading
facility to unload refrigerants for
transport to the storage area and to load
NGLs produced during the gas
liquefaction process;
• A new construction dock designed
to receive barges transporting large
equipment via the Calcasieu Ship
Channel; and
• Nine natural gas-fueled combustion
turbine generators that would generate
approximately 200 megawatts of electric
power.
Cameron plans to initiate construction
of the Cameron LNG Liquefaction
Project in the fourth quarter of 2013 and
complete construction of the first LNG
liquefaction train in the fourth quarter
of 2016. Operations would commence
after the commissioning of the first LNG
liquefaction train. Cameron plans to
have the Cameron Liquefaction Project
fully constructed and operational by the
fourth quarter of 2017.
Land Requirements for Construction
The Cameron Pipeline Expansion
Project would require about 368 acres
for construction, with 140 acres as
previously disturbed during
construction of the existing Cameron
pipeline. A 25-acre temporary
contractor yard would be located
adjacent to the Ragley Compressor
Station in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana.
The new compressor station would
require 30 acres for construction and
operation. After construction, Cameron
would maintain about 80 acres as
permanent right-of-way. The remaining
258 acres of temporary workspace
(including all temporary construction
rights-of-way and extra workspaces)
would be restored and allowed to revert
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to its former use. Approximately 16
miles of the new 21-mile-long pipeline
would be constructed within existing
permanent rights-of-way. The remaining
5 miles would be adjacent to existing
pipeline/utility corridors, but outside of
the existing permanent rights-of-way.
The Cameron LNG Liquefaction
Project would be constructed adjacent to
and north of the existing Cameron LNG
Terminal on approximately 430 acres, of
which approximately 50 acres is part of
the existing terminal. All 430 acres
would be used for construction
(including an equipment laydown area)
and operation of the terminal.
The EIS Process
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity under section 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act (NGA) and
authorization to construct, install, and
operate LNG facilities under Section
3(a) of the NGA. NEPA also requires us 2
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 our analysis in the EIS on the
important environmental issues. By this
notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of issues to be
addressed in the EIS. We will consider
all filed comments during the
preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS, we will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
planned Cameron Liquefaction Project
under the following general headings:
• Geology and soils;
• Water resources;
• Wetlands and vegetation;
• Fish and wildlife;
• Threatened and endangered
species;
• Land use, recreation, and visual
resources;
• Air quality and noise;
• Cultural resources;
• Socioeconomics;
• Reliability and safety;
• Engineering and design material;
and
• Cumulative environmental impacts.
We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the planned Project or
portions of the Project in the EIS, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on affected
resources.
2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
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Although no formal application has
been filed by Cameron, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the
Commission’s pre-filing process. The
purpose of the pre-filing process is to
encourage the early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify
and resolve issues before the FERC
receives an application. As part of our
pre-filing review, we have begun to
contact some federal and state agencies
to discuss their involvement in the
scoping process and the preparation of
the EIS.
The EIS will present our independent
analysis of the issues. We will publish
and distribute the draft EIS for public
comment. After the comment period, we
will consider all timely comments and
revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we
have the opportunity to consider and
address your comments, please carefully
follow the instructions in the Public
Participation section beginning on page
7.
With this notice, we are asking
agencies with jurisdiction by law and/
or special expertise with respect to the
environmental issues related to this
Project to formally cooperate with us in
the preparation of the EIS.3 Agencies
that would like to request cooperating
agency status should follow the
instructions for filing comments
provided under the Public Participation
section of this notice. Currently, the
Department of Energy has expressed its
intention to participate as a cooperating
agency in the preparation of the EIS to
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related
to these projects.
Consultations Under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
In accordance with the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s
implementing regulations for section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this
notice to initiate consultation with the
Office of the State of Louisiana Cultural
Development, which has been given the
role of State Historic Preservation Office
(SHPO), and to solicit its views and
those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public
on the Project’s potential effects on
historic properties.4 We will define the
3 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, 1501.6.
4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define
historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
district, site, building, structure, or object included
in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
for Historic Places.
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Notices
project-specific Area of Potential Effects
in consultation with the SHPO as the
Project develops. On natural gas facility
projects, the Area of Potential Effects at
a minimum encompasses all areas
subject to ground disturbance (examples
include construction right-of-way,
contractor/pipe storage yards,
compressor stations, and access roads).
Our EIS for the Project will document
our findings on the impacts on historic
properties and summarize the status of
consultations under section 106.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have already identified many
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
Project site and facilities and
information provided by Cameron. The
following preliminary list of issues may
be changed based on your comments
and our analysis:
• Potential impacts on perennial and
intermittent waterbodies, including
waterbodies with federal and/or state
designations/protections;
• Evaluation of temporary and
permanent impacts on wetlands and the
development of appropriate mitigation;
• Potential impacts to fish and
wildlife habitat, including potential
impacts to federally and state-listed
threatened and endangered species;
• Potential effects on prime farmland
and erodable soils;
• Potential visual effects of the
aboveground facilities on surrounding
areas;
• Potential impacts and potential
benefits of construction workforce on
local housing, infrastructure, public
services, and economy;
• Impacts on air quality and noise
associated with construction and
operation of the Project; and
• Public safety and hazards
associated with the transport of natural
gas and LNG.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Project.
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 that
your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in
Washington, DC on or before September
4, 2012. This is not your only public
input opportunity; please refer to the
Environmental Review Process flow
chart in Appendix 2.
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16:29 Aug 10, 2012
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For your convenience, there are three
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. In all
instances, please reference either or
both Project docket numbers (PF12–12–
000 and PF12–13–000) with your
submission. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You can file your comments
electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission’s
Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link
to Documents and Filings. This is an
easy method for interested persons to
submit brief, text-only comments on a
project;
(2) You can file your comments
electronically using the eFiling feature
located on the Commission’s Web site
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. With eFiling,
you can provide comments in a variety
of formats by attaching them as a file
with your submission. New eFiling
users must first create an account by
clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You must select
the type of filing you are making. If you
are filing a comment on a particular
project, please select ‘‘Comment on a
Filing’’; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your
comments by mailing them to the
following address: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. This list also includes
all affected landowners (as defined in
the Commission’s regulations) who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose
property may be used temporarily for
project purposes, or who own homes
within certain distances of aboveground
facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the Project. We will
update the environmental mailing list as
the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
send the information related to this
environmental review to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities
interested in and/or potentially affected
by the planned Project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS will
be sent to the environmental mailing list
for public review and comment. If you
would prefer to receive a paper copy of
the document instead of the CD version
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48147
or would like to remove your name from
the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request
(Appendix 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Cameron files its applications
with the Commission, you may want to
become an ‘‘intervenor,’’ which is an
official party to the Commission’s
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
the proceeding by filing a request to
intervene. Instructions for becoming an
intervenor are in the User’s Guide under
the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the Commission’s
Web site. Please note that the
Commission will not accept requests for
intervenor status at this time. You must
wait until the Commission receives a
formal application for the planned
Project.
Additional Information
Additional information about the
Project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on
‘‘General Search’’ and enter one of the
docket numbers (enter only one docket
number per search), excluding the last
three digits in the Docket Number field
(i.e., PF12–13). Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for
TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. The
eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription which
allows you to keep track of all formal
issuances and submittals in specific
dockets. This can reduce the amount of
time you spend researching proceedings
by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document
summaries, and direct links to the
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related
information.
Finally, Cameron has established an
Internet Web site for the Project at
https://cameron.sempralng.com/
liquefaction.html. The Web site
includes a description of the Project,
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Notices
viewing locations for project materials
and maps, frequently asked questions
and responses, and links to related
documents. You can also request
additional information or provide
comments directly to Cameron at (713)
298–5479.
Dated: August 6, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–19777 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER12–2413–000]
Dated: August 7, 2012.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Energy Alternatives Wholesale, LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
[FR Doc. 2012–19752 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding, of Energy
Alternatives Wholesale, LLC’s
application for market-based rate
authority, with an accompanying rate
schedule, 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 August 27,
2012.
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
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17:41 Aug 10, 2012
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of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding(s) 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 email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER12–2405–000]
Helvetia Solar, LLC; Supplemental
Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate
Filing Includes Request for Blanket
Section 204 Authorization
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding, of
Helvetia Solar, LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate schedule, 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 August 27,
2012.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding(s) 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 email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Dated: August 7, 2012.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–19754 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER12–2398–000]
NRG Solar Borrego I LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding, of NRG
Solar Borrego I LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate schedule, 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
E:\FR\FM\13AUN1.SGM
13AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 156 (Monday, August 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48145-48148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19777]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. PF12-12-000; PF12-13-000]
Cameron Interstate Pipeline, LLC, Cameron LNG, LLC; Notice of
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned
Cameron Pipeline Expansion Project and Cameron LNG Liquefaction
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will identify and address the environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of the Cameron Pipeline Expansion
Project and the Cameron Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Liquefaction
Project (collectively Cameron Liquefaction Project or Project) planned
by Cameron Interstate Pipeline, LLC and Cameron LNG, LLC (collectively
Cameron), respectively. The Commission will use this EIS in its
decision-making process to determine whether the Project is in the
public interest.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the Project. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period will close on September 4, 2012.
You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meeting scheduled as follows: FERC Public Scoping
Meeting, Cameron Liquefaction Project, August 21, 2012, 6:00 p.m.,
Holiday Inn Express (Indigo Meeting), 330 Arena Road, Sulphur, LA
70665.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this Project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the Project, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to
produce an agreement, Cameron could initiate condemnation proceedings
where compensation would be determined in accordance with state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of
eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.
Summary of the Planned Project
Cameron plans to expand its existing LNG import terminal in Cameron
Parish, Louisiana to enable the terminal to liquefy natural gas and
export the LNG. The planned facility would have an export capacity of
12 million metric tons per year (MTPY) while maintaining the current
capability to import and re-gasify LNG. The related Cameron Pipeline
Expansion Project would be constructed and operated to provide natural
gas to the planned export terminal. The general locations of the
planned pipeline and LNG export terminal are depicted in the figure
included as Appendix 1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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The Cameron Pipeline Expansion Project would include construction
and operation of the following facilities:
Approximately 21 miles of new 42-inch-diameter pipeline
extending from an interconnection with the Florida Gas Transmission
Pipeline in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana to a new interconnection with
the Trunkline Gas Pipeline in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana;
A new 66,000-horsepower compressor station in Calcasieu
Parish, Louisiana;
A new interconnection and metering facilities with the
Trunkline Gas Pipeline in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana; and
Modifications to existing interconnections and metering
facilities in Beauregard, Calcasieu, and Cameron Parishes.
[[Page 48146]]
Cameron plans to initiate construction of the Cameron Pipeline
Expansion Project in the first quarter of 2015 and complete
construction during the second quarter of 2016. The construction
schedule would be driven by the need to complete construction of the
pipeline by the planned time for commissioning of the initial
liquefaction train at the LNG terminal in the fourth quarter of 2016 as
described below.
The Cameron LNG Liquefaction Project would include construction and
operation of the following facilities:
Three liquefaction trains, with each train including a
feed gas treatment unit, a heavy hydrocarbon removal unit, and a
liquefaction unit (with a maximum LNG production capacity of 4 million
MTPY each);
A new 160,000-cubic-meter LNG storage tank;
A new natural gas liquids (NGL) and refrigerant storage
area;
A new truck loading/unloading facility to unload
refrigerants for transport to the storage area and to load NGLs
produced during the gas liquefaction process;
A new construction dock designed to receive barges
transporting large equipment via the Calcasieu Ship Channel; and
Nine natural gas-fueled combustion turbine generators that
would generate approximately 200 megawatts of electric power.
Cameron plans to initiate construction of the Cameron LNG
Liquefaction Project in the fourth quarter of 2013 and complete
construction of the first LNG liquefaction train in the fourth quarter
of 2016. Operations would commence after the commissioning of the first
LNG liquefaction train. Cameron plans to have the Cameron Liquefaction
Project fully constructed and operational by the fourth quarter of
2017.
Land Requirements for Construction
The Cameron Pipeline Expansion Project would require about 368
acres for construction, with 140 acres as previously disturbed during
construction of the existing Cameron pipeline. A 25-acre temporary
contractor yard would be located adjacent to the Ragley Compressor
Station in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. The new compressor station
would require 30 acres for construction and operation. After
construction, Cameron would maintain about 80 acres as permanent right-
of-way. The remaining 258 acres of temporary workspace (including all
temporary construction rights-of-way and extra workspaces) would be
restored and allowed to revert to its former use. Approximately 16
miles of the new 21-mile-long pipeline would be constructed within
existing permanent rights-of-way. The remaining 5 miles would be
adjacent to existing pipeline/utility corridors, but outside of the
existing permanent rights-of-way.
The Cameron LNG Liquefaction Project would be constructed adjacent
to and north of the existing Cameron LNG Terminal on approximately 430
acres, of which approximately 50 acres is part of the existing
terminal. All 430 acres would be used for construction (including an
equipment laydown area) and operation of the terminal.
The EIS Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity under section 7(c) of
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and authorization to construct, install, and
operate LNG facilities under Section 3(a) of the NGA. NEPA also
requires us \2\ 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 our analysis in the EIS on the
important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests
public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. We
will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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In the EIS, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned Cameron Liquefaction
Project under the following general headings:
Geology and soils;
Water resources;
Wetlands and vegetation;
Fish and wildlife;
Threatened and endangered species;
Land use, recreation, and visual resources;
Air quality and noise;
Cultural resources;
Socioeconomics;
Reliability and safety;
Engineering and design material; and
Cumulative environmental impacts.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned Project
or portions of the Project in the EIS, and make recommendations on how
to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
Although no formal application has been filed by Cameron, we have
already initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing
process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage the
early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and
resolve issues before the FERC receives an application. As part of our
pre-filing review, we have begun to contact some federal and state
agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the
preparation of the EIS.
The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section beginning
on page 7.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues
related to this Project to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EIS.\3\ Agencies that would like to request
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this
notice. Currently, the Department of Energy has expressed its intention
to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS to
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to these projects.
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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, 1501.6.
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Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act
In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the Office of the State of Louisiana Cultural Development, which
has been given the role of State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO),
and to solicit its views and those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the Project's potential
effects on historic properties.\4\ We will define the
[[Page 48147]]
project-specific Area of Potential Effects in consultation with the
SHPO as the Project develops. On natural gas facility projects, the
Area of Potential Effects at a minimum encompasses all areas subject to
ground disturbance (examples include construction right-of-way,
contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, and access roads).
Our EIS for the Project will document our findings on the impacts on
historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under
section 106.
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\4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register for Historic
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified many issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the Project site and
facilities and information provided by Cameron. The following
preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and
our analysis:
Potential impacts on perennial and intermittent
waterbodies, including waterbodies with federal and/or state
designations/protections;
Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands
and the development of appropriate mitigation;
Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including
potential impacts to federally and state-listed threatened and
endangered species;
Potential effects on prime farmland and erodable soils;
Potential visual effects of the aboveground facilities on
surrounding areas;
Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and
economy;
Impacts on air quality and noise associated with
construction and operation of the Project; and
Public safety and hazards associated with the transport of
natural gas and LNG.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Project. 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 that your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before
September 4, 2012. This is not your only public input opportunity;
please refer to the Environmental Review Process flow chart in Appendix
2.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference
either or both Project docket numbers (PF12-12-000 and PF12-13-000)
with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258
or efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking
on ``eRegister.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select
``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the Project. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned Project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request (Appendix 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Cameron files its applications with the Commission, you may
want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the
Commission's 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 the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for
intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission
receives a formal application for the planned Project.
Additional Information
Additional information about the Project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter one of the docket
numbers (enter only one docket number per search), excluding the last
three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF12-13). Be sure you
have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact
FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866)
208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Finally, Cameron has established an Internet Web site for the
Project at https://cameron.sempralng.com/liquefaction.html. The Web site
includes a description of the Project,
[[Page 48148]]
viewing locations for project materials and maps, frequently asked
questions and responses, and links to related documents. You can also
request additional information or provide comments directly to Cameron
at (713) 298-5479.
Dated: August 6, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-19777 Filed 8-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
