Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf LNG Energy, LLC, Gulf LNG Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 46793-46796 [2014-18897]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 154 / Monday, August 11, 2014 / Notices
governmental organizations; interested
Indian 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 proposed project.
If the EA is published for distribution,
copies 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 compact disc version or would like
to remove your name from the mailing
list, please return the attached
Information Request (appendix 2).
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA
scoping process, 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 included in the User’s
Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the
Commission’s Web site.
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 at www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. 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., CP14–498). 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 now
offers a free service called eSubscription
which allows you to keep track of all
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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 https://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
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 5, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–18948 Filed 8–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF13–4–000]
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC,
Gulf LNG Energy, LLC, Gulf LNG
Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Planned Gulf 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 Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project
(Project) planned by Gulf LNG
Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf LNG
Energy, LLC, and Gulf LNG Pipeline,
LLC (collectively GLLC). 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
1, 2014.
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
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46793
public scoping meeting scheduled as
follows: FERC Public Scoping Meeting,
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project, August
18, 2014, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Pelican
Landing Convention Center, 6217
Mississippi Highway 613, Moss Point,
MS 39563, 228–474–1406.
This public meeting is designed to
provide you with more detailed
information and another opportunity to
offer your comments on the Project.
GLLC representatives will be present
one hour before the meeting (starting at
5:00 p.m.) to describe the Project,
present maps, and answer questions.
Interested groups and individuals are
encouraged to attend the meeting and
present comments on the issues they
believe should be addressed in the EIS.
A transcript of the meeting will be made
so that your comments will be
accurately recorded.
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 pipeline 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, the pipeline company 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 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
GLLC plans to expand the existing
LNG import terminal in Jackson County,
Mississippi to enable the terminal to
liquefy natural gas (LNG) for export. The
planned facility would have an export
capacity of approximately 10 million
metric tons per year (MTPY). The
Project would use both the planned and
existing facilities to liquefy domestic
natural gas delivered by an existing
interstate natural gas pipeline. The LNG
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would be stored in the existing import
facility LNG storage tanks, and loaded
and stored on LNG carriers at the
existing marine berthing and LNG
transfer facility. The terminal would
retain its capability to import, store,
regasify, and deliver natural gas into the
existing interstate natural gas pipeline
system. GLLC is not planning to
increase the size or frequency of LNG
carriers currently authorized to call on
the existing terminal. The Project would
require minor modifications to three
existing Gulf LNG Interstate Pipeline
interconnections and metering stations.
The general locations of Project facilities
are depicted in the figures included as
Appendix 1 to this notice.1
The Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project
would include construction and
operation of the following key facilities:
• Two 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
approximately 5 million MTPY each);
• 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;
• new in-tank LNG loading pumps in
the existing LNG storage tanks to
transfer LNG through the existing
transfer lines to LNG carriers;
• minor changes to the piping of the
marine loading arms to permit bidirectional flow;
• modifications to the existing
metering stations at the existing
Gulfstream Pipeline Company and
Destin Pipeline Company
interconnection facilities;
• modifications to the existing
interconnection with the pipeline
owned by the Transcontinental Gas Pipe
Line Company and Florida Gas
Transmission Company;
• modification of the existing surge
protection sea wall to enclose the
expanded terminal;
• additional utility and support
facilities; and
• a new dock designed to receive
barges transporting large equipment
during construction.
GLLC plans to initiate construction of
the Project in June 2016 and complete
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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construction and initiate service of the
first LNG liquefaction train in the third
quarter of 2019. GLLC plans to have the
second train constructed and
operational by the second quarter of
2020.
Land Requirements for Construction
The Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project
would be constructed on and adjacent to
(north of) the existing Gulf LNG
Terminal. The Project would require
about 193 acres for construction,
including some land within the existing
Gulf LNG Terminal, and the use of
previously established offsite storage
areas. After construction, GLLC would
maintain about 80 acres for operation of
the Project, in addition to the land
currently occupied by the existing
terminal. The remaining 75 acres of
construction wareyards would be offsite
of the existing terminal and expansion
area footprint due to space limitations.
These off-site workspace areas would be
restored and allowed to revert to their
former uses.
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) for authorization
to construct, install, and operate LNG
facilities and under Section 3(a) of the
NGA to import or export natural gas
including LNG. 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 Gulf LNG 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;
2 ‘‘We,’’
‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
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• 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 GLLC, we have 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
6.
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
U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S.
Department of Transportation, and the
U.S. Coast Guard have agreed to
participate as cooperating agencies in
the preparation of the EIS to satisfy their
NEPA responsibilities related to this
Project.
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
3 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 154 / Monday, August 11, 2014 / Notices
notice to initiate consultation with the
Office of the Mississippi Department of
Archives and History, 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 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
contractor/pipe storage yards 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.
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 GLLC. The
following preliminary list of key issues
is not all inclusive and may be changed
based on your comments and our
analysis:
• 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 visual effects of the
aboveground facilities on surrounding
areas;
• potential impacts and potential
benefits of construction workforce on
local housing, infrastructure, public
services, transportation, 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.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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
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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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
1, 2014. 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 the Project
Docket No. (PF13–4–000) 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 with a mailing address on the
Project. We will update the
environmental mailing list as the
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46795
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 GLLC files its application 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 the docket
number, excluding the last three digits
in the docket no. field (i.e., enter PF13–
4). 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/docsfiling/esubscription.asp.
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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.
In addition, GLLC has also created a
Project-specific Internet Web site at
https://GulfLNG.kindermorgan.com. This
Web site contains a description of the
Project, information for landowners,
Project updates, and other types of
useful information. This Web site will
be updated as the review of the Project
proceeds. You can also request
additional information or provide
comments directly to GLLC at 1–800–
622–4481 or email glenn_sheffield@
kindermorgan.com.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–18897 Filed 8–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 13563–003]
Juneau Hydropower, Inc.; Notice of
Environmental Site Review
On Tuesday, August 26, 2014, and
Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at 8 a.m.
Alaska Time Zone, Commission staff
will be participating in an
environmental site review (site review)
for the Sweetheart Lake Hydroelectric
Project in the City and Borough of
Juneau, Alaska. The site review will
consist of both a boat and aerial tour of
the project site. All interested
individuals, organizations, and agencies
are invited to attend. Anyone with
questions about the site review should
contact Duff Mitchell of Juneau
Hydropower, Inc. at 907–789–2775.
Those individuals planning to
participate in the site review should
notify Mr. Mitchell of their intent no
later than August 18, 2014.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Dated: August 5, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–18947 Filed 8–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on August 22, 2014.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PL03–3–000]
Price Discovery in Natural Gas and
Electric Markets; Notice of Filing
Dated: August 1, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–18891 Filed 8–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Take notice that on June 10, 2014,
Canadian Enerdata Ltd. filed a request
for the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission) to determine
that its North American natural gas
price reporting and index methodology
and code of conduct meets all or
substantially all of the requirements set
forth in the Commission’s Policy
Statement on Natural Gas and Electric
Price Indices (Policy Statement) 1 and
establishes minimum criteria for
liquidity for particular index points for
the indices to qualify for use in
jurisdictional tariffs.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest these filings must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. On or before the
comment date, it is not necessary to
serve motions to intervene or protests
on persons other than the Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive 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
1 Policy Statement on Natural Gas and Electric
Price Indices, 104 FERC ¶ 61,121, at P 33 (2003)
(Policy Statement).
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project Nos. 14276–001; AD13–9–000]
Free Flow Power Project 92, LLC;
Notice of Intent To File License
Application, Filing of Pre-Application
Document, and Approving Use of the
Two-Year Licensing Process
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to
File License Application and Request to
Use the Two-Year Licensing Process.
b. Project No.: 14276–001.
c. Date Filed: May 5, 2014.
d. Submitted By: Free Flow Power
Project 92, LLC (FFP).
e. Name of Project: Kentucky River
Lock & Dam No. 11 Hydroelectric
Project.
f. Location: On the Kentucky River, in
Estill and Madison Counties, Kentucky.
No federal lands are occupied by the
project works or located within the
project boundary.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of
the Commission’s regulations and
Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act
of 2013.
h. Potential Applicant Contact: Dan
Lissner, Free Flow Power Corporation,
239 Causeway Street, Suite 300, Boston,
MA 02114; (978) 252–7111; email—
dlissner@free-flow-power.com.
i. FERC Contact: Sarah Salazar at
(202) 502–6863; or email at
sarah.salazar@ferc.gov.
j. On May 5, 2014, FFP filed a notice
of intent to file an original license
application, a pre-application
document, and a request to be selected
as a pilot project to test a two-year
licensing process, pursuant to the
requirements identified in the
Commission’s January 6, 2014 Notice.
The Commission provided public notice
of the request on June 5, 2014. In a letter
dated August 4, 2014, the Director of the
Office of Energy Projects approved
FFP’s request to use the proposed twoyear licensing process.
k. Cooperating agencies: Federal,
state, local, and tribal agencies with
jurisdiction and/or special expertise
with respect to environmental issues
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46793-46796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18897]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF13-4-000]
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf LNG Energy, LLC, Gulf
LNG Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Planned Gulf 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 Gulf LNG Liquefaction
Project (Project) planned by Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf
LNG Energy, LLC, and Gulf LNG Pipeline, LLC (collectively GLLC). 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 1, 2014.
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, Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project, August 18, 2014, 6:00-8:00
p.m., Pelican Landing Convention Center, 6217 Mississippi Highway 613,
Moss Point, MS 39563, 228-474-1406.
This public meeting is designed to provide you with more detailed
information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the
Project. GLLC representatives will be present one hour before the
meeting (starting at 5:00 p.m.) to describe the Project, present maps,
and answer questions. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged
to attend the meeting and present comments on the issues they believe
should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript of the meeting will be
made so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
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 pipeline 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, the pipeline company 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 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
GLLC plans to expand the existing LNG import terminal in Jackson
County, Mississippi to enable the terminal to liquefy natural gas (LNG)
for export. The planned facility would have an export capacity of
approximately 10 million metric tons per year (MTPY). The Project would
use both the planned and existing facilities to liquefy domestic
natural gas delivered by an existing interstate natural gas pipeline.
The LNG
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would be stored in the existing import facility LNG storage tanks, and
loaded and stored on LNG carriers at the existing marine berthing and
LNG transfer facility. The terminal would retain its capability to
import, store, regasify, and deliver natural gas into the existing
interstate natural gas pipeline system. GLLC is not planning to
increase the size or frequency of LNG carriers currently authorized to
call on the existing terminal. The Project would require minor
modifications to three existing Gulf LNG Interstate Pipeline
interconnections and metering stations. The general locations of
Project facilities are depicted in the figures included as Appendix 1
to this notice.\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 Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project would include construction and
operation of the following key facilities:
Two 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
approximately 5 million MTPY each);
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;
new in-tank LNG loading pumps in the existing LNG storage
tanks to transfer LNG through the existing transfer lines to LNG
carriers;
minor changes to the piping of the marine loading arms to
permit bi-directional flow;
modifications to the existing metering stations at the
existing Gulfstream Pipeline Company and Destin Pipeline Company
interconnection facilities;
modifications to the existing interconnection with the
pipeline owned by the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company and
Florida Gas Transmission Company;
modification of the existing surge protection sea wall to
enclose the expanded terminal;
additional utility and support facilities; and
a new dock designed to receive barges transporting large
equipment during construction.
GLLC plans to initiate construction of the Project in June 2016 and
complete construction and initiate service of the first LNG
liquefaction train in the third quarter of 2019. GLLC plans to have the
second train constructed and operational by the second quarter of 2020.
Land Requirements for Construction
The Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project would be constructed on and
adjacent to (north of) the existing Gulf LNG Terminal. The Project
would require about 193 acres for construction, including some land
within the existing Gulf LNG Terminal, and the use of previously
established offsite storage areas. After construction, GLLC would
maintain about 80 acres for operation of the Project, in addition to
the land currently occupied by the existing terminal. The remaining 75
acres of construction wareyards would be offsite of the existing
terminal and expansion area footprint due to space limitations. These
off-site workspace areas would be restored and allowed to revert to
their former uses.
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) for authorization to construct, install, and
operate LNG facilities and under Section 3(a) of the NGA to import or
export natural gas including LNG. 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 Gulf LNG 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 GLLC, we have
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 6.
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 U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department
of Transportation, and the U.S. Coast Guard have agreed to participate
as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS to satisfy their
NEPA responsibilities related to this Project.
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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 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
[[Page 46795]]
notice to initiate consultation with the Office of the Mississippi
Department of Archives and History, 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 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
contractor/pipe storage yards 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 GLLC. The following preliminary
list of key issues is not all inclusive and may be changed based on
your comments and our analysis:
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 visual effects of the aboveground facilities on
surrounding areas;
potential impacts and potential benefits of construction
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services,
transportation, 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 1, 2014. 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 the
Project Docket No. (PF13-4-000) 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 with a mailing address 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 GLLC files its application 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 the docket number,
excluding the last three digits in the docket no. field (i.e., enter
PF13-4). 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/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
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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.
In addition, GLLC has also created a Project-specific Internet Web
site at https://GulfLNG.kindermorgan.com. This Web site contains a
description of the Project, information for landowners, Project
updates, and other types of useful information. This Web site will be
updated as the review of the Project proceeds. You can also request
additional information or provide comments directly to GLLC at 1-800-
622-4481 or email glenn_sheffield@kindermorgan.com.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-18897 Filed 8-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P