Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Plaquemines LNG Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 61804-61807 [2015-26075]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 198 / Wednesday, October 14, 2015 / Notices
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comments: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
October 26, 2015.
Dated: October 5, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–26081 Filed 10–13–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER16–10–000]
Dated: October 7, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
NRG Chalk Point CT LLC;
Supplemental Notice that Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
[FR Doc. 2015–26115 Filed 10–13–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of NRG
Chalk Point CT LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is October 27,
2015.
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 5 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
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The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
electronic 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. PF15–27–000]
Venture Global Plaquemines LNG,
LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare
anEnvironmental Impact Statement for
the Planned Plaquemines LNG 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 discuss the environmental
impacts of the Plaquemines LNG Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Venture Global
Plaquemines LNG, LLC (Plaquemines
LNG) in Plaquemines Parish and
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. 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.
You can make a difference by providing
us 1 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. Your
input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to
1 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
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evaluate in the EIS. 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 November
4, 2015.
If you sent comments on this project
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on July 2, 2015, you will
need to file those comments in Docket
No. PF15–27–000 to ensure they are
considered as part of this proceeding.
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.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. The
Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received,
whether filed in written form or
provided verbally. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow
these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded.
(1) You can file your comments
electronically using the eComment
feature on the Commission’s Web site
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. This is an easy
method for submitting brief, text-only
comments on a project;
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 198 / Wednesday, October 14, 2015 / Notices
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(2) You can file your comments
electronically by using the eFiling
feature 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.’’ If you are filing
a comment on a particular project,
please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as
the filing type; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your
comments by mailing them to the
following address. Be sure to reference
the project docket number (PF15–27–
000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written or
electronic comments, the Commission
invites you to attend the public scoping
meeting its staff will conduct in the
project area, scheduled as follows: FERC
Public Scoping Meeting, Plaquemines
LNG Project, October 21, 2015 at 6:00
p.m., Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398
Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037.
We will begin our sign-up of speakers
at 5:30 p.m. The scoping meeting will
begin at 6:00 p.m. with a description of
our environmental review process by
Commission staff, after which speakers
will be called. The meeting will end
once all speakers have provided their
comments or at 9:00 p.m., whichever
comes first. Please note that there may
be a time limit of three minutes to
present comments, and speakers should
structure their comments accordingly. If
time limits are implemented, they will
be strictly enforced to ensure that as
many individuals as possible are given
an opportunity to comment. The
meetings will be recorded by a
stenographer to ensure comments are
accurately recorded. Transcripts will be
entered into the formal record of the
Commission proceeding.
Plaquemines LNG representatives will
be present one hour prior to the start of
the scoping meeting to provide
additional information about the project
and to answer questions.
Please note this is not your only
public input opportunity; please refer to
the review process flow chart in
appendix 1.2
2 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 by calling
(202) 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Summary of the Planned Project
Plaquemines LNG plans to construct
and operate natural gas liquefaction and
export facilities at a planned liquefied
natural gas (LNG) terminal on the west
bank of the Mississippi River in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
(Terminal) and construct and operated
associated lateral pipelines in
Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes that
would connect the Terminal to the
existing interstate U.S. natural gas grid.
The Plaquemines LNG Project would
provide total liquefaction nameplate
capacity of about 978 billion cubic feet
per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas.
According to Plaquemines LNG, the
project would provide a cost-effective
outlet for new domestic natural gas
available for the market.
The Plaquemines LNG Project would
be constructed in two phases and would
consist of the following facilities:
A liquefaction plant consisting of ten
liquefaction blocks in Phase 1 and ten
liquefaction blocks in Phase 2, with
each block having a nameplate capacity
of 1.0 million tonnes per annum (with
higher capacity during peak conditions);
Four 200,000-cubic-meter (m3) LNG
aboveground storage tanks;
Three marine loading berths capable
of receiving ocean-going LNG carriers of
between 120,000 m3 and 210,000 m3
capacity;
One temporary floating LNG storage
vessel;
One utility dock on the Mississippi
River;
A combined cycle gas turbine power
plant with a generating capacity for
Phase 1 of approximately 720 megawatts
(MW), which would be expanded in
Phase 2 to include an additional 720
MW of generating capacity;
The Southeast Lateral Pipeline,
consisting of about 12.1 miles of 42inch-diameter pipeline in Plaquemines
Parish, with a gas supply capability of
0.85 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)
for Phase 1;
The Southwest Lateral Pipeline,
consisting of about 11.1 miles of 42inch-diameter pipeline in Plaquemines
Parish, with a gas supply capability of
0.85 Bcf/d for Phase 1;
The Northwest Lateral Pipeline,
consisting of about 21.2 miles of 42inch-diameter pipeline in Jefferson
Parish, with a gas supply capability of
1.7 Bcf/d for Phase 2;
Four meter stations, each with a pig 3
launcher and pressure regulating valve;
A gas gate station located at the
Terminal, with pig receivers, filter/
3 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company
inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for
cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal
inspections, or other purposes.
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separators, custody transfer meters,
pressure regulators, emergency
shutdown valves, and gas analyzers; and
Mainline valves (MLV).
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 2.4
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 1,233.2 acres of
land for the aboveground facilities and
the pipeline. Following construction,
Plaquemines LNG would maintain
about 910.3 acres for permanent
operation of the project’s facilities; the
remaining acreage would be restored
and revert to former uses.
The Terminal would include a
construction workspace area of 632.6
acres, all of which would be maintained
and used during operations. The three
lateral pipelines and associated
facilities, including access roads, and
contractor yards/staging areas are still in
the design stages; however, the
temporary construction workspace
would include about 600.6 acres, and
about 277.7 acres would be maintained
during operation.
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. NEPA also requires us to
discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This
process is referred to as scoping. The
main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EIS on the
important environmental issues. By this
notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to
address 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 project under these general
headings:
Geology and soils;
Land use;
Water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
Cultural resources;
Vegetation and wildlife including
migratory birds;
4 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 by calling
(202) 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Air quality and noise;
Endangered and threatened species;
Public safety;
Socioeconomics; and
Cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the planned project or
portions of the project, and make
recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource
areas.
Although no formal application has
been filed, we have already initiated our
NEPA review under the Commission’s
pre-filing process. The purpose of the
pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders
and to identify and resolve issues before
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
2.
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.5 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.
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
Louisiana State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views
and those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public
on the project’s potential effects on
historic properties.6 We will define the
5 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities can be found at Title 40, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 1501.6.
6 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
regulations can be found at Title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 800. These regulations
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project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO as
the project develops. On natural gas
facility projects, the APE, 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 this
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 several
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
planned facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Plaquemines LNG. This preliminary list
of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
Threatened and endangered species;
Fish, wildlife, and vegetation;
Land use and aesthetics;
Socioeconomics;
Marine traffic;
Public safety and reliability: the LNG
pipelines would cross State Highway
23, or State Highway 23 would need to
be relocated;
Air quality and noise;
Water use and quality; and
Cumulative impacts.
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
define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object
included in or eligible for inclusion in the National
Register of Historic Places.
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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 Plaquemines LNG 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. Motions to
intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/
how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions for
becoming an intervenor are in the
‘‘Document-less Intervention 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
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 Number field (i.e., PF15–
27–000). 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.
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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 198 / Wednesday, October 14, 2015 / Notices
Dated: October 5, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–26075 Filed 10–13–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project Nos. 6474–002, 7982–003]
Peer Electric, LLC; KC Pittsfield LLC;
Notice of Transfer of Exemptions
By letter filed September 21, 2015,
Peer Electric, LLC (Peer) informed the
Commission that the exemption from
licensing for the Eastman Brook Project,
FERC No. 6474, originally issued
September 7, 1982,1 has been
transferred to KC Pittsfield LLC. Also,
the Celley Mill Project, FERC No. 7982,
originally issued September 24, 1984,2
has been transferred to KC Pittsfield
LLC. The projects are located on
Eastman Brook in Grafton County, New
Hampshire. The transfer of exemptions
do not require Commission approval.
2. KC Pittsfield LLC is now the
exemptee of the Eastman Brook Project,
FERC No. 6474 and the Celley Mill
Project, FERC No. 7982. All
correspondence should be forwarded to:
Kelly W. Sackheim, KC Pittsfield LLC,
c/o Landry Associates Certified Public
Accountants, PA, 6 Chenell Drive 280,
Concord, New Hampshire 03301.
Dated: October 6, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–26073 Filed 10–13–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER16–29–000]
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Greenidge Generation 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
Greenidge Generation LLC’s application
for market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
1 20 FERC ¶ 62,426, Notice of Exemption From
Licensing (1982).
2 28 FERC ¶ 62,429, Order Granting Exemption
From Licensing of a Small Hydroelectric Project of
5 Megawatts or Less (1984).
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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 October 27,
2015.
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 5 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 are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
electronic 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: October 7, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–26116 Filed 10–13–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric corporate
filings:
Docket Numbers: EC16–5–000.
Applicants: Little Elk Wind Project,
LLC.
Description: Application for
Authorization under Section 203 of the
Federal Power Act, Request for
Expedited Consideration and
Confidential Treatment of Little Elk
Wind Project, LLC.
Filed Date: 10/7/15.
Accession Number: 20151007–5067.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/28/15.
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER10–2179–030;
ER10–2181–030; ER10–2182–030.
Applicants: Calvert Cliffs Nuclear
Power Plant, LLC, Nine Mile Point
Nuclear Station, LLC, R.E. Ginna
Nuclear Power Plant, LLC.
Description: Notice of Non-material
Change in Status of the CENG Nuclear
Entities.
Filed Date: 10/7/15.
Accession Number: 20151007–5162.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/28/15.
Docket Numbers: ER10–2331–037;
ER14–630–014; ER10–2319–029; ER10–
2317–029; ER13–1351–011; ER10–2330–
036.
Applicants: J.P. Morgan Ventures
Energy Corporation, AlphaGen Power
LLC, BE Alabama LLC, BE CA LLC,
Florida Power Development LLC, Utility
Contract Funding, L.L.C.
Description: Notice of Non-Material
Change in Status of the J.P. Morgan
Sellers.
Filed Date: 10/7/15.
Accession Number: 20151007–5138.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/28/15.
Docket Numbers: ER10–2331–038;
ER14–630–015; ER10–2319–030; ER10–
2317–030; ER13–1351–012; ER10–2330–
037.
Applicants: J.P. Morgan Ventures
Energy Corporation, AlphaGen Power
LLC, BE Alabama LLC, BE CA LLC,
Florida Power Development LLC, Utility
Contract Funding, L.L.C.
Description: Notice of Non-Material
Change in Status of the J.P. Morgan
Sellers.
Filed Date: 10/7/15.
Accession Number: 20151007–5141.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/28/15.
Docket Numbers: ER10–2331–039;
ER14–630–016; ER10–2319–031; ER10–
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 198 (Wednesday, October 14, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61804-61807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26075]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF15-27-000]
Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare
anEnvironmental Impact Statement for the Planned Plaquemines LNG
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 discuss the environmental impacts of the Plaquemines LNG Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Venture Global
Plaquemines LNG, LLC (Plaquemines LNG) in Plaquemines Parish and
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. 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. You can make a difference by providing us \1\
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. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what
issues they need to evaluate in the EIS. 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 November 4,
2015.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on July 2, 2015, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. PF15-27-000 to ensure they are considered as
part of this proceeding.
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.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258
or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that
your comments are properly recorded.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief,
text-only comments on a project;
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(2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature 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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project,
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number
(PF15-27-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A,
Washington, DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the
Commission invites you to attend the public scoping meeting its staff
will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows: FERC Public
Scoping Meeting, Plaquemines LNG Project, October 21, 2015 at 6:00
p.m., Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037.
We will begin our sign-up of speakers at 5:30 p.m. The scoping
meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a description of our environmental
review process by Commission staff, after which speakers will be
called. The meeting will end once all speakers have provided their
comments or at 9:00 p.m., whichever comes first. Please note that there
may be a time limit of three minutes to present comments, and speakers
should structure their comments accordingly. If time limits are
implemented, they will be strictly enforced to ensure that as many
individuals as possible are given an opportunity to comment. The
meetings will be recorded by a stenographer to ensure comments are
accurately recorded. Transcripts will be entered into the formal record
of the Commission proceeding.
Plaquemines LNG representatives will be present one hour prior to
the start of the scoping meeting to provide additional information
about the project and to answer questions.
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 1.\2\
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\2\ 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 by calling (202) 502-8371. For instructions
on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Summary of the Planned Project
Plaquemines LNG plans to construct and operate natural gas
liquefaction and export facilities at a planned liquefied natural gas
(LNG) terminal on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines
Parish, Louisiana (Terminal) and construct and operated associated
lateral pipelines in Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes that would
connect the Terminal to the existing interstate U.S. natural gas grid.
The Plaquemines LNG Project would provide total liquefaction nameplate
capacity of about 978 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural
gas. According to Plaquemines LNG, the project would provide a cost-
effective outlet for new domestic natural gas available for the market.
The Plaquemines LNG Project would be constructed in two phases and
would consist of the following facilities:
A liquefaction plant consisting of ten liquefaction blocks in Phase
1 and ten liquefaction blocks in Phase 2, with each block having a
nameplate capacity of 1.0 million tonnes per annum (with higher
capacity during peak conditions);
Four 200,000-cubic-meter (m\3\) LNG aboveground storage tanks;
Three marine loading berths capable of receiving ocean-going LNG
carriers of between 120,000 m\3\ and 210,000 m\3\ capacity;
One temporary floating LNG storage vessel;
One utility dock on the Mississippi River;
A combined cycle gas turbine power plant with a generating capacity
for Phase 1 of approximately 720 megawatts (MW), which would be
expanded in Phase 2 to include an additional 720 MW of generating
capacity;
The Southeast Lateral Pipeline, consisting of about 12.1 miles of
42-inch-diameter pipeline in Plaquemines Parish, with a gas supply
capability of 0.85 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) for Phase 1;
The Southwest Lateral Pipeline, consisting of about 11.1 miles of
42-inch-diameter pipeline in Plaquemines Parish, with a gas supply
capability of 0.85 Bcf/d for Phase 1;
The Northwest Lateral Pipeline, consisting of about 21.2 miles of
42-inch-diameter pipeline in Jefferson Parish, with a gas supply
capability of 1.7 Bcf/d for Phase 2;
Four meter stations, each with a pig \3\ launcher and pressure
regulating valve;
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\3\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline,
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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A gas gate station located at the Terminal, with pig receivers,
filter/separators, custody transfer meters, pressure regulators,
emergency shutdown valves, and gas analyzers; and
Mainline valves (MLV).
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
2.\4\
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\4\ 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 by calling (202) 502-8371. For instructions
on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 1,233.2
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, Plaquemines LNG would maintain about 910.3
acres for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the
remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses.
The Terminal would include a construction workspace area of 632.6
acres, all of which would be maintained and used during operations. The
three lateral pipelines and associated facilities, including access
roads, and contractor yards/staging areas are still in the design
stages; however, the temporary construction workspace would include
about 600.6 acres, and about 277.7 acres would be maintained during
operation.
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. NEPA also requires us
to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals.
This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the scoping
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to address 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 project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
Land use;
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
Cultural resources;
Vegetation and wildlife including migratory birds;
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Air quality and noise;
Endangered and threatened species;
Public safety;
Socioeconomics; and
Cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before
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 2.
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.\5\ 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.
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\5\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities can be found 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 notice to initiate consultation
with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to
solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested
Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on
historic properties.\6\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project
develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE, 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 this project will document our
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status
of consultations under section 106.
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\6\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations
can be found at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800.
These 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 of Historic
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by Plaquemines LNG. This
preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and our
analysis.
Threatened and endangered species;
Fish, wildlife, and vegetation;
Land use and aesthetics;
Socioeconomics;
Marine traffic;
Public safety and reliability: the LNG pipelines would cross State
Highway 23, or State Highway 23 would need to be relocated;
Air quality and noise;
Water use and quality; and
Cumulative impacts.
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 Plaquemines LNG 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. Motions to intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention
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 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 Number field (i.e., PF15-
27-000). 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.
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.
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Dated: October 5, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-26075 Filed 10-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
