Maritime Administration August 10, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the U.S. Coast Guard announce that we have received an application amendment for the licensing of the Main Pass Energy Hub (MPEH) natural gas deepwater port, and that the application amendment contains the required information to continue processing the application. This notice summarizes the applicant's plans and the procedures that will be followed in considering this application amendment. The Coast Guard, in coordination with MARAD, will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) as part of the environmental review of this license application amendment. Publication of this notice also begins a public comment period on the application amendment and on the procedures and process to be followed in completing the review. The application amendment describes the change in project regassification technology from the ``open-loop'' vaporization system originally proposed for Main Pass Energy Hub to a ``closed-loop'' LNG vaporization system. The proposed closed-loop vaporization system is a submerged combustion vaporization system with selective catalytic reduction (SCV/SCR). The proposed facility would be constructed in the Gulf of Mexico in Main Pass Lease Block 299 (MP 299), approximately 16 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. A Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement were published on the original application on June 17, 2005 and March 14, 2006, respectively.