Maritime Administration September 26, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard announce the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the Main Pass Energy Hub (MPEH) Deepwater Port Amended License Application. We are also announcing the dates and locations of public hearings for input regarding the approval or denial of the license application. The application and the amendment describe a project that would be located in the Gulf of Mexico in Main Pass Lease Block 299 (MP 299), approximately 16 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. Draft and final Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) evaluating the original application were published on June 17, 2005 and March 14, 2006, respectively. The Main Pass Energy Hub Deepwater Port License Application originally proposed the use of ``open-loop'' open rack vaporization (ORV). In the amended application, the applicant is proposing a ``closed-loop'' system using submerged combustion vaporization with selective catalytic reduction (SCV/SCR). Though similar, a more generic SCV/SCR system was analyzed in detail in the Final EIS (FEIS) as an alternative. The amended application provides expanded and refined design information regarding the proposed changes. The EA was prepared to provide analysis of the actual SCV/SCR design now being proposed and to determine if there were any significant impacts resulting from this change in proposed regassification technology in addition to or different from those previously assessed in the FEIS. The original application and environmental analysis contained in the FEIS still apply, including facilities, offshore and onshore pipelines, and salt cavern gas storage. Previous comments on the FEIS and application will continue to be considered in this process and need not be repeated. Based upon the EA, we have determined that the project changes as proposed in this amended application will not have a significant impact on the environment and we are therefore issuing a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for public review and comment.