[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58373-58375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23231]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF12-8-000]
Trunkline LNG Company, LLC; Trunkline LNG Export, LLC; Trunkline
Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Planned Lake Charles 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 discuss the environmental impacts of the Lake Charles Liquefaction
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Trunkline
LNG Company, LLC/Trunkline LNG Export, LLC, and Trunkline Gas Company,
LLC (Trunkline) in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The Commission will use
this EIS in its decision-making process to determine whether the
project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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 October 15, 2012.
You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meeting scheduled as follows: FERC Public Scoping
Meeting, Lake Charles Liquefaction Project, October 3, 2012, 6:00 p.m.
local time, Holiday Inn, 330 Arena Road, Sulphur, Louisiana 70665,
(337) 527-0858.
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.
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
Trunkline plans to expand its existing liquefied natural gas (LNG)
terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana to liquefy natural gas and
export the LNG. The planned facility would be capable of processing
about 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, which would be
supplied by the existing pipeline currently used to send out regasified
LNG from the existing LNG terminal, and be capable of exporting
approximately 15 million metric tons of LNG per year.
The Lake Charles Liquefaction Project would consist of the
following facilities:
Up to three liquefaction trains (each train contains
metering and gas treatment facilities, liquefaction and refrigerant
units, safety and control systems, and associated infrastructure);
Approximately 0.27 mile of 36-inch-diameter feed gas line
to supply natural gas to the liquefaction facility from existing gas
transmission pipelines;
Approximately 0.51 mile of LNG transfer and vapor lines
between the existing LNG terminal and the planned liquefaction
facility; and
Modifications and upgrades at the existing LNG terminal.
Trunkline plans to initiate construction of the planned project in
March 2014 in order to commence operation in March 2018. The general
location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
The planned liquefaction facilities would be constructed on an
approximately 240-acre undeveloped site located immediately north of
the existing LNG terminal. Trunkline would disturb approximately 230
acres during construction and maintain about 125 acres for permanent
operation of the liquefaction facilities. Construction of the planned
feed gas pipeline, LNG line, and vapor lines would be included in the
240-acre construction site and additional property within the perimeter
of the existing LNG terminal. Modifications to take place at the
existing LNG terminal would occur within the existing terminal
boundaries.
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
\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 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.
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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 project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
Land use;
Water resources and wetlands;
Cultural resources;
Vegetation, fisheries, and wildlife;
Socioeconomics;
Air quality and noise;
Endangered and threatened species; and
Public safety.
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
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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. In addition,
representatives from the FERC participated in the public open house
sponsored by Trunkline in Lake Charles, Louisiana on July 19, 2012, to
explain the environmental review process to interested stakeholders.
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 5.
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 and U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service have expressed their intention to participate as a
cooperating agency 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 notice to initiate consultation
with the Louisiana 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 (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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\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 several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by Trunkline. This preliminary
list of issues may change based on your comments and our analysis.
Issued identified include:
Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and
economy;
Potential impacts on recreational fishing and aquatic
resources in the Calcasieu Ship Channel;
Potential impacts on wetlands on the 240-acre site;
Potential visual effects on surrounding areas; 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
October 15, 2012. This is not your only public input opportunity;
please refer to the Environmental Review Process flowchart 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 number (PF12-8-000) with your submission. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or [email protected].
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking
on ``eRegister.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select
``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request (appendix 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Trunkline 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
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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 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., PF12-
8). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Dated: September 14, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-23231 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P