[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 29201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11877]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8328]
Notice of Availability of Finding of No Significant Impact for
the Proposed Vantage Pipeline US LP Ethane Pipeline Project
SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the
availability of the Department of State's Finding of No Significant
Impact on the proposed Vantage Pipeline US LP Ethane Pipeline Project.
Under E.O. 13337, the Secretary of State is authorized to issue
Presidential Permits for the construction, connection, operation, or
maintenance at the borders of the United States, of facilities for the
exportation or importation of liquid petroleum, petroleum products, or
other non-gaseous fuels to or from a foreign country. Vantage Pipeline
US LP (Vantage) has applied to the Department of State (the Department)
for a Presidential Permit authorizing it to develop and maintain a new
pipeline facility at the U.S.-Canada international boundary, a Cross
Border Facility, near Fortuna, Divide County, North Dakota.
Vantage proposes to construct, operate, and maintain a high vapor
pressure pipeline that would carry ethane from a source near Tioga,
North Dakota, United States, northwest through Saskatchewan, Canada, to
a site near Empress, Alberta, Canada. The pipeline would link a growing
supply of ethane from North Dakota to markets in Alberta, Canada. The
entire proposed Vantage Pipeline in the United States would consist of
the installation of approximately 79.8 miles of new 10-inch-diameter
pipeline in Williams and Divide Counties, North Dakota; the
installation of associated aboveground mainline block valves; and the
use of access roads and pipe storage and contractor yards.
Consistent with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the regulations of
the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the
Department's implementing regulations (22 CFR part 161, and in
particular 22 CFR 161.7(c)), the Department of State has found that
issuance of a Presidential Permit authorizing the construction,
connection, operation, and maintenance of the Cross Border Facility
would not have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment. The Finding of No Significant Impact was signed by the
Department on May 13, 2013.
This Finding of No Significant Impact is not a decision on the
Presidential Permit application. In accordance with E.O. 13337, the
Department will now proceed to make a determination as to whether
issuance of a Presidential Permit for the border facilities of
Vantage's proposed Ethane Pipeline Project would serve the national
interest.
The Finding of No Significant Impact is available from the
Department on the Vantage Pipeline Project Web site. The following link
leads to the posted Vantage Finding of No Significant Impact: http://www.vantagepipeline.state.gov/dosdocuments.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Genevieve Walker, Office of
Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, Department of State,
2201 C Street NW., Washington DC 20520, Tel: 202-647-9798; EMAIL:
[email protected].
Persons with access to the Internet may view this notice by going
to the regulations.gov Web site and searching on docket number DOS-
2013-0010.
Dated: May 13, 2013.
George N. Sibley,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2013-11877 Filed 5-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P