[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43870-43871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17507]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Availability
Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined
Cycle Project; Preliminary Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability
of the Hydrogen Energy California's Integrated Gasification Combined
Cycle Project Preliminary Staff Assessment/Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (PSA/DEIS) (DOE/EIS-0431D) for public review and comment.
This document is the draft environmental impact statement for DOE's
purpose of complying with the National Environmental Policy Act. This
document is also the Preliminary Staff Assessment for the California
Energy Commission's (CEC) purpose of complying with the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This combined document is hereafter
referred to as the Preliminary Staff Assessment/Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (PSA/DEIS). The PSA/DEIS analyzes the potential
environmental impacts associated with the Hydrogen Energy California's
(HECA) Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project, which would be
designed, constructed, and operated by HECA, LLC. HECA's proposal was
selected by DOE for financial assistance under the Clean Coal Power
Initiative (CCPI) Program.
The PSA/DEIS was prepared in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that implement the
procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), DOE's
procedures for compliance with floodplain and wetland review
requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), and DOE's procedures implementing NEPA
(10 CFR Part 1021). DOE's proposed action is subject to the Clean Air
Act's General Conformity rule (GCR) set forth in section 176(c) of the
Act and 40 CFR Part 93. DOE's Draft General Conformity Analysis is
incorporated into the PSA/DEIS. DOE is coordinating its compliance with
the GCR requirements for public participation in 40 CFR 93.156 with the
public comment period for the PSA/DEIS.
DATES: DOE invites the public to comment on the PSA/DEIS during the
public comment period, which ends September 3, 2013. DOE will consider
all comments postmarked or received during the public comment period in
preparing the final EIS and will consider late comments to the extent
practicable.
DOE and CEC will hold a public hearing(s) during the public comment
period. The date(s), time(s), and location(s) of these public hearings
will be published in The Bakersfield Californian at least 14 days prior
to the hearing(s). This information will also be posted on CEC's Web
site at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/hydrogen_energy/.
ADDRESSES: Requests for a paper copy or information about this PSA/DEIS
should be directed to: Mr. Fred Pozzuto, U.S. Department of Energy,
National Energy Technology Laboratory, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, P.O.
Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880. Additional information may also be
requested by electronic mail: [email protected] or by telephone
at (304) 285-5219, or toll-free at: 1-(800)-432-8330, extension 5219.
The PSA/DEIS may be viewed at http://www.energy.gov/nepa. Copies of the
PSA/DEIS are also available for review at the locations listed in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Notice.
Written comments on the PSA/DEIS can be mailed or sent
electronically to Mr. Pozzuto at the addresses noted above. Comments
may also be submitted by fax to: (304) 285-4403. Oral comments on the
PSA/DEIS will be accepted during the public hearing(s).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the
proposed project, please contact Mr. Pozzuto (see ADDRESSES). For
general information regarding DOE NEPA process, please contact: Ms.
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-
54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0103; telephone: (202)-586-4600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE proposes to provide limited financial
assistance through a cooperative agreement to HECA, LLC. Approximately
$275 million would be provided through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and $133 million through the Clean Coal Power
Initiative (CCPI) program for a total Federal share of approximately
$408 million. Total project cost is estimated to be over $4 billion.
The HECA project would demonstrate integrated gasification combined
cycle (IGCC) and carbon capture technology on a commercial-scale in a
new power plant. The power plant would consist of a single gasifier
with gas cleanup systems, a gas combustion turbine, a heat recovery
steam generator, a steam turbine, and associated facilities.
The IGCC technology would turn a fuel blend consisting of 75
percent western sub-bituminous coal and 25 percent petroleum coke
(petcoke) into a synthesis gas (syngas). The facility would gasify the
fuel blend to produce hydrogen-rich syngas which would be used to
generate electricity in a combined cycle power block; manufacture
nitrogen-based products in an integrated fertilizer manufacturing
complex; and capture and transport carbon dioxide (CO2) via pipeline to
a neighboring oil field for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and
sequestration. At full capacity, the plant is expected to use about
4,600 short tons of coal and about 1,140 short tons of petcoke per day.
The combined power block consists of gas combustion and steam
turbines that would have the capacity to generate 416-megawatts (gross)
of low-carbon electricity. This combined-cycle approach of using gas
and steam turbines in tandem increases the
[[Page 43871]]
amount of electricity that can be generated from the feedstock. Because
of its multiple production capabilities, the plant is referred to as a
poly-generation (or polygen) plant. The project could generate urea,
ammonia, and perhaps other nitrogenous compounds for sale. The
project's urea production unit would use pastillation technology, which
converts urea melt into high-quality urea pellets.
The polygen plant would be built on 453-acres of the 1,106-acre
site in south-central California near the unincorporated community of
Tupman, located approximately 17-miles west of the city of Bakersfield.
The site and surrounding areas are currently used for agricultural
purposes, including cultivation of cotton, alfalfa, and onions. HECA
would design and construct the plant to capture approximately 90
percent of the CO2, equivalent to approximately 3.4 million
tons per year. During the demonstration phase of the plant's
operations, the project would sequester about 2.6 million tons of
CO2 per year in EOR operations. The compressed
CO2 would be transported approximately 4-miles via a new 12-
inch diameter pipeline to the existing Elk Hills oil field for use in
EOR operations by a third-party buyer. The oil field is majority owned
and operated by Occidental of Elk Hills which would be responsible for
the EOR operation. Approximately 0.4 million tons per year of
CO2 would be utilized in fertilizer production. Following
the demonstration phase, the polygen plant would continue commercial
operation for 30 to 50 years and would continue to capture its
CO2 for EOR.
The PSA/DEIS evaluates the potential impacts of the proposed
project, connected actions (EOR, utility, rail spur), and reasonable
alternatives. The PSA/DEIS includes an assessment of impacts to
wetlands in accordance with DOE regulations for Compliance with
Floodplains and Wetlands Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR Part
1022) and the Draft General Conformity Analysis required under the
Clean Air Act.
DOE analyzed two alternatives in the draft PSA/DEIS: the Proposed
Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action, DOE
would provide approximately $408 million in cost-shared funding under
the CCPI program to the proposed project. Under the No Action
Alternative, DOE would not continue funding the proposed project. DOE
assumes that the project would not proceed without DOE funding. This
option would not contribute to the goal of the CCPI program, which is
to accelerate commercial deployment of advanced coal technologies that
provide the United States with clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
As required by NEPA, DOE analyzes this option as the No Action
Alternative in order to have a meaningful comparison between the
impacts of DOE providing financial assistance and withholding that
assistance. DOE recognizes that it is possible for the project to
proceed without DOE funding. However, for purposes of this draft PSA/
DEIS, DOE assumes that the project would not be built under the No
Action Alternative.
The PSA/DEIS considers the environmental consequences that may
result from the proposed project and describes additional mitigation
that might be used to reduce various impacts.
Availability of the PSA/DEIS: Copies of the PSA/DEIS have been
distributed to Members of Congress; Native American tribal governments;
federal, state, and local officials; and agencies, organizations, and
individuals who previously requested a copy. The PSA/DEIS is available
on the Internet at http://www.energy.gov/nepa or on the CEC electronic
docket site at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/hydrogen_energy/.
Copies of the PSA/DEIS are available for public review at the following
locations: Beale Memorial Library, 701 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA
93301; Holloway-Gonzales Branch Library, 506 E. Brundage Lane,
Bakersfield, CA 93307; and Southwest Memorial Library, 8301 Ming
Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Additional copies can also be requested
(see ADDRESSES).
Public Hearing: DOE and CEC will hold a public hearing(s) during
the public comment period. The date(s), time(s), and location(s) of
these public hearings will be published in The Bakersfield Californian
at least 14 days prior to the hearings. This information will also be
posted on CEC's Web site at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/hydrogen_energy/.
Dated: July 17, 2013.
Mark J. Matarrese,
Director, Office of Environment, Security, Safety & Health, Office of
Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-17507 Filed 7-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P