[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21990-21991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08916]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 8700]
Application by Plains Pipeline, L.P. for Issuance of a
Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain Existing Pipeline
Facilities on the Border of the United States and Canada
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Extension of Comment Period Regarding an Application by Plains
Pipeline, L.P. for Issuance of a Presidential Permit to Operate and
Maintain Existing Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United
States and Canada.
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SUMMARY: Due to technical difficulties with the submission of public
comments through regulations.gov pertaining to Public Notice 8640,
published on February 20, 2014 (79 FR 9786), the Department of State is
extending the period for public comment that began on February 20 with
regard to whether issuing a Presidential Permit to Plains Pipeline to
operate and maintain a portion of the Poplar Pipeline (formerly the
Wascana Pipeline) in Sheridan County, Montana would serve the national
interest.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments not later than
30 days from the date of this publication with regard to whether
issuing a new Presidential Permit to Plains Pipeline would serve the
national interest.
ADDRESSES: To submit comments, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal
(http://www.regulations.gov), enter the Docket No. DOS-2014-0009 and
follow the prompts.
Comments are not private. They will be posted on the site http://www.regulations.gov. The comments will not be edited to remove
identifying or contact information, and the State Department cautions
against including any information that one does not want publicly
disclosed. The State Department requests that any party soliciting or
aggregating comments received from other persons for submission to the
State Department inform those persons that the State Department will
not edit their comments to remove identifying or contact information,
and that they should not include any information in their comments that
they do not want publicly disclosed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Energy Diplomacy, Energy
Resources Bureau (ENR/EDP/EWA) Department of State, 2201 C St. NW.,
Ste. 4843, Washington, DC 20520, Attn: Michael Brennan Tel: 202-647-
7553.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As indicated in Public Notice 8640, on
December 20, 2013, the Department of State (DOS) received from Plains
Pipeline, L.P. (``Plains Pipeline'') notice that it has acquired the
rights to operate and maintain a portion of the Poplar Pipeline in
Sheridan County, Montana that is currently permitted under a 2007
Presidential Permit issued in the name of two Plains Pipeline
affiliates: PMC (Nova Scotia) Company and Plains Marketing Canada L.P.,
collectively (``PMC''). Plains Pipeline requests that a Presidential
Permit be issued in its name with respect to the pipeline facilities.
Plains Pipeline is a subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline,
L.P. (Plains), a publically traded master limited partnership with
headquarters in Houston, Texas. Plains is engaged in the
transportation, storage, and marketing of crude oil, refined products,
and natural gas-related petroleum products.
The current Permit, issued in 2007 to PMC (Nova Scotia) Company and
Plains Marketing Canada L.P., covers the 56.8-mile long Poplar
Pipeline, previously
[[Page 21991]]
called the Wascana Pipeline, which extends from the Murphy Oil terminal
northeast of Poplar, Montana, to the international border near Raymond,
Montana, and which was constructed pursuant to authorization in a 1972
Permit issued to Wascana Pipeline Corp. Plains Pipeline has acquired an
approximately 6.4-mile segment of the Poplar Pipeline extending from
Raymond Station to the international border, repaired and replaced
portions of the pipeline in that area, and installed two block valves.
Plains Pipeline has submitted an application for a new Presidential
Permit in its name and requests that the new Permit cover approximately
85 feet of pipeline facilities extending from a new block valve to the
international border. Plains Pipeline has reported that it has
separately constructed the Bakken North pipeline that extends from
Trenton, North Dakota to Raymond Station, and that it intends to
interconnect the Bakken North with the Poplar Pipeline in order to use
the Poplar Pipeline border crossing to transport the Bakken North crude
into Canada.
Plains Pipeline has stated that, upon returning the upgraded
pipeline facilities to service under the 2007 Presidential Permit,
Plains Pipeline will continue to operate the acquired facilities for
the same purpose of transporting crude oil between the United States
and Canada. It has further stated that the acquired pipeline facilities
and the operation and maintenance thereof authorized by the 2007 Permit
will remain substantially the same as before the transfer of the
facilities to Plains Pipeline. Plains Pipeline is not seeking
authorization for new construction or a change in operations.
Under E.O. 13337, the Secretary of State is designated and
empowered to receive all applications for 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 fuels (except natural
gas) to or from a foreign country. The Department of State is
circulating this application to concerned federal agencies for comment.
The Department of State has the responsibility to determine whether
issuance of a new Presidential Permit in light of Plains' acquisition
and continued operation of the pipeline facilities would serve the U.S.
national interest.
Plains Pipeline's application is available at http://www.state.gov/e/enr/applicant.
Date: April 11, 2014.
Michael Brennan,
Energy Officer, Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa, Bureau
of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2014-08916 Filed 4-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P