[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31763-31764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14596]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2017-0915]
Waterway Suitability Assessment for Operation of Liquefied
Natural Gas Terminal; Cameron, LA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of inquiry; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are requesting your comments on a Letter of Intent and
Preliminary Waterway Suitability Assessment we received from Sabine
Pass LNG, L.P. (SPLNG) regarding SPLNG's plans to construct a new berth
at its Cameron Parish, LA facility and to increase the number of
liquefied natural gas vessels calling at the facility from
approximately 400 to 580 annually. The Coast Guard is notifying the
public of this proposed increase in LNG marine traffic on the Sabine-
Neches Waterway and is soliciting comments relevant to the Coast
Guard's preparation of a Letter of Recommendation for issuance to the
federal, state, or local agency with jurisdiction over the proposed
facility.
DATES: Comments and related material must be received on or before
August 8, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2017-0915 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for
further instructions on submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
notice of inquiry, call or email Mr. Scott K. Whalen, Vessel Traffic
Service Director, Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, U.S. Coast Guard;
telephone 409-719-5086, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
COTP Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur
DHS Department of Homeland Security
LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
LOI Letter of Intent
LOR Letter of Recommendation
NVIC Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular
U.S.C. United States Code
WSA Waterway Suitability Assessment
II. Background and Purpose
Under 33 CFR 127.007(a), an owner or operator planning to build a
new facility handling liquefied natural gas (LNG), or an owner or
operator planning new construction to expand or modify marine terminal
operations in an existing facility handling LNG, where the
construction, expansion, or modification would result in an increase in
the size and/or frequency of LNG marine traffic on the waterway
associated with the proposed facility or modification to an existing
facility, must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Captain of the
Port of the zone in which the facility is or will be located. Under 33
CFR 127.007(e), an owner or operator planning such new construction or
expansion of an existing facility must also file or update a Waterway
Suitability Assessment (WSA) that addresses the proposed increase in
LNG marine traffic in the associated waterway.
Under 33 CFR 127.009, after receiving an LOI, the Captain of the
Port issues a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) as to the suitability of
the waterway for LNG marine traffic to the appropriate jurisdictional
authorities. The LOR is based on a series of factors listed in 33 CFR
127.009 that relate to the physical nature of the affected waterway and
issues of safety and security associated with LNG marine traffic on the
affected waterway.
III. Information Requested
On January 29, 2018, Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. (SPLNG), located in
Cameron Parish, LA, submitted an LOI and Preliminary WSA regarding the
company's proposed plans to develop a new marine berth and expand the
number of vessels calling on the facility each year from approximately
400 to 580. The purpose of this notice is to solicit public comments on
the proposed increase in LNG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches
Waterway. The Coast Guard believes that public input may be useful to
the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur (COTP) with
respect to validating the information provided in SPLNG's Preliminary
WSA and development of the LOR. A brief summary of SPLNG's proposal is
available in the docket where indicated under ADDRESSES.
On January 24, 2011, the Coast Guard published Navigation and
Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-2011, titled ``Guidance Related to
Waterfront Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facilities''. NVIC 01-2011
provides guidance for owners and operators seeking approval to build
and operate LNG facilities. The
[[Page 31764]]
Coast Guard will refer to NVIC 01-2011 for process information and
guidance in evaluating SPLNG's WSA. NVIC 01-2011 is available in the
docket where indicated under ADDRESSES and also on the Coast Guard's
website at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/NVIC/2011/NVIC%2001-2011%20Final.pdf.
IV. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal portal at
http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using
http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
instructions. In your submission, please include the docket number for
this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each suggestion or
recommendation.
We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the
docket, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
Documents mentioned in this notice of inquiry as being available in
the docket, and all public comments, will be in our online docket at
http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that
website's instructions.
This document is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552 (a).
Dated: July 2, 2018.
Jacqueline Twomey,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Port
Arthur.
[FR Doc. 2018-14596 Filed 7-6-18; 8:45 am]
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