[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6277-6278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-236]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-58-000]


Sound Energy Solutions; Notice Of Application

February 2, 2004.
    Take notice that on January 26, 2004, Sound Energy Solutions (SES); 
301 East Ocean Boulevard, Suite 1510, Long Beach, California 90802, 
filed an application pursuant to Section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act 
and part 153 of the Commission's regulations, seeking authorization to 
site, construct and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal 
located in the Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California for 
the purpose of importing LNG into the United States. SES also requests 
approval of the Long Beach terminal as the place of entry for the 
imported LNG under Section 3. SES requests that the Commission issue a 
final order on their application by October 20, 2004. SES states that 
this proposed regulatory schedule will enable it to commence 
construction activities in the fourth quarter of 2004, and meet an in-
service date in 2008.
    This application is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection. It is available for review at the Commission in the Public 
Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number 
excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. Any initial questions regarding these 
applications should be directed to Ms. Tetsuko Egawa, Assistant 
Director, Development, Sound Energy Solutions, 301 East Ocean 
Boulevard, Suite 1510, Long Beach, CA 90802; Telephone: (562) 495-9885.
    In June 2003, SES requested the use of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) Pre-filing Process offered by Commission Staff to 
begin the environmental review of SES's intention to request authority 
to site, construct and operate its LNG import terminal. The purpose of 
the NEPA Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early involvement of 
interested stakeholders, facilitate interagency cooperation, and 
identify and resolve issues before an application was filed with the 
Commissions. On July 11, 2003, the Commission Staff granted SES's 
request, and at the same time announced that the Port of Long Beach 
will be the lead agency for review of the project pursuant to the 
California Environmental Quality Act, and that the two agencies will 
produce a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report and Application Summary Report (ASR) (EIS/EIR/ASR).\1\
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    \1\ The NEPA pre-filing docket at the Commission was PF03-06-
000, and the related Port of Long Beach proceeding is designated 
POLB Application No. HDP 03-079.
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    Then on September 22, 2003, the Commission and the Port of Long 
Beach issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement and Notice of Preparation of Joint Environmental Impact 
Report. That notice announced the opening of the scoping process that 
was used by the Commission Staff and the Port of Long Beach to gather 
input from the public and interested agencies on the project to help 
determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EIS/EIR/ASR. Please 
note that the initial EIS/EIR/ASR scoping period closed on October 30, 
2003. Later, on November 10, 2003, the Port of Long Beach issued a 
supplemental scoping notice and received additional comments through 
December 12, 2003 on project information that was not initially 
available. Now, as of the filing of SES's application on January 26, 
2004, the NEPA Pre-filing Process for SES's project is also closed.
    SES says that its proposed LNG import terminal is designed to 
import LNG from Asia and elsewhere abroad to the United States for sale 
in California's non-core natural gas markets, and to provide liquid 
vehicle fuel to customers in the Los Angeles Basin. SES's LNG import 
terminal will receive LNG from ocean-going tankers, temporarily store 
it in its liquid state, and then vaporize the LNG for transport via a 
new natural gas pipeline to be constructed, owned, and

[[Page 6278]]

operated by a third party. This 2.3 mile pipeline will connect with the 
Southern California Gas Company's existing pipeline system at its Salt 
Work's Station, Line 765. The vaporized LNG will be sent out from SES's 
LNG import terminal at an average rate of 700,000 Mcf per day, with a 
peak capacity of 1,000,000 Mcf per day, or 1 Bcf per day.
    Some of the LNG will not be vaporized, but will be sold as liquid 
vehicle fuel for LNG vehicles in the Port of Long Beach and other 
vehicle fleets in the Los Angeles Basin. The LNG liquid fuel will be 
delivered from SES's LNG import terminal by truck to LNG fueling 
station(s) or directly to vehicles via a mobile fueling vehicle.
    In order to import the LNG supplies for sale to natural gas and 
vehicle fuel markets, SES requests Commission authorization to 
construct, install, and operate the following facilities :
     An LNG ship berth with LNG unloading arms;
     Two full containment LNG receiving tanks, each 
with a gross liquid volume of 160,000 cubic meters (1,006,000 barrels), 
the regasified equivalent of 3.5 Bcf;
     Various LNG pumping equipment;
     Three direct-fired shell and tube vaporizers 
each sized for 350,000 Mcf per day;
     Three boil-off gas compressors and associated 
condensing system;
     Natural gas liquids recovery system, including 
storage facilities;
     LNG trailer truck loading facility, with a 
dedicated LNG vehicle fuel storage tank with a capacity of 3,800 cubic 
meters (23,901 barrels) of vehicle quality LNG;
     Various metering, odorizing utilities, 
buildings, and service facilities; and,
     Associated hazard detection, control and 
prevention systems, cryogenic piping and insulation, electrical and 
instrumentation systems.
    All components will be constructed in accordance with governing 
Federal and State regulations, including 33 CFR part 127 for marine 
facilities, 49 CFR part 193, and National Fire Protection Association 
Standard 59A for LNG facilities and the codes and standards referenced 
therein.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before the comment date listed below, file with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person 
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by 
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must 
submit 14 copies of this filing and all subsequent filings made with 
the Commission and must mail a copy of all filing to the applicant and 
to every other party in the proceeding. Only parties to the proceeding 
can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding.
    The parties listed in Appendix A of this notice ``filed'' motions 
to intervene in the NEPA Pre-filing Process, Docket No. PF03-06-000. 
The filing of those motions was inappropriate in the NEPA Pre-filing 
Process and were not requested in the September 22, 2003, NEPA Notice 
of Intent. In spite of the foregoing and in this instance, the 
Commission will carry-over the motions to intervene ``filed'' in Docket 
No. PF03-06-000 into the proceeding herein, Sound Energy Solutions, 
Docket No. CP04-58-000. Thus, those parties need not refile their 
motions to intervene at this time, but may file additional comments on 
or before the below listed comment date.
    However, other persons do not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to this 
project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties 
directly involved in the protest.
    Persons may also wish to comment further only on the environmental 
review of this project. Environmental commenters will be placed on the 
Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of 
environmental documents issued by the Commission, and will be notified 
of meetings associated with the Commission's environmental review 
process. Those persons, organizations, and agencies who submitted 
comments during the NEPA Pre-filing Process in Docket No. PF03-06-000 
are already on the Commission Staff's environmental mailing list for 
the proceeding in this docket, CP04-58-000 and may file additional 
comments on or before the below listed comment date. Environmental 
commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties. However, environmental commenters are also not 
parties to the proceeding and will not receive copies of all documents 
filed by other parties or non-environmental documents issued by the 
Commission. They will not have the right to seek court review of any 
final order by Commission in this proceeding.
    Motions to intervene, protests and comments may be filed 
electronically via the internet in lieu of paper; see, 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's web site 
under the ``e-Filing'' link. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings. Electronic filing eliminates the burden of filing 
original and 14 copies of paper filings with the Commission, but does 
not change the Commission's requirement of service of filings on other 
parties to the proceeding, see, 18 CFR 385.2010.
    Comment Date: February 23, 2004.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.

Appendix A

 
               Filing Date                             Party
 
12/10/2003...............................  CAlifornians for Renewable
                                            Energy, Inc.
11/20/2003...............................  Kern River Gas Transmission
                                            Company
11/10/2003...............................  Union Oil Company of
                                            California
10/29/2003...............................  California Public Utilities
                                            Commission
10/24/2003...............................  ConocoPhillips Company
10/8/2003................................  BHP Billiton LNG
                                            International Inc.
10/8/2003................................  Freeport LNG Development,
                                            L.P.
 

    Note: Shell NA LNG, LLC filed a Motion to Intervene on 9/26/2003, 
but withdrew its motion on 10/3/2003.
 [FR Doc. E4-236 Filed 2-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P