[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 150 (Thursday, August 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47455-47456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17826]



[[Page 47455]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[COTP Port Arthur-04-011]


Notice and Request for Comments; Letter of Recommendation, LNG 
Cameron Parish, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP), Port Arthur, 
is preparing a letter of recommendation as to the suitability of the 
Sabine Pass Channel waterway for liquefied natural gas (LNG) marine 
traffic. The COTP is looking for comments and related material 
pertaining specifically to the Maritime Operation, Waterways 
Management, and Port Security aspects of the proposed LNG Facility.

DATES: Comments and related material pertaining specifically to the 
Maritime Operation, Waterways Management, and Port Security aspects of 
the proposed LNG Facility must reach the Coast Guard on or before 
September 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments and related material to: Commanding 
Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, 2875 Jimmy Johnson 
Blvd., Port Arthur, TX 77640, ATTN: Waterways Management Branch.
    You may send comments and related material by fax to: U.S. Coast 
Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) Port Arthur Attention: Waterways 
Management Branch (409) 723-6534. U.S. Coast Guard MSO Port Arthur 
maintains a file for this notice. Comments and material received from 
the public during the comment period will become part of this file and 
will be available for inspection or copying at U.S. Coast Guard MSO 
Port Arthur, Waterways Management Branch, between the hours of 7:30 
a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Jennifer 
Hnatow at U.S. Coast Guard MSO Port Arthur, (409) 723-6501.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate by submitting comments and related 
material pertaining specifically to the Maritime Operation, Waterways 
Management, and Port Security aspects of the proposed LNG Facility. If 
you do so, please include your name and address, identify the docket 
number [COTP Port Arthur-04-011], indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each 
comment. Please submit all comments and related material in an unbound 
format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and 
electronic filing. For a returned receipt, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period. The recommendation made by 
this office may be affected by comments received.

Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold public meetings. But you may submit a 
request for meetings by writing to Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard 
MSO Port Arthur at the address under ADDRESSES explaining why they 
would be beneficial. If we determine that public meetings would benefit 
the recommendation process, we will hold them at a time and place 
announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is responsible for 
authorizing the siting and construction of onshore LNG facilities under 
Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717 et seq.). FERC 
also authorizes the construction and operation of interstate natural 
gas pipelines that may be associated with the LNG facilities under 
section 7 of the NGA. The FERC conducts environmental, safety, and 
security reviews of LNG plants and related pipeline facilities, and as 
the lead Federal Agency prepares the overall National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) documentation (18 CFR part 380). As required by NEPA, 
FERC will issue a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
review and comment by the public. After issuing the DEIS for this 
proposed LNG facility and pipeline project, FERC will hold a public 
meeting. The date, time, and location of this meeting will be published 
on FERC's Web site, http://www.ferc.gov, under Docket Nos. CP04-47-000, 
CP04-38-000, CP04-39-000, and CP04-40-000.

Background and Purpose

    In accordance with the requirements in 33 CFR 127.009, the U.S. 
Coast Guard COTP Port Arthur, is preparing a letter of recommendation 
as to the suitability of the Sabine Pass Channel waterway for liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) marine traffic. The letter of recommendation is in 
response to a Letter of Intent to operate a LNG facility in Cameron 
Parish, LA. This facility would consist of an LNG import terminal and 
storage facilities and approximately 16 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline in Cameron Parish. The Letter of Intent is available in the 
docket where indicated under ADDRESSES.
    Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. and Cheniere Sabine Pass Pipeline Company 
(collectively referred to as Cheniere Sabine) propose to build a new 
LNG import, storage, and vaporization terminal in a rural part of 
Cameron Parish, Louisiana, across the Sabine Pass Channel from Sabine 
Pass, Texas; and a natural gas pipeline to transfer up to 2.6 billion 
cubic feet per day of imported natural gas. Cheniere Sabine has 
acquired 568 acres of land, formerly used for dredge spoil placement by 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for the proposed LNG terminal 
facility. The LNG import terminal would import, store, and vaporize an 
average of approximately 2,600 million standard cubic feet per day 
(MMscfd) of LNG, with an installed capacity of 2,880 MMscfd, for supply 
to U.S. natural gas markets. Cheniere Sabine seeks authority to 
construct and operate the following new facilities:
    1. A new marine basin connected to the Sabine Pass Channel that 
would include a ship maneuvering area and two protected berths to 
unload up to 300 LNG ships per year with a ship capacity ranging up to 
250,000 cubic meters (m\3\) of LNG;
    2. Two 30-inch-diameter stainless steel insulated LNG transfer 
lines to transfer the LNG from the berth facilities to the LNG storage 
tanks;
    3. Three all-metal, double-walled, single containment, top-entry 
LNG storage tanks, each with a nominal working volume of approximately 
160,000 m\3\ and each with secondary containment dikes to contain 110 
percent of the gross tank volume;
    4. Sixteen high-pressure submerged combustion LNG vaporizers with a 
capacity of approximately 180 MMscfd each, as well as other associated 
vaporization equipment, including pumps, boil-off gas compressors, 
instrumentation, and safety systems;
    5. Ancillary utilities, buildings, and service facilities, 
including hazard detection and fire response systems;
    6. Approximately 16 miles of 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline 
extending from the LNG import terminal to an interconnection with four 
existing pipelines at Johnson's Bayou;
    7. Three metering stations, one at the LNG terminal site, one at an 
interconnection with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, and one 
at the interconnection with the existing pipelines at Johnson's Bayou; 
and
    8. Associated pipeline facilities including a pig launcher receiver

[[Page 47456]]

facility, and three mainline valves, and one side valve.
    Construction of the LNG terminal facilities would take 
approximately 3 years, and the pipeline would take approximately 4 to 6 
months. Cheniere Sabine proposes to place the project in service before 
the 2007 winter heating season.
    In preparation for issuance of the letter of recommendation, the 
COTP will consider all information submitted by the owner or operator 
under the requirements of 33 CFR 127.007, as well as comments received 
from the public.

Additional Information

    Additional information can be found in the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Document entitled ``Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Sabine Pass LNG and 
Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and 
Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit'', Docket Nos. CP04-47-
000, CP04-38-000, CP04-39-000, and CP04-40-000 dated February 20, 2004, 
which is available for download at http://www.ferc.gov.

    Dated: July 15, 2004.
Sharon K. Richey,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Port Arthur.
[FR Doc. 04-17826 Filed 8-4-04; 8:45 am]
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