[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68896-68897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-3313]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-37-000, CP04-44-000, CP04-45-000, and CP04-46-000]


Corpus Christi LNG, L.P., Cheniere Corpus Christi Pipeline 
Company; Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG Project

November 18, 2004.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and natural gas 
pipeline facilities in Nueces and San Patricio Counties, Texas proposed 
by Corpus Christi LNG, L.P. and Cheniere Corpus Christi Pipeline 
Company (collectively referred to as Cheniere) in the above-referenced 
dockets.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of 
the proposed project with appropriate mitigating measures as 
recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact. The draft 
EIS also evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including system 
alternatives, alternative sites for the LNG import terminal, and 
pipeline alternatives.
    Cheniere's proposed facilities would have a nominal output of about 
2.6 billion cubic feet of imported natural gas per day to the U.S. 
market. In order to provide LNG import, storage, and pipeline 
transportation services, Cheniere requests Commission authorization to 
construct, install, and operate the following LNG terminal and natural 
gas pipeline facilities:
     A new marine basin and dredged maneuvering area, together 
with 2 berths for LNG ships, and another dock for tugs and line boats;
     3 LNG unloading arms and 1 vapor return arm at each LNG 
ship berth, and transfer pipelines extending from the docks to the 
storage tanks;
     3 LNG storage tanks, each with a nominal working volume of 
approximately 160,000 cubic meters (1,006,400 barrels equivalent), 3 
submerged vertical pumps within each tank, and earthen dikes around 
each tank capable of containing 110 percent of the gross tank volume;
     16 LNG sendout pumps, 16 submerged combustion LNG 
vaporizers, 3 boil-off gas compressors and a boil-off gas condensing 
system, and natural gas metering;
     LNG terminal control instrumentation and safety systems, 
including hazard detection and fire response, and buildings housing 
administrative offices, warehouse/maintenance, utilities, and a 
gatehouse;
     23 miles of 48-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, three 
mainline valves, and launcher and receiving facilities; and
     8 interconnects with existing intrastate and interstate 
pipelines, and associated metering facilities.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send an original and two copies of your comments to: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP04-37-000, et al.;
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 3, PJ11.3; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before January 4, 2005.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
environmental analysis of the project. However, the Commission strongly 
encourages electronic filing of any comments or interventions to this 
proceeding. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the 
FERC's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``e-Filing'' 
link and the link to the User's Guide. Before you can file comments you 
will need to create a free account which can be created online.
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public comment meeting we will conduct in the project 
area. The location and time for the meeting is listed below: December 
15, 2004, 7 p.m. (c.s.t.); Portland Community Center, 2000 Billy G 
Webb, Portland, TX 78374, Telephone: 361-777-3301.
    The meeting will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at 
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other 
related information. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged 
to attend and present oral comments on the draft EIS. Transcripts of 
the meeting will be prepared.
    After these comments are reviewed, any significant new issues would 
be investigated by the FERC staff. A final EIS incorporating 
appropriate modifications will be published and distributed. The final 
EIS will contain the staff's responses to timely comments received on 
the draft EIS.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make

[[Page 68897]]

the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to become a 
party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to 
Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 
385.214).
    Anyone may intervene in this proceeding based on this draft EIS. 
You must file your request to intervene as specified above.\1\ You do 
not need intervenor status to have your comments considered.
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    \1\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
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    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    A limited number of copies are available from the Public Reference 
Room identified above. In addition, copies of the draft EIS have been 
mailed to Federal, State, and local agencies; public interest groups; 
individuals and affected landowners who requested a copy of the draft 
EIS; libraries; newspapers; and parties to this proceeding.
    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the 
FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. 
Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the 
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number 
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link on the FERC Internet Web site 
also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time 
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with 
notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to 
the documents. Go to the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web 
site.

Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-3313 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P