[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 247 (Monday, December 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77238-77239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-3819]



[[Page 77238]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP04-395-000, CP04-405-000]


Vista del Sol LNG Terminal LP, Vista del Sol Pipeline LP; Notice 
of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Vista del Sol LNG Terminal Project

December 17, 2004.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has prepared 
this draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipeline facilities 
proposed by Vista del Sol LNG Terminal LP and Vista del Sol Pipeline LP 
(collectively referred to as Vista del Sol ) in the above-referenced 
dockets.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 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; and requests comments on them.
    Vista del Sol's proposed facilities would transport up to 1.4 
billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) of imported natural gas to the U.S. 
market. In order to provide LNG import, storage, and pipeline 
transportation services, Vista del Sol requests Commission 
authorization to construct, install, and operate an LNG terminal and 
natural gas pipeline facilities.
    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following LNG terminal and natural 
gas pipeline facilities:
     A ship unloading facility with berthing capabilities for 
two LNG ships with cargo capacities of up to 250,000 cubic meters 
(m3);
     Three 155,000 m3 full containment LNG storage 
tanks;
     Vaporization equipment capable of an average sendout 
capacity of 1.1 Bcfd and a maximum sendout capacity of 1.4 Bcfd;
     Ancillary utilities, buildings, and service facilities;
     One 25.3 mile-long, 36-inch-diameter natural gas sendout 
pipeline; and
     Associated pipeline support facilities, including six 
meter stations at interconnects with nine existing pipeline systems, 
one pig \1\ launcher, and one pig receiver.
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    \1\ A pig is an internal tool that can be used to clean and dry 
a pipeline and/or inspect it for damage or corrosion.
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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. CP04-395-000 and/or CP04-405-000;
     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 February 7, 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 
Commission's 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 this meeting is listed below: Tuesday, 
January 11, 2005, 7 p.m. (CST), Portland Community Center, 2000 Billy G 
Webb, Portland, Texas 78374, Telephone: (361) 777-3301.
    This 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. A transcript of 
the meeting will be prepared.
    After these comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are 
investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS 
will be published and distributed by the staff. 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 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.\2\ You do 
not need intervenor status to have your comments considered.
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    \2\ 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

[[Page 77239]]

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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-3819 Filed 12-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P