[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10083-10084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-832]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP05-13-000, CP05-11-000, CP05-12-000, and CP05-14-000]


Ingleside Energy Center, LLC, San Patricio Pipeline, LLC; Notice 
of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Ingleside Energy Center LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project

February 24, 2005.
    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 Ingleside Energy Center, LLC and San Patricio Pipeline, LLC 
(collectively referred to as Ingleside San Patricio) 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.
    Ingleside San Patricio's proposed facilities would have a nominal 
output of about 1.0 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, Ingleside San Patricio 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 in San Patricio and Nueces 
Counties, Texas:
     A new marine terminal basin connected to the La Quinta 
Channel that would include a ship maneuvering area and one protected 
berth to unload up to 140 LNG ships per year;
     Two double containment LNG storage tanks with a nominal 
working volume of approximately 160,000 cubic meters (1,006,000 barrels 
equivalent);
     LNG vaporization and processing equipment;
     26.4 miles of 26-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline; and

[[Page 10084]]

     Nine interconnects with existing intrastate and interstate 
pipelines, and related meter stations.
    As proposed, the project would be integrated with the adjacent 
Occidental Chemical Company manufacturing complex in order for the two 
facilities to offset the other's respective heating and cooling needs. 
The use of the chemical manufacturing complex's cooling water would 
serve as a source of vaporization heat.

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 and properly recorded:
     Send an original and two copies of your comments to: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Reference Docket Nos. CP05-11-000, CP05-12-000, CP05-13-
000, and CP05-14-000.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Gas Branch 3, PJ-11.3.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before April 18, 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 timeframe 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 by 
clicking on ``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.''
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public meeting we have scheduled as follows: March 
30, 2005, 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 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.\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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-832 Filed 3-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P