[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 12676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1083]



[[Page 12676]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. 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 Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Cheniere Corpus Christi Lng Project

March 7, 2005.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a final 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 final 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 
final 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 an LNG terminal and natural gas 
pipeline facilities.
    The final 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 basin and dredged maneuvering area in La 
Quinta Channel on the northeast shore of Corpus Christi Bay;
     Two berths and unloading facilities for LNG carrier ships, 
and a third dock for tugs and line boats;
     Three LNG storage tanks, each with a nominal working 
volume of approximately 160,000 cubic meters (1,006,400 barrels 
equivalent);
     LNG vaporization and processing equipment;
     23 miles of 48-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline; and
     8 interconnects with existing intrastate and interstate 
pipelines, and related meter stations.
    The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for 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 of the final EIS are available from the 
Public Reference Room identified above. In addition, copies of the 
final EIS have been mailed to federal, state, and local agencies; 
public interest groups; individuals and affected landowners who 
requested a copy of the final EIS; libraries; newspapers, and parties 
to this proceedings.
    In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations implementing NEPA, no agency decision on a proposed action 
may be made until 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes a notice of availability of a final EIS. However, the 
CEQ regulations provide an exception to this rule when an agency 
decision is subject to a formal internal appeal process which allows 
other agencies or the public to make their views known. In such cases, 
the agency decision may be made at the same time the notice of the 
final EIS is published, allowing both periods to run concurrently. The 
Commission decision for this proposed action is subject to a 30-day 
rehearing period.
    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 the 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 1-202-502-8659. 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 rule makings.
    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. E5-1083 Filed 3-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P