[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 101 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30433-30434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2658]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP04-36-000 and CP04-41-000]


Weaver's Cove Energy, L.L.C., Mill River Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice 
of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Weaver's Cove LNG Project

May 20, 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 proposed by Weaver's Cove Energy, L.L.C. and Mill 
River Pipeline, L.L.C. (collectively referred to as Weaver's Cove 
Energy) in the above-referenced dockets.
    The staff prepared the final EIS to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The final EIS evaluates 
alternatives to the proposal, including system alternatives, 
alternative sites for the LNG import terminal, and pipeline 
alternatives. The final EIS concludes that if the Weaver's Cove LNG 
Project is constructed and operated in accordance with Weaver's Cove 
Energy's proposed mitigation and the FERC staff's recommended 
mitigation measures, the proposed action would meet federal safety 
standards, can be operated safely, and would have limited adverse 
environmental impact. In addition, the final EIS concludes that 
implementation of the Coast Guard's security plan that controls the LNG 
vessels operating through Narragansett Bay to/from the proposed 
terminal would further ensure the public safety.
    The final EIS was also prepared to help satisfy the requirements of 
the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The Massachusetts 
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) issued a Certificate 
to Weaver's Cove Energy on August 28, 2003, that established a Special 
Review Procedure to guide the MEPA review of the Weaver's Cove LNG 
Project. This Special Review Procedure provides for a coordinated NEPA/
MEPA review and allows the draft and final EISs to serve as the draft 
and final Environmental Impact Reports (EIR) required under MEPA, 
provided the EISs address MEPA's EIR requirements, as specified in the 
MEPA scope for the project that was issued concurrently with the August 
28, 2003 Special Review Procedure. Pursuant to the established Special 
Review Procedure, the EOEA reviewed the draft EIS and issued a 
Certificate on October 1, 2004 following the close of the comment 
period. In the Certificate the Secretary of the EOEA determined that 
the draft EIS did not sufficiently address several issues critical to 
understanding the project design and how the project meets state 
regulatory requirements and thus required Weaver's Cove Energy to 
prepare a supplemental draft EIR. The Secretary of the EOEA stated that 
its decision was directed at the deficiencies of the joint 
federal[bs]state document only as it relates to the 
state requirements under MEPA. On December 17, 2004, the Secretary of 
the EOEA determined that the supplemental draft EIR, submitted by 
Weaver's Cove Energy on November 1, 2004, did not adequately and 
properly comply with the MEPA and its implementing regulations. Because 
the decision of the Secretary of the EOEA was based on the inadequacy 
of the supplemental draft EIR to meet state regulatory requirements, 
the FERC continued to complete its analysis of the project for federal 
review purposes and to prepare the final EIS.
    The final 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 a single berth capable of 
receiving LNG ships with cargo capacities of up to 145,000 cubic meters 
(m3);
     A 200,000 m3 (equivalent to 4.4 billion 
standard cubic feet of gas) full containment LNG storage tank;
     Vaporization equipment, sized for a normal sendout of 400 
million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) and a maximum sendout of 800 MMcfd;
     Four LNG truck loading stations;
     Ancillary utilities, buildings, and service facilities;
     Two 24-inch-diameter natural gas sendout pipelines, 
totaling approximately 6.1 miles in length; and
     Two meter and regulation stations.
    The purpose of the Weaver's Cove LNG Project is to provide: a new 
LNG import terminal and competitive source of imported LNG in the New 
England market area; a new facility for the storage of LNG; access to 
natural gas reserves in production areas throughout the world that are 
inaccessible by conventional pipelines; a new supply of natural gas to 
New England; strengthened gas supply to southeastern Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island; and a competitive source of LNG delivered by truck to LNG 
storage facilities throughout the region.
    The final 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 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 proceeding.
    In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations implementing the 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's 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

[[Page 30434]]

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, with 
eLibrary, the eLibrary helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY 
(202) 502-8659 or at [email protected]. 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.

Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-2658 Filed 5-25-05; 8:45 am]
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