[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169 (Friday, August 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50356-50359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17259]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF07-10-000]


LNG Development Company, LLC and Oregon Pipeline Company; Notice 
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Oregon LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues and Notice of Public Meetings

August 24, 2007.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) and 
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard (Coast 
Guard) are in the process of evaluating the Oregon LNG Terminal and 
Pipeline Project involving the construction and operation of facilities 
proposed by LNG Development Company, LLC and Oregon Pipeline Company 
(collectively referred to as Oregon LNG). The facilities would be 
located in northern Oregon and consist of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) 
import terminal in Warrenton, Oregon, and an associated 117-mile-long 
natural gas pipeline from the LNG import terminal southeastward across 
Clatsop, Washington, Yamhill, Marion, and Clackamas Counties, Oregon, 
to an interconnection with the existing Williams Northwest Pipeline 
system near Molalla, Oregon.
    As a part of this evaluation, FERC staff will prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will address the 
environmental impacts of the project and the Coast Guard will assess 
the safety and security of the project. As described below, the FERC 
and the Coast Guard will hold a joint public meeting to allow the 
public to provide input to these assessments.
    The Commission will use the EIS in its decision-making process to 
determine whether or not to authorize the project. This Notice of 
Intent (NOI) explains the scoping process we \1\ will use to gather 
information on the project from the public and interested agencies and 
summarizes the process that the Coast Guard will use. Your input will

[[Page 50357]]

help identify the issues that need to be evaluated in the EIS and in 
the Coast Guard's safety and security assessment.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Emergy Projects.
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    The FERC will be the lead federal agency in the preparation of an 
EIS that will satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA). The Coast Guard will serve as a cooperating agency 
during preparation of the EIS. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service; the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency; the U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Oregon Department of Energy have 
been requested to serve as cooperating agencies in preparation of the 
EIS.
    Comments on the project may be submitted in written form or 
verbally. Further details on how to submit written comments are 
provided in the Public Participation section of this NOI. In lieu of 
sending written comments, we invite you to attend the public scoping 
meetings scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, September 18, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

Warrenton High School Gymnasium, 1700 SE Main Street, Warrenton, OR 
97146, telephone: 503-861-3317 (contact: Rod Heyen).

Wednesday, September 19, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

Forest Grove Armory, 2950 Taylor Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116-1541, 
telephone: 971-219-7297 (contact: Steve Johnson).

Thursday, September 20, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

Woodburn City Council Chambers, 270 Montgomery St., Woodburn, OR 97071, 
telephone: 503-982-5228 (contact: Jan Clay).

    The first public scoping meeting listed above (Warrenton) will be 
combined with the Coast Guard's public meeting regarding the maritime 
safety and security of the project. At the meeting, the Coast Guard 
will discuss: (1) The waterway suitability assessment that the 
applicant will conduct to determine whether or not the waterway can 
safely accommodate the LNG carrier traffic and operation of the planned 
LNG marine terminal; and (2) the facility security assessment that the 
applicant will conduct in accordance with the regulations of the 
Maritime Transportation Security Act to assist with the preparation of 
a Facility Security Plan.
    The Coast Guard is responsible for matters related to navigation 
safety, vessel engineering and safety standards, and all matters 
pertaining to the safety of facilities or equipment located in or 
adjacent to navigable waters up to the last valve immediately before 
the receiving tanks. The Coast Guard also has authority for LNG 
facility security plan review, approval, and compliance verification as 
provided in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 105, and 
recommendation for siting as it pertains to the management of vessel 
traffic in and around the LNG facility.
    Upon receipt of a Letter of Intent from an owner or operator 
intending to build a new LNG facility, the Coast Guard Captain of the 
Port conducts an analysis based on:
     The physical location and layout of the facility and its 
berthing and mooring arrangements;
     The LNG vessels' characteristics and the frequency of LNG 
shipments to the facility;
     Commercial, industrial, environmentally sensitive, and 
residential areas in and adjacent to the waterway used by the LNG 
vessels en route to the facility;
     Density and character of the marine traffic on the 
waterway;
     Bridges or other man-made obstructions in the waterway;
     Depth of water;
     Tidal range;
     Natural hazards, including rocks and sandbars;
     Underwater pipelines and cables; and
     Distance of berthed LNG vessels from the channel, and the 
width of the channel.

This analysis results in a Letter of Recommendation issued to the owner 
or operator and to the state and local governments having jurisdiction, 
addressing the suitability of the waterway to accommodate LNG vessels, 
as prescribed by 33 CFR 127.009.
    In addition, the Coast Guard will review and approve the facility's 
operations manual and emergency response plan (33 CFR 127.019), as well 
as the facility's security plan (33 CFR 105.410). The Coast Guard will 
also provide input to other federal, state, and local government 
agencies reviewing the project.
    In order to complete a thorough analysis and fulfill the regulatory 
mandates cited above, the applicant will be conducting a Waterway 
Suitability Assessment (WSA), a formal risk assessment evaluating the 
various safety and security aspects associated with the Oregon LNG 
Terminal and Pipeline Project. This risk assessment will be 
accomplished through a series of workshops focusing on the areas of 
waterways safety, port security, and consequence management, with 
involvement from a broad cross-section of government and port 
stakeholders with expertise in each of the respective areas. The 
workshops will be by invitation only. However, comments received during 
the public comment period will be considered as input in the risk 
assessment process. The results of the WSA will be submitted to the 
Coast Guard to be used in determining whether the waterway is suitable 
for LNG traffic.
    This NOI is being sent to federal, state, and local government 
agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; environmental and 
public interest groups; Indian tribes and regional Native American 
organizations; commentors and other interested parties; and local 
libraries and newspapers. We encourage government representatives to 
notify their constituents of this planned project and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Oregon LNG proposes to construct and operate an LNG import terminal 
and storage facility, and associated natural gas sendout pipeline with 
a capacity to deliver up to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day. More 
specifically, Oregon LNG proposes the following primary project 
components:
     A marine facility, including LNG unloading equipment and 
one ship berth capable of handling about 150 LNG carrier ships per year 
(the capacity of the ships could range from 70,000 to 260,000 cubic 
meters (m\3\) per ship);
     Interconnecting facilities including piping, electrical, 
and control systems;
     An LNG spill containment and collection system;
     Three full containment LNG storage tanks, each with a 
nominal usable storage capacity of 160,000 m\3\;
     Vapor handling, re-gasification, and sendout systems;
     Utilities, telecommunications, and other supporting 
systems;
     Administrative, control room, warehouse, security, and 
other buildings and enclosures;
     Interconnecting roadways and civil works; and
     A 117-mile-long, 30 to 36-inch-diameter natural gas 
sendout pipeline extending from the LNG terminal to the interconnection 
with the existing interstate natural gas pipeline system operated by 
Williams Northwest Pipeline.

[[Page 50358]]

    A location map depicting Oregon LNG's proposed facilities is 
attached to this NOI as Appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the ``e-Library'' link or 
from the Commission's Public Reference Room or call (202) 501-8371. 
For instructions on connecting to e-Library refer to the end of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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The EIS Process

    NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental 
impacts that could result from an action when it considers whether or 
not an LNG import terminal or an interstate natural gas pipeline should 
be approved. The FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental 
impacts that could result if it issues project authorizations to Oregon 
LNG under sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act. In addition, the 
Coast Guard will use the EIS to determine if a Letter of Recommendation 
should be issued, with or without conditions, under 33 CFR Sec.  
127.009. NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the 
public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as 
``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the 
analysis in the EIS on the important environmental issues. With this 
NOI, the Commission staff is requesting public comments on the scope of 
the issues to be addressed in the EIS. All comments received will be 
considered during preparation of the EIS.
    In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed project 
under these general headings:
     Geology and soils.
     Water resources.
     Aquatic resources.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Threatened and endangered species.
     Land use, recreation, and visual resources.
     Cultural resources.
     Socioeconomics.
     Marine transportation.
     Air quality and noise.
     Reliability and safety.
     Cumulative impacts.
    In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the 
proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations 
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft 
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; 
environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes and regional 
Native American organizations; commentors; other interested parties; 
local libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's official service list 
for this proceeding. A 45-day comment period will be allotted for 
review of the draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the draft EIS 
and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We 
will consider all comments on the final EIS before we make our 
recommendations to the Commission. To ensure that your comments are 
considered, please follow the instructions in the Public Participation 
section of this NOI.
    Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has 
already initiated its NEPA review under its pre-filing process. The 
purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement of 
interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an 
application is filed with the FERC. In addition, the Coast Guard, which 
would be responsible for reviewing the safety and security aspects of 
the planned project and regulating safety and security if the project 
is approved, has initiated its review of the project as well.
    With this NOI, we are asking federal, state, and local agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues, in addition to those agencies that have already 
agreed to serve as cooperating agencies (as noted above), to formally 
cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may 
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to 
their responsibilities. Additional agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this NOI.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified issues that we think deserve attention 
based on our previous experience with similar projects in the region. 
This preliminary list of issues, which is presented below, may be 
revised based on your comments and our continuing analyses specific to 
the Oregon LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project.
     Impact of LNG vessel traffic on other users, including 
commercial ships, fishing, and recreational boaters on the lower 
Columbia River.
     Potential impacts of dredging the turning basin and LNG 
ship dock on water quality and estuarine fishery resources.
     Potential impacts of the LNG terminal on residents in 
Warrenton and the surrounding area, including safety issues at the 
import and storage facility, noise, air quality, and visual resources.
     Potential for geological hazards, including seismic 
activity, to have impacts on both the proposed LNG import terminal and 
sendout pipeline.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on waterbodies and 
wetlands, including issues of erosion control.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on vegetation, including 
the clearing of forested areas.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on threatened and 
endangered species and wildlife habitat.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on cultural resources.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Oregon LNG Terminal and Pipeline 
Project. By becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in 
the EIS and considered by the Commission. Your comments should focus on 
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including 
alternative facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid 
or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the 
more useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and 
properly recorded, please follow these instructions:
     Send an original and two copies of your letter to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of OEP/
DG2E/Gas Branch 2, PJ-11.2.
     Reference Docket No. PF07-10-000 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC, on or before September 24, 2007.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of any 
comments in response to this NOI. For information on electronically 
filing comments, please see 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 as well as information in 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii). 
Before you can file comments you will need to create a free

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account, which can be accomplished on-line.
    The public scoping meetings (dates, times, and locations listed 
above) are designed to provide another opportunity to offer comments on 
the proposed project. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged 
to attend the meetings and to present comments on the environmental 
issues that they believe should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript 
of the meetings will be generated so that your comments will be 
accurately recorded.
    Once Oregon LNG formally files its application with the Commission, 
you may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to 
the proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and 
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts 
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor 
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to 
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the 
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time. 
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.

Environmental Mailing List

    If you wish to remain on the environmental mailing list, please 
return the attached Mailing List Retention Form (Appendix 2 of this 
NOI). If you do not return this form, we will remove your name from our 
mailing list.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372), or on 
the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary 
link.'' Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter 
the project docket number, excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF07-
10) 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 by e-
mail at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC 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 FERC now offers a free service called 
eSubscription that 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. To register for this service, go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx 
along with other related information.
    Finally, Oregon LNG has established an Web site for this project at 
http://www.oregonlng.com. The Web site includes a project overview, 
status, potential impacts and mitigation, and answers to frequently 
asked questions. You can also request additional information by calling 
Oregon LNG directly at 503-298-4969, or by sending an e-mail to 
[email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-17259 Filed 8-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P