[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 87 (Monday, May 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24585-24587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9806]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF07-10-000]


LNG Development Company, LLC and Oregon Pipeline Company; 
Supplemental 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

April 28, 2008.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) is 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 121-mile-long 
natural gas pipeline from the LNG import terminal southeastward across 
Clatsop, Tillamook, Columbia, Washington, Yamhill, Marion, and 
Clackamas Counties, Oregon, to an interconnection with existing natural 
gas pipelines systems near Molalla in Clackamas County, 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. The Commission will use the EIS 
in its decision-making process to determine whether or not to authorize 
the project. Although 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 U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers will serve as cooperating agencies during 
preparation of the EIS.
    Oregon LNG has not yet filed a formal application with the FERC. 
However, we \1\ have initiated a NEPA review under the FERC's Pre-
Filing Process. The purpose of the Pre-Filing Process is to encourage 
the early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and 
resolve issues before an application is filed with the FERC. As part of 
this process, the FERC issued a 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 (NOI) on August 24, 2007. Since that NOI was 
issued, Oregon LNG has changed its proposed project. Specifically, the 
routing of the pipeline route has changed and the project now includes 
a 9.4-mile-long pipeline lateral as well as an electric compressor 
station. Because of these changes, the FERC issued this supplemental 
NOI. Through the original and supplemental NOIs, we are seeking input 
from the public in preparing the EIS for the project.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    This supplemental NOI explains the scoping process we will use to 
gather information on the project from the public and interested 
agencies. Your input will help identify the issues that need to be 
evaluated in 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.

[[Page 24586]]

Please note that comments on this NOI are requested by June 12, 2008.
    In lieu of sending written comments, we invite you to attend the 
public scoping meetings scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 7 p.m. Banks High School Gymnasium, 450 S. Main 
St., Banks, OR 97106.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 7 p.m. Warrenton High School Gymnasium, 1700 
SE Main St., Warrenton, OR 97146.
Thursday, May 22, 2008, 7 p.m. Woodburn High School Lectorium, 1785 N. 
Front Street, Woodburn, OR 97071.

    This supplemental NOI is being sent to Federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; potentially 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. 
Specifically, Oregon LNG proposes the following primary project 
components:
     A marine facility, including LNG unloading equipment and 
one ship berth capable of handling an average of 100 LNG carrier ships 
per year (the capacity of the ships would range from 70,000 up to 
260,000 cubic meters (m\3\) per ship);
     Interconnecting facilities including piping, electrical, 
and control systems;
     A LNG spill containment and collection system;
     Three full containment LNG storage tanks, each with a 
nominal usable storage capacity of 160,000 m3;
     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;
     A 121-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter natural gas sendout 
pipeline extending from the LNG terminal to interconnections at Molalla 
Gate Station, in Clackamas County, Oregon, with other existing natural 
gas pipelines including the interstate natural gas pipeline system 
operated by Williams Northwest Pipeline Company (Williams) and the 
intrastate South Mist Pipeline Extension operated by Northwest Natural 
Gas Company (NW Natural);
     A 9.4-mile-long, 24-inch-diameter natural gas lateral 
pipeline extending from Oregon LNG's pipeline to pipeline facilities 
operated by NW Natural in northern Washington County, Oregon (the 24-
inch-diameter South Mist Pipeline Extension and the 16-inch-diameter 
South Mist Feeder); and
     An electric compressor station located along Oregon LNG's 
36-inch-diameter pipeline about 0.7 mile south of State Highway 26.
    A location map depicting Oregon LNG's proposed facilities is 
attached to this NOI as Appendix 1.\2\ These facilities and the 
possible environmental impacts from their construction and operation 
were described in detail in draft resource reports filed with the FERC 
between December 2007 and March 2008.
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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) 502-8371. 
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 and/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. 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.

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 
and our review of comments provided in response to the original NOI 
that was issued on August 24, 2007. This preliminary list of some of 
the major 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.
     Definition of project purpose and need.
     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 berth on water quality and estuarine fishery resources.
     Potential impacts of the LNG terminal on residents in 
Warrenton and the surrounding area, including consideration of issues 
related to safety, noise, air quality, and visual resources.

[[Page 24587]]

     Potential for geological hazards, including seismic 
activity, to have impacts on both the proposed LNG import terminal and 
pipelines.
     Potential impacts of the pipelines on waterbodies and 
wetlands.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on vegetation, including 
the clearing of forested areas and the potential for increased risk of 
wild fires.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on threatened and 
endangered species and wildlife habitat.
     Potential impacts of the pipeline on cultural resources.
     Potential economic impacts of the project, including 
potential impacts on property values.
     Use of eminent domain for project development.
     Potential impacts on high-value croplands and agricultural 
practices in the Willamette Valley.
     Potential for cumulative impacts resulting from multiple 
pipeline projects in the region.

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 June 12, 2008.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of any 
comments in response to this NOI. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet 
Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to ``Documents and 
Filings'' and ``eFiling.'' eFiling is a file attachment process and 
requires that you prepare your submission in the same manner as you 
would if filing on paper, and save it to a file on your hard drive. New 
eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' 
or ``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you 
are making. This filing is considered a ``Comment on Filing.'' In 
addition, there is a ``Quick Comment'' option available, which is an 
easy method for interested persons to submit text only comments on a 
project. The Quick-Comment User Guide can be viewed at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling/quick-comment-guide.pdf. Quick Comment 
does not require a FERC eRegistration account; however, you will be 
asked to provide a valid e-mail address. All comments submitted under 
either eFiling or the Quick Comment option are placed in the public 
record for the specified docket or project number(s).
    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 
website 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 a 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. Additionally, you can view the location of the project 
facilities online at: http://www.oregonpipelinepropertysearch.com. 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. E8-9806 Filed 5-2-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P