[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 163 (Thursday, August 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49533-49534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19415]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6326]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and 
A Finding of No Significant Impact for the Proposed PMI Frontera Juarez 
Pipeline Project

August 15, 2008.
AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment 
and A Finding of No Significant Impact for the Proposed PMI Frontera 
Juarez Pipeline Project.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Final 
Environmental Assessment and a Finding of No Significant Impact for the 
Proposed PMI Frontera Juarez Pipeline Project.
    On January 18, 2008, PMI Services North America (``PMI'') applied 
for a Presidential permit to construct, connect, operate and maintain a 
10.75-inch liquid hydrocarbon (gasoline and diesel) pipeline for the 
transportation of liquid hydrocarbon products between the United States 
and Mexico, to be located at the international border between the 
United States and Mexico, near San Elizario, Texas. Currently, the 
refined products are transported across the international border via 
trucks from El Paso to Ciudad Jua rez. The Frontera Ju[aacute]rez 
Pipeline would displace this mode of delivery with the proposed net 
effect of increasing safety and decreasing the negative impact to the 
local environment.
    Executive Order 13337 of April 30, 2004, as amended, delegates to 
the Secretary of State the President's authority to receive 
applications for permits for the construction, connection, operation, 
or maintenance of facilities, including pipelines, for the exportation 
or importation of petroleum, petroleum products, coal, or other fuels 
at the border of the United States and to issue or deny such 
Presidential Permits upon a national interest determination. The 
Executive Order directs the Secretary of State to refer the application 
and pertinent information to, and to request the views of, the heads of 
certain agencies before issuing a Permit and authorizes the Secretary 
to consult with other interested federal and state officials, as 
appropriate. The

[[Page 49534]]

Executive Order also authorizes Federal Register notification of 
receipt of Presidential permit applications and for public comments on 
those applications. The functions assigned to the Secretary have been 
further delegated within the Department of State.
    The Department of State published in the Federal Register a 
Notification of Receipt and Notice of Intent to prepare an Environment 
Assessment (EA) regarding the PMI Application for a permit on March 26, 
2008 (73 FR 16090-01). That notification advised the public that the 
Department intended to prepare an EA on the application and solicited 
public comment. The Department's Notice of Availability of the draft EA 
and request for public comment was published in the Federal Register on 
April 29, 2008 (73 FR 23301-01), seeking comments by May 29, 2008. The 
Department received public comments in response to its two notices and 
has taken them into account in preparing the Final Environmental 
Assessment on the PMI Application.
    As required by Executive Order 13337, PMI's pipeline application 
and a Draft Environmental Assessment were also transmitted to the 
relevant federal agencies for their review and comment on May 22, 2007. 
The Department of State received no objections from federal agencies 
regarding the issuance of a permit.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(``NEPA''), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f, the Council of Environmental Quality 
Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508, and the Department's regulations for the 
implementation of NEPA, 22 CFR part 161, PMI has prepared a Final 
Environmental Assessment (``FEA'') under the guidance and supervision 
of the Department, with full public participation, including a public 
meeting and ample opportunity for written and oral public comment on 
the project. Based on the FEA and the record created as part of the 
Department's evaluation of the PMI application, on August 16, 2008 the 
Department determined that ``issuance of a Presidential Permit 
authorizing construction, connection, operation and maintenance of the 
proposed Frontera Juarez Pipeline would not have a significant impact 
on the quality of the human environment within the United States.'' 
Accordingly, the Department on that date adopted a ``Finding Of No 
Significant Impact'' (FONSI) and determined that an environmental 
impact statement will not be prepared on the PMI application.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Final Environmental Assessment 
addressing this action is on file and may be reviewed by interested 
parties, along with the Finding of No Significant Impact, at the 
Department of State, 2200 C Street NW., Room 4843, Washington, DC 20520 
(Attn: Mr. J. Brian Duggan, Tel. 202-647-1291). The above documents may 
also be requested by e-mail at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC on August 15, 2008.
Stephen J. Gallogly,
Director, Office of International Energy and Commodity Policy, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-19415 Filed 8-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P