[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3588-3590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1020]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP03-75-003; CP03-75-004; CP05-361-001; CP05-361-002]


Freeport LNG Development, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Freeport LNG Export and Bog 
Liquefaction and Truck Delivery Facilities Projects and Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues

January 12, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
address the environmental impacts of the Freeport LNG Export Project 
(Export Project) and Bog Liquefaction and Truck Delivery Facilities 
Project (BOG/Truck Project) collective called the Freeport Projects 
proposed by Freeport LNG Development, L.P. (Freeport LNG) in Brazoria 
County, Texas.\1\ This EA will be used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether or not to authorize the 
projects.\2\
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    \1\ During routine terminal operations, ambient heat in the LNG 
storage tanks and piping causes small amount of LNG to evaporate. 
The vaporizing LNG is referred to as BOG or boil-off gas. The BOG 
increases the storage tank pressure until a point where it must be 
transferred, flared, or re-liquefied.
    \2\ On November 19, and December 9, 2008, Freeport LNG filed its 
applications with the Commission under section 3 of the Natural Gas 
Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations. The Commission 
issued its Notices of Application on December 2, and 16, 2009.
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    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we \3\ 
will use to gather environmental input from the public and interested 
agencies on the projects. Your input will help the Commission staff 
determine which issues need to be addressed.
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    \3\ `We,' `us,' and `our' refer to the environmental staff of 
the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local 
government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of 
this planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of 
concern.

Summary of the Proposed Projects

Export Project

    The purpose of the project is to add Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) 
export

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capabilities/functionality to the previously authorized Freeport LNG 
Terminal Facilities located in Brazoria County, Texas. Freeport LNG is 
seeking authorization to operate its facility for the purpose of 
exporting LNG. Freeport LNG proposes to operate its existing Freeport 
LNG Terminal facility to export LNG on a short-term basis by holding 
cargos of imported LNG in its LNG tanks for re-export. To accomplish 
this, Freeport LNG would replace a check valve and upgrade a control 
valve. Both valves are on the existing dock of the Freeport LNG 
Terminal. The existing dock is shown in the figure included as Appendix 
1.\4\
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    \4\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices are 
available on the Commission's Web site at the ``eLibrary'' link or 
from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the Public Participation section of 
this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail.
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    The proposed replacement and modification of the valves would allow 
the LNG to be transferred from the LNG storage tanks through the 
existing LNG transfer lines to the unloading/loading arms and to a 
receiving ship for export and transportation.

BOG/Truck Project

    The purpose of the project is to provide greater latitude to 
acquire LNG for maintenance and operation of the existing Phase I 
facilities at the previously authorized Freeport LNG Terminal 
Facilities located in Brazoria County, Texas during periods when LNG 
deliveries may not otherwise be available. The general locations of 
these facilities are shown on the map in Appendix 1. The BOG 
liquefaction facilities would consist of:
     One BOG liquefaction heat exchanger;
     One BOG liquefaction expander-compressor;
     Two BOG refrigeration compressor units (approximately 
1,380 horsepower each);
     Natural gas piping, 4- to 12-inch-diameter aboveground 
piping; and
     LNG piping, 4-inch-diameter aboveground piping.
    These facilities would allow Freeport to liquefy about 5 million 
cubic feet per day of BOG and return it to the LNG storage tanks in 
order to keep the tanks in the necessary cryogenic state. The BOG 
liquefaction system would also require pressure and temperature 
controllers; and associated electrical, control, lighting 
instrumentation, and communication systems.
    In addition, Freeport LNG is proposing certain facility 
modifications to enable it to undertake LNG truck unloading activities 
in the event that the BOG liquefaction facilities are not available. 
LNG would be trucked in from an existing commercial LNG supplier (Clean 
Energy Fuels Corporation) located 40 miles north of Houston. The truck 
unloading facilities would require the installation of a single 4-inch-
diameter inlet connection and valves on one of the existing LNG 
transfer lines and a 25 horsepower portable electric pump, if needed. 
Freeport LNG would use these facilities to transfer the LNG from the 
trucks to the existing tanks. Freeport LNG anticipates that it would 
receive truck deliveries per day, totaling 66,000 gallons of LNG during 
the periods when delivery by truck would be required.
    If approved, Freeport LNG proposes to commence construction of the 
proposed facilities in spring of 2009.

Land Requirements

    Since the Freeport LNG Terminal already includes all required plant 
components to facilitate the Export Project other than the valve 
modifications, no land disturbance would be required.
    The land that would be disturbed for the BOG/Truck Project would be 
within the footprint of the existing LNG facility.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action. The FERC will use the EA to consider the 
environmental impact that could result if the project is authorized 
under section 3 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 EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff 
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in 
the EA. All comments received will be considered during preparation of 
the EA.
    In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     Water resources, fisheries, ballast water, and wetlands;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Threatened and endangered species;
     Air quality and noise;
     Hazardous waste; and
     Public safety.
    In the EA, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the 
proposed projects, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid 
impacts on affected resources.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for 
this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA 
is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make 
our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments are 
considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the public 
participation section below
    With this NOI, we are asking federal, state, and local agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the preparation 
of the EA. 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 several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Freeport LNG. This 
preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and 
our analysis.
     Potential impacts on water quality.
     Potential impacts on air quality and potential noise 
emissions may occur.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Freeport Projects. Your comments should 
focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, 
and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more 
specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that 
your

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comments are timely and properly recorded, please send in your comments 
so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before February 
11, 2009.
    For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to 
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the project docket number CP03-75-003 and CP03-75-004 with 
your submission. The docket numbers can be found on the front of this 
notice. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has 
dedicated eFiling expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 
or [email protected].
    (1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick 
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site 
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick 
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only 
comments on a project;
    (2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site at 
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling 
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if 
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard 
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. 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. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on 
a Filing;'' or
    (3) You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by 
sending 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 the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 2, 
PJ11.2.

Environmental Mailing List

    An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed project. This includes all who own homes 
within distances defined in the Commission's regulations of certain 
aboveground facilities.
    If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request 
(Appendix 2). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
taken off the mailing list.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, 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.

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, click on ``General Search'' and 
enter the project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP03-75) in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at [email protected] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, 
or TTY, contact (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 rulemakings.
    In addition, the FERC 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-1020 Filed 1-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P