[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 166 (Friday, August 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53525-53526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21939]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7569]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Keystone XL 
Project; Public Meetings

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of Public Meetings following the final Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Proposed Keystone XL Project.

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SUMMARY: Following the release of the final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, Executive Order 13337 
calls on the Secretary of State, or her designee, to determine if 
issuance of a Presidential Permit to the applicant would serve the 
national interest. This decision on the application will take into 
account a wide range of factors, including environmental, economic, 
energy security, foreign policy, and pipeline safety concerns. No 
decision will be made until the completion of this thorough review 
process. The Department expects to make a decision on whether to grant 
or deny the Permit before the end of the year.
    If built, the Keystone XL pipeline would carry crude oil from 
Canada and from U.S. oil fields in North Dakota and Montana to 
refineries primarily on the Gulf Coast of the United States. As part of 
the review and analysis of the national interest, the U.S. Department 
of State will hold a series of public meetings, and provide other 
opportunities for the public to comment on the project. Along with 
other factors listed above, these comments will be considered in the 
final decision. Meetings will be held at the following dates, locations 
and times (all meeting times are local time):

Monday, September 26, 2011

Bob Bowers Civic Center, 3401 Cultural Center Drive, Port Arthur, Texas 
77642, 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
Kansas Expo Center, 1 Expocenter Drive, Topeka, Kansas 66612, 12 p.m.-
3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Dawson Community College, Toepke Center Auditorium, 300 Community 
Drive, Glendive, Montana 59330, 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
Pershing Center, 226 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508, 12 
p.m.-3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

University of Texas, Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium, 2313 Red River 
Street, Austin, Texas 78705, 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Best Western Ramkota, 920 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota 
57501, 12 p.m. -3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
West Holt High School, 100 N. Main Street, Atkinson, Nebraska 68713, 
4:30 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Reed Center Exhibition Hall, 5800 Will Rogers Road, Midwest City, 
Oklahoma 73110, 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m., 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Washington, District of Columbia, To Be Announced via Web site and 
public notice.

Procedures for Public Meetings

    Speakers: All members of the public are welcome to attend the 
meetings and state their comments for the administrative record. 
Persons who want to speak at the meeting will need to sign up in person 
at the entrance of the meeting venue and be given a number. The order 
of speakers will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis, 
according to the sign-up sheet. Those wishing to speak must be present 
when their name or number is called or they will forfeit their time.
    Comments: Remarks made at the meetings will be recorded, 
transcribed, and entered into the administrative record for the State 
Department's consideration of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Each 
speaker will be allowed 3-5 minutes to make remarks, depending on the 
number of people who sign up to speak. Speakers will be asked to state 
their name and any organization with which they are affiliated.
    Depending on attendance, it may not be possible for all those who 
sign up to have the opportunity to speak. The State Department 
encourages individuals who do not have the opportunity to speak or who 
are unable to complete their comments in the allotted time to submit 
comments on the national interest determination in written form. A 
State Department official will be available to accept written comments, 
and a summary of all comments will be incorporated in the record of 
decision for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The Department will 
also accept written comments on the national interest determination 
beginning on the date the final Environmental Impact Statement is 
issued. In order to ensure that comments are processed and considered 
before the decision is made on the permit application, all comments 
must be submitted by midnight on October 9, 2011.
    Purpose: These meetings are an opportunity for the public to 
express views on all aspects of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. 
Participants are encouraged to recount information illustrating their 
view about whether the issuance of a Presidential Permit for the 
Keystone XL pipeline project is in the U.S. national interest.
    Presiding Officer: The meetings will be chaired by a senior 
official from the U.S. Department of State. At the beginning of the 
meeting, the presiding officer will explain the status of the 
application for the permit and the Department's process for making a 
decision on the Permit, but will not answer questions. The presiding 
officer or an assistant will announce the name of each speaker from the 
sign-up list.
    Protocol: We ask attendees to respect the meeting procedures in 
order to ensure a constructive information gathering session. No signs 
or banners will be allowed inside the meeting venue. The presiding 
officer will use his/her discretion to conduct the meeting in an 
orderly manner.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A comprehensive description of the 
proposed Project and up-to-date information regarding the public 
meetings are available at http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov. The 
final Environmental Impact Statement, including a summary of public 
comments received during two prior public comment periods, will also be 
available online.
    Comments can be submitted by the following methods: online at 
http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov; e-

[[Page 53526]]

mail at [email protected]; fax at 206-269-0098; or mailed to 
the following address:

Alexander Yuan, Keystone XL EIS Project, P.O. Box 96503-98500, 
Washington, DC 20090-6503.

    As noted above, in order for comments to be considered they must be 
submitted by midnight on October 9, 2011.
    Media Contacts: Please contact Wendy Nassmacher at 202-647-6664 or 
via e-mail at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 26, 2010.
    Dated: August 23, 2011.
John E. Thompson,
Acting Director, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs/Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2011-21939 Filed 8-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P