[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58373-58375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23231]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF12-8-000]


Trunkline LNG Company, LLC; Trunkline LNG Export, LLC; Trunkline 
Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Planned Lake Charles Liquefaction Project, Request 
for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping 
Meeting

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Lake Charles Liquefaction 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Trunkline 
LNG Company, LLC/Trunkline LNG Export, LLC, and Trunkline Gas Company, 
LLC (Trunkline) in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The Commission will use 
this EIS in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. Your input will help the Commission staff 
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS. Please note 
that the scoping period will close on October 15, 2012.
    You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further 
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public 
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to 
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the 
public scoping meeting scheduled as follows: FERC Public Scoping 
Meeting, Lake Charles Liquefaction Project, October 3, 2012, 6:00 p.m. 
local time, Holiday Inn, 330 Arena Road, Sulphur, Louisiana 70665, 
(337) 527-0858.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Summary of the Planned Project

    Trunkline plans to expand its existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) 
terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana to liquefy natural gas and 
export the LNG. The planned facility would be capable of processing 
about 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, which would be 
supplied by the existing pipeline currently used to send out regasified 
LNG from the existing LNG terminal, and be capable of exporting 
approximately 15 million metric tons of LNG per year.
    The Lake Charles Liquefaction Project would consist of the 
following facilities:
     Up to three liquefaction trains (each train contains 
metering and gas treatment facilities, liquefaction and refrigerant 
units, safety and control systems, and associated infrastructure);
     Approximately 0.27 mile of 36-inch-diameter feed gas line 
to supply natural gas to the liquefaction facility from existing gas 
transmission pipelines;
     Approximately 0.51 mile of LNG transfer and vapor lines 
between the existing LNG terminal and the planned liquefaction 
facility; and
     Modifications and upgrades at the existing LNG terminal.
    Trunkline plans to initiate construction of the planned project in 
March 2014 in order to commence operation in March 2018. The general 
location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' 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 last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The planned liquefaction facilities would be constructed on an 
approximately 240-acre undeveloped site located immediately north of 
the existing LNG terminal. Trunkline would disturb approximately 230 
acres during construction and maintain about 125 acres for permanent 
operation of the liquefaction facilities. Construction of the planned 
feed gas pipeline, LNG line, and vapor lines would be included in the 
240-acre construction site and additional property within the perimeter 
of the existing LNG terminal. Modifications to take place at the 
existing LNG terminal would occur within the existing terminal 
boundaries.

The EIS Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
\2\ 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. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the planned project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     Water resources and wetlands;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation, fisheries, and wildlife;
     Socioeconomics;
     Air quality and noise;
     Endangered and threatened species; and
     Public safety.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. 
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement 
of interested stakeholders

[[Page 58374]]

and to identify and resolve issues before the FERC receives an 
application. As part of our pre-filing review, we have begun to contact 
some federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the 
scoping process and the preparation of the EIS. In addition, 
representatives from the FERC participated in the public open house 
sponsored by Trunkline in Lake Charles, Louisiana on July 19, 2012, to 
explain the environmental review process to interested stakeholders.
    The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We 
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the 
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the 
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have 
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully 
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section beginning 
on page 5.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EIS. \3\ Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice. Currently, the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service have expressed their intention to participate as a 
cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS to satisfy their NEPA 
responsibilities related to this project.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to 
solicit its views and those of other government agencies, interested 
Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on 
historic properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of 
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project 
develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum 
encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include 
construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor 
stations, and access roads). Our EIS for this project will document our 
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status 
of consultations under section 106.
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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register for Historic 
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Trunkline. This preliminary 
list of issues may change based on your comments and our analysis. 
Issued identified include:
     Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction 
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and 
economy;
     Potential impacts on recreational fishing and aquatic 
resources in the Calcasieu Ship Channel;
     Potential impacts on wetlands on the 240-acre site;
     Potential visual effects on surrounding areas; and
     Public safety and hazards associated with the transport of 
natural gas and LNG.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. 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 
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so 
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 
October 15, 2012. This is not your only public input opportunity; 
please refer to the Environmental Review Process flowchart in appendix 
2.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
project docket number (PF12-8-000) with your submission. The Commission 
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available 
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or [email protected].
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the 
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested 
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the 
link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments 
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your 
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking 
on ``eRegister.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If 
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select 
``Comment on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426.

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes 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. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list 
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related 
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
planned project.
    Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental 
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to 
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the 
attached Information Request (appendix 3).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Trunkline files its application with the Commission, you may 
want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be

[[Page 58375]]

heard by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final 
ruling. An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing 
a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in 
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web 
site. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for 
intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission 
receives a formal application for the project.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number, 
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF12-
8). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the 
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: September 14, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-23231 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P