[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 144-145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31557]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8138]


Application for a Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain 
Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United States and Canada; 
Enbridge Energy, LP

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of Receipt of Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership 
Application for a Presidential Permit to Operate and Maintain Pipeline 
Facilities on the Border of the United States and Canada.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of State (DOS) has 
received from Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (``Enbridge''), a 
Presidential Permit application to amend the August 3, 2009 
Presidential Permit issued to Enbridge by the DOS authorizing the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of the Line 67 (``Line 67'') 
Pipeline across the U.S.-Canada border. Enbridge requests an amendment 
to its permit in order to operate the Line 67 up to its full design 
capacity of 880,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil with an average 
annual capacity of 800,000 bpd of heavy crude.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Energy Diplomacy, Energy 
Resources Bureau (ENR/EDP/EWA) Department of State, 2201 C St. NW Ste 
4843, Washington, DC 20520 Attn: Michael Brennan, Tel: 202-647-7553.

[[Page 145]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Enbridge is a limited partnership duly 
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Enbridge owns and 
operates the ``Lakehead System'', the U.S. portion of an operationally 
integrated pipeline system which connects producers and shippers of 
crude oil and natural gas liquids in western Canada with markets in the 
United States and eastern Canada. Enbridge is a wholly owned subsidiary 
of Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (``Enbridge Partners''), which is a 
Delaware master limited partnership headquartered at 1100 Louisiana, 
Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002 (ph. 713-821-2000; 
www.enbridgepartners.com). Enbridge Partners provides pipeline 
transportation of petroleum and natural gas in the mid-continent and 
Gulf Coast regions of the United States, in addition to gathering, 
processing, and other related operations.
    The 2009 Presidential Permit that authorized the construction, 
operation and maintenance of Line 67 from the U.S.-Canada border near 
Neche, North Dakota to the first mainline shut-off valve in the United 
States, was issued following the DOS's issuance of a Final 
Environmental Impact Study (``FEIS'') on June 5, 2009. Line 67 is a 36-
inch pipeline that transports crude oil from Enbridge's facilities in 
Hardisty, Alberta to an Enbridge terminal in Superior, Wisconsin 
(``Superior Terminal''). In the United States, Line 67 extends 326.9 
miles from the U.S.-Canada border through North Dakota, Minnesota and 
Wisconsin to the Superior Terminal. From there, the crude oil is 
transported primarily to Midwestern markets and mid-central and Gulf 
Coast markets, as well as points in the eastern United States and 
Canada. The U.S. portion of Line 67 facilities also consist of a total 
of 32 mainline valves with current pumping units located in Minnesota 
at stations in Clearbrook, Viking, and Deer River.
    While the Line 67 expansion would not require any modifications to 
the facilities at the border, Enbridge intends to increase the capacity 
of Line 67 in at least two stages. The capacity will initially be 
increased up to 570,000 bpd by adding horsepower to existing pumping 
units inside of the current footprint of Enbridge's pump stations in 
Minnesota. Enbridge further seeks authority to increase the capacity 
from 570,000 bpd to an average annual capacity of 800,000 bpd at a 
point in the future by constructing additional pumping units at 
Enbridge's pump stations in Minnesota.
    Under E.O. 13337 the Secretary of State is designated and empowered 
to receive all applications for Presidential Permits for the 
construction, connection, operation, or maintenance at the borders of 
the United States, of facilities for the exportation or importation of 
liquid petroleum, petroleum products, or other non-gaseous fuels to or 
from a foreign country. The Department of State is circulating this 
application to concerned federal agencies for comment. The Department 
of State has the responsibility to determine whether issuance of a new 
Presidential Permit to Enbridge in order to expand Line 67 would be in 
the U.S. national interest.
    The Department of State intends to issue additional Federal 
Register notices inviting public comment on whether issuance of the 
requested amended Presidential Permit would be in the national 
interest, and addressing plans for reviewing the application consistent 
with the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic 
Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other relevant law, 
by preparing a supplemental environmental impact statement to the final 
EIS for the Alberta Clipper permit application, issued on June 5, 2009. 
A separate Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement will follow this notice in due course. The application 
is available at http://www.state.gov/e/enr.

    Dated: December 21, 2012.
Douglas R. Kramer,
Acting Director, Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa, 
Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012-31557 Filed 12-31-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P