[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18970-18972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07079]


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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; Supplemental Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Lake Charles 
Liquefaction Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

    As previously noticed on September 14, 2012, and supplemented 
herein, 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 (collectively referred to as Trunkline) in Louisiana and 
Mississippi. The Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making 
process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience 
and necessity.
    This Supplemental Notice of Intent (NOI) announces the opening of a 
second scoping period the Commission will use to gather input from the 
public and interested agencies on additional pipeline, compression, and 
metering facilities planned by Trunkline, which will be included in the 
EIS. Your input will help determine what issues need to be evaluated in 
the EIS. Please note that the scoping period will close on April 22, 
2013.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project, including the newly affected landowners 
along the pipeline routes or near the aboveground facilities. State and 
local government representatives should notify their constituents of 
this planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of 
concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. 
However, if the project is approved by the Commission, that approval 
conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement 
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could 
initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with state law.
    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

    As previously noticed, 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 approximately 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of 
natural gas, and exporting approximately 15 million metric tons of LNG 
per year. In addition, in January 2013, Trunkline expanded its project 
to include plans to construct and modify certain pipeline facilities to 
supply natural gas to the liquefaction facility.
    The Lake Charles Liquefaction Project would consist of the 
following:
     LNG facilities in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, include:
    [cir] a new liquefaction facility including three liquefaction 
trains (each train contains metering and gas treatment facilities, 
liquefaction and refrigerant units, safety and control systems, and 
associated infrastructure);
    [cir] modifications and upgrades at the existing LNG terminal; and
    [cir] about 0.5 mile of 48-inch-diameter feed gas line in Calcasieu 
Parish, Louisiana to supply natural gas to the liquefaction facility 
from existing gas transmission pipelines.
     Pipeline facilities now included as part of the project, 
include:
    [cir] an 11.6-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter greenfield natural gas 
pipeline (Mainline Connector) in Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu 
Parishes, Louisiana;
    [cir] a 6.5-mile-long, 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline loop 
\1\ (Mainline 200-3 Loop Line) in Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu 
Parishes, Louisiana; and
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    \1\ A pipeline ``loop'' is a segment of pipeline that is 
installed adjacent to or in the vicinity of an existing pipeline and 
connected to the existing pipeline at both ends. A loop increases 
the volume of gas that can be transported through that portion of 
the system.
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    [cir] ancillary facilities associated with the pipeline.
     Compression and metering facilities now included as part 
of the project, include:
    [cir] a new 59,840-horsepower (hp) compressor station (Compressor 
Station 203-A) in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana;
    [cir] modifications to the existing Longville Compressor Station in 
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, involving retirement of an existing 
3,000-hp unit and installation of a new 15,000-hp unit, as well as 
piping modifications to make the station bi-directional;
    [cir] piping modifications at the existing Pollock, Epps, and Shaw 
Compressor Stations in Grant and West Carroll Parishes, Louisiana and 
Bolivar County, Mississippi, respectively, to make the stations bi-
directional;
    [cir] four new meter stations in Calcasieu, Acadia, and Richland 
(2) Parishes, Louisiana; and
    [cir] modifications to six existing meter stations in Calcasieu, 
Jefferson Davis (2), Cameron, and Beauregard (2) Parishes, Louisiana to 
make the stations bi-directional.
    Trunkline plans to initiate construction of the planned 
liquefaction facilities in August 2014, and construction of the 
pipelines, compressor stations, and metering facilities are planned to 
take place in the second and third quarters of 2017. Trunkline plans to 
commence operation of the planned facilities in August 2018. The 
general location of the project facilities is shown in appendices 1 and 
2.\2\
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    \2\ 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 a 268-
acre site that is largely undeveloped and located immediately north of 
and adjacent to the existing LNG terminal. The majority of the site 
would be required for both construction and operation of the facility. 
An additional 200-acre area, at a location yet to be determined, would 
be required during construction of the liquefaction facilities for 
materials storage and contractor facilities. Modifications to take 
place at the

[[Page 18971]]

existing LNG terminal would occur within the existing terminal 
boundaries.
    Construction of the 0.5-mile-long gas feed line would occur within 
the LNG facility sites. Construction of the Mainline Connector and 
Mainline 200-3 Loop Line would disturb about 223 acres of land. 
Following construction, about 106 acres would be maintained for 
permanent operation of the pipelines. Approximately 60.0 acres of land 
would be disturbed to construct the new Compressor Station 203-A, 
including about 10 acres to be used temporarily during construction and 
about 50 acres to be retained for permanent operation of the facility. 
Modifications to be made at the existing compressor stations would take 
place within the existing facility sites. Construction and operation of 
the four new meter stations would affect about 4.0 acres of land (1.0 
acre for each meter station). The modifications at the six existing 
meter stations would disturb a total of about 9.0 acres during 
construction. Following construction, operation of the modified meter 
stations would not require additional permanent easements. The existing 
meter station modification in Cameron Parish would, however, require an 
additional 1.1-acre permanent impact for operation.

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 
\3\ 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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    \3\ ``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 and to identify and resolve issues before 
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we 
have begun to contact 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 
houses sponsored by Trunkline in Lake Charles, Louisiana on July 19, 
2012; Iowa, Louisiana on February 4, 2013; and Jennings, Louisiana on 
February 5, 2013, to explain the environmental review process to 
interested stakeholders. On October 3, 2012, the FERC held a public 
scoping meeting in Sulphur, Louisiana, to solicit comments regarding 
the planned liquefaction facility.
    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 6.
    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.\4\ 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, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. 
Department of Transportation 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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    \4\ 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 and the 
Mississippi Department of Archives and History (SHPOs), and to solicit 
their views and those of other government agencies, interested Indian 
tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on historic 
properties.\5\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential 
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs 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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    \5\ 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 effects 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 wetland and waterbody resources at 
facility locations;
     potential impacts on residences in the vicinity of the 
pipelines;
     potential impacts on agricultural lands crossed by the 
pipelines;
     potential visual effects on surrounding areas;
     potential noise impacts in the vicinity of the new 
compressor station; and

[[Page 18972]]

     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 April 
22, 2013. This is not your only public input opportunity; please refer 
to the Environmental Review Process flowchart in appendix 3.
    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 4).

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 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: March 21, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-07079 Filed 3-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P