[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21990-21991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08916]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 8700]


Application by Plains Pipeline, L.P. for Issuance of a 
Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain Existing Pipeline 
Facilities on the Border of the United States and Canada

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period Regarding an Application by Plains 
Pipeline, L.P. for Issuance of a Presidential Permit to Operate and 
Maintain Existing Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United 
States and Canada.

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SUMMARY: Due to technical difficulties with the submission of public 
comments through regulations.gov pertaining to Public Notice 8640, 
published on February 20, 2014 (79 FR 9786), the Department of State is 
extending the period for public comment that began on February 20 with 
regard to whether issuing a Presidential Permit to Plains Pipeline to 
operate and maintain a portion of the Poplar Pipeline (formerly the 
Wascana Pipeline) in Sheridan County, Montana would serve the national 
interest.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments not later than 
30 days from the date of this publication with regard to whether 
issuing a new Presidential Permit to Plains Pipeline would serve the 
national interest.

ADDRESSES: To submit comments, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
(http://www.regulations.gov), enter the Docket No. DOS-2014-0009 and 
follow the prompts.
    Comments are not private. They will be posted on the site http://www.regulations.gov. The comments will not be edited to remove 
identifying or contact information, and the State Department cautions 
against including any information that one does not want publicly 
disclosed. The State Department requests that any party soliciting or 
aggregating comments received from other persons for submission to the 
State Department inform those persons that the State Department will 
not edit their comments to remove identifying or contact information, 
and that they should not include any information in their comments that 
they do not want publicly disclosed.

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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As indicated in Public Notice 8640, on 
December 20, 2013, the Department of State (DOS) received from Plains 
Pipeline, L.P. (``Plains Pipeline'') notice that it has acquired the 
rights to operate and maintain a portion of the Poplar Pipeline in 
Sheridan County, Montana that is currently permitted under a 2007 
Presidential Permit issued in the name of two Plains Pipeline 
affiliates: PMC (Nova Scotia) Company and Plains Marketing Canada L.P., 
collectively (``PMC''). Plains Pipeline requests that a Presidential 
Permit be issued in its name with respect to the pipeline facilities.
    Plains Pipeline is a subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, 
L.P. (Plains), a publically traded master limited partnership with 
headquarters in Houston, Texas. Plains is engaged in the 
transportation, storage, and marketing of crude oil, refined products, 
and natural gas-related petroleum products.
    The current Permit, issued in 2007 to PMC (Nova Scotia) Company and 
Plains Marketing Canada L.P., covers the 56.8-mile long Poplar 
Pipeline, previously

[[Page 21991]]

called the Wascana Pipeline, which extends from the Murphy Oil terminal 
northeast of Poplar, Montana, to the international border near Raymond, 
Montana, and which was constructed pursuant to authorization in a 1972 
Permit issued to Wascana Pipeline Corp. Plains Pipeline has acquired an 
approximately 6.4-mile segment of the Poplar Pipeline extending from 
Raymond Station to the international border, repaired and replaced 
portions of the pipeline in that area, and installed two block valves. 
Plains Pipeline has submitted an application for a new Presidential 
Permit in its name and requests that the new Permit cover approximately 
85 feet of pipeline facilities extending from a new block valve to the 
international border. Plains Pipeline has reported that it has 
separately constructed the Bakken North pipeline that extends from 
Trenton, North Dakota to Raymond Station, and that it intends to 
interconnect the Bakken North with the Poplar Pipeline in order to use 
the Poplar Pipeline border crossing to transport the Bakken North crude 
into Canada.
    Plains Pipeline has stated that, upon returning the upgraded 
pipeline facilities to service under the 2007 Presidential Permit, 
Plains Pipeline will continue to operate the acquired facilities for 
the same purpose of transporting crude oil between the United States 
and Canada. It has further stated that the acquired pipeline facilities 
and the operation and maintenance thereof authorized by the 2007 Permit 
will remain substantially the same as before the transfer of the 
facilities to Plains Pipeline. Plains Pipeline is not seeking 
authorization for new construction or a change in operations.
    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 fuels (except natural 
gas) 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 in light of Plains' acquisition 
and continued operation of the pipeline facilities would serve the U.S. 
national interest.
    Plains Pipeline's application is available at http://www.state.gov/e/enr/applicant.

    Date: April 11, 2014.
Michael Brennan,
Energy Officer, Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa, Bureau 
of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2014-08916 Filed 4-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P