[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 159 (Monday, August 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48740-48742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19464]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[ Docket Nos. CP14-511-000; CP14-347-000]


Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Lake Charles 
Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will discuss the potential environmental effects of the 
Lake Charles Expansion Project (Project), involving construction and 
operation of natural gas facilities by Kinder Morgan Louisiana 
Pipeline, LLC (KMLP), in the Commission's environmental impact 
statement (EIS) currently under preparation for the Magnolia Liquefied 
Natural Gas Project (Magnolia LNG Project) in Docket No. CP14-347-000 
for Magnolia LNG, LLC (Magnolia). Under the proposed Lake Charles 
Expansion Project, KMLP would construct and operate approximately 40 
feet of 36-inch-diameter pipeline off of KMLP's existing 42-inch-
diameter mainline and a meter station to deliver approximately 1,400 
thousand cubic feet per day (Mcf/d) of natural gas to the Magnolia 
Terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. KMLP would also construct and 
operate one compressor station, approximately 6,400 feet of 36-inch-
diameter and 700 feet of 24-inch-diameter header pipelines, and modify 
five existing meter stations to be bi-directional in Acadia and 
Evangeline Parishes, Louisiana. The additions and changes proposed in 
the Lake Charles Expansion Project would move gas south to the proposed 
Magnolia Terminal, resulting in the creation of a new firm north-to-
south service path on the existing 42-inch-diameter KMLP mainline.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on KMLP's project. Commission staff previously held a scoping 
period for the Magnolia LNG Project from June 18, 2013 through July 19, 
2013. Magnolia filed an application for its Project on April 30, 2014. 
Because the Magnolia LNG Project is operationally dependent on the Lake 
Charles Expansion Project to provide the intended service, and the two 
projects have similar projected construction and in-service dates, the 
Commission staff will evaluate the two projects jointly in the EIS. 
This EIS will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process 
to determine whether the Magnolia LNG and Lake Charles Expansion 
Projects are in the public convenience and necessity.
    Comments on the Lake Charles Expansion Project may be submitted to 
the FERC either electronically or by mail. Further details on how to 
submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of 
this notice. Please note that the scoping period for the Lake Charles 
Expansion Project will close on September 10, 2014.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for both the Magnolia LNG and Lake Charles Expansion 
Projects. State and local government representatives are asked to 
notify their constituents of the Lake Charles Expansion Project and 
encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. This scoping 
period is established to receive comments on the Lake Charles Expansion 
Project; comments previously filed with the FERC regarding the Magnolia 
LNG Project should not be refiled under the Lake Charles Expansion 
Project docket.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if 
the Commission approves the Project, 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 where compensation would be determined 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.

[[Page 48741]]

Summary of the Lake Charles Expansion Project

    KMLP plans to modify, construct, and operate facilities along its 
existing KMLP mainline in Louisiana to receive, as well as continue to 
deliver, natural gas to existing meter stations, as well as provide 
about 1,400 Mcf/d of natural gas transportation service to a new meter 
station at the Magnolia LNG Terminal site.
    The Lake Charles Expansion Project consists of the following 
components:
     Construction of a new meter station and approximately 40 
feet of new 36-inch-diameter pipeline off of KMLP's existing 42-inch 
mainline in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana;
     construction of one new compressor station consisting of 
four 16,000 horsepower gas fired turbines, a 42-inch pig launcher and 
receiver\1\, main line valve, auxiliary and control buildings, and 
appurtenant facilities in Acadia Parish, Louisiana;
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    \1\ A pig is a tool that can be used to clean and dry a pipeline 
and/or to inspect it for damage or corrosion.
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     construction of approximately 6,400 feet of new 36-inch-
diameter and 700 feet of 24-inch-diameter header \2\ pipelines adjacent 
to the existing KMLP right-of-way in Acadia Parish, Louisiana;
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    \2\ A pipe that serves as a central connection for two or more 
smaller pipes.
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     modifications at five existing compressor stations in 
Evangeline and Acadia Parishes, Louisiana to allow bi-directional flow.
    The general location of the planned project facilities is shown in 
Appendix 1.\3\
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of 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

    Construction of the Lake Charles Expansion Project facilities would 
disturb a total of 55.7 acres of land. Because the proposed pipeline 
routes cross agricultural lands, KMLP has proposed using a 125-foot-
wide construction right-of-way to allow for topsoil segregation. 
Following construction, KMLP would retain a 50-foot-wide permanent 
easement, resulting in 21.6 acres being maintained for operation of the 
Project facilities. The remaining acreage would be restored and revert 
to former uses.

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 
\4\ 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 important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of issues to address in the EIS. We will consider 
all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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    \4\ ``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 proposed Projects under these 
general headings:
     Geology;
     soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     fisheries and aquatic resources;
     threatened, endangered, and other special-status species;
     land use, recreation, special interest areas, and visual 
resources;
     socioeconomics;
     cultural resources;
     air quality;
     noise;
     reliability and safety; and
     cumulative environmental impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the Lake Charles 
Expansion Project or portions of the project, and make recommendations 
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    The FERC staff is in the process of preparing an EIS for the 
Magnolia LNG Project. As mentioned previously, the facilities proposed 
by KMLP and presented in this Notice will be evaluated in that EIS. 
Three other agencies are participating as cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the EIS: the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of 
Energy, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. With this notice, we are 
asking other agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise 
with respect to environmental issues related to the Lake Charles 
Expansion Project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of 
the EIS.\5\ 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.
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    \5\ 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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    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 below.

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 applicable State Historic Preservation Offices 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.\6\ 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 the 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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    \6\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Historic 
properties are defined in those regulations as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified issues that we think deserve attention 
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the 
environmental information provided by KMLP. This preliminary list of 
issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:
     Impacts on agricultural areas, including impacts on soils;
     impacts on residential areas;
     impacts on wetlands;
     impacts on air quality due to construction and operation;
     impacts related to noise during construction and 
operation;

[[Page 48742]]

     visual and other impacts from construction of aboveground 
facilities, and;
     cumulative impacts.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Lake Charles Expansion 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 September 10, 2014.
    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 (CP14-511-000) 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 by 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 
proposed 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 a CD version or would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the 
attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EIS scoping process, 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.

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., CP14-
511). 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/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-19464 Filed 8-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P