[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17426-17428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07449]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF15-7-000]
Eagle LNG Partners Jacksonville LLC; Supplemental Notice of
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned
Jacksonville Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
On February 24, 2015, the Commission issued a ``Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Jacksonville
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting'' (NOI). It has come to our attention that the
environmental mailing list was not provided copies of the NOI;
therefore, we are issuing this Supplemental NOI to extend the scoping
period and provide additional time for interested parties to file
comments on environmental issues.
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 Jacksonville Project
(Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by Eagle
LNG Partners Jacksonville LLC (Eagle LNG) in Duval County, Florida. The
Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making process to
determine whether the project is in the public convenience and
necessity.
The Commission and its cooperating agencies continue to gather
input from the public and interested agencies on the project. This
process is referred to as scoping. Your input will help the Commission
staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS. The
initial NOI identified March 26, 2015 as the close of the scoping
period. Please note that the scoping period is now extended and will
close on April 24, 2015.
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
Eagle LNG proposes to construct, own and operate the Jacksonville
LNG facility located within the City of Jacksonville, Florida, on
industrially zoned land adjacent to the St. Johns River.
The facility would receive domestically produced natural gas,
transported through existing and expanded local utility pipelines, and
utilize super-cooling to create liquefied natural gas (LNG) for
temporary onsite storage. The Project would include three liquefaction
trains, one (possibly two) LNG storage tanks, and a marine load-out
facility and dock on the St. Johns River that could accommodate small
to mid-size LNG vessels and bunkering barges. LNG would be periodically
loaded for transport onto trucks, containers, or ocean-going vessels,
and marketed for use in U.S. vehicular and high-horsepower engines,
domestic ship fueling (marine bunkering), and international export.
As currently planned, the Jacksonville Project would consist of the
following facilities:
Three liquefaction trains, each with a capacity of 0.18
million tons per annum;
inlet natural gas boost compression;
interconnect piping (including potential non-
jurisdictional expansion of existing public utility lines);
one 30,283 cubic meter single containment LNG storage
tank;
an LNG vessel docking and loading terminal;
an LNG truck loading area;
flare stack; and
power, water, and communications facilities (including
off-site non-jurisdictional facilities leading to the Project site).
The general location of the Project site 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 Jacksonville Project would encompass a 193 acre site
along the St. Johns River that is currently zoned for industrial
development by the City of Jacksonville, and located in an area that
hosts other bulk fuel terminals. The Project site includes a submerged
land lease covering lands extending approximately 600 feet from the
shoreline into the St. Johns River. Based on the Project's initial
design, the facility construction footprint would occupy approximately
40 of the 193 acres; laydown area requirements during construction are
included within the 40 acres. Eagle LNG is still in the planning phase
for the Jacksonville Project and the required property title
assignments have not been finalized.
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 authorization of LNG
facilities under section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act. 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;
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socioeconomics;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species;
public safety and reliability; and
cumulative impacts.
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 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 Eagle LNG in Jacksonville, Florida in January 2015
to explain the environmental review process and answer questions 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 of this notice.
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. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have
expressed their intention to participate as cooperating agencies in the
preparation of the EIS.
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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 Florida State Division of Historical Resources (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 area, contractor
storage yards, 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 Eagle LNG. This preliminary
list of issues may change based on your comments and our continued
analysis. Issued identified include:
Potential impacts on recreational fishing and aquatic
resources in the vicinity of Bartram Island and along the St Johns
River Shipping Channel;
potential water quality impact from dredging and disposal;
visual effects on surrounding areas;
public safety and hazards associated with the transport of
natural gas and LNG; and
potential impacts and potential benefits of construction
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and
economy.
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
24, 2015. 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 (PF15-7-000) 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
(http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp) feature located on the
Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and
Filings (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp). 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
(http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp) 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.'' (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp). 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
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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 Eagle LNG 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 ``Document-less Intervention Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on
the Commission's Web site. Motions to intervene are more fully
described at http://www.ferc.gov/help/how-to/intervene.asp. 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., PF15-
7). 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 http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
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 25, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-07449 Filed 3-31-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P