[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 136 (Thursday, July 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42104-42105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17461]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket Number USCG-2015-0508]


Waterway Suitability Assessment for Liquefied Natural Gas 
Facility; Nikiski, Alaska

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard, at Sector Anchorage, announces receipt of a 
Letter of Intent (LOI) and Waterway Suitability Assessment (WSA) for a 
proposed project to construct a Marine Terminal as part of a 
Liquefaction Facility in Nikiski, Alaska, to export liquefied natural 
gas (LNG). The LOI and WSA were submitted by ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC 
on behalf of the Alaska LNG Project, the participants in which are 
Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, 
ConocoPhillips Alaska LNG Company, ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC, and 
TransCanada Alaska Midstream LP. The Coast Guard is notifying the 
public of this action to solicit public comments on the proposed 
construction of the Marine Terminal.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received by the Coast 
Guard on or before October 14, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2015-0508 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail or Delivery: Docket Management Facility, Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Deliveries accepted 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal 
holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329. See the ``Public 
Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section below for further instructions on submitting 
comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these three 
methods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice 
of availability, call or email LT Eugene Chung, Sector Anchorage 
Prevention, Coast Guard; telephone 907-428-4189, email 
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or submitting 
material to the docket, call Ms. Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, 
Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages public participation. We request that 
you submit comments and related materials in response to this notice. 
All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.

1. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice, USCG-2015-0508, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and related material 
online at http://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand 
delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a 
comment online, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when 
you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or 
mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the 
Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We 
recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email 
address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we 
can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission. To 
submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the 
docket number (USCG-2015-0508) in the ``SEARCH'' box and click 
``SEARCH.'' Then click on ``Submit a Comment'' on the line associated 
with this notice.

2. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type the docket 
number (USCG-2015-0508) in the ``SEARCH'' box and click ``SEARCH.'' 
Click on Open Docket Folder on the line associated with this 
rulemaking.
    You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 
on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

3. Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

4. Public Meeting

    The Coast Guard does not plan to hold a public meeting; you may 
submit a request for one using one of the methods specified under 
ADDRESSES. Please explain why you believe a public meeting would be 
beneficial. If we determine one would aid this evaluation, we will hold 
one at a time and place announced by a later notice in the Federal 
Register.

Discussion

    Under 33 CFR 127.007, an owner or operator planning new 
construction to expand or modify marine terminal operations in an 
existing facility handling LNG or Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG), where 
the construction, expansion, or modification would result in an 
increase in the size and/or frequency of LNG or LHG marine traffic on 
the waterway associated with a

[[Page 42105]]

proposed facility or modification to an existing facility, must submit 
an LOI to the Captain of the Port of the zone in which the facility is 
or will be located. Under 33 CFR 127.009, after receiving an LOI, the 
Captain of the Port issues a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) as to the 
suitability of the waterway for LNG or LHG marine traffic to the 
appropriate jurisdictional authorities. The LOR is based on a series of 
factors outlined in 33 CFR 127.009 that relate to the physical nature 
of the affected waterway and issues of safety and security associated 
with LNG or LHG marine traffic on the affected waterway.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit public comments on the 
proposed construction of a Marine Terminal as part of a Liquefaction 
Facility at Nikiski, Alaska, for production of liquefied natural gas 
for export, as submitted by ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC on behalf of the 
Alaska LNG Project, the participants in which are Alaska Gasline 
Development Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, ConocoPhillips Alaska LNG 
Company, ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC, and TransCanada Alaska Midstream 
LP. Input from the public may be useful to the COTP with respect to 
developing the LOR. The Coast Guard requests comments to help assess 
the suitability of the associated waterway for increased LNG marine 
traffic as it relates to navigation, safety, and security.
    On January 24, 2011, the Coast Guard issued Navigation and Vessel 
Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-2011, Guidance Related to Waterfront 
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facilities. NVIC 01-2011 provides guidance 
for owners and operators seeking approval to construct and operate LNG 
facilities. The Coast Guard will refer to NVIC 01-2011 for process 
information and guidance in evaluating the project included in the LOI 
and WSA submitted by ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC. A copy of NVIC 01-2011 
is available for viewing in the public docket for this notice and on 
the Coast Guard's Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/2010s.asp.
    This notice is issued under authority of 33 U.S.C. 1223-1225, 
Department of Homeland Security Delegation Number 0170.1(70), 33 CFR 
127.007 and 127.009.

    Dated: June 25, 2015.
Paul Mehler III,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Western Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2015-17461 Filed 7-15-15; 8:45 am]
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