[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51790-51792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21126]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 15-97-LNG]


Corpus Christi Liquefaction, LLC; Application for Long-Term, 
Multi-Contract Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-
Free Trade Agreement Nations for a 20-Year Period

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on 
June 1, 2015, by Corpus Christi Liquefaction, LLC (CCL), requesting 
long-term, multi-contract authorization to export domestically produced 
liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to approximately 514 
billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas (1.41 Bcf per day). 
CCL seeks to export the LNG by vessel from its natural gas liquefaction 
project, which is currently under construction in San Patricio and 
Nueces Counties, Texas (the Corpus Christi Liquefaction Project, or CCL 
Project). CCL and/or its affiliate, Cheniere Marketing, LLC, already 
have received authorizations from the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) and DOE/FE, respectively, to construct and develop 
three liquefaction trains (Trains 1, 2, and 3) to liquefy natural gas 
at the CCL Project for export to foreign markets.\1\ In this 
Application, CCL seeks authorization from DOE/FE to export an 
additional volume of domestically produced LNG from two new 
liquefaction trains--Trains 4 and 5, which are part of a proposed 
expansion of the CCL Project (Stage 3 Project).\2\ CCL requests 
authorization to export this LNG to any country with which the United 
States does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national 
treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not 
prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA countries).\3\

[[Page 51791]]

CCL requests the authorization for a 20-year term to commence on the 
earlier of the date of first export or eight years from the date the 
requested authorization is granted. CCL seeks to export this LNG on its 
own behalf and as agent for other entities who will hold title to the 
LNG at the time of export. The Application was filed under section 3 of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in CCL's 
Application, posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/07/f24/15_97_lng_nfta.pdf. Protests, motions to 
intervene, notices of intervention, and written comments are invited.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See, e.g., App. at 2 n.5; Cheniere Marketing, LLC & Corpus 
Christi Liquefaction, LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 3638, FE Docket No. 12-
97-LNG, Final Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term, Multi-Contract 
Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas by Vessel from the 
Proposed Corpus Christi Liquefaction Project to be Located in Corpus 
Christi, Texas, to Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations (May 12, 2015); 
Cheniere Marketing, LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 3164, FE Docket No. 12-99-
LNG, Order Granting Long-Term Multi-Contract Authorization to Export 
Liquefied Natural Gas by Vessel from the Proposed Corpus Christi 
Liquefaction Project to Free Trade Agreement Nations (Oct. 16, 
2012).
    \2\ App. at 3.
    \3\ In the Application, CCL also requests authorization to 
export the same volume of LNG from the CCL Project to any nation 
that currently has, or in the future enters into, a FTA requiring 
national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is 
not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (FTA countries). DOE/FE will 
review that request separately pursuant to NGA Sec.  3(c), 15 U.S.C. 
717b(c).

DATES: Protests, motions to intervene or notices of intervention, as 
applicable, requests for additional procedures, and written comments 
are to be filed using procedures detailed in the Public Comment 
Procedures section no later than 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, October 26, 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015.

ADDRESSES: 

Electronic Filing by Email

    [email protected].

Regular Mail

    U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Oil and Gas Global 
Security and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, P.O. Box 44375, 
Washington, DC 20026-4375.

Hand Delivery or Private Delivery Services (e.g., FedEx, UPS, etc.)

    U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Oil and Gas Global 
Security and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 
3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Larine Moore or Marc Talbert, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), 
Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of Fossil 
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9478; (202) 586-7991.
    Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76), Office of 
the Assistant General Counsel for Electricity and Fossil Energy, 
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, 
(202) 586-9793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

DOE/FE Evaluation

    The Application will be reviewed pursuant to section 3(a) of the 
NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(a), and DOE will consider any issues required by 
law or policy. To the extent determined to be relevant, these issues 
will include the domestic need for the natural gas proposed to be 
exported, the adequacy of domestic natural gas supply, U.S. energy 
security, and the cumulative impact of the requested authorization and 
any other LNG export application(s) previously approved on domestic 
natural gas supply and demand fundamentals. DOE may also consider other 
factors bearing on the public interest, including the impact of the 
proposed exports on the U.S. economy (including GDP, consumers, and 
industry), job creation, the U.S. balance of trade, and international 
considerations; and whether the authorization is consistent with DOE's 
policy of promoting competition in the marketplace by allowing 
commercial parties to freely negotiate their own trade arrangements. 
Additionally, DOE will consider the following environmental documents:
     Addendum to Environmental Review Documents Concerning 
Exports of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 
2014); \4\ and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: http://energy.gov/fe/draft-addendum-environmental-review-documents-concerning-exports-natural-gas-united-states.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting 
Liquefied Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 
2014).\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ The Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Report is available at: http://energy.gov/fe/life-cycle-greenhouse-gas-perspective-exporting-liquefied-natural-gas-united-states.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Parties that may oppose this Application should address these 
issues in their comments and/or protests, as well as other issues 
deemed relevant to the Application.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq., requires DOE to give appropriate consideration to the 
environmental effects of its proposed decisions. No final decision will 
be issued in this proceeding until DOE has met its environmental 
responsibilities.

Public Comment Procedures

    In response to this Notice, any person may file a protest, 
comments, or a motion to intervene or notice of intervention, as 
applicable. Due to the complexity of the issues raised by the 
Applicant, interested persons will be provided 60 days from the date of 
publication of this Notice in which to submit comments, protests, 
motions to intervene, or notices of intervention.
    Any person wishing to become a party to the proceeding must file a 
motion to intervene or notice of intervention. The filing of comments 
or a protest with respect to the Application will not serve to make the 
commenter or protestant a party to the proceeding, although protests 
and comments received from persons who are not parties will be 
considered in determining the appropriate action to be taken on the 
Application. All protests, comments, motions to intervene, or notices 
of intervention must meet the requirements specified by the regulations 
in 10 CFR part 590.
    Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods: (1) 
Emailing the filing to [email protected], with FE Docket No. 15-97-LNG 
in the title line; (2) mailing an original and three paper copies of 
the filing to the Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply at 
the address listed in ADDRESSES; or (3) hand delivering an original and 
three paper copies of the filing to the Office of Oil and Gas Global 
Supply at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All filings must include a 
reference to FE Docket No. 15-97-LNG. Please Note: If submitting a 
filing via email, please include all related documents and attachments 
(e.g., exhibits) in the original email correspondence. Please do not 
include any active hyperlinks or password protection in any of the 
documents or attachments related to the filing. All electronic filings 
submitted to DOE must follow these guidelines to ensure that all 
documents are filed in a timely manner. Any hardcopy filing submitted 
greater in length than 50 pages must also include, at the time of the 
filing, a digital copy on disk of the entire submission.
    A decisional record on the Application will be developed through 
responses to this notice by parties, including the parties' written 
comments and replies thereto. Additional procedures will be used as 
necessary to achieve a complete understanding of the facts and issues. 
If an additional procedure is scheduled, notice will be provided to all 
parties. If no party requests additional procedures, a final Opinion 
and Order may be issued based on the official record, including the 
Application and responses filed by parties pursuant to this notice, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 590.316.
    The Application is available for inspection and copying in the 
Division of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities docket room, Room 3E-042, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. The docket

[[Page 51792]]

room is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Application and any filed 
protests, motions to intervene or notice of interventions, and comments 
will also be available electronically by going to the following DOE/FE 
Web address: http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/gasregulation/index.html.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 20, 2015.
John A. Anderson,
Director, Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of 
Oil and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2015-21126 Filed 8-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P