[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 28 (Thursday, February 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7336-7337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02756]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP14-103-000; CP14-115-000]


Elba Liquefaction Company, LLC, Southern LNG Company, LLC, Elba 
Express Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed Elba Liquefaction Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the 
natural gas facilities proposed by Elba Liquefaction Company, LLC 
(ELC), Southern LNG Company, LLC (SLNG), and Elba Express Company, LLC 
(EEC) (collectively referred to as ``Companies'') in the above-
referenced dockets. The proposed Elba Liquefaction Project and EEC 
Modification Project are collectively referred to as the Elba 
Liquefaction Project, or Project. The Companies request authorization 
to add natural gas liquefaction and exporting capabilities to SLNG's 
existing Elba Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal (LNG 
Terminal) and abandon SLNG's existing LNG truck loading facilities at 
the LNG Terminal in Chatham County, Georgia. In addition, the Companies 
propose to construct and operate new and modified compression and 
metering facilities in Hart, Jefferson, and Effingham Counties, 
Georgia, and in Jasper County, South Carolina. The Project would enable 
SLNG to export approximately 2.5 million tons per annum of LNG via the 
existing LNG Terminal in Chatham County, Georgia.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC 
staff concludes that approval of the proposed Project, with appropriate 
mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
    The U.S. Department of Energy--Office of Fossil Energy (DOE-FE), 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 
participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EA. 
Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with 
respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and 
participate in the NEPA analysis, and will adopt and use the EA to 
support their respective approvals for the Project.
    ELC and SLNG propose to construct and operate liquefaction and 
export facilities in two phases at the LNG Terminal. Phase I of the 
proposed facilities associated with the LNG Terminal includes 
installation of three liquefaction system units; installation of a 
flare system and a marine flare; modifications to the LNG Terminal; and 
ancillary facilities and support system modifications. Project 
facilities associated with Phase II include installation of seven 
additional liquefaction system units, ancillary support systems, and 
potential additions or upgrades to systems installed as part of Phase 
I.
    ECC proposes to construct and operate facilities on its existing 
pipeline system in three phases. The Phase I would include the addition 
of approximately 31,800 horsepower (hp) of compression and metering 
modifications to the existing Hartwell Compressor Station; construction 
of a new 15,900 hp compressor station in Jefferson County, Georgia; 
construction of a new 15,900 hp compressor station in Effingham County, 
Georgia; installation of new metering facilities at existing sites in 
Chatham and Effingham County, Georgia and Jasper County, South 
Carolina; and modifications to segregate the two pipelines that 
currently extend from Elba Island to Port Wentworth, Georgia.
    Phase II would include the addition of approximately 15,900 hp of 
compression at the existing Hartwell Compressor Station. Phase III 
would include the addition of approximately 15,900 hp at each of the 
Hartwell, Jefferson, and Rincon Compressor Stations.
    The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; 
potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and 
groups; newspapers and libraries in the Project area; and parties to 
this proceeding. In addition, the EA is available for public viewing on 
the FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-
8371.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. 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 the Commission has the opportunity to consider your 
comments prior to making its decision on the proposal, it is important 
that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before March 7, 
2016.
    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 numbers (CP14-103-000 and CP14-115-000) 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 on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to 
Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, 
text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can also file your comments electronically using the 
eFiling feature 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

[[Page 7337]]

Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
    Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a 
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the 
right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. The Commission 
grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns 
intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a 
clear and direct interest in this proceeding that no other party can 
adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not 
give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to 
have your comments considered.
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    \1\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.
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    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-
103 and/or CP14-115). 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.

    Dated: February 5, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-02756 Filed 2-10-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P