[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36903-36904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13550]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 16-28-LNG]


Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Application for Long-Term, 
Multi-Contract Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-
Free Trade Agreement Nations

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on 
March 1, 2016, by Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC (Plaquemines 
LNG), requesting long-term, multi-contract authorization to export 
domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG), up to the equivalent 
of 1,240 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/y) of natural gas. 
Plaquemines LNG requested authority to export this LNG to any country 
which has, or in future develops, the capacity to import LNG via ocean-
going carriers, 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).\1\ Plaquemines LNG seeks authorization to export this LNG 
for a 25-year term commencing on the earlier of the date of first 
export or seven years from the date the authorization is issued. 
Plaquemines LNG proposes to conduct its export operations from the 
Plaquemines LNG Project, a planned natural gas liquefaction and LNG 
export terminal to be located on the west bank of the Mississippi 
River, near river mile marker 55, in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. 
Plaquemines LNG seeks to export this LNG on its own behalf and as agent 
for other entities who 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 Plaquemines LNG's Application, 
posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://www.energy.gov/fe/venture-global-plaquemines-lng-llc-plaquemines-lng-fe-dkt-no-16-28-lng-ftanfta.
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    \1\ In the Application, Plaquemines LNG also requests 
authorization to export LNG to any nation that currently has, or in 
the future may enter 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 for a 
FTA export authorization separately pursuant to NGA Sec.  3(c), 15 
U.S.C. 717b(c). The proposed export volumes for FTA and non-FTA 
destination countries are not additive.
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    Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and 
written comments are invited.

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, August 8, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronic Filing by email:[email protected].
    Regular Mail: U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of 
Regulation and International Engagement, 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 Regulation and 
International Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, Forrestal Building, 
Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Kyle W. Moorman or Larine Moore, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34) 
Office of Regulation and International Engagement, Office of Fossil 
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-7970; (202) 586-9578.
    Edward Myers, 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) 
586-3397.

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. As 
part of this analysis, DOE will consider the following two studies 
examining the cumulative impacts of exporting domestically produced 
LNG:
     Effect of Increased Levels of Liquefied Natural Gas 
Exports on U.S. Energy Markets, conducted by the U.S. Energy 
Information Administration upon DOE's request (2014 EIA LNG Export 
Study); \2\ and
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    \2\ The 2014 EIA LNG Export Study, published on Oct. 29, 2014, 
is available at: https://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/fe/.
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     The Macroeconomic Impact of Increasing U.S. LNG Exports, 
conducted jointly by the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University's 
Baker Institute for Public Policy and Oxford Economics, on behalf of 
DOE (2015 LNG Export Study).\3\
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    \3\ The 2015 LNG Export Study, dated Oct. 29, 2015, is available 
at: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/12/f27/20151113_macro_impact_of_lng_exports_0.pdf.
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    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
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    \4\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: http://energy.gov/fe/draft-addendum-environmental-review-documents-concerning-exports-natural-gas-united-states.
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     Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting 
Liquefied

[[Page 36904]]

Natural Gas from the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 2014).\5\
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    \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.
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    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 parties will be provided 60 days from the date of 
publication of this Notice in which to submit their 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. 16-28-LNG 
in the title line; (2) mailing an original and three paper copies of 
the filing to the Office of Regulation and International Engagement at 
the address listed in ADDRESSES; or (3) hand delivering an original and 
three paper copies of the filing to the Office of Regulation and 
International Engagement at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All 
filings must include a reference to FE Docket No. 16-28-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 
Office of Regulation and International Engagement docket room, Room 3E-
042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. The docket 
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 June 1, 2016.
John A. Anderson,
Director, Office of Regulation and International Engagement, Office of 
Oil and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2016-13550 Filed 6-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P