[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 121 (Thursday, June 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40891-40892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14910]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2016-0374]


Waterway Suitability Assessment for Construction and Operation of 
Liquefied Gas Terminals; Sabine-Neches Waterway, Vidor, TX

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Jefferson Railport Terminal 1 (Texas) LLC, has submitted a 
Letter of Intent and Preliminary Waterway Suitability Assessment to the 
Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP), Port Arthur, TX regarding the 
company's plans to construct, own and operate a waterfront facility 
handling and storing Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG) at its Vidor, TX 
facility located on the Sabine-Neches Waterway. The Coast Guard is 
notifying the public of this action to solicit public comments on the 
proposed increase in LHG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches Waterway.

DATES: Comments must be submitted to the online docket via http://www.regulations.gov, or reach the Docket Management Facility, on or 
before July 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0374 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
notice, call or email Chief Petty Officer Jamie L. Merriman, U.S. Coast 
Guard; telephone 409-719-5033, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments or related material in response 
to this notice. We will consider all submissions and may adjust our 
final action based on your comments. If you submit a comment, please 
include the docket number for this notice, indicate the specific 
section of this document to which each comment applies, and provide a 
reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions. Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public 
comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and 
can be viewed by following that Web site's instructions. Additionally, 
if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will 
be notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).

Discussion, Basis, and Purpose

    Under 33 CFR 127.007(a), an owner or operator planning to build a 
new facility

[[Page 40892]]

handling Liquefied Natural Gas (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 the facility, must submit a Letter of 
Intent (LOI) to the COTP of the zone in which the facility is located. 
Under 33 CFR 127.007(e), an owner or operator planning such an 
expansion must also file or update a Waterway Suitability Assessment 
(WSA) that addresses the proposed increase in LNG or LHG marine traffic 
in the associated waterway. Jefferson Railport Terminal 1 (Texas) LLC, 
located in Vidor, TX submitted an LOI and WSA on March 7, 2016, 
regarding the company's proposed construction and operation of LHG 
capabilities at its Vidor, TX facility.
    Under 33 CFR 127.009, after receiving an LOI, the COTP 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 increase in LHG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches Waterway. 
The Coast Guard believes that input from the public may be useful to 
the COTP with respect to development of the LOR. Additionally, the 
Coast Guard intends to task the Area Maritime Security Committee, Port 
Arthur, TX and the Southeast Texas Waterways Advisory Council with 
forming a subcommittee comprised of affected port users and 
stakeholders. The goal of this subcommittee will be to gather 
information to help the COTP assess the suitability of the associated 
waterway for increased LHG marine traffic as it relates to navigational 
safety and security.
    On January 24, 2011, the Coast Guard published 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 build 
and operate LNG facilities. While NVIC 01-2011 is specific to LNG, it 
provides useful process information and guidance for owners and 
operators seeking approval to build and operate LHG facilities as well. 
The Coast Guard will refer to NVIC 01-2011 for process information and 
guidance in evaluating Jefferson Railport Terminal 1's WSA. A copy of 
NVIC 01-2011 is available for viewing in the public docket for this 
notice and also 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 
127.009, and 33 CFR 103.205.

    Dated: May 27, 2016.
R.S. Ogrydziak,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Port Arthur.
[FR Doc. 2016-14910 Filed 6-22-16; 8:45 am]
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