[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51234-51236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23943]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF17-9-000]


Fourchon LNG LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement for The Planned Fourchon Lng Project, Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Session

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Fourchon LNG Project 
involving construction and operation of facilities by Fourchon LNG LLC 
(Fourchon LNG)] in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. The Commission will use 
this EIS in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
project is in the public interest.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. You can make a difference by providing us with 
your specific comments or concerns about the project. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. 
Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they 
need to evaluate in the EIS. To ensure that your comments are timely 
and properly recorded, please send your comments so that the Commission 
receives them in Washington, DC, on or before December 6, 2017.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on August 3, 2017, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. PF17-9-000 to ensure they are considered as part 
of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know? is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including how to participate in 
the Commission's proceedings.

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form 
or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of 
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 
or [email protected]. Please carefully follow these 
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (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 file your comments electronically by 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. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please 
select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number 
(PF17-9-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    (4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the 
Commission invites you to attend the public scoping session its staff 
will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows:

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             Date and time                           Location
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Thursday, November 16, 2017, 5:00 to     South LaFourche High School,
 8:00 p.m.                                16911 E Main Street, Cut Off,
                                          LA 70345, 985-632-5721.
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    The primary goal of the scoping session is to have you identify the 
specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in 
the EIS to be prepared by FERC for this project. Individual verbal 
comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with

[[Page 51235]]

a court reporter. This format is designed to receive the maximum amount 
of verbal comments, in a convenient way during the timeframe allotted.
    The scoping session is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
(Central time). You may arrive at any time after 4:30 p.m. If you wish 
to speak, the Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of 
your arrival. Comments will be taken in the order of the numbers handed 
out until 8:00 p.m.; unless all numbers have been distributed before 
7:00 p.m., and all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an 
opportunity to do so by that time, in which case staff may conclude the 
session at 7:00 p.m. Please see appendix 1 for additional information 
on the session format and conduct.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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    Your scoping comments will be recorded by the court reporter (with 
FERC staff or representative present) and become part of the public 
record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be publicly available on 
FERC's eLibrary system (see below for instructions on using eLibrary). 
If a significant number of people are interested in providing verbal 
comments in the one-on-one settings, a time limit of 5 minutes per 
speaker may be implemented.
    There will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when 
the session opens. Commission staff will be available throughout the 
session to answer your questions about the FERC's environmental review 
process. Representatives from Fourchon LNG will also be present to 
answer project-specific questions.
    It is important to note that verbal comments hold the same weight 
as written or electronically submitted comments. Likewise, the session 
is not your only public input opportunity; please refer to the review 
process flow chart in appendix 2.

Summary of the Planned Project

    Fourchon LNG plans to construct and operate a liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) terminal on Belle Pass, within Port Fourchon, Lafourche Parish, 
Louisiana. The terminal would be located on land leased from the 
Greater Laforche Port Commission. Fourchon LNG intends to use the 
terminal to liquefy, store, and deliver LNG to domestic LNG fueled 
marine vessels and LNG carriers for export to overseas markets. The 
terminal would have a peak capacity of five million metric tonnes of 
LNG per annum (MTPA). Fourchon LNG would also dredge a ship berth and 
turning basin at the terminal.
    The Fourchon LNG Project would consist of the following facilities:
     Two 0.7-mile-long, parallel 16-inch-diameter natural gas 
receiving pipelines extending from existing pipelines operated by 
Kinetica Partners LLC to the terminal;
     five 1.0 MTPA gas pre-treatment trains;
     ten liquefaction trains, with a maximum LNG production 
capacity of approximately 0.5 MTPA each;
     two LNG storage tanks, each with a capacity of 88,000 
cubic meters (m\3\);
     electric plant powered by a 20-megawatt gas turbine;
     boil-off gas handling system, utilities, and 
communications system; and
     one marine berth sized to accommodate LNG carriers up to 
about 180,000 m\3\ in capacity.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
3.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 55 acres 
of land for the planned upland terminal and pipelines. About 40.6 acres 
would be affected in the Belle Pass Channel for the creation of the 
turning basin. Following construction, Fourchon LNG would maintain 
about 53 acres for permanent operation of the upland terminal and 
pipeline rights-of-way. Temporary construction areas would be restored 
and revert to former uses.

The EIS Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of an Order 
under Sections 3 or 7 of the Natural Gas Act for authorization to 
construct, install, and operate LNG facilities. NEPA also requires us 
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about 
proposals. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the 
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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    \2\ We, us, and our refer to the environmental staff of the 
Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the planned project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     cultural resources;
     socioeconomics;
     land use, recreation, and visual resources;
     air quality and noise;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. 
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before 
FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we have 
begun to contact some other federal and state resources agencies to 
discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of 
the EIS.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EIS.\3\ Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, 
and Lafourche Parish have expressed an interest in participating as 
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS to satisfy their 
NEPA responsibilities related to this project.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
implementing NEPA addresses cooperating agency responsibilities at 
Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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    The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We 
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the 
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the 
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have 
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully 
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section of this 
notice, above.

[[Page 51236]]

Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 
we are using this notice to initiate consultations with the Louisiana 
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views 
and those of other government agencies, interested Indian Tribes, and 
the public on the project's potential effects on historic 
properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential 
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project develops. On 
natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all 
areas subject to ground disturbance. Our EIS for this project will 
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and 
summarize the status of consultations under Section 106.
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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Fourchon LNG. This 
preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and our 
analysis.
     Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands 
and the development of appropriate mitigation;
     potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including 
potential impacts to federally listed threatened and endangered 
species;
     potential visual effects of the aboveground facilities;
     potential impacts of the construction workforce on local 
housing, infrastructure, public services, transportation, and economy;
     impacts on air quality and noise associated with 
construction and operation of the Fourchon LNG Project; and
     public safety and hazards associated with LNG facilities.

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list compiled by Commission staff 
includes federal, state, and local government representatives and 
agencies; elected officials; environmental groups and non-government 
organizations; Native Americans and Indian Tribes; and local libraries 
and newspapers. This list also includes all affected landowners (as 
defined in the Commission's regulations) who are potential right-of-way 
grantors, whose property may be used temporarily for project purposes, 
or who are directly adjacent to facilities. We will update the 
environmental mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we 
send the information related to this environmental review to all 
individuals, organizations, and government entities interested in and/
or potentially affected by the planned project, and anyone who submits 
comments on the project.
    Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental 
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to 
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the compact disc 
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please 
return the attached Information Request (appendix 4).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Fourchon LNG files its application with the Commission, you 
may want to become an intervenor which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard 
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. 
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Motions to intervene are more fully described at 
http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions 
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention 
Guide'' under the e-filing link on the Commission's Web site. Please 
note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status 
at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a formal 
application for the project.

Additional Information

    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., PF17-
9). 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.
    Finally, public sessions or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: October 30, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

 Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-23943 Filed 11-2-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P