[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 248 (Thursday, December 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61555-61556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27970]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 17-161-LNG]


Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC; Application for Blanket 
Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade 
Agreement Countries on a Short-Term Basis

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 (Notice) of receipt of an application (Application), 
filed on December 20, 2017, by Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC (Sabine 
Pass), requesting blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) in an amount up to the equivalent of 600 billion cubic feet (Bcf) 
of natural gas on a cumulative basis over a two-year period commencing 
on the date of first short-term export or January 16, 2018, whichever 
is later. The LNG would be exported from the Sabine Pass Liquefaction 
Project (Liquefaction Project) located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to 
any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and 
with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. To date, 
Sabine Pass has been granted four final long-term orders under section 
3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) to export LNG from Stages 1 and 2 of the 
Liquefaction Project in a volume equivalent to 1,006 Bcf per year of 
natural gas to countries with which the United States has not entered 
into a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in 
natural gas (non-FTA countries), for a 20-year term.\1\ Additionally, 
Sabine Pass currently holds a short-term blanket authorization to 
export LNG in a volume equivalent to 600 Bcf of natural gas over a two-
year period to any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean-
going carrier and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or 
policy. Sabine Pass is requesting this authorization on its own behalf 
and as agent for other entities who hold title to the natural gas at 
the time of export. Sabine Pass's existing blanket authorization will 
expire on January 15, 2018.\2\ The current Application in effect is a 
request to extend Sabine Pass's current short-term blanket 
authorization issued in FE Docket No. 15-171-LNG for another two-year 
period beginning January 16, 2018 and extending through January 15, 
2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See App. at notes 3 and 6 (describing the various DOE/FE 
authorizations granted for the first four liquefaction trains 
comprising Stages 1 and 2 of the Liquefaction Project).
    \2\ Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC, Order Granting Blanket 
Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas by Vessel from the 
Sabine Pass LNG Terminal Located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, DOE/
FE Order No. 3767, Docket No. 15-171-LNG (Jan. 13, 2016).

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, January 29, 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018.

ADDRESSES: Additional details can be found in Sabine Pass's 
Application, posted on the DOE/FE website at: https://energy.gov/fe/2017-lng-export-compressed-natural-gas-cng-re-exports-long-term-natural-gas-applications.
    Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and 
written comments are invited.
    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

[[Page 61556]]

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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) 586-9478.
    Cassandra Bernstein or Ronald (R.J.) Colwell, 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 or (202) 586-8499.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

DOE/FE Evaluation

    In the Application, Sabine Pass requests authorization to export 
LNG from its Liquefaction Project located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, 
to both FTA and non-FTA countries (i.e., any country with the capacity 
to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which trade is not 
prohibited by U.S. law or policy). This Notice applies only to the 
portion of the Application requesting authority to export LNG to non-
FTA countries pursuant to section 3(a) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(a). 
DOE separately will review the portion of the Application requesting 
authority to export LNG to FTA countries pursuant to section 3(c) of 
the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(c).
    In reviewing Sabine Pass's request for a non-FTA export 
authorization, DOE will consider any issues required by law or policy. 
DOE will consider domestic need for the natural gas, as well as any 
other issues determined to be appropriate, including whether the 
arrangement 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 on 
U.S. Energy Markets, conducted by the U.S. Energy Information 
Administration upon DOE's request (2014 EIA LNG Export Study); \3\ and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The 2014 EIA LNG Export Study, published on Oct. 29, 2014, 
is available at: https://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/fe/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     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).\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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); \5\ and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 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).\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ 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 and documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as 
other issues deemed relevant to the Application in their responses on 
these issues.
    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, regarding the non-FTA export portion of the Application. 
Interested persons will be provided 30 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. 17-161-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. 17-161-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, notices 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 December 20, 2017.
Robert J. Smith,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oil and Natural Gas (Acting), Office of 
Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 2017-27970 Filed 12-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P