[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 174 (Friday, September 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45435-45436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19403]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP17-494-000; CP17-495-000]


Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline LP, Jordan Cove Energy Project LP; 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review Pacific Connector Pipeline 
Project and Jordan Cove Energy Project

    On September 21, 2017, Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline LP (Pacific 
Connector) and Jordan Cove Energy Project L.P. (Jordan Cove) filed 
applications in Docket Nos. CP17-494-000 and CP17-495-000, 
respectively. Pacific Connector is requesting a Certificate of Public 
Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas 
Act (NGA) to construct, operate, and maintain certain natural gas 
pipeline facilities. Jordan Cove is requesting authorization pursuant 
to Section 3(a) of the NGA to construct and operate liquefied natural 
gas (LNG) export facilities. The proposed projects are collectively 
referred to as the Jordan Cove LNG Project (Project). Jordan Cove's LNG 
facilities would be designed to liquefy about 7.8 million metric tons 
of natural gas per annum for export to markets across the Pacific Rim. 
On August 20, 2015, in Order No. 3698, the U.S. Department of Energy, 
Office of Fossil Energy, granted to Jordon Cove a long-term, multi-
contract authorization to export LNG to Free Trade Agreement nations.
    On October 5, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC 
or Commission) issued a Notice of Applications for the Projects. Among 
other things, that notice alerted other agencies issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and 
to reach a final decision on the request for a federal authorization 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Projects. This instant 
notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for completion of 
the final EIS for the Projects, which is based on an issuance of the 
draft EIS in February 2019. The forecasted schedule for both the draft 
and final EIS is based upon Jordon Cove and Pacific Connector providing 
complete and timely responses to any future data requests. In addition, 
the schedule assumes that the cooperating agencies will provide input 
on their areas of responsibility on a timely basis.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--August 30, 2019
90-Day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--November 28, 2019

    If a schedule change becomes necessary for the final EIS, an 
additional notice will be provided so that the relevant agencies are 
kept informed of the Project's progress.

Project Description

    Jordan Cove proposes to construct and operate an LNG export 
terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay in Coos County, Oregon. The 
terminal would include five liquefaction trains and associated 
equipment, two full-containment LNG storage tanks, an LNG transfer 
line, LNG ship loading facilities, a marine slip, access channel, and 
modifications to the Coos Bay Navigation Channel.
    Pacific Connector proposes to construct and operate an 
approximately 230-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter interstate natural gas 
transmission pipeline and associated aboveground

[[Page 45436]]

facilities. The pipeline would originate near Malin in Klamath County, 
Oregon, traverse Douglas and Jackson Counties, and terminate (at the 
LNG Terminal) in Coos County. The associated aboveground facilities 
would include the new Klamath Compressor Station (62,200 horsepower) 
near Malin.

Background

    On February 10, 2017, the Commission staff granted Jordan Cove and 
Pacific Connector's requests to use the FERC's Pre-filing environmental 
review process and assigned them jointly to Docket No. PF17-4-000. On 
June 9, 2017, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Jordan Cove LNG Terminal 
and Pacific Connector Pipeline Projects, Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions (NOI).
    The NOI was issued during the pre-filing review of the Projects in 
Docket No. PF17-4-000 and was sent to federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes and 
regional organizations; commentors and other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers. Major issues raised during scoping 
include purpose and need, property rights, use of eminent domain, 
reliability and safety, cumulative impacts, cultural resources, 
threatened and endangered species, water resources, vegetation, and 
alternatives.
    The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of 
Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of Energy, Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Coquille Indian 
Tribe are cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EIS and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC website (www.ferc.gov). Using the eLibrary link, select General 
Search from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date range and Docket 
Number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-494 and/or CP17-
495), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to 
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
website also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by 
the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: August 31, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-19403 Filed 9-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P