[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1111-1112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00723]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 13-132-LNG]


Magnolia LNG LLC; Application for Amendment to Long-Term 
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 for amendment 
(Application), filed on December 31, 2018, by Magnolia LNG LLC 
(Magnolia LNG). Previously, on November 30, 2016, in DOE/FE Order No. 
3909, DOE/FE authorized Magnolia LNG to export domestically produced 
liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the proposed Magnolia LNG Terminal, to 
be located near Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (Magnolia LNG 
Terminal), to any country 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 
policies (non-FTA countries). DOE/FE Order No. 3909 authorizes Magnolia 
LNG to export LNG in a volume equivalent to 394.2 billion cubic feet 
per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas (1.08 Bcf per day) (Bcf/d). The 
Application requests a ``capacity increase,'' i.e., to increase 
Magnolia LNG's approved non-FTA export volume to a total requested 
volume of 449 Bcf/yr (1.23 Bcf/d), which Magnolia states is equivalent 
to 8.8 million metric tons per annum (mtpa). Magnolia LNG states that 
this proposed increase will align its non-FTA export volume with the 
maximum LNG production for the Magnolia LNG Terminal, as requested in 
an application filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(FERC). 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, April 2, 
2019.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Larine Moore, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Regulation, 
Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, Forrestal Building, 
Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 
586-9478.
Cassandra Bernstein, 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Magnolia LNG states that, on November 19, 
2018, it filed an application at FERC (FERC Docket No. CP19-19-000) 
requesting an increase of 0.8 mtpa in the LNG production capacity of 
the Magnolia LNG Terminal. Magnolia LNG states that this capacity 
increase is based on a refinement of its final design for the Magnolia 
LNG Terminal and, if approved by FERC, would increase the Terminal's 
total LNG production capacity from 8 mtpa to 8.8 mtpa. In this 
Application, Magnolia LNG is seeking to increase its total non-FTA 
export volume in DOE/FE Order No. 3909 to 1.23 Bcf/d of natural gas, 
which Magnolia LNG states is equivalent to 8.8 mtpa of LNG. Additional 
details can be found in Magnolia LNG's Application, posted on the DOE/
FE website at: https://fossil.energy.gov/ng_regulation/sites/default/files/programs/MagnoliaLNG_App_AMEND12_31_18.pdf.

DOE/FE Evaluation

    The Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA). This Notice applies only to the portion of the Application 
requesting authority to amend DOE/FE Order No. 3909 authorizing exports 
of LNG to non-FTA countries pursuant to section 3(a) of the Natural Gas 
Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717b(a). DOE/FE will review Magnolia LNG's request 
to amend its FTA export authorizations in DOE/FE Order Nos. 3245 and 
3406 separately pursuant to section 3(c) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(c).
    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 
study entitled, Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market Determined Levels of 
U.S. LNG Exports (2018 LNG Export Study),\1\ and DOE/FE's response to 
public comments received on that Study.\2\
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    \1\ NERA Economic Consulting, Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market 
Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports (June 7, 2018), available at: 
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/06/f52/Macroeconomic%20LNG%20Export%20Study%202018.pdf; see also U.S. Dep't 
of Energy, Study on Macroeconomic Outcomes of LNG Exports; Notice of 
Availability of the 2018 LNG Export Study and Request for Comments, 
83 FR 27314 (June 12, 2018).
    \2\ U.S. Dep't of Energy, Study on Macroeconomic Outcomes of LNG 
Exports: Response to Comments Received on Study; Notice of Response 
to Comments, 83 FR 67251 (Dec. 28, 2018).
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    Additionally, DOE will consider the following environmental 
documents:
     Addendum to Environmental Review Documents Concerning 
Exports

[[Page 1112]]

of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 2014); \3\ 
and
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    \3\ 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 Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 
2014).\4\
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    \4\ 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 and documents 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. Interested parties will be provided 60 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. 13-132-LNG 
in the title line; (2) mailing an original and three paper copies of 
the filing to the Office of Regulation, Analysis, and 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, Analysis, 
and Engagement at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All filings must 
include a reference to FE Docket No. 13-132-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, Analysis, and 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.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2019.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Division of Natural Gas, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 2019-00723 Filed 1-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P