[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10808-10810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05478]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 15-96-LNG]


Port Arthur LNG, LLC: Application To Amend Application for Long-
Term, Multi-Contract Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas To 
Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of amendment.

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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 
(Amendment), filed on October 18, 2018, by Port Arthur LNG, LLC (Port 
Arthur LNG) of its pending application in this proceeding. Previously, 
on June 15, 2015, Port Arthur LNG filed an application (Application) 
requesting authorization to export domestically produced liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) from a proposed natural gas processing, liquefaction, 
and export project it intends to construct, own, and operate in Port 
Arthur, Texas (Project), 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 policy (non-FTA countries). The Amendment requests a 
``design increase,'' i.e., to increase the export volume requested in 
the Application by 181 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural 
gas, to a total requested volume of 698 Bcf/yr (1.91 billion cubic feet 
per day (Bcf/d)). This proposed increase will align Port Arthur LNG's 
requested non-FTA export volume with the requested liquefaction 
capacity for the Project in an application filed with the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

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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 11, 
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 or Amy Sweeney, 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; (202) 586-2627
Cassandra Bernstein or Shawn Flynn, 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; (202) 586-5359

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In its pending non-FTA Application, Port 
Arthur LNG sought authorization to export LNG in a volume equivalent to 
approximately 517 Bcf/yr of natural gas (1.42 Bcf/d). However, on 
November 29, 2016, Port Arthur LNG and its affiliate, PALNG Common 
Facilities Company, LLC, filed an application at FERC (FERC Docket No. 
CP17-20-000) requesting authorization to site, construct, and operate 
the Project with a proposed maximum capacity equivalent to 698 Bcf/yr 
of natural gas. In this Amendment, Port Arthur LNG states that it is 
seeking to align its requested non-FTA export volume with the requested 
liquefaction capacity for the Project in its pending FERC application, 
which reflects the Project's maximum capacity at optimal conditions.
    Additional details can be found in Port Arthur LNG's Amendment, 
posted on the DOE/FE website at: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/10/f57/15-96-LNG%20Amendment.pdf.

DOE/FE Evaluation

    The Amendment will be reviewed in conjunction with DOE/FE's review 
of Port Arthur LNG's pending Application pursuant to section 3(a) of 
the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).\1\ 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),\2\ and 
DOE/FE's response to public comments received on that Study.\3\
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    \1\ In a separate docket proceeding, Port Arthur LNG requested--
and DOE/FE granted--the same increase to Port Arthur LNG's approved 
export volume to FTA countries. See Port Arthur LNG, LLC, DOE/FE 
Order No. 3698-A, FE Docket Nos. 15-53-LNG and 18-162-LNG, Order 
Amending Long-Term, Multi-Contract Authorization to Export Liquefied 
Natural Gas by Vessel from the Proposed Port Arthur LNG Project in 
Port Arthur, Texas, to Free Trade Agreement Nations (Nov. 20, 2018).
    \2\ 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).
    \3\ 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 of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 
2014); \4\ and
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    \4\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/08/f18/Addendum.pdf.
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     Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting 
Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 
2014).\5\
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    \5\ 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 Amendment should address these issues 
and documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as other 
issues deemed relevant to the Amendment.
    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 persons will be provided 20 days from the date 
of publication of this Notice in which to submit comments, protests, 
motions to intervene, or notices of intervention. Because the public 
previously was given an opportunity to intervene in, protest, and 
comment on Port Arthur LNG's pending Application, DOE/FE may disregard 
comments or protests that do not bear directly on the Amendment--
specifically, Port Arthur LNG's proposed increase of its requested non-
FTA export volume.
    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. 15-96-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 and 
International Engagement at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All 
filings must include a reference to FE Docket No. 15-96-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.

[[Page 10810]]

    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 or notice 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 March 18, 2019.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Division of Natural Gas Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2019-05478 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P