[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13648-13649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06715]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP17-495-000; CP17-494-000]
Jordan Cove Energy Project LP, Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline
L.P.; Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) with the participation of the cooperating agencies listed
below, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for
the Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas Project proposed by Jordan Cove
Energy Project LP (Jordan Cove) and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline
Project proposed by Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline L.P. (Pacific
Connector) (collectively referred to as the Jordan Cove Energy Project
or Project). Under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), Jordan Cove
requests authorization to liquefy at a terminal in Coos Bay, Oregon up
to 1.04 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day for export for to
overseas markets. Pacific Connector seeks a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity under Section 7 of the NGA to construct and
operate an interstate natural gas transmission pipeline providing about
1.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from the Malin hub to the
Jordan Cove terminal, crossing portions of Klamath, Jackson, Douglas,
and Coos Counties, Oregon.
The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As
described in the draft EIS, the FERC staff concludes that approval of
the Project would result in a number of significant environmental
impacts; however, the majority of impacts would be less than
significant because of the impact avoidance, minimization, and
mitigation measures proposed by Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector and
those recommended by staff in the draft EIS.
The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land
Management (BLM); U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (Forest
Service); Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation); U.S. Department of
Energy; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency; U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S.
Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service; U.S. Department of
Homeland Security Coast Guard; the Coquille Indian Tribe; and the
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the U.S.
Department of Transportation participated as cooperating agencies in
preparation of this EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law
or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by
the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The cooperating
agencies provided input into the conclusions and recommendations
presented in the draft EIS. Following issuance of the final EIS, the
cooperating agencies will issue subsequent decisions, determinations,
permits or authorizations for the Project in accordance with each
individual agency's regulatory requirements.
The BLM, with the concurrence of the Forest Service and
Reclamation, would adopt and use the EIS to consider issuing a right-
of-way grant for the portion of the Project on federal lands. Other
cooperating agencies would use this EIS in their regulatory process,
and to satisfy compliance with NEPA and other related federal
environmental laws (e.g., the National Historic Preservation Act).
The BLM and the Forest Service would also use this EIS to evaluate
proposed amendments to their District or National Forest land
management plans that would make provision for the Pacific Connector
pipeline. In order to consider the Pacific Connector right-of-way
grant, the BLM must amend the affected Resource Management Plans
(RMPs). The BLM therefore proposes to amend the RMPs to re-allocate all
lands within the proposed temporary use area and right-of-way to a
District-Designated Reserve, with management direction to manage the
lands for the purposes of the Pacific Connector right-of-way.
Approximately 885 acres would be re-allocated. District-Designated
Reserve allocations establish specific management for a specific use or
to protect specific values and resources. In accordance with Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) part 36 CFR 219.16, the Forest Service gives
notice of its intent to consider amendments of Land and Resource
Management Plans (LRMP) for the Umpqua, Rogue River and Winema National
Forests. Proposed amendments of LRMPs include reallocation of matrix
lands to Late Successional Reserves and site-specific exemptions from
standards and guidelines and other LRMP requirements to allow
construction of the Pacific Connector pipeline. Exemptions from
standards and guidelines include requirements to protect known sites of
Survey and Manage species, changes in visual quality objectives at
specific locations, limitations on detrimental soil conditions, removal
of effective shade at perennial stream crossings and the construction
of utility corridors in riparian areas. Further information on Forest
Service LRMP amendments is included below.
The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the
draft EIS to federal, state, and local government representatives and
agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups;
Indian Tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested
individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the Project
area. The draft EIS is only available in electronic format. It may be
viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov), on the
Environmental Documents page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis.asp). In addition, the draft EIS may be accessed by using
the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link
(https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp), click on General
Search, and enter the docket
[[Page 13649]]
number in the ``Docket Number'' field, excluding the last three digits
(i.e., CP17-494 or CP17-495). 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.
Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. Your
comments should focus on the draft EIS's disclosure and discussion of
potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures
to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. To ensure consideration of
your comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is important that
the Commission receive your comments on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on July 5, 2019.
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission.\1\ 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 staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or
[email protected]. Please carefully follow these instructions
so that your comments are properly recorded.
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\1\ The contents of your comment including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information may
be made available to the public. While you may request that your
personal identifying information be withheld from public view, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
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(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature on the Commission's website (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 website (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 numbers
(CP17-494-000 and CP17-495-000) 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 a public comment session that will be
held in the Project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. The
dates, locations, and times of these sessions will be provided in a
supplemental notice.
Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more
fully described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or
judicial review of the Commission's decision. The Commission grants
affected landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor
status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and
direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can adequately
represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you
intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your
comments considered. Subsequent decisions, determination, permits, and
authorization by the cooperating agencies are subject to the
administrative procedures of each respective agency.
Questions?
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. The eLibrary link
also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription that 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.
Dated: March 29, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-06715 Filed 4-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P