[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 16 (Friday, January 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4314-4316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01166]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 19-156-LNG]


Dominion Energy Cove Point LNG, LP; 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.

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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 23, 2019, by Dominion Energy Cove Point LNG, LP 
(DECP). DECP requests blanket authorization to export both domestically 
produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) and LNG previously imported by 
vessel from foreign sources in a total volume equivalent to 250 billion 
cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a cumulative basis over a two-year 
period commencing on March 2, 2020. DECP seeks to export this LNG from 
the Cove Point LNG

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Terminal (Terminal) located in Calvert County, Maryland. DECP filed the 
Application under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). 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, February 24, 
2020.

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: 
Benjamin Nussdorf 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) 586-7893 or (202) 586-2627; 
[email protected] or [email protected]
Cassandra Bernstein or Kari Twaite, 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) 586-6978; [email protected] 
or [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  DECP requests a short-term blanket 
authorization to export LNG from the Terminal 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. This includes both countries with 
which the United States has entered into a free trade agreement (FTA) 
requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas (FTA countries) 
and all other countries (non-FTA countries). DECP intends to source 
these exports from both domestically produced LNG and LNG previously 
imported by vessel at the Terminal from foreign sources. 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).\1\ DOE/FE will review DECP's request for a FTA export 
authorization separately pursuant to section 3(c) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 
717b(c).
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    \1\ DECP's existing non-FTA blanket authorization will expire on 
March 2, 2020. Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP, DOE/FE Order No. 4046, 
FE Docket No. 16-205-LNG, Order Granting Blanket Authorization to 
Export Liquefied Natural Gas by Vessel from the Cove Point Terminal 
Located in Calvert County, Maryland, to Free Trade Agreement and 
Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations (June 2, 2017), as amended Dominion 
Energy Cove Point, LNG, LP, DOE/FE Order No. 4046-A, FE Docket No. 
16-205-LNG, Order Granting Request to Amend Authorizations to Export 
Liquefied Natural Gas to Reflect Corporate Name Change (Aug. 4, 
2017).
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    DECP requests this authorization on its own behalf and as agent for 
other entities who hold title to the LNG at the time of export. 
Additional details can be found in the Application, posted on the DOE/
FE website at: https://www.energy.gov/fe/downloads/dominion-energy-cove-point-llc-fe-dkt-no-19-156-lng.

DOE/FE Evaluation

    In reviewing DECP's request, 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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    \2\ See 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.
    \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\
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    \4\ 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); \5\ and
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    \5\ The 2014 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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     Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting 
Liquefied Natural Gas From the United States: 2019 Update, 84 FR 49278 
(Sept. 19, 2019), and DOE/FE's response to public comments received on 
that study.\6\
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    \6\ U.S. Dep't of Energy, Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective 
on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas From the United States: 2019 
Update--Response to Comments, 85 FR 72 (Jan. 2, 2020). The 2019 
Update and related documents are available at: https://fossil.energy.gov/app/docketindex/docket/index/21.

Parties that may oppose this Application should address these issues 
and documents in their comments and 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 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. 19-156-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,

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Analysis, and Engagement at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All 
filings must include a reference to FE Docket No. 19-156-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 21, 2020.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Oil 
and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2020-01166 Filed 1-23-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P