[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 49 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14470-14471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05071]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-178-000]


Alaska Gasline Development Corporation; Notice of Availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Alaska LNG 
Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) with the participation of the cooperating agencies listed 
below, has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
the Alaska LNG Project (Project) proposed by the Alaska Gasline 
Development Corporation (AGDC). Under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, 
AGDC requests authorization to construct and operate new gas treatment 
facilities, an 806.9-mile-long natural gas pipeline and associated 
aboveground facilities, and a 20 million-metric-ton per annum 
liquefaction facility to commercialize the natural gas resources of 
Alaska's North Slope. The Project would have an annual average inlet 
design capacity of up to 3.7 billion standard cubic feet per day and a 
3.9 billion standard cubic feet per day peak capacity.
    The EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of Project 
construction and operation in accordance with the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As described in the EIS, 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 based on the impact avoidance, 
minimization, and mitigation measures proposed by AGDC; AGDC's 
commitments to additional measures; and measures recommended by staff 
in the final EIS. However, some of the adverse impacts would be

[[Page 14471]]

significant even after the implementation of mitigation measures.
    The United States (U.S.) Department of Transportation Pipeline and 
Hazardous Material Safety Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service 
(NPS), U.S. Department of Energy, and National Marine Fisheries Service 
participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of this final 
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. Although the cooperating agencies 
provided input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the 
EIS, the agencies will present their own conclusions and 
recommendations in their respective Records of Decision for the 
Project.
    The BLM and NPS will adopt and use the EIS to consider issuing a 
right-of-way grant for the portions of the Project on BLM- and NPS-
managed lands, respectively. Other cooperating agencies will use this 
EIS in their regulatory processes and to satisfy compliance with NEPA 
and other related federal environmental laws (e.g., the National 
Historic Preservation Act).
    Section 810(a) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation 
Act, 16 United States Code 3120(a), also requires the BLM to evaluate 
the effects of the alternatives presented in the EIS on subsistence 
activities, and to hold public hearings if it finds that any 
alternative may significantly restrict subsistence uses. The evaluation 
of subsistence impacts indicates that the cumulative case analyzed in 
the EIS could significantly restrict subsistence uses for the 
communities of Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Utqiagvik, and Anaktuvuk Pass. 
Therefore, the BLM held public hearings and solicited public testimony 
for these potentially affected communities.
    The Commission mailed a copy of the final EIS to federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
Alaska Native tribal governments and Alaska Native Claims Settlement 
Act Corporations; and local libraries and newspapers in the area of the 
Project. The final EIS was also mailed to property owners that could be 
affected by Project facilities, individuals requesting intervenor 
status in FERC's proceedings, and other interested parties (i.e., 
individuals and environmental and public interest groups who provided 
scoping comments or asked to remain on the mailing list). Paper copy 
and CD versions of the final EIS were mailed to subsistence 
communities, libraries, and those specifically requesting them; all 
others received a CD version.
    The final EIS is also available in electronic format. It may be 
viewed and downloaded from FERC's website (www.ferc.gov) on the 
Environmental Documents page (http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis.asp). In addition, the final EIS may be accessed by using 
the eLibrary link on FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link 
(https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp), then click on General 
Search and enter the docket number in the Docket Number field, 
excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-178). 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.

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 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 6, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-05071 Filed 3-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P