[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15443-15444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05588]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 15-190-LNG]


Rio Grande LNG, LLC; Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term 
Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade 
Agreement Nations

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of a Record of Decision (ROD) published under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and implementing 
regulations. This ROD supports DOE/FE's decision in DOE/FE Order No. 
4492, an opinion and order authorizing Rio Grande LNG, LLC to export 
domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade 
agreement countries under section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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) 
586-2627, [email protected].
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) 586-6978, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 10, 2020, DOE/FE issued Order 
No. 4492 to Rio Grande LNG, LLC (Rio Grande LNG) under NGA section 
3(a), 15 U.S.C. 717b(a). This Order authorizes Rio Grande LNG to export

[[Page 15444]]

domestically produced LNG to any country with which the United States 
has not entered into 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). Rio Grande LNG is 
authorized to export LNG in a volume equivalent to 1,318 billion cubic 
feet (Bcf) per year of natural gas (3.61 Bcf/day) from the proposed Rio 
Grande LNG Project (Project), to be located on the northern embankment 
of the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas.
    DOE/FE participated as a cooperating agency with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission in preparing an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) analyzing the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 
Project that would be used to support the export authorization sought 
from DOE/FE. DOE adopted the EIS and prepared the ROD, which is 
attached as an appendix to the Order. The ROD can be found here: https: 
www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/02/f71/ord4492.pdf.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on March 12, 2020.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Oil 
and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2020-05588 Filed 3-17-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P