[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 128 (Thursday, July 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39900-39901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14281]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP15-490-000; CP15-490-001; CP16-20-000]


Delfin LNG LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on June 25, 2020, Delfin LNG LLC (Delfin) 
requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) 
grant an extension of time, until September 28, 2021, to construct and 
place into service the facilities that were authorized in the original 
certificate authorization issued on September 28, 2017 (Certificate 
Order). The Certificate Order authorized certain onshore facilities 
that would be used exclusively to transport natural gas to Delfin LNG's 
deepwater port ``offshore facilities'' (collectively, the Project) in 
federal waters offshore Louisiana. The onshore facilities would be used 
to meet the requirements of the customers of the offshore facilities. 
The Certificate Order required Delfin to construct and place the 
facilities in service by September 28, 2019.
    Delfin states that on June 21, 2019 it requested an extension of 
time until March 28, 2023 to complete the construction of the onshore 
facilities in conjunction with construction of the offshore facilities. 
Delfin states that on July 8, 2019, the Commission's Office of Energy 
Projects granted an extension of time until September 28, 2020 to 
construct the onshore facilities and make them available for service. 
(2019 Extension)
    Delfin asserts that since the 2019 Extension, it has been working 
to develop the Project. However, Delfin states that due to the global 
coronavirus pandemic, U.S. trade disputes with China, and the drop in 
global oil prices, it has been difficult to conclude LNG offtake 
agreements. Delfin states that it continues to negotiate LNG offtake 
agreements and development of the Project. Accordingly, applicants 
request an extension of time until September 28, 2021 to complete 
construction of the onshore facilities and place them into service.
    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Delfin's request for 
an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or answers will be 
considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by becoming a party to 
the proceedings for this request, you should, on or before the comment 
date stated below, file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 
CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act 
(18 CFR 157.10).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Only motions to intervene from entities that were party to 
the underlying proceeding will be accepted. Algonquin Gas 
Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 39 (2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural 
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order 
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\2\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\3\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\4\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the 
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience 
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for 
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\5\ 
At the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on 
certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the 
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance.\6\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \3\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \4\ Id. at P 40.
    \5\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \6\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, The Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using 
the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time, 
the Commission has suspended access to Commission's Public Reference 
Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning 
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on 
March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link 
athttp://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and three copies of the protest or intervention to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.

[[Page 39901]]

    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on, July 13, 2020.

    Dated: June 26, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-14281 Filed 7-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P