[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36741-36742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14845]


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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 30, 2021, Delfin LNG LLC (Delfin) 
requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) 
grant an extension of time, until September 28, 2022, to construct and 
place into service the facilities that were authorized in the original 
certificate authorization issued on September 28, 2017 (Certificate 
Order).\1\ The Certificate Order authorized certain ``onshore 
facilities'' that would be used exclusively to transport natural gas to 
Delfin'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.
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    \1\ Delfin LNG LLC, 160 FERC ] 61,130 (2017).
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    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

[[Page 36742]]

Energy Projects granted an extension of time until September 28, 2020 
to construct the onshore facilities and make them available for 
service.
    On June 25, 2020, Delphin requested an extension of time until 
September 28, 2021 to continue to construct the onshore facilities. 
Delphin explains that it was continuing to work to develop the Project, 
however, a variety of factors complicated the task of negotiating 
offtake agreements with potential customers. Delfin states that on July 
15, 2020, via delegated order, the Commission granted an extension of 
time until September 28, 2021 to construct the onshore facilities and 
make them available for service. (2020 Extension)
    Delfin states that since the 2020 Extension, it has continued to 
work to develop the Project. Additionally, Delfin asserts that economic 
conditions are recovering from the global coronavirus pandemic, and the 
spot and short-term market for the LNG have significantly improved. 
Delfin views these developments as a precursor for an improved longer-
term market, which it asserts will support long-term LNG offtake 
contract(s). Accordingly, applicants request an extension of time until 
September 28, 2022 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).\2\
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    \2\ 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).
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    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,\3\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\4\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\5\ 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.\6\ 
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.\7\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
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    \3\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \4\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \5\ Id. at P 40.
    \6\ 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.
    \7\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    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 
at http://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.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on, July 22, 2021.

    Dated: July 7, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-14845 Filed 7-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P