[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1133-1134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00192]
[[Page 1133]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. 21-131-LNG]
Venture Global CP2 LNG, LLC; Application for Long-Term
Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations
AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of application.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) of
the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of an
Application (Application), filed on December 2, 2021, and supplemented
on December 17, 2021, by Venture Global CP2 LNG, LLC (CP2 LNG). CP2 LNG
requests long-term, multi-contract authorization to export domestically
produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to 1,446
billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas from the proposed
CP2 LNG Project (Project), to be located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
CP2 LNG filed the Application under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
DATES: Protests, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention, as
applicable, and written comments are to be filed electronically as
detailed in the Public Comment Procedures section no later than 4:30
p.m., Eastern time, March 11, 2022.
ADDRESSES:
Electronic Filing by email: [email protected].
Although DOE has routinely accepted public comment submissions
through a variety of mechanisms, including postal mail and hand
delivery/courier, DOE has found it necessary to make temporary
modifications to the comment submission process in light of the ongoing
Covid-19 pandemic. DOE is currently accepting only electronic
submissions at this time. If a commenter finds that this change poses
an undue hardship, please contact Office of Resource Sustainability
staff at (202) 586-2627 or (202) 586-4749 to discuss the need for
alternative arrangements. Once the Covid-19 pandemic health emergency
is resolved, DOE anticipates resuming all of its regular options for
public comment submission, including postal mail and hand delivery/
courier.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Sweeney or Jennifer Wade, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34),
Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management,\1\ Office of Regulation,
Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Resource Sustainability, Forrestal
Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585, (202) 586-2627; (202) 586-4749, [email protected] or
[email protected].
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\1\ The Office of Fossil Energy changed its name to the Office
of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management on July 4, 2021.
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Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76), Office of
the Assistant General Counsel for Electricity and Fossil Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 6D-033, 1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9793, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Application, CP2 LNG requests
authorization to export domestically produced LNG from its proposed
Project to be located on the east side of the Calcasieu Ship Channel,
and the nearby Monkey Island, in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.\2\ CP2 LNG
seeks to export this LNG in a volume equivalent to 1,446 Bcf/yr of
natural gas on a non-additive basis to: (i) Any nation with which the
United States has entered into a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring
national treatment for trade in natural gas (FTA nations), and (ii) any
other nation with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy
(non-FTA nations). This Notice applies only to the portion of CP2 LNG's
Application requesting authority to export LNG to non-FTA countries
pursuant to section 3(a) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(a). DOE will review
CP2 LNG'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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\2\ In the Supplement to the Application, CP2 LNG provides
additional detail regarding its lease and lease option agreements
for the Project site.
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CP2 LNG requests the authorization on its own behalf and as agent
for other entities that will hold title to the LNG at the point of
export. CP2 LNG is seeking the long-term non-FTA authorization for a
term to commence on the earlier of the date of first export or seven
years from the date the requested authorization is granted, and to
extend through December 31, 2050. Additionally, CP2 LNG requests that
its long-term authorization allow for the export of a portion of the
proposed volume on a short-term or spot basis, consistent with DOE
policy.
Additional details can be found in CP2 LNG's Application, posted on
the DOE website at: https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/venture-global-cp2-lng-llc-fe-dkt-no-21-131-lng.
DOE Evaluation
In reviewing the Application, 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),\3\ and
DOE's response to public comments received on that Study.\4\
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\3\ See NERA Economic Consulting, Macroeconomic Outcomes of
Market Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports (June 7, 2018),
available at: www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/06/f52/Macroeconomic%20LNG%20Export%20Study%202018.pdf.
\4\ 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); \5\
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\5\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: https://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); \6\ and
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\6\ The 2014 Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Report is available at:
https://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's response to public comments received on
that study.\7\
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\7\ 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.
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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
[[Page 1134]]
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 60 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.
As noted, DOE is only accepting electronic submissions at this
time. Please email the filing to [email protected]. All filings must
include a reference to ``Docket No. 21-131-LNG'' or ``Venture Global
CP2 LNG, LLC'' in the title line.
Please Note: 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.
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 web address: https://www.energy.gov/fecm/division-natural-gas-regulation.
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.
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 5, 2022.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2022-00192 Filed 1-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P