[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11059-11060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04074]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. 18-70-LNG]


Mexico Pacific Limited LLC; Application To Amend Export Term 
Through December 31, 2050, for Existing Non-Free Trade Agreement 
Authorization

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) 
(formerly the Office of Fossil Energy) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of an application (Application), 
filed on January 24, 2022, by Mexico Pacific Limited LLC (MPL). MPL 
seeks to amend the export term set forth in its current authorization, 
DOE/FE Order No. 4312, to a term ending on December 31, 2050. Under 
Order No. 4312, MPL is authorized to re-export U.S.-sourced natural gas 
in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the proposed MPL 
Facility to be located in Mexico to non-free trade agreement countries. 
MPL filed the Application under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and DOE's 
policy statement entitled, ``Extending Natural Gas Export 
Authorizations to Non-Free Trade Agreement Countries Through the Year 
2050'' (Policy Statement). Protests, motions to intervene, notices of 
intervention, and written comments on the requested term extension are 
invited.

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 15, 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) 586-4749 or (202) 586-7893 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: 

Jennifer Wade or Peri Ulrey, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office 
of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Resource 
Sustainability, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, 
Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4749 or (202) 586-7893, 
[email protected] or [email protected].
Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76), Office of the 
Assistant General Counsel for Energy Delivery and Resilience, Forrestal 
Building, Room 6D-033, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20585, (202) 586-9793, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 14, 2018, in Order No. 4312, DOE 
authorized MPL to re-export U.S.-sourced natural gas in the form of LNG 
in a volume equivalent to 621 billion cubic feet per year of natural 
gas, pursuant to NGA section 3(a), 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).\1\ MPL is 
authorized to re-export this LNG by vessel from the proposed MPL 
Facility, to be located in the State of Sonora, Mexico, to any country 
with which the United States has not entered into a free trade 
agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in

[[Page 11060]]

natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or 
policy (non-FTA countries) for a 20-year term. In the Application,\2\ 
MPL asks DOE to extend its current export term to a term ending on 
December 31, 2050, as provided in the Policy Statement.\3\ Additional 
details can be found in the Application, posted on the DOE website at: 
https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/2022.01.24%20MPL%20DOE%20Term%20Extension%20Application.pdf.
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    \1\ Mexico Pacific Limited LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4312, Docket 
No. 18-70-LNG, Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term, Multi-Contract 
Authorization to Export U.S.-Sourced Natural Gas by Pipeline to 
Mexico for Liquefaction and Re-export in the Form of Liquefied 
Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations (Dec. 14, 2018).
    \2\ Mexico Pacific Limited LLC, Application to Amend Export Term 
for Existing Long-Term Authorization Through December 31, 2050, 
Docket No. 18-70-LNG (Jan. 24, 2022). MPL is currently authorized 
under a separate order (DOE/FE Order No. 4248) to export 
domestically produced natural gas to Mexico and to re-export the 
natural gas in the form of LNG to FTA countries. MPL's request 
regarding its FTA authorization is not subject to this Notice. See 
15 U.S.C. 717b(c).
    \3\ U.S. Dep't of Energy, Extending Natural Gas Export 
Authorizations to Non-Free Trade Agreement Countries Through the 
Year 2050; Notice of Final Policy Statement and Response to 
Comments, 85 FR 52237 (Aug. 25, 2020) [hereinafter Policy 
Statement].
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DOE Evaluation

    In the Policy Statement, DOE adopted a term through December 31, 
2050 (inclusive of any make-up period), as the standard export term for 
long-term non-FTA authorizations.\4\ As the basis for its decision, DOE 
considered its obligations under NGA section 3(a), the public comments 
supporting and opposing the proposed Policy Statement, and a wide range 
of information bearing on the public interest.\5\ DOE explained that, 
upon receipt of an application under the Policy Statement, it would 
conduct a public interest analysis of the application under NGA section 
3(a). DOE further stated that ``the public interest analysis will be 
limited to the application for the term extension--meaning an 
intervenor or protestor may challenge the requested extension but not 
the existing non-FTA order.'' \6\
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    \4\ See id., 85 FR 52247.
    \5\ See id., 85 FR 52247.
    \6\ Id., 85 FR 52247.
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    Accordingly, in reviewing MPL's Application, DOE will consider any 
issues required by law or policy under NGA section 3(a), as informed by 
the Policy Statement. To the extent appropriate, DOE will consider the 
study entitled, Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market Determined Levels of 
U.S. LNG Exports (2018 LNG Export Study),\7\ DOE's response to public 
comments received on that Study,\8\ and the following environmental 
documents:
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    \7\ See NERA Economic Consulting, Macroeconomic Outcomes of 
Market Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports (June 7, 2018), 
available at: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/06/f52/Macroeconomic%20LNG%20Export%20Study%202018.pdf.
    \8\ 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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     Addendum to Environmental Review Documents Concerning 
Exports of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 
2014); \9\
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    \9\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: http://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); \10\ and
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    \10\ The 2014 Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Report is available at: 
http://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/FE's response to public comments received on 
that study.\11\
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    \11\ 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 the Application should address these issues 
and documents in their comments and/or 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 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, addressing the Application. Interested parties will be 
provided 15 days from the date of publication of this Notice in which 
to submit comments, protests, motions to intervene, or notices of 
intervention. The public previously was given an opportunity to 
intervene in, protest, and comment on MPL's long-term non-FTA 
application. Therefore, DOE will not consider comments or protests that 
do not bear directly on the requested term extension.
    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 fergas.hq.doe.gov. All filings must 
include a reference to ``Docket No. 18-70-LNG'' or ``Mexico Pacific 
Limited LLC Term Extension'' 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 February 22, 2022.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of 
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2022-04074 Filed 2-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P