[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 92 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29149-29150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10169]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. 16-28-LNG]


Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Application for Limited 
Amendment to Existing Long-Term, Multi-Contract 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.

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

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 March 11, 2022, by Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC 
(Plaquemines LNG). In relevant part, Plaquemines LNG requests a limited 
amendment of its existing authorization to export domestically produced 
liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) 
countries, issued in Order No. 4446 (as amended in Order No. 4446-A). 
The amendment would increase Plaquemines LNG's approved non-FTA export 
volume from 1,240 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) to 1,405.33 Bcf/
yr of natural gas--an increase of 165.33 Bcf/yr. Plaquemines 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, July 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) 586-4749 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: In Order No. 4446-A, Plaquemines LNG is 
currently authorized under NGA section 3(a) \1\ to export domestically 
produced LNG in a volume equivalent to 1,240 Bcf/yr of natural gas from 
the Plaquemines LNG Project (the Project), which Plaquemines LNG states 
is currently under construction in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.\2\ 
Plaquemines LNG is authorized to export this LNG by vessel 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), for a term extending through December 31, 2050.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).
    \2\ Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4446, 
Docket No. 16-28-LNG, Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term 
Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade 
Agreement Nations (Oct. 16, 2019), amended by DOE/FE Order No. 4446-
A (Oct. 21, 2020) (extending export term).
    \3\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the Application, as relevant here,\4\ Plaquemines LNG asks DOE 
to amend Order No. 4446 (as amended) to increase its non-FTA export 
volume from 1,240 Bcf/yr to 1,405.33 Bcf/yr of natural gas. According 
to Plaquemines LNG, this increase reflects a refinement in the final 
design of the Project. Plaquemines LNG states that it is 
contemporaneously filing an application with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC)

[[Page 29150]]

to amend its NGA section 3 authorization to increase the Project's 
authorized peak liquefaction capacity under optimal conditions to 27.2 
million metric tons per annum of LNG, or approximately 1,405.33 Bcf/yr 
of natural gas. Plaquemines LNG states that it seeks to increase its 
authorized export volume to align with the increased peak liquefaction 
capacity proposed to FERC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ This Notice applies only to the portion of the Application 
requesting an amendment to Plaquemines LNG's non-FTA order. DOE will 
review separately the portion of the Application requesting an 
amendment to its existing authorization to export LNG to FTA 
countries, pursuant to section 3(c) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Plaquemines LNG states that the proposed increase in its non-FTA 
export volume will not require the construction of any new facilities 
or the modification of the previously authorized Project facilities.
    Additional details can be found in Plaquemines LNG's Application, 
posted on the DOE website at: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/Plaquemines%20LNG%20DOE%20Amendment%20Application%20re%20Peak%20Liquefaction.pdf.

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),\5\ and 
DOE's response to public comments received on that Study.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 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.
    \6\ 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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); \7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ The Addendum and related documents are available at: https://energy.gov/fe/draft-addendum-environmental-review-documents-concerning-exports-natural-gas-united-states.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting 
Liquefied Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 
2014); \8\ and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     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.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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, including the service requirements.
    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. 16-28-LNG'' or ``Venture Global 
Plaquemines 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 May 6, 2022.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement Office of 
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2022-10169 Filed 5-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P