80_FR_51712 80 FR 51548 - Freeport LNG Development, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Freeport LNG Train 4 Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

80 FR 51548 - Freeport LNG Development, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Freeport LNG Train 4 Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 164 (August 25, 2015)

Page Range51548-51550
FR Document2015-20990

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 164 (Tuesday, August 25, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 164 (Tuesday, August 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51548-51550]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20990]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF15-25-000]


Freeport LNG Development, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Planned Freeport LNG Train 4 Project 
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Freeport LNG Train 4 Project 
involving construction and operation of facilities by Freeport LNG 
Development, L.P. (Freeport LNG) in Brazoria, Texas. The Commission 
will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine whether 
the planned project is in the public interest.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. You can make a difference by providing us with 
your specific comments or concerns about the project. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. 
Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they 
need to evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your comments are timely and 
properly recorded, please send your comments so that the Commission 
receives them in Washington, DC on or before September 18, 2015.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on June 3, 2015, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. PF15-25-000 to ensure they are considered as 
part of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including how to participate in 
the Commission's proceedings.

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 
(202) 502-8258 or [email protected]. Please carefully follow these 
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to 
Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, 
text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to 
Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a 
variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. 
New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on 
``eRegister.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project, 
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number 
(PF15-25-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Planned Project

    Freeport LNG intends to add a fourth liquefaction unit to Freeport 
LNG's natural gas liquefaction facilities on Quintana Island in 
Brazoria County, Texas. The Freeport LNG Train 4 Project (Train 4 
Project) would be located west and adjacent to the facilities 
authorized and currently under construction for the Phase II 
Modification Project (Docket No. CP12-29-000) and Liquefaction Project 
(Docket No. CP12-509-000), which comprises three liquefaction trains 
and related facilities. Train 4 would be within the existing Freeport 
LNG site boundary.
    Freeport LNG indicates that the Train 4 Project would provide 
additional liquefaction capacity of approximately 5.1 million metric 
tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG for export, which equates to a natural 
gas throughput capacity of approximately 0.72 billion cubic feet per 
day (Bcf/d). This would enable Freeport LNG to respond favorably and 
proactively to short- and longer-term fluctuations in domestic and 
global gas markets.
    The Freeport LNG Train 4 Project would consist of the following 
facilities:
     A propane pre-cooled mixed refrigerant liquefaction unit;
     a feed gas receiving and metering station;
     utility, auxiliary, and control systems, including common 
utilities, spill containment systems, fire and safety systems, one 
electric substation, security systems, and plant roads.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 
1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The Train 4 Project liquefaction facilities would be entirely 
within the Freeport LNG's existing site boundary on Quintana Island in 
Brazoria County, Texas. Construction of the liquefaction facilities 
would be within areas approved as temporary work space for the Phase II 
Modification Project and Liquefaction Project. Construction of the 
Train 4 Project liquefaction facilities is expected to affect about 87 
acres of land.
    Following construction, Freeport LNG would maintain about 21 acres 
for permanent operation of the Train 4 Project's facilities; the 
remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses.

Non-jurisdictional Facilities

    The facility will receive natural gas from a 2,000-foot-long 
intrastate natural gas pipeline (feed gas pipeline) and power from a 
five-mile-long electric line

[[Page 51549]]

to be provided by CenterPoint Energy. These facilities would extend 
beyond the existing site boundary. Although FERC doesn't have the 
regulatory authority to modify or deny the construction of the above-
described facilities, we will disclose available information regarding 
the construction impacts in the cumulative impacts section of our EA.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the authorization of 
natural gas facilities under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act. NEPA 
also requires us \2\ to discover and address concerns the public may 
have about proposals. This process is referred to as scoping. The main 
goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the 
important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests 
public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We 
will consider all comments filed during the preparation of the EA.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the planned project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     land use;
     water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     vegetation and wildlife, including endangered and 
threatened species;
     socioeconomics;
     visual impacts;
     air quality and noise;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. 
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before 
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we 
have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their 
involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA 
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. If we publish 
and distribute the EA to the public there will be an allotted comment 
period. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make our 
recommendations to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to 
consider and address your comments, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the Public Participation section, beginning on page 2.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EA.\3\ Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the Texas State Historic Preservation Office, and to solicit their 
views and those of other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, 
and the public on the project's potential effects on historic 
properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential 
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project develops. On 
natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all 
areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include construction 
right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, and 
access roads). Our EA for this project will document our findings on 
the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of 
consultations under section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Freeport LNG. This 
preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and our 
analysis.

 visual impacts
 noise and air emissions
 traffic
 cumulative impacts

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list 
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related 
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
planned project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA will be sent 
to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you 
would prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD 
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please 
return the attached Information Request (Appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Freeport LNG files its application with the Commission, you 
may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard 
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. 
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Motions to intervene are more fully described at 
http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions 
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention 
Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor 
status at this time. You must wait until the Commission

[[Page 51550]]

receives a formal application for the project.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number, 
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF15-
25). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the 
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time 
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with 
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to 
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: August 19, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-20990 Filed 8-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P



                                                    51548                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 164 / Tuesday, August 25, 2015 / Notices

                                                    888 First Street NE., Washington, DC                    Washington, DC on or before September                 Texas. The Freeport LNG Train 4 Project
                                                    20426.                                                  18, 2015.                                             (Train 4 Project) would be located west
                                                       This filing is accessible on-line at                   If you sent comments on this project                and adjacent to the facilities authorized
                                                    http://www.ferc.gov, using the                          to the Commission before the opening of               and currently under construction for the
                                                    ‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for                  this docket on June 3, 2015, you will                 Phase II Modification Project (Docket
                                                    electronic review in the Commission’s                   need to file those comments in Docket                 No. CP12–29–000) and Liquefaction
                                                    Public Reference Room in Washington,                    No. PF15–25–000 to ensure they are                    Project (Docket No. CP12–509–000),
                                                    DC. There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on               considered as part of this proceeding.                which comprises three liquefaction
                                                    the Web site that enables subscribers to                  This notice is being sent to the                    trains and related facilities. Train 4
                                                    receive email notification when a                       Commission’s current environmental                    would be within the existing Freeport
                                                    document is added to a subscribed                       mailing list for this project. State and              LNG site boundary.
                                                    docket(s). For assistance with any FERC                 local government representatives should                  Freeport LNG indicates that the Train
                                                    Online service, please email                            notify their constituents of this planned             4 Project would provide additional
                                                    FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call                     project and encourage them to comment                 liquefaction capacity of approximately
                                                    (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call               on their areas of concern.                            5.1 million metric tonnes per annum
                                                    (202) 502–8659.                                           A fact sheet prepared by the FERC                   (mtpa) of LNG for export, which equates
                                                       Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern                      entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas                  to a natural gas throughput capacity of
                                                    Time on September 1, 2015.                              Facility On My Land? What Do I Need                   approximately 0.72 billion cubic feet
                                                                                                            To Know?’’ is available for viewing on                per day (Bcf/d). This would enable
                                                      Dated: August 19, 2015.
                                                                                                            the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This                Freeport LNG to respond favorably and
                                                    Kimberly D. Bose,                                       fact sheet addresses a number of                      proactively to short- and longer-term
                                                    Secretary.                                              typically asked questions, including                  fluctuations in domestic and global gas
                                                    [FR Doc. 2015–20984 Filed 8–24–15; 8:45 am]             how to participate in the Commission’s                markets.
                                                    BILLING CODE 6717–01–P                                  proceedings.                                             The Freeport LNG Train 4 Project
                                                                                                                                                                  would consist of the following facilities:
                                                                                                            Public Participation                                     • A propane pre-cooled mixed
                                                    DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                      For your convenience, there are three               refrigerant liquefaction unit;
                                                                                                            methods you can use to submit your                       • a feed gas receiving and metering
                                                    Federal Energy Regulatory                               comments to the Commission. The                       station;
                                                    Commission                                              Commission encourages electronic filing                  • utility, auxiliary, and control
                                                    [Docket No. PF15–25–000]                                of comments and has expert staff                      systems, including common utilities,
                                                                                                            available to assist you at (202) 502–8258             spill containment systems, fire and
                                                    Freeport LNG Development, L.P.;                         or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully                 safety systems, one electric substation,
                                                    Notice of Intent To Prepare an                          follow these instructions so that your                security systems, and plant roads.
                                                    Environmental Assessment for the                        comments are properly recorded.                          The general location of the project
                                                    Planned Freeport LNG Train 4 Project                       (1) You can file your comments                     facilities is shown in Appendix 1.1
                                                    and Request for Comments on                             electronically using the eComment                     Land Requirements for Construction
                                                    Environmental Issues                                    feature on the Commission’s Web site
                                                                                                            (www.ferc.gov) under the link to                        The Train 4 Project liquefaction
                                                       The staff of the Federal Energy                      Documents and Filings. This is an easy                facilities would be entirely within the
                                                    Regulatory Commission (FERC or                          method for submitting brief, text-only                Freeport LNG’s existing site boundary
                                                    Commission) will prepare an                             comments on a project;                                on Quintana Island in Brazoria County,
                                                    environmental assessment (EA) that will                    (2) You can file your comments                     Texas. Construction of the liquefaction
                                                    discuss the environmental impacts of                    electronically by using the eFiling                   facilities would be within areas
                                                    the Freeport LNG Train 4 Project                        feature on the Commission’s Web site                  approved as temporary work space for
                                                    involving construction and operation of                 (www.ferc.gov) under the link to                      the Phase II Modification Project and
                                                    facilities by Freeport LNG Development,                 Documents and Filings. With eFiling,                  Liquefaction Project. Construction of the
                                                    L.P. (Freeport LNG) in Brazoria, Texas.                 you can provide comments in a variety                 Train 4 Project liquefaction facilities is
                                                    The Commission will use this EA in its                  of formats by attaching them as a file                expected to affect about 87 acres of land.
                                                    decision-making process to determine                    with your submission. New eFiling                       Following construction, Freeport LNG
                                                    whether the planned project is in the                   users must first create an account by                 would maintain about 21 acres for
                                                    public interest.                                        clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ If you are filing          permanent operation of the Train 4
                                                       This notice announces the opening of                 a comment on a particular project,                    Project’s facilities; the remaining
                                                    the scoping process the Commission                      please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as              acreage would be restored and revert to
                                                    will use to gather input from the public                the filing type; or                                   former uses.
                                                    and interested agencies on the project.                    (3) You can file a paper copy of your              Non-jurisdictional Facilities
                                                    You can make a difference by providing                  comments by mailing them to the
                                                    us with your specific comments or                                                                                The facility will receive natural gas
                                                                                                            following address. Be sure to reference
                                                    concerns about the project. Your                                                                              from a 2,000-foot-long intrastate natural
                                                                                                            the project docket number (PF15–25–
                                                    comments should focus on the potential                                                                        gas pipeline (feed gas pipeline) and
                                                                                                            000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
                                                    environmental effects, reasonable                                                                             power from a five-mile-long electric line
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                            Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
                                                    alternatives, and measures to avoid or                  Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street                 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
                                                    lessen environmental impacts. Your                      NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.                   not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
                                                    input will help the Commission staff                                                                          appendices were sent to all those receiving this
                                                    determine what issues they need to                      Summary of the Planned Project                        notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
                                                    evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your                    Freeport LNG intends to add a fourth               using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
                                                                                                                                                                  Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
                                                    comments are timely and properly                        liquefaction unit to Freeport LNG’s                   Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
                                                    recorded, please send your comments so                  natural gas liquefaction facilities on                502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
                                                    that the Commission receives them in                    Quintana Island in Brazoria County,                   eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.



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                                                                                 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 164 / Tuesday, August 25, 2015 / Notices                                              51549

                                                    to be provided by CenterPoint Energy.                      The EA will present our independent                    planned facilities and the
                                                    These facilities would extend beyond                    analysis of the issues. The EA will be                    environmental information provided by
                                                    the existing site boundary. Although                    available in the public record through                    Freeport LNG. This preliminary list of
                                                    FERC doesn’t have the regulatory                        eLibrary. If we publish and distribute                    issues may change based on your
                                                    authority to modify or deny the                         the EA to the public there will be an                     comments and our analysis.
                                                    construction of the above-described                     allotted comment period. We will                          • visual impacts
                                                    facilities, we will disclose available                  consider all comments on the EA before                    • noise and air emissions
                                                    information regarding the construction                  we make our recommendations to the                        • traffic
                                                    impacts in the cumulative impacts                       Commission. To ensure we have the                         • cumulative impacts
                                                    section of our EA.                                      opportunity to consider and address
                                                                                                            your comments, please carefully follow                    Environmental Mailing List
                                                    The EA Process
                                                                                                            the instructions in the Public                               The environmental mailing list
                                                       The National Environmental Policy                    Participation section, beginning on page                  includes federal, state, and local
                                                    Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to                   2.
                                                    take into account the environmental                                                                               government representatives and
                                                                                                               With this notice, we are asking
                                                    impacts that could result from an action                                                                          agencies; elected officials;
                                                                                                            agencies with jurisdiction by law and/
                                                    whenever it considers the authorization                                                                           environmental and public interest
                                                                                                            or special expertise with respect to the
                                                    of natural gas facilities under Section 3                                                                         groups; Native American Tribes; other
                                                                                                            environmental issues related to this
                                                    of the Natural Gas Act. NEPA also                                                                                 interested parties; and local libraries
                                                                                                            project to formally cooperate with us in
                                                    requires us 2 to discover and address                                                                             and newspapers. This list also includes
                                                                                                            the preparation of the EA.3 Agencies
                                                    concerns the public may have about                                                                                all affected landowners (as defined in
                                                                                                            that would like to request cooperating
                                                    proposals. This process is referred to as                                                                         the Commission’s regulations) who are
                                                                                                            agency status should follow the
                                                    scoping. The main goal of the scoping                                                                             potential right-of-way grantors, whose
                                                                                                            instructions for filing comments
                                                    process is to focus the analysis in the                                                                           property may be used temporarily for
                                                                                                            provided under the Public Participation
                                                    EA on the important environmental                       section of this notice.                                   project purposes, or who own homes
                                                    issues. By this notice, the Commission                                                                            within certain distances of aboveground
                                                                                                            Consultations Under Section 106 of the                    facilities, and anyone who submits
                                                    requests public comments on the scope
                                                                                                            National Historic Preservation Act                        comments on the project. We will
                                                    of the issues to address in the EA. We
                                                    will consider all comments filed during                   In accordance with the Advisory                         update the environmental mailing list as
                                                    the preparation of the EA.                              Council on Historic Preservation’s                        the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
                                                       In the EA we will discuss impacts that               implementing regulations for section                      send the information related to this
                                                    could occur as a result of the                          106 of the National Historic                              environmental review to all individuals,
                                                    construction and operation of the                       Preservation Act, we are using this                       organizations, and government entities
                                                    planned project under these general                     notice to initiate consultation with the                  interested in and/or potentially affected
                                                    headings:                                               Texas State Historic Preservation Office,                 by the planned project.
                                                       • Geology and soils;                                 and to solicit their views and those of                      If we publish and distribute the EA,
                                                       • land use;                                          other government agencies, interested                     copies of the EA will be sent to the
                                                       • water resources, fisheries, and                    Indian tribes, and the public on the                      environmental mailing list for public
                                                    wetlands;                                               project’s potential effects on historic                   review and comment. If you would
                                                       • cultural resources;                                properties.4 We will define the project-                  prefer to receive a paper copy of the
                                                       • vegetation and wildlife, including                 specific Area of Potential Effects (APE)                  document instead of the CD version or
                                                    endangered and threatened species;                      in consultation with the SHPO as the                      would like to remove your name from
                                                       • socioeconomics;                                    project develops. On natural gas facility                 the mailing list, please return the
                                                       • visual impacts;                                    projects, the APE at a minimum                            attached Information Request
                                                       • air quality and noise;                             encompasses all areas subject to ground                   (Appendix 2).
                                                       • public safety; and
                                                                                                            disturbance (examples include
                                                       • cumulative impacts.                                                                                          Becoming an Intervenor
                                                       We will also evaluate possible                       construction right-of-way, contractor/
                                                                                                            pipe storage yards, compressor stations,                     Once Freeport LNG files its
                                                    alternatives to the planned project or
                                                                                                            and access roads). Our EA for this                        application with the Commission, you
                                                    portions of the project, and make
                                                                                                            project will document our findings on                     may want to become an ‘‘intervenor,’’
                                                    recommendations on how to lessen or
                                                                                                            the impacts on historic properties and                    which is an official party to the
                                                    avoid impacts on the various resource
                                                                                                            summarize the status of consultations                     Commission’s proceeding. Intervenors
                                                    areas.
                                                                                                            under section 106.                                        play a more formal role in the process
                                                       Although no formal application has
                                                                                                                                                                      and are able to file briefs, appear at
                                                    been filed, we have already initiated our               Currently Identified Environmental                        hearings, and be heard by the courts if
                                                    NEPA review under the Commission’s                      Issues                                                    they choose to appeal the Commission’s
                                                    pre-filing process. The purpose of the
                                                                                                               We have already identified several                     final ruling. An intervenor formally
                                                    pre-filing process is to encourage early
                                                                                                            issues that we think deserve attention                    participates in the proceeding by filing
                                                    involvement of interested stakeholders
                                                                                                            based on a preliminary review of the                      a request to intervene. Motions to
                                                    and to identify and resolve issues before
                                                                                                                                                                      intervene are more fully described at
                                                    the FERC receives an application. As                      3 The Council on Environmental Quality
                                                                                                                                                                      http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    part of our pre-filing review, we have                  regulations addressing cooperating agency                 how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions for
                                                    begun to contact some federal and state                 responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
                                                                                                            Regulations, Part 1501.6.                                 becoming an intervenor are in the
                                                    agencies to discuss their involvement in
                                                                                                              4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation         ‘‘Document-less Intervention Guide’’
                                                    the scoping process and the preparation
                                                                                                            regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal              under the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the
                                                    of the EA.                                              Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define           Commission’s Web site. Please note that
                                                                                                            historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
                                                      2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the            district, site, building, structure, or object included
                                                                                                                                                                      the Commission will not accept requests
                                                    environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of       in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register     for intervenor status at this time. You
                                                    Energy Projects.                                        of Historic Places.                                       must wait until the Commission


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                                                    51550                        Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 164 / Tuesday, August 25, 2015 / Notices

                                                    receives a formal application for the                   Energy Regulatory Commission, 888                     1250 West Century Avenue, Bismarck,
                                                    project.                                                First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,               North Dakota 58503, filed in Docket No.
                                                                                                            in accordance with Rules 211 and 214                  CP15–542–000 a prior notice request
                                                    Additional Information
                                                                                                            of the Commission’s Rules of Practice                 pursuant to sections 157.205 and
                                                       Additional information about the                     and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and                     157.210 of the Commission’s regulations
                                                    project is available from the                           385.214). Anyone filing a motion to                   under the Natural Gas Act (NGA), as
                                                    Commission’s Office of External Affairs,                intervene or protest must serve a copy                amended, requesting authorization to
                                                    at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web                   of that document on the Applicant.                    install and operate new mainline
                                                    site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary                     Notice is hereby given that the                    natural gas facilities in North Dakota
                                                    link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on              deadline for filing protests with regard              (Project). Specifically, WBI proposes to:
                                                    ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the docket                 to the applicant’s request for blanket                (i) Install a new 1,380 horsepower
                                                    number, excluding the last three digits                 authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of               compressor unit at the Charbonneau
                                                    in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF15–                 future issuances of securities and                    Compressor Station in McKenzie
                                                    25). Be sure you have selected an                       assumptions of liability, is September 8,             County; (ii) retrofit the existing
                                                    appropriate date range. For assistance,                 2015.                                                 compressor unit at the Williston
                                                    please contact FERC Online Support at                      The Commission encourages                          Compressor Station in Williams County;
                                                    FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free                 electronic submission of protests and                 (iii) install an additional regulator at the
                                                    at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact                  interventions in lieu of paper, using the             Minot Transfer Station in Ward County;
                                                    (202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also                  FERC Online links at http://                          and (iv) install various appurtenances.
                                                    provides access to the texts of formal                  www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic                WBI states that the Project will make
                                                    documents issued by the Commission,                     service, persons with Internet access                 available an additional 18,200
                                                    such as orders, notices, and                            who will eFile a document and/or be                   dekatherms per day of firm
                                                    rulemakings.                                            listed as a contact for an intervenor                 transportation capacity from the Bakken
                                                       In addition, the Commission offers a                 must create and validate an                           Shale to an existing interconnect with
                                                    free service called eSubscription which                 eRegistration account using the                       Northern Border Pipeline Company at
                                                    allows you to keep track of all formal                  eRegistration link. Select the eFiling                an estimated cost of $3,650,000, all as
                                                    issuances and submittals in specific                    link to log on and submit the                         more fully set forth in the application
                                                    dockets. This can reduce the amount of                  intervention or protests.                             which is on file with the Commission
                                                    time you spend researching proceedings                     Persons unable to file electronically              and open to public inspection. The
                                                    by automatically providing you with                     should submit an original and 5 copies                filing may also be viewed on the Web
                                                    notification of these filings, document                 of the intervention or protest to the                 at http://www.ferc.gov using the
                                                    summaries, and direct links to the                      Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,                 ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
                                                    documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-                     888 First Street NE., Washington, DC                  number excluding the last three digits in
                                                    filing/esubscription.asp.                               20426.                                                the docket number field to access the
                                                                                                               The filings in the above-referenced                document. For assistance, please contact
                                                       Finally, public meetings or site visits
                                                                                                            proceeding are accessible in the                      FERC Online Support at
                                                    will be posted on the Commission’s
                                                                                                            Commission’s eLibrary system by                       FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
                                                    calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
                                                                                                            clicking on the appropriate link in the               free at (866) 208–3676, or TTY, contact
                                                    EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along                     above list. They are also available for
                                                    with other related information.                                                                               (202) 502–8659.
                                                                                                            electronic review in the Commission’s                    Any questions concerning this
                                                      Dated: August 19, 2015.                               Public Reference Room in Washington,                  application may be directed to Keith A.
                                                    Kimberly D. Bose,                                       DC. There is an eSubscription link on                 Tiggelaar, Director of Regulatory Affairs,
                                                    Secretary.                                              the Web site that enables subscribers to              WBI Energy Transmission, Inc., 1250
                                                    [FR Doc. 2015–20990 Filed 8–24–15; 8:45 am]             receive email notification when a                     West Century Avenue, Bismarck, North
                                                    BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                                                                            document is added to a subscribed                     Dakota 58503, by telephone at (701)
                                                                                                            docket(s). For assistance with any FERC               530–1560 or by email at keith.tiggelaar@
                                                                                                            Online service, please email                          wbienergy.com.
                                                    DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                    FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call                      Any person or the Commission’s staff
                                                                                                            (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call             may, within 60 days after issuance of
                                                    Federal Energy Regulatory                               (202) 502–8659.                                       the instant notice by the Commission,
                                                    Commission                                                Dated: August 19, 2015.                             file pursuant to Rule 214 of the
                                                                                                            Kimberly D. Bose,                                     Commission’s Procedural Rules (18 CFR
                                                    [Docket No. ER15–2473–000]
                                                                                                            Secretary.                                            385.214) a motion to intervene or notice
                                                    HIC Energy, LLC; Supplemental Notice                                                                          of intervention and pursuant to section
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2015–20987 Filed 8–24–15; 8:45 am]
                                                    That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing                                                                         157.205 of the regulations under the
                                                                                                            BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                    Includes Request for Blanket Section                                                                          NGA (18 CFR 157.205), a protest to the
                                                    204 Authorization                                                                                             request. If no protest is filed within the
                                                                                                            DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                  time allowed therefore, the proposed
                                                      This is a supplemental notice in the                                                                        activity shall be deemed to be
                                                    above-referenced proceeding of HIC                      Federal Energy Regulatory                             authorized effective the day after the
                                                    Energy, LLC’s application for market-                                                                         time allowed for filing a protest. If a
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                                                                                                            Commission
                                                    based rate authority, with an                                                                                 protest is filed and not withdrawn
                                                    accompanying rate tariff, noting that                   [Docket No. CP15–542–000]                             within 30 days after the allowed time
                                                    such application includes a request for                                                                       for filing a protest, the instant request
                                                                                                            WBI Energy Transmission, Inc.; Notice
                                                    blanket authorization, under 18 CFR                                                                           shall be treated as an application for
                                                                                                            of Request Under Blanket
                                                    part 34, of future issuances of securities                                                                    authorization pursuant to section 7 of
                                                                                                            Authorization
                                                    and assumptions of liability.                                                                                 the NGA.
                                                      Any person desiring to intervene or to                 Take notice that on August 10, 2015,                    Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
                                                    protest should file with the Federal                    WBI Energy Transmission, Inc. (WBI),                  Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,


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Document Created: 2018-02-23 11:03:14
Document Modified: 2018-02-23 11:03:14
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation80 FR 51548 

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