81 FR 40884 - Cameron LNG, LLC; Application for Blanket Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations on a Short-Term Basis

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 121 (June 23, 2016)

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on February 19, 2016, by Cameron LNG, LLC (Cameron LNG), requesting blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) in an amount up to the equivalent of 254 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a cumulative basis over a two-year period effective as of the commencement of export of commissioning volumes, estimated to be the fourth quarter of 2017, but no later than six months thereafter.\1\ The LNG would be exported from the Cameron Terminal located in Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana to any country with the capacity to import LNG in ocean-going carriers and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy, including both countries with which the United States has entered into a free trade agreement providing for national treatment for trade in natural gas (FTA countries) and other countries (non-FTA countries). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 121 (Thursday, June 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40884-40886]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14869]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 16-34-LNG]


Cameron LNG, LLC; Application for Blanket Authorization To Export 
Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations on a Short-
Term Basis

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on 
February 19, 2016, by Cameron LNG, LLC (Cameron LNG), requesting 
blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) in an 
amount up to the equivalent of 254 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural 
gas on a cumulative basis over a two-year period effective as of the 
commencement of export of commissioning volumes, estimated to be the 
fourth quarter of 2017, but no later than six months thereafter.\1\ The 
LNG would be exported from the Cameron Terminal located in Cameron and 
Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana to any country with the capacity to 
import LNG in ocean-going carriers and with which trade is not 
prohibited by U.S. law or policy, including both countries with which 
the United States has entered into a free trade agreement providing for 
national treatment for trade in natural gas (FTA countries) and other 
countries (non-FTA countries).
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    \1\ Cameron LNG, LLC, Supplement Letter To Application to Export 
Liquefied Natural Gas on a Short-Term Basis to FTA and Non-FTA 
Countries, (Mar. 10, 2016).
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    To date, Cameron LNG has been granted 5 long-term, multi-contract 
authorizations from DOE/FE: (1) Order No. 3059 to export LNG in a 
volume equivalent to 620 Bcf per year of natural gas from the Cameron 
Terminal to FTA countries, for a 20-year term; (2) Order No. 3391-A to 
export LNG in a volume equivalent to 620 Bcf per year of natural gas 
from the Cameron Terminal to non-FTA countries, for a 20-year term; \2\ 
(3) Order No. 3620 to export LNG in a volume equivalent to 152 Bcf per 
year of natural gas from the Cameron Terminal to FTA countries, for a 
20-year term; (4) Order No. 3797 to export LNG in a volume equivalent 
to 152 Bcf per year of natural gas from the Cameron Terminal to non-FTA 
countries, for a 20-year term \3\ and (5) Order No. 3680 to export LNG 
in a volume equivalent to 515 Bcf per year of natural gas from the 
Cameron Terminal to FTA countries, for a 20-year term. Cameron LNG also 
has submitted a pending application in DOE/FE Docket No. 15-90-LNG to 
export LNG in a volume equivalent to 515 Bcf per year of natural gas 
from the Cameron Terminal to non-FTA countries, for a 20-year term. The 
volume in Cameron LNG's pending application is not additive to the 
volume authorized in DOE/FE Order No. 3680.
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    \2\ Order Nos. 3059 and 3391-A are not additive.
    \3\ Order Nos. 3620 and 3797 are not additive.
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    Cameron LNG states that, in anticipation of the start of 
liquefaction operations at the Cameron Terminal, it requests this 
blanket authorization to engage in short-term exports of LNG produced 
before the commencement of long-term commercial exports of domestically 
sourced LNG as approved in DOE/FE Order Nos. 3059, 3391-A, 3620, 3680, 
and 3797.\4\ Cameron LNG seeks to export this LNG on its own

[[Page 40885]]

behalf and as agent for other parties who will hold title to the LNG at 
the time of export. The Application was filed under section 3 of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in Cameron LNG's 
Application, posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://energy.gov/fe/cameron-lng-llc-fe-dkt-no-16-34-lng-application-blanket-authority-export-lng-short-term-basis-fta.
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    \4\ DOE/FE issued Order No. 3797 after Cameron LNG filed the 
application in DOE/FE Docket No. 14-34-LNG. DOE/FE has included the 
Order because Cameron LNG referencing the docket as a pending 
application at 4.
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    Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and 
written comments are invited.

DATES: Protests, motions to intervene or notices of intervention, as 
applicable, requests for additional procedures, and written comments 
are to be filed using procedures detailed in the Public Comment 
Procedures section no later than 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, July 25, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronic Filing by email: [email protected].
    Regular Mail: U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of 
Regulation and International Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, P.O. 
Box 44375, Washington, DC 20026-4375.
    Hand Delivery or Private Delivery Services (e.g., FedEx, UPS, 
etc.): U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Regulation and 
International Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, Forrestal Building, 
Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Larine Moore or Amy Sweeney, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office 
of Regulation and International Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, 
Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9478; (202) 586-2627.
Edward Myers, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76), Office of the 
Assistant General Counsel for Electricity and Fossil Energy, Forrestal 
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 
586-3397.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DOE/FE Evaluation

    The portion of the Application seeking authority to export 
commissioning volumes to non-FTA countries will be reviewed pursuant to 
section 3(a) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717b(a), and DOE will consider any 
issues required by law or policy. In reviewing this Application, 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 
following two studies examining the cumulative impacts of exporting 
domestically produced LNG:
     Effect of Increased Levels of Liquefied Natural Gas on 
U.S. Energy Markets, conducted by the U.S. Energy Information 
Administration upon DOE's request (2014 EIA LNG Export Study); \5\ and
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    \5\ The 2014 EIA LNG Export Study, published on Oct. 29, 2014, 
is available at: https://www.eia.gov/analysis/requests/fe/.
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     The Macroeconomic Impact of Increasing U.S. LNG Exports, 
conducted jointly by the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University's 
Baker Institute for Public Policy and Oxford Economics, on behalf of 
DOE (2015 LNG Export Study).\6\
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    \6\ The 2015 LNG Export Study, dated Oct. 29, 2015, is available 
at: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/12/f27/20151113_macro_impact_of_lng_exports_0.pdf.
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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); \7\ and
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    \7\ 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).\8\
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    \8\ The 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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    Parties that may oppose this 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. Cameron LNG states 
that no new or modified facilities at the Cameron Terminal would be 
required for the short-term exports requested in the Application. No 
final decision will be issued in this proceeding until DOE has met its 
environmental responsibilities.
    Interested persons will be provided 30 days from the date of 
publication of this Notice in which to submit comments, protests, 
motions to intervene, notices of intervention, or motions for 
additional procedures.

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 30 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.
    Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods: (1) 
Emailing the filing to [email protected], with FE Docket No. 16-34-LNG 
in the title line; (2) mailing an original and three paper copies of 
the filing to the Office of Regulation and International Engagement at 
the address listed in ADDRESSES; or (3) hand delivering an original and 
three paper copies of the filing to the Office of Regulation and 
International Engagement at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All 
filings must include a reference to FE Docket No. 16-34-LNG. Please 
Note: If submitting a filing via email, 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.
    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

[[Page 40886]]

on the official record, including the Application and responses filed 
by parties pursuant to this notice, in accordance with 10 CFR 590.316.
    The Application is available for inspection and copying in the 
Office of Regulation and International Engagement docket room, Room 3E-
042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. The docket 
room is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Application and any filed 
protests, motions to intervene or notice of interventions, and comments 
will also be available electronically by going to the following DOE/FE 
Web address: http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/gasregulation/index.html.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 16, 2016.
John A. Anderson,
Director, Office of Regulation and International Engagement, Office of 
Oil and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2016-14869 Filed 6-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P