81 FR 51874 - Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG Company, ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC; Supplemental Notice Requesting Comments on the Denali National Park and Preserve Alterative for the Planned Alaska LNG Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 151 (August 5, 2016)

Page Range		51874-51876
FR Document		2016-18580
Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51874-51876]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18580]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF14-21-000]


Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, Conoco 
Phillips Alaska LNG Company, ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC; Supplemental 
Notice Requesting Comments on the Denali National Park and Preserve 
Alterative for the Planned Alaska LNG Project

    As previously noticed on March 4, 2015, the staff of the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) is preparing an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will discuss the 
environmental impacts of the Alaska LNG Project that could result from 
construction and operation of facilities by Alaska Gasline Development 
Corporation; BP Alaska LNG LLC; Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG Company; and 
ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC (Applicants) in Alaska. This notice explains 
the additional scoping process that will be used to gather input from 
the public and interested agencies on a route alternative to be 
evaluated for crossing the Denali National Park and Preserve (DNPP).
    The route currently planned by Alaska LNG is closely aligned with 
the Parks Highway, but deviates from the highway where the Parks 
Highway passes through the DNPP entrance area (see figure in appendix 
1.\1\) In response to scoping comments, and in working with federal and 
state regulating agencies, as well as the local communities, Alaska LNG 
has identified an alternative route (the DNPP Alternative) that passes 
directly through the DNPP entrance area and is closely aligned with the 
Parks Highway (see figure in appendix 1). In this general area, the 
planned route would be 8.05 miles long and not enter the DNPP, while 
the corresponding segment of the DNPP Alternative would be 8.50 miles 
long (6.16 miles of which would pass through the DNPP).
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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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    This Supplemental Notice announces the opening of a limited scoping 
period to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the 
DNPP Alternative route. You can make a difference by providing us with 
your specific comments or concerns about the DNPP Alternative route. 
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 EIS. 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 25, 
2016.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should

[[Page 51875]]

notify their constituents of this planned project and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if 
the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the 
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to 
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation 
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with 
state law.
    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 the use of eminent 
domain and 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. In all instances, please reference the 
project docket number (PF14-21-000) with your submission. 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 
(PF14-21-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    In addition, if you have questions regarding the FERC process and 
our review of the alternative, FERC staff will be available to answer 
questions on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. at 
the Murie Dining Hall within Denali National Park (next to the Murie 
Science and Learning Center),
    Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please 
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 2.

Summary of the Planned Project

    The Applicants are planning to transport and liquefy supplies of 
natural gas from the production fields at the Point Thomson and Prudhoe 
Bay Units (PTU and PBU, respectively) on Alaska's North Slope for 
export and potential in-state deliveries. To do this, the Alaska LNG 
Project would consist of a new Gas Treatment Plant (GTP) on the North 
Slope and associated pipelines to deliver the gas from the PTU and PBU 
to the GTP, as well as a pipeline to deliver natural gas processing 
byproducts from the GTP back to the PBU. The GTP would treat/process 
the natural gas for delivery to an approximately 800-mile-long, 42-
inch-diameter pipeline that would transport the natural gas to a new 
planned liquefaction facility on the eastern shore of Cook Inlet in the 
Nikiski area of the Kenai Peninsula. Alaska LNG anticipates starting 
construction in late 2019, with construction and startup taking 
approximately 8 years. On this basis, the full planned Project system 
would be placed into service about 2027.
    As previously described, the alternative we are scoping involves an 
alternative route directly through the DNPP entrance area and closely 
aligned with the Parks Highway (see figure in appendix 1). We are 
requesting input from stakeholders on both the DNPP Alternative route 
and the current route that is located outside the park.

The EIS 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 issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. 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 EIS on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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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 EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the planned project under these 
general headings:
     Alternatives
     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Air quality and noise;
     Endangered and threatened species;
     Transportation;
     Socioeconomics;
     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 already met with the Applicants, jurisdictional agencies, Alaska 
Native tribes, local officials, and other interested stakeholders to 
discuss the project and identify issues/impacts and concerns before the 
FERC receives an application.
    In October and November 2016, FERC conducted a total of 12 scoping 
meetings throughout Alaska. During the scoping meetings, we garnered 
feedback from the local communities, including residents, elected 
officials, tribal leaders, community leaders, and other interested 
stakeholders.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be presented in the 
EIS. The draft EIS will be published and distributed for public review 
and comment. We will consider all timely comments and revise the 
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure your 
comments are considered, please carefully follow the instructions in 
the Public Participation section of this notice.

[[Page 51876]]

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.
    Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 3).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once the Applicants file their 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. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in 
the User's Guide under the ``efiling'' 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 
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., PF14-
21). 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.
    Further, 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. Finally, 
additional information about the project can be seen from the 
Applicant's Web site at http://ak-lng.com.

    Dated: July 27, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-18580 Filed 8-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
51874 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY e. Name of Project: Camp McDowell Reference Room or may be viewed on
Project. the Commission’s Web site at http://
Federal Energy Regulatory f. Location: On Clear Creek, near www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link.
Commission Nauvoo in Winston County, Alabama. Enter the docket number excluding the
[Project No. 14793–000]
The project does not affect federal lands. last three digits in the docket number
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power field to access the document. For
The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). assistance, please contact FERC Online
Society of the Protestant Episcopal h. Applicant Contact: Frazier Christy,
3621 Kingshill Road, Birmingham, Support at FERCOnlineSupport@
Diocese of Alabama; Notice of ferc.gov, (866) 208–3676 (toll free), or
Application Tendered for Filing With Alabama 35223.
i. FERC Contact: Michael Spencer, (202) 502–8659 (TTY). A copy is also
the Commission and Establishing available for inspection and
Procedural Schedule for Licensing and (202) 502–6093, michael.spencer@
ferc.gov. reproduction at the address in item (h)
Deadline for Submission of Final above.
j. This application is not ready for
Amendments
environmental analysis at this time. m. You may also register online at
Take notice that the following k. The proposed project would consist http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
hydroelectric application has been filed of: (1) an Archimedean Screw installed esubscription.asp to be notified via
with the Commission and is available in the spillway of the dam; (2) a 10 acre email of new filings and issuances
for public inspection. reservoir; (3) a powerhouse containing a related to this or other pending projects.
a. Type of Application: 10 Megawatt generator with a total installed capacity For assistance, contact FERC Online
Exemption. of 140 kilowatts; and (4) a transmission
Support.
b. Project No.: 14793–000. line. The project is estimated to generate
c. Date filed: July 12, 2016. an average of 950 megawatt-hours n. Procedural schedule: The
d. Applicant: The Domestic and annually. application will be processed according
Foreign Missionary Society of the l. Locations of the Application: A to the following preliminary Hydro
Protestant Episcopal Diocese of copy of the application is available for Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the
Alabama. review at the Commission in the Public schedule will be made as appropriate.

Milestone Target date

Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis ................................................................................................ October 2016.
Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and fishway prescriptions .............................................................. December 2016.
Commission issues EA ..................................................................................................................................................................... June 2017.
Comments on EA ............................................................................................................................................................................. July 2017.

o. Final amendments to the impacts of the Alaska LNG Project that the DNPP entrance area and is closely
application must be filed with the could result from construction and aligned with the Parks Highway (see
Commission no later than 30 days from operation of facilities by Alaska Gasline figure in appendix 1). In this general
the issuance date of the notice of ready Development Corporation; BP Alaska area, the planned route would be 8.05
for environmental analysis. LNG LLC; Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG miles long and not enter the DNPP,
Dated: July 27, 2016. Company; and ExxonMobil Alaska LNG while the corresponding segment of the
Kimberly D. Bose,
LLC (Applicants) in Alaska. This notice DNPP Alternative would be 8.50 miles
explains the additional scoping process long (6.16 miles of which would pass
Secretary.
that will be used to gather input from through the DNPP).
[FR Doc. 2016–18579 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am]
the public and interested agencies on a This Supplemental Notice announces
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P route alternative to be evaluated for the opening of a limited scoping period
crossing the Denali National Park and to gather input from the public and
Preserve (DNPP). interested agencies on the DNPP
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY The route currently planned by Alternative route. You can make a
Federal Energy Regulatory Alaska LNG is closely aligned with the difference by providing us with your
Commission Parks Highway, but deviates from the specific comments or concerns about
highway where the Parks Highway the DNPP Alternative route. Your
[Docket No. PF14–21–000] passes through the DNPP entrance area comments should focus on the potential
(see figure in appendix 1.1) In response environmental effects, reasonable
Alaska Gasline Development to scoping comments, and in working
Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, alternatives, and measures to avoid or
with federal and state regulating lessen environmental impacts. Your
Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG Company, agencies, as well as the local
ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC; input will help the Commission staff
communities, Alaska LNG has identified determine what issues they need to
Supplemental Notice Requesting an alternative route (the DNPP
Comments on the Denali National Park evaluate in the EIS. To ensure that your
Alternative) that passes directly through comments are timely and properly
and Preserve Alterative for the Planned
recorded, please send your comments so
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

Alaska LNG Project 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
that the Commission receives them in
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
As previously noticed on March 4, appendices were sent to all those receiving this Washington, DC on or before September
2015, the staff of the Federal Energy notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov 25, 2016.
Regulatory Commission (FERC or using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Commission) is preparing an Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
Commission’s current environmental
environmental impact statement (EIS) 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to mailing list for this project. State and
that will discuss the environmental eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. local government representatives should

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:42 Aug 04, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05AUN1.SGM 05AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Notices 51875

notify their constituents of this planned Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy process is referred to as scoping. The
project and encourage them to comment Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street main goal of the scoping process is to
on their areas of concern. NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. focus the analysis in the EIS on the
If you are a landowner receiving this In addition, if you have questions important environmental issues. By this
notice, a pipeline company regarding the FERC process and our notice, the Commission requests public
representative may contact you about review of the alternative, FERC staff will comments on the scope of the issues to
the acquisition of an easement to be available to answer questions on address in the EIS. We will consider all
construct, operate, and maintain the Tuesday, August 23, 2016, between 4:00 filed comments during the preparation
planned facilities. The company would and 6:00 p.m. at the Murie Dining Hall of the EIS.
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable within Denali National Park (next to the In the EIS we will discuss impacts
agreement. However, if the Commission Murie Science and Learning Center), that could occur as a result of the
approves the project, that approval Please note this is not your only construction and operation of the
conveys with it the right of eminent public input opportunity; please refer to planned project under these general
domain. Therefore, if easement the review process flow chart in headings:
negotiations fail to produce an appendix 2. • Alternatives
agreement, the pipeline company could • Geology and soils;
initiate condemnation proceedings Summary of the Planned Project
• Land use;
where compensation would be The Applicants are planning to • Water resources, fisheries, and
determined in accordance with state transport and liquefy supplies of natural wetlands;
law. gas from the production fields at the • Cultural resources;
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC Point Thomson and Prudhoe Bay Units • Vegetation and wildlife;
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas (PTU and PBU, respectively) on • Air quality and noise;
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need Alaska’s North Slope for export and • Endangered and threatened species;
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on potential in-state deliveries. To do this, • Transportation;
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This the Alaska LNG Project would consist of • Socioeconomics;
fact sheet addresses a number of a new Gas Treatment Plant (GTP) on the • Public safety; and
typically asked questions, including the North Slope and associated pipelines to • Cumulative impacts.
use of eminent domain and how to deliver the gas from the PTU and PBU We will also evaluate possible
participate in the Commission’s to the GTP, as well as a pipeline to alternatives to the planned project or
proceedings. deliver natural gas processing portions of the project, and make
Public Participation byproducts from the GTP back to the recommendations on how to lessen or
PBU. The GTP would treat/process the avoid impacts on the various resource
For your convenience, there are three natural gas for delivery to an
methods you can use to submit your areas.
approximately 800-mile-long, 42-inch- Although no formal application has
comments to the Commission. In all diameter pipeline that would transport
instances, please reference the project been filed, we have already initiated our
the natural gas to a new planned NEPA review under the Commission’s
docket number (PF14–21–000) with liquefaction facility on the eastern shore
your submission. The Commission pre-filing process. The purpose of the
of Cook Inlet in the Nikiski area of the pre-filing process is to encourage early
encourages electronic filing of Kenai Peninsula. Alaska LNG
comments and has expert staff available involvement of interested stakeholders
anticipates starting construction in late and to identify and resolve issues before
to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or 2019, with construction and startup
efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow the FERC receives an application. As
taking approximately 8 years. On this part of our pre-filing review, we have
these instructions so that your basis, the full planned Project system
comments are properly recorded. already met with the Applicants,
would be placed into service about jurisdictional agencies, Alaska Native
(1) You can file your comments 2027.
electronically using the eComment tribes, local officials, and other
As previously described, the interested stakeholders to discuss the
feature on the Commission’s Web site alternative we are scoping involves an
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to project and identify issues/impacts and
alternative route directly through the concerns before the FERC receives an
Documents and Filings. This is an easy DNPP entrance area and closely aligned
method for submitting brief, text-only application.
with the Parks Highway (see figure in In October and November 2016, FERC
comments on a project; appendix 1). We are requesting input
(2) You can file your comments conducted a total of 12 scoping
from stakeholders on both the DNPP meetings throughout Alaska. During the
electronically by using the eFiling
Alternative route and the current route scoping meetings, we garnered feedback
feature on the Commission’s Web site
that is located outside the park. from the local communities, including
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. With eFiling, The EIS Process residents, elected officials, tribal
you can provide comments in a variety leaders, community leaders, and other
The National Environmental Policy
of formats by attaching them as a file interested stakeholders.
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
with your submission. New eFiling take into account the environmental Our independent analysis of the
users must first create an account by impacts that could result from an action issues will be presented in the EIS. The
clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ If you are filing whenever it considers the issuance of a draft EIS will be published and
a comment on a particular project, distributed for public review and
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

Certificate of Public Convenience and
please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to comment. We will consider all timely
the filing type; or comments and revise the document, as
discover and address concerns the
(3) You can file a paper copy of your necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To
public may have about proposals. This
comments by mailing them to the ensure your comments are considered,
following address. Be sure to reference 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the please carefully follow the instructions
the project docket number (PF14–21– environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of in the Public Participation section of
000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Energy Projects. this notice.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:42 Aug 04, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05AUN1.SGM 05AUN1
Document Created: 2016-08-05 06:43:35
Document Modified: 2016-08-05 06:43:35
Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
FR Citation		81 FR 51874
81 FR 51874 - Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, BP Alaska LNG LLC, Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG Company, ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC; Supplemental Notice Requesting Comments on the Denali National Park and Preserve Alterative for the Planned Alaska LNG Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 151 (August 5, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
