83 FR 12002 - Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Alaska LNG Project
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 53 (March 19, 2018)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 53 (March 19, 2018)
| Page Range | 12002-12002 | |
| FR Document | 2018-05427 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 53 (Monday, March 19, 2018)] [Notices] [Page 12002] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-05427] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP17-178-000] Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Alaska LNG Project On April 17, 2017, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) filed an application in Docket No. CP17-178-000 requesting authorization pursuant to section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) to construct and operate liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities. The proposed project is known as the Alaska LNG Project (Project) and would commercialize natural gas resources on the North Slope during the economic life of the Prudhoe Bay Unit field and provide at least five interconnection points along the pipeline to allow for in-state gas deliveries. On May 1, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. Among other things, that notice alerted other agencies issuing federal authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and to reach a final decision on the request for a federal authorization within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Alaska LNG Project. This instant notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for completion of the final EIS for the Project, which is based on an issuance of the draft EIS in March 2019. Schedule for Environmental Review Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--December 9, 2019 90-Day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--March 8, 2020 If a schedule change becomes necessary for the final EIS, an additional notice will be provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the Project's progress. Project Description AGDC is seeking authorization to construct, own, and operate a new gas treatment plant near Prudhoe Bay; a 1.0-mile-long, 60-inch-diameter Prudhoe Bay Unit Gas Transmission Line; a 62.5-mile-long, 32-inch- diameter Point Thomson Unit Gas Transmission Line; a 806.6-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline from the gas treatment plant to the LNG terminal in Nikiski; an LNG terminal with a 20 million ton per annum liquefaction capacity; associated aboveground facilities; and non-jurisdictional facilities in Alaska. The Project would have an annual average inlet design capacity of up to 3.7 billion standard cubic feet per day and a 3.9 billion standard cubic feet per day peak capacity of natural gas. Background On September 12, 2014, the Commission staff granted AGDC's request to use the FERC's Pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the Alaska LNG Project Docket No. PF14-21-000. On March 4, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Alaska LNG Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues (NOI) during the pre-filing review. In October 2015, FERC issued two supplemental Notices regarding public scoping meetings for the Alaska LNG Project. On July 27, 2016, FERC also issued a Supplemental Notice Requesting Comments on the Denali National Park and Preserve Alternative for the Planned Alaska LNG Project. The NOI and supplemental notices were sent to federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes and regional organizations; commentors and other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. Major issues raised during scoping include impacts on traditional Alaska Native culture, particularly subsistence; health impacts on local communities; impacts on wetlands, including through placement of permanent gravel fill; visual impacts from key observation points, including within the Denali National Park and Preserve; impacts of dredging and identification of disposal methods; wildlife impacts, specifically on the caribou population and its migration routes, the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population, and Cook Inlet fish habitat; and transportation impacts. The U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; Bureau of Land Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Marine Fisheries Service; National Park Service; and U.S. Department of Energy are cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Additional Information In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EIS and to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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. Additional information about the Project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov). Using the ``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-178), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502- 8659, or at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC website also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings. Dated: March 12, 2018. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2018-05427 Filed 3-16-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![12002 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 53 / Monday, March 19, 2018 / Notices
of settlement. Likewise, as non- Schedule for Environmental Review permanent gravel fill; visual impacts
decisional staff, pursuant to 18 CFR Issuance of Notice of Availability of the from key observation points, including
385.2201 (2017), they are prohibited final EIS—December 9, 2019 within the Denali National Park and
from communicating with advisory staff 90-Day Federal Authorization Decision Preserve; impacts of dredging and
concerning any deliberations in this Deadline—March 8, 2020 identification of disposal methods;
docket. wildlife impacts, specifically on the
If a schedule change becomes
Exceptions to this designation as non- caribou population and its migration
necessary for the final EIS, an additional
decisional are: routes, the endangered Cook Inlet
notice will be provided so that the
Timothy Helwick relevant agencies are kept informed of beluga whale population, and Cook Inlet
Eric Ciccoretti the Project’s progress. fish habitat; and transportation impacts.
Shawn Bennett The U.S. Department of
Sebastian Krynski Project Description
Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous
Jeffrey Phillips AGDC is seeking authorization to Material Safety Administration; U.S.
Grace Kwon construct, own, and operate a new gas
Mark Nagel Environmental Protection Agency; U.S.
treatment plant near Prudhoe Bay; a 1.0-
Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast
Dated: March 13, 2018. mile-long, 60-inch-diameter Prudhoe
Guard; Bureau of Land Management;
Kimberly D. Bose, Bay Unit Gas Transmission Line; a 62.5-
mile-long, 32-inch-diameter Point U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National
Secretary. Marine Fisheries Service; National Park
Thomson Unit Gas Transmission Line; a
[FR Doc. 2018–05496 Filed 3–16–18; 8:45 am] Service; and U.S. Department of Energy
806.6-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
natural gas pipeline from the gas are cooperating agencies in the
treatment plant to the LNG terminal in preparation of the EIS.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Nikiski; an LNG terminal with a 20 Additional Information
million ton per annum liquefaction
Federal Energy Regulatory capacity; associated aboveground In order to receive notification of the
Commission facilities; and non-jurisdictional issuance of the EIS and to keep track of
facilities in Alaska. The Project would all formal issuances and submittals in
[Docket No. CP17–178–000]
have an annual average inlet design specific dockets, the Commission offers
capacity of up to 3.7 billion standard a free service called eSubscription. This
Notice of Schedule for Environmental cubic feet per day and a 3.9 billion can reduce the amount of time you
Review of the Alaska Gasline standard cubic feet per day peak spend researching proceedings by
Development Corporation Alaska LNG capacity of natural gas. automatically providing you with
Project Background notification of these filings, document
summaries, and direct links to the
On April 17, 2017, the Alaska Gasline On September 12, 2014, the
Development Corporation (AGDC) filed Commission staff granted AGDC’s documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-
an application in Docket No. CP17–178– request to use the FERC’s Pre-filing filing/esubscription.asp.
000 requesting authorization pursuant environmental review process and Additional information about the
to section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act assigned the Alaska LNG Project Docket Project is available from the
(NGA) to construct and operate No. PF14–21–000. On March 4, 2015, Commission’s Office of External Affairs
liquefied natural gas (LNG) export the Commission issued a Notice of at (866) 208–FERC or on the FERC
facilities. The proposed project is Intent to Prepare an Environmental website (www.ferc.gov). Using the
known as the Alaska LNG Project Impact Statement for the Planned ‘‘eLibrary’’ link, select ‘‘General Search’’
(Project) and would commercialize Alaska LNG Project and Request for from the eLibrary menu, enter the
natural gas resources on the North Slope Comments on Environmental Issues selected date range and ‘‘Docket
during the economic life of the Prudhoe (NOI) during the pre-filing review. In Number’’ excluding the last three digits
Bay Unit field and provide at least five October 2015, FERC issued two (i.e., CP17–178), and follow the
interconnection points along the supplemental Notices regarding public instructions. For assistance with access
pipeline to allow for in-state gas scoping meetings for the Alaska LNG to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached
deliveries. Project. On July 27, 2016, FERC also at (866) 208–3676, TTY (202) 502–8659,
On May 1, 2017, the Federal Energy issued a Supplemental Notice or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The
Regulatory Commission (FERC or Requesting Comments on the Denali
eLibrary link on the FERC website also
Commission) issued its Notice of National Park and Preserve Alternative
provides access to the texts of formal
Application for the Project. Among for the Planned Alaska LNG Project.
other things, that notice alerted other The NOI and supplemental notices documents issued by the Commission,
agencies issuing federal authorizations were sent to federal, state, and local such as orders, notices, and rule
of the requirement to complete all government agencies; elected officials; makings.
necessary reviews and to reach a final affected landowners; environmental and Dated: March 12, 2018.
decision on the request for a federal public interest groups; Native American Kimberly D. Bose,
authorization within 90 days of the date tribes and regional organizations; Secretary.
of issuance of the Commission staff’s commentors and other interested
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2018–05427 Filed 3–16–18; 8:45 am]
final Environmental Impact Statement parties; and local libraries and
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
(EIS) for the Alaska LNG Project. This newspapers. Major issues raised during
instant notice identifies the FERC staff’s scoping include impacts on traditional
planned schedule for completion of the Alaska Native culture, particularly
final EIS for the Project, which is based subsistence; health impacts on local
on an issuance of the draft EIS in March communities; impacts on wetlands,
2019. including through placement of
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Document Created: 2018-03-17 04:25:03
Document Modified: 2018-03-17 04:25:03
| 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 | 83 FR 12002 |
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