83 FR 45440 - Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf LNG Energy, LLC, Gulf LNG Pipelines, LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 174 (September 7, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 174 (Friday, September 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45440-45441]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19388]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-521-000]


Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Gulf LNG Energy, LLC, Gulf 
LNG Pipelines, LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the 
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project

    On June 19, 2015, Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC and Gulf LNG 
Energy, LLC, and Gulf LNG Pipeline, LLC (collectively referred to as 
Gulf LNG) filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC or Commission) in Docket No. CP15-521-000 pursuant to 
section 3(a) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, requesting authorization 
to construct and operate the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project (Project) at 
Gulf Energy's existing import liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in 
Jackson County, Mississippi. Within the same application, Gulf LNG 
Pipeline, LLC proposes to make modifications to the terminal's send-out 
pipeline to allow for bi-directional flow. The Project would expand the 
terminal to enable it to liquefy approximately 11 million metric tons 
of LNG per year for export. On June 15, 2012, in Order No. 3104, the 
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, granted to Gulf LNG 
authorization to export LNG by vessel from the terminal to Free Trade 
Agreement nations. On August 31, 2012, Gulf LNG filed an application 
with the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, for a 
long-term, multi-contract authorization to export LNG to Non-Free Trade 
Agreement nations. A decision by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office 
of Fossil Energy is still pending.
    FERC issued its Notice of Application for the Project on July 1, 
2015. 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 Project. 
This notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for completion 
of the final EIS for the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project, which is based 
on an issuance of the draft EIS in November 2018. The forecasted 
schedule for both the draft and final EIS is based upon Gulf LNG 
providing complete and timely responses to any future data requests. In 
addition, the schedule assumes that the cooperating agencies will 
provide input on their areas of responsibility on a timely basis.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--April 17, 2019
90-Day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--July 16, 2019

    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 project's progress.

Background

    On May 21, 2014, the Commission staff granted Gulf LNG's request to 
use FERC's pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the 
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project Docket No. PF13-4-000. On July 31, 2014, 
the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Planned Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project, Request 
for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping 
Meeting. On August 27, 2014, the Commission issued a Notice of 
Extension of Time to allow additional time for comments. The notices 
were sent to federal, state, and local government representatives and 
agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; 
Native American Tribes; affected property owners; other interested 
parties; and local libraries and newspapers. Major issues raised during 
scoping include impacts on air and water quality, socioeconomic 
conditions, environmental justice, federal and state-listed threatened 
and endangered species, noise levels and nighttime light, visual 
resources, public safety, and cumulative impacts.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy; U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
National Marine Fisheries Service; and U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency 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

[[Page 45441]]

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 via email. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    Additional information about the Gulf LNG Liquefaction 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., 
CP15-521), 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: August 31, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-19388 Filed 9-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P