SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On July 31, 2019, in DOE/FE Order No. 4410, as amended,^[1] DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (now known as the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office) ^[2] authorized GLLC to export domestically produced LNG by vessel from the proposed Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project (Project), to be located at the Gulf LNG Terminal ^[3] in Jackson County, Mississippi, near the city of Pascagoula, to any country with which the United States has not entered into a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA countries), pursuant to NGA section 3(a).^[4] GLLC is authorized to export this LNG in a volume equivalent to 558.9 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas for a term extending through December 31, 2050.^[5]

Under Order No. 4410, GLLC is required to “commence export operations using the planned liquefaction facility no later than seven years from the date of issuance of this Order”— i.e., by July 31, 2026.^[6] In the Request, GLLC asks DOE to extend this export commencement deadline by five years, to July 31, 2031.^[7]

In support of this Request, GLLC states that, in the period since the issuance of Order No. 4410, GLLC has been attempting to enter into commercial agreements for the export of LNG from the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project and to proceed with the construction and operation of the terminal facilities to support its authorized export activities. GLLC states that “those good faith efforts have been frustrated by events outside of GLLC's control,” but that, notwithstanding these challenges, GLLC has been actively developing the project.^[8]

Additionally, GLLC states that, on May 23, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted GLLC's request for an extension of its existing construction and in-service deadline for the Project until July 16, 2029.^[9] GLLC states that the requested commencement extension until July 31, 2031, will provide GLLC with additional time after FERC's current construction and in-service deadline to execute commercial contracts and begin exports.

Additional details can be found in the Request, posted on the DOE website at https://www.energy.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​2026-04/​Gulf%20LNG%20Request%20for%20Ext.%20of%20Commencement%20Deadline%20%2812-101-LNG%29.pdf.

DOE Evaluation

In reviewing the Request, DOE will consider any issues required by law or policy under NGA section 3(a), DOE's regulations, and any other documents deemed appropriate.

Parties that may oppose the Request should address these issues and documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as other issues deemed relevant to the Request.

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. No final decision will be issued in this proceeding until DOE has met its NEPA responsibilities.

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, addressing the Request. Interested parties will be provided 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Federal Register in which to submit comments, protests, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention. The public previously was given an opportunity to intervene in, protest, and comment on GLLC's long-term non-FTA application in this docket. Therefore, DOE will not consider comments or protests that do not bear directly on this Request.

Any person wishing to become a party to this proceeding evaluating the GLLC' Request must file a motion to intervene or notice of intervention.^[10] The filing of comments or a protest with respect to the Request will not serve to make the commenter or protestant a party to this 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 Request. All protests, comments, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention must meet the requirements specified by DOE's regulations in 10 CFR part 590, including the service requirements.

Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods: ( printed page 21804)

(1) Submitting the filing electronically at fergas@hq.doe.gov;

(2) Mailing the filing to the Office of Global Energy Security at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section; or

(3) Hand delivering the filing to the Office of Global Energy Security at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section.

For administrative efficiency, DOE prefers filings to be filed electronically. All filings must include a reference to “Docket No. 12-101-LNG” or “GLLC's Request for Extension” in the title line. Filings must be submitted in English to be considered.^[11]

For electronic submissions: 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.

The Request, and any filed protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and comments will be available electronically on the DOE website at www.energy.gov/​hgeo/​regulation.

A decisional record on the Request 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 Order may be issued based on the official record, including the Request and responses filed by parties pursuant to this Notice, in accordance with 10 CFR 590.316.

91 FR 21802