[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 49 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14470-14471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05071]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP17-178-000]
Alaska Gasline Development Corporation; Notice of Availability of
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Alaska LNG
Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) with the participation of the cooperating agencies listed
below, has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for
the Alaska LNG Project (Project) proposed by the Alaska Gasline
Development Corporation (AGDC). Under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act,
AGDC requests authorization to construct and operate new gas treatment
facilities, an 806.9-mile-long natural gas pipeline and associated
aboveground facilities, and a 20 million-metric-ton per annum
liquefaction facility to commercialize the natural gas resources of
Alaska's North Slope. 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.
The EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of Project
construction and operation in accordance with the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As described in the EIS, FERC
staff concludes that approval of the Project would result in a number
of significant environmental impacts; however, the majority of impacts
would be less than significant based on the impact avoidance,
minimization, and mitigation measures proposed by AGDC; AGDC's
commitments to additional measures; and measures recommended by staff
in the final EIS. However, some of the adverse impacts would be
[[Page 14471]]
significant even after the implementation of mitigation measures.
The United States (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 (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service
(NPS), U.S. Department of Energy, and National Marine Fisheries Service
participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of this final
EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise
with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and
participate in the NEPA analysis. Although the cooperating agencies
provided input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the
EIS, the agencies will present their own conclusions and
recommendations in their respective Records of Decision for the
Project.
The BLM and NPS will adopt and use the EIS to consider issuing a
right-of-way grant for the portions of the Project on BLM- and NPS-
managed lands, respectively. Other cooperating agencies will use this
EIS in their regulatory processes and to satisfy compliance with NEPA
and other related federal environmental laws (e.g., the National
Historic Preservation Act).
Section 810(a) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation
Act, 16 United States Code 3120(a), also requires the BLM to evaluate
the effects of the alternatives presented in the EIS on subsistence
activities, and to hold public hearings if it finds that any
alternative may significantly restrict subsistence uses. The evaluation
of subsistence impacts indicates that the cumulative case analyzed in
the EIS could significantly restrict subsistence uses for the
communities of Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Utqiagvik, and Anaktuvuk Pass.
Therefore, the BLM held public hearings and solicited public testimony
for these potentially affected communities.
The Commission mailed a copy of the final EIS to federal, state,
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
Alaska Native tribal governments and Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act Corporations; and local libraries and newspapers in the area of the
Project. The final EIS was also mailed to property owners that could be
affected by Project facilities, individuals requesting intervenor
status in FERC's proceedings, and other interested parties (i.e.,
individuals and environmental and public interest groups who provided
scoping comments or asked to remain on the mailing list). Paper copy
and CD versions of the final EIS were mailed to subsistence
communities, libraries, and those specifically requesting them; all
others received a CD version.
The final EIS is also available in electronic format. It may be
viewed and downloaded from FERC's website (www.ferc.gov) on the
Environmental Documents page (http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis.asp). In addition, the final EIS may be accessed by using
the eLibrary link on FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link
(https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp), then click on General
Search and enter the docket number in the Docket Number field,
excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-178). 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.
Questions
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. 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 that 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.
Dated: March 6, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-05071 Filed 3-11-20; 8:45 am]
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