[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7991-7993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02813]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF19-4-000]
Venture Global Delta LNG, LLC; Venture Global Delta Express, LLC;
Supplemental Notice of Intent for the Planned Delta LNG and Delta
Express Pipeline Project Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
Related to Project Modifications Under Consideration
On January 22, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC
or Commission) issued a ``Supplemental Notice of Intent for the Planned
Delta LNG and Delta Express Pipeline Project Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues Related to Project Modifications Under
Consideration'' (Notice). It has come to our \1\ attention that the
environmental mailing list was not provided copies of the Notice;
therefore we are reissuing this Notice to extend the scoping period and
provide additional time for interested parties to file comments on
environmental issues.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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As previously noticed on July 30 and October 16, 2019, and
supplemented herein, the staff of the Commission will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will discuss the
environmental impacts of the Delta LNG and Delta Express Pipeline
Project (Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by
Venture Global Delta LNG, LLC and Venture Global Delta Express, LLC
(collectively referred to as Delta LNG) in Richland, Franklin,
Catahoula, Concordia, Avoyelles, St. Landry, Pointe Coupee, West Baton
Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, Jefferson, and
Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana.
With this Notice we are specifically seeking comments on
modifications to the Delta Express Pipeline proposed by Delta LNG on
January 10, 2020. Delta LNG incorporated the modifications based on
comments from regulatory agencies and landowners, and detailed
environmental and constructability considerations. The Commission is
issuing this Notice to provide previously and newly identified
landowners and other stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the
Project modifications.
This Notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this Project, including newly affected landowners.
State and local government representatives should notify their
constituents of this planned Project and encourage them to comment on
their areas of concern.
If you are a newly affected landowner receiving this Notice, a
Delta LNG representative may have already contacted you or may contact
you soon 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 the easement negotiations fail to produce
an agreement, the company could initiate condemnation proceedings in
accordance with applicable law.
The FERC is the lead federal agency responsible for conducting the
environmental review of the Project. As mentioned above, the
Commission's staff is preparing an EIS that discusses the environmental
impacts of the Project. The EIS will be used to inform the Commission
as it determines whether to approve the Project.
This Notice announces the opening of an additional scoping period
the Commission will use to gather input from landowners potentially
affected by the Project. Comments may be submitted in writing as
described in the public participation section of this Notice. Please
note that the scoping period is now extended, and comments on this
Notice should be filed with the Commission by March 9, 2020. If you
sent comments on this Project prior to the opening of this additional
comment period, you do not need to refile your comments. We have
received your comments and will use the information in the preparation
of the EIS.
Information in this Notice was prepared to notify previously and
newly affected landowners of the Project modifications, inform them
about the Commission's environmental review process, and instruct them
on how to submit comments.
To help potentially affected landowners better understand the
Commission and its environmental review process, the ``For Citizens''
section of the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) provides information about
getting involved in FERC jurisdictional projects. A citizens' guide
entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I
Need to Know?'' is also available in this section of the Commission's
website. This guide addresses a number of frequently asked questions,
including the use of eminent domain and how to
[[Page 7992]]
participate in the Commission's proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project Changes
The Project would involve the construction of a liquefied natural
gas (LNG) export terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana and the
approximately 285-mile-long Delta Express Pipeline located within 14
parishes in Louisiana. Domestically sourced natural gas would be
transported by the Delta Express Pipeline to the Delta LNG terminal,
which would produce, store, and deliver up to 24 million tons per annum
of LNG to LNG carriers for export overseas.
Delta LNG previously proposed to construct two parallel 42-inch-
diameter pipelines within a single right-of-way and four natural gas-
fired compressor stations. Delta LNG no longer proposes to construct
the Monterey Compressor Station at milepost (MP) 70.3 in Concordia
Parish; the Fordoche Compressor Station at MP 137.9 in Pointe Coupee
Parish; or the Belle Rose Compressor Station at MP 200.8 in Assumption
Parish.
No modifications of the terminal are proposed. Delta LNG has
reduced the facilities associated with the Delta Express Pipeline and
now proposes to construct:
A single 48-inch-diameter pipeline along the previously
proposed route; and
two natural gas-fired compressor stations.
The two compressor stations would consist of the previously planned
Alto Compressor Station at MP 0.0 in Richland Parish and the newly
proposed Melville Compressor Station at MP 131.2 in Pointe Coupee
Parish.
A map depicting the location of the newly proposed Melville
Compressor Station is included in appendix 1.\2\
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\2\ 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.
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Delta LNG is not proposing any modifications to the planned route
of the Delta Express Pipeline.
Public Participation
The Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which
makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals
regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These instant
email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and
provide a link to the document files, which can reduce the amount of
time you spend researching proceedings. To sign up go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 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, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to Documents and Filings. Using eComment 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, which is located on the Commission's website (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.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you
are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment
on a Filing''; 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
(PF19-4-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington,
DC 20426
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 2.
The EIS Process
The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the planned Project under these general
headings:
Geology and soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation, fisheries, and wildlife;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
land use;
socioeconomics;
air quality and noise;
public safety; and
cumulative impacts.
Commission staff 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, Commission staff
have initiated a 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 Commission receives an application. As part of the pre-filing
review, Commission staff have contacted federal and state agencies to
discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of
the EIS.
The EIS will present Commission staffs' independent analysis of the
issues. The draft EIS will be available in electronic format in the
public record through eLibrary \3\ and the Commission's website
(https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis.asp). If eSubscribed,
you will receive instant email notification when the draft EIS is
issued. The draft EIS will be issued for an allotted public comment
period. After the comment period on the draft EIS, Commission staff
will consider all timely comments and revise the document, as
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure Commission staff have
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section, beginning
on page 3.
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\3\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the
last page of this Notice.
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Consultation Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act
In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, the Commission is using this Notice to initiate
consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office,
and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the Project's potential
effects on historic properties.\4\ The EIS for this Project will
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
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[[Page 7993]]
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
Commission staff have already identified several issues that
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the planned
facilities and the environmental information provided by Delta LNG.
This preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and
our analysis:
Impacts on wetlands including coastal marsh and forested
wetlands;
cumulative impacts on air quality, noise, wetlands,
socioeconomics, and other resources associated with construction and
operation of the planned Delta LNG export terminal and the nearby
Plaquemines LNG export terminal and other large projects at various
stages of planning and construction in the region;
LNG terminal site alternatives;
Delta Express Pipeline route alternatives;
Environmental Justice impacts; and
alternative construction methods and workspace
configurations that would avoid or reduce impacts.
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. Commission staff will update the environmental
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that Commission notices
related to this environmental review are sent to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the planned Project.
A Notice of Availability of the draft EIS will be sent to the
environmental mailing list and will provide instructions to access the
electronic document on the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov). If you need
to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to remove
your name from the mailing list, please return the attached ``Mailing
List Update Form'' (appendix 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Delta LNG files its application with the Commission, you may
want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision 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 pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice
and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully
described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.
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, after which the Commission will
issue a public notice that establishes an intervention deadline.
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 website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
PF19-4). 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 all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
Public sessions or site visits, if any are planned, will be posted
on the Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Dated: February 6, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-02813 Filed 2-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P