
[Federal Register: March 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 53)]
[Notices]               
[Page 11931-11932]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20mr09-48]                         


[[Page 11931]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP03-75-003, CP03-75-004, CP05-361-001, and CP05-361-002]

 
Freeport LNG Development, LP; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Freeport LNG Export Project 
and Bog/Truck Project

March 13, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) and the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Fossil Fuels, 
have prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the liquefied natural 
gas (LNG) facilities proposed by Freeport LNG Development, LP (Freeport 
LNG) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The DOE is a cooperating agency for 
the development of the EA. A cooperating agency has jurisdiction by law 
or special expertise with respect to potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposal and is involved in the NEPA analysis. The 
FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed projects, with 
appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
    In order to operate its facility for the LNG Export Project, 
Freeport LNG proposes equipment modification at the Phase I unloading 
dock to allow shore to ship LNG transfer. This would include converting 
one \1\ of the four existing unloading arms on the Phase I unloading 
dock to a loading line to transfer export-bound LNG from the terminal's 
storage tanks to awaiting ships. The conversion would involve minor 
changes involving a check valve and a control valve. The check valve 
would be replaced with a short spool. At any given time, the terminal 
would operate either in the export mode or the currently authorized 
import mode, but not in both modes simultaneously, such that ships 
visiting the terminal to load LNG for export would operate instead of, 
not in addition to, ships delivering LNG for domestic use only.
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    \1\ Freeport LNG's LNG Transfer System Startup/Operation 
Procedure (Document No. FLNG-REC-101XXX [Revision 1-09-04-08]) 
identifies the arm as LA-1A.
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    Freeport LNG also applied to DOE on August 1, 2008 in Docket No. 
FE-08-70-LNG to export on a short-term or spot market basis up to 24 
Bcf of previously imported LNG cumulatively over a two-year period from 
the United States (U.S.) to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, France, 
Italy, Japan, South Korea, India, China, and/or Taiwan.
    Freeport LNG also proposes to construct and operate a boil-off gas 
(BOG) liquefaction system and a LNG truck delivery system at the 
company's existing import terminal.\2\ These facilities would allow 
Freeport LNG to (1) liquefy about 5 million cubic feet per day of BOG 
and return it to the LNG storage tanks and (2) receive the delivery of 
LNG by truck in order to keep the tanks in the necessary cryogenic 
state. The BOG liquefaction plant would also act as a back-up to the 
existing BOG takeaway pipeline compression. The location of BOG 
liquefaction facilities would consist of:
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    \2\ During routine terminal operations, ambient heat in the LNG 
storage tanks and piping causes small amount of LNG to evaporate. 
The vaporizing LNG is referred to as BOG or boil-off gas. The BOG 
increases the storage tank pressure until a point where it must be 
transferred, flared, or re-liquefied.
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     One BOG liquefaction heat exchanger;
     One BOG liquefaction expander-compressor;
     Two BOG liquefaction compression lube oil filters;
     Three BOG refrigeration compressor units (approximately 
1,380 horsepower (hp) each);
     Natural gas piping, 4, 6, 8, and 12-inch-diameter 
aboveground piping; and
     LNG piping, 4-inch-diameter aboveground piping.
    Freeport LNG is proposing certain facility modifications to enable 
it to undertake LNG truck unloading activities in the event that the 
BOG liquefaction facilities are not available. The truck unloading 
facilities would require the installation of a single 4-inch-diameter 
inlet connection and valves on one of the existing LNG transfer lines 
and a 25 hp portable electric pump, if needed. The LNG truck would be 
connected to the valve via a 3-inch-diameter hose during unloading of 
the LNG. Freeport LNG would use these facilities to transfer the LNG 
from the trucks to the existing tanks. Freeport LNG anticipates that it 
would receive 5 to 6 truck deliveries per day, totaling 66,000 gallons 
or 4.96 million standard cubic feet (MMscf) of LNG during the periods 
when delivery by truck would be required. The proposed LNG truck 
delivery system is expected to operate for about 60-90 days, generating 
traffic of about 540 trucks annually.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426. (202) 502-
8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, State, and local 
agencies; public interest groups; interested individuals and affected 
landowners; Native American Tribes; newspapers and libraries; and 
parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below.
    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Sabine Export Project. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. 
The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To 
ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please send 
in your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or 
before April 13, 2009.
    For your convenience, there are three methods in which you can use 
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the project docket numbers CP03-75-003, CP03-75-004, CP05-
361-001, and CP05-361-002 with your submission. The docket number can 
be found on the front of this notice. The Commission encourages 
electronic filing of comments and has dedicated eFiling expert staff 
available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov.
    (1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick 
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site 
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick 
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only 
comments on a project;
    (2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site at 
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling 
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if 
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard 
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. New eFiling users 
must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' or

[[Page 11932]]

``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 may file your comments via mail to the Commission by 
sending an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberly D. Bose, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.

Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 2, 
PJ11.2.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\3\ Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
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    Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be 
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they 
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be 
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor 
status to have your comments considered.
    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the 
FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. 
Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the 
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number 
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. 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 now offers a free service called 
eSubscription which 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-6075 Filed 3-19-09; 8:45 am]
