[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51422-51423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18267]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP20-481-000]


Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Rio Bravo Pipeline Project Amendment

    On June 16, 2020, Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC (RB Pipeline) 
filed an application in Docket No. CP20-481-000 requesting to amend the 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) for the Rio Bravo Pipeline Project in 
Docket No. CP16-455-000. The proposed project is known as the Rio Bravo 
Pipeline Project Amendment (Project Amendment), and RB Pipeline 
proposes to modify the pipeline facilities that will transport natural 
gas to Rio Grande LNG, LLC's previously approved (but not yet 
constructed) liquefied natural gas (LNG) Terminal in Cameron County, 
Texas.
    On June 25, 2020, the Commission issued its Notice of Application 
for the Project Amendment. Among other things, that notice alerted 
agencies issuing federal authorizations of the requirement to complete 
all necessary reviews and to reach a final decision on a request for a 
federal authorization within 90 days of the date of issuance of the 
Commission staff's Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project 
Amendment. This instant notice identifies the FERC staff's planned 
schedule for the completion of the EA for the Project Amendment.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--November 16, 2020
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--February 15, 2021

    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the Project 
Amendment's progress.

[[Page 51423]]

Project Description

    RB Pipeline proposes to modify the pipeline system facilities 
approved in the Commission's Order Granting Authorizations under 
Sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act (Order) issued on November 22, 
2019. The Rio Bravo Pipeline Project, as authorized, consists of a 2.4-
mile-long, 42-inch-diameter pipeline, including 0.8 mile of dual 
pipeline (referred to as the Header System) in Kleber and Jim Wells 
Counties, Texas; 135.5 miles of parallel 42-inch-diameter mainline 
pipelines originating in Kleberg County and terminating at Rio Grande 
LNG, LLC's Rio Grande LNG Terminal in Cameron County (referred to as 
Pipelines 1 and 2); four metering sites along the Header System; two 
interconnect booster compressor stations, each with a metering site; 
three compressor stations (one at the Rio Grande LNG Terminal); and 
other associated utilities, systems, and facilities, all in Texas. As 
part of the Project Amendment, RB Pipeline proposes various facility 
modifications to the authorized pipeline system:
     Decrease the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) 
of the 2.4-mile-long Header System pipeline from 1,480 pounds per 
square inch gauge (psig) to 1,200 psig;
     construct an extension of 0.2 mile of mainline pipeline 
for each of Pipelines 1 and 2 for a total of 135.7 miles each;
     increase the diameter of Pipeline 1 from 42 inches to 48 
inches and increase the MAOP of both pipelines from 1,480 psig to 1,825 
psig (Pipeline 2 will remain a 42-inch-diameter pipeline); and
     increase the transportation capacity of Pipeline 1 from 
2.25 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) to 2.6 Bcf/d, and decrease the 
transportation capacity of Pipeline 2 from 2.25 Bcf/d to 1.9 Bcf/d, 
resulting in the total authorized capacity of 4.5 Bcf/d remaining 
unchanged from the authorized pipeline system.
    The Project Amendment also includes modifications to the following 
aboveground facilities that are authorized (but unbuilt) along the Rio 
Bravo Pipeline Project right-of-way:
     Eliminate Compressor Station 2 in Kenedy County;
     eliminate Compressor Station 3 within the Rio Grande LNG 
Terminal in Cameron County, except for a meter and other ancillary 
facilities within the LNG Terminal;
     eliminate all facilities associated with Booster Stations 
1 and 2, including related meter stations, in Kenedy County; and
     increase the horsepower (hp) at Compressor Station 1 from 
180,000 hp to 282,000 hp by switching from six 30,000-hp natural gas 
compressor units to four 43,000-hp natural gas compressor units and two 
55,000-hp compressor units.

Background

    On July 28, 2020, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Rio Bravo Pipeline 
Project Amendment and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
(NOI). The NOI was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and 
local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers. In response to the NOI, the Commission 
received seven comments from the public. The primary issues raised to 
date, including responses to the Commission's June 25, 2020 Notice of 
Application for the Project Amendment, are public benefit of the 
project, wetland impacts, impacts on fishing and birding, systems 
alternatives, pipeline safety, air quality and noise impacts, tribal 
consultation, cumulative impacts, and climate change. All substantive 
comments will be addressed in the EA.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of 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. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
    Additional information about the Project Amendment 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., 
CP20-481), 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. 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 14, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-18267 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


