87 FR 178 pgs. 56639-56640 - Commonwealth LNG, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Commonwealth LNG Project
Type: NOTICEVolume: 87Number: 178Pages: 56639 - 56640
Pages: 56639, 56640Docket number: [Docket Nos. CP19-502-000; CP19-502-001]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2022-19983 Filed 9-14-22; 8:45 am]
Agency: Energy Department
Sub Agency: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
[top]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP19-502-000; CP19-502-001]
Commonwealth LNG, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Commonwealth LNG Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Commonwealth LNG Project, proposed by Commonwealth LNG, LLC (Commonwealth) in the above-referenced docket. Commonwealth requests authorization to site, construct, and operate a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal and an integrated Natural Gas Act Section 3 natural gas pipeline, in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Commonwealth LNG Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, would result in some adverse environmental impacts. Most of these impacts on the environment would be reduced to less than significant levels; however, FERC staff conclude there would be significant impacts on visual resources and impacts on environmental justice communities would be disproportionately high and adverse. Regarding climate change impacts, this EIS is not characterizing the proposed project's greenhouse gas emissions as significant or insignificant because the Commission is conducting a generic proceeding to determine whether and how the Commission will conduct significance determinations going forward. 1
Footnotes:
1 ?Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Infrastructure Project Reviews, 178 FERC ¶?61,108 (2022); 178 FERC ¶?61,197 (2022).
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the 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 final EIS, the agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in their respective Records of Decision for the project.
The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the following project facilities:
• six liquefaction trains;
• six gas pre-treatment trains;
• two flare systems (containing a total of four flares);
• six liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks;
• one marine facility consisting of an LNG carrier berth and barge dock;
• utilities ( e.g., electricity generation, water, plant air, nitrogen, hot oil system);
• operation and safety systems ( e.g., access and haul roads, storm protection structures, stormwater drainage systems, spill containment system, fire suppression facilities, facility lighting and security, emergency shutdown systems);
• appurtenant facilities ( e.g., administrative facilities, maintenance and warehouse buildings, marine facility operator buildings, equipment enclosures and electrical rooms);
• 3.0 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline;
• two interconnection facilities with existing pipelines; and
• one metering station.
[top] The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. The final EIS is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website ( www.ferc.gov ), on the natural gas environmental documents page ( https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents ). In addition, the final EIS may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link ( https://
The final EIS is not a decision document. It presents Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in this proceeding.
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 all 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 https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
Dated: September 9, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-19983 Filed 9-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P