65160 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 182 / Thursday, September 21, 2023 / Notices 

1NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de R.L. de C.V., 

Application for Long-Term, Multi-Contract 

Authorizations to Export Natural Gas to Mexico and 

to Re-Export Liquefied Natural Gas from Mexico to 

Free Trade Agreement and Non-Free Trade 

Agreement Nations, Docket No. 22–110–LNG (Sept. 

9, 2022) [hereinafter NFE Altamira App.]. 

2 15 U.S.C. 717b. The authority to regulate the 

imports and exports of natural gas, including 

liquefied natural gas, under section 3 of the NGA 

has been delegated to the Assistant Secretary for 

FECM in Redelegation Order No. S4–DEL–FE1– 

2023, issued on April 10, 2023. 

3NFE Altamira App. at 2. 

4The acronym ‘‘FLNG’’ in the natural gas 

industry refers to ‘‘floating liquefied natural gas.’’ 

5NFE Altamira App. at 2, 5, 18. 

6 Id. at 1. 

7 Id. at 5 (stating that the two liquefaction systems 

would consume approximately 6.5 Bcf/yr of natural 

gas each, for a total of 13 Bcf/yr of natural gas) & 

n.13. 

8For purposes of this proceeding, ‘‘re-export’’ 

means to ship or transmit U.S.-sourced natural gas 

in its various forms (gas, compressed, or liquefied) 

subject to DOE’s jurisdiction under the NGA, 15 

U.S.C. 717b, from one foreign country (i.e., a 

country other than the United States) to another 

foreign country. 

9 15 U.S.C. 717b(c). The United States currently 

has FTAs requiring national treatment for trade in 

natural gas with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, 

Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, 

Guatemala, Honduras, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, 

Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Peru, Republic of Korea, 

and Singapore. FTAs with Israel and Costa Rica do 

not require national treatment for trade in natural 

gas. 

10 15 U.S.C. 717b(a); see NFE Altamira App. at 2, 

7. 

11NFE Altamira App. at 2. 

12 Id. at 2–3, 7. 

questionnaires for the Field Trial to the 

burden table, updates to communication 

materials placeholders in Part B as well 

as adding a reference to Best Practices 

materials (Section B.3), updated and 

added final communication materials to 

Appendix D, new Assessment 

Management System (AMS) screenshots 

in Appendix I, and minor update to two 

items in Appendix J1 removing subitem 

text, and revised eNAEP and NAEPq 

login screenshots and paper booklet 

covers in J1, J2, J3, and J–S. 

Dated: September 15, 2023. 

Stephanie Valentine, 

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and 

Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, 

Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of 

Planning, Evaluation and Policy 

Development. 

[FR Doc. 2023–20391 Filed 9–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

[Docket No. 22–110–LNG] 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Environmental Assessment for the 

New Fortress Energy Altamira FLNG 

Project 

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and 

Carbon Management, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) has prepared a Draft 

Environmental Assessment (EA) to 

determine how to review the potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

authorizing NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de 

R.L. de C.V. (NFE Altamira) to export 

U.S.-sourced natural gas to Mexico and, 

after liquefaction in Mexico, to other 

countries from the proposed NFE 

Altamira FLNG Project. DOE is also 

announcing a public comment period to 

receive comments on the Draft EA. DOE 

prepared the Draft EA in accordance 

with the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969 (NEPA), to inform its 

decision on authorization under the 

Natural Gas Act (NGA). 

DATES: The 30-day public comment 

period extends from the date of 

publication of this Notice in the Federal 

Register through October 23, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Questions concerning the 

Draft EA or requests for a paper copy 

should be directed to: Brian Lavoie via 

email to brian.lavoie@hq.doe.gov or 

phone at (202) 586–2459. 

Electronic Filing by email (Strongly 

encouraged): fergas@hq.doe.gov. 

Postal Mail, Hand Delivery, or Private 

Delivery Services (e.g., FedEx, UPS, 

etc.): U.S. Department of Energy (FE– 

34), Office of Regulation, Analysis, and 

Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy and 

Carbon Management, Forrestal Building, 

Room 3E–056, 1000 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585. 

Due to potential delays in DOE’s 

receipt and processing of mail sent 

through the U.S. Postal Service, we 

encourage respondents to submit filings 

electronically to ensure timely receipt. 

DOE is concurrently providing notice of 

the Draft EA to the cross-border host 

state of Texas, and to all Indian Tribes 

on or within 100 kilometers of the U.S. 

border in that state. 

An electronic copy of the Draft EA 

may be found online on the following 

website: https://www.energy.gov/sites/ 

default/files/2023-09/NFE%20Altamira

%20FLNG_Draft%20Environmental

%20Assessment%20- 

Final%209.15.23.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Lavoie, U.S. Department of Energy 

(FE–34), Office of Regulation, Analysis, 

and Engagement, Office of Resource 

Sustainability, Office of Fossil Energy 

and Carbon Management, Forrestal 

Building, Room 3E–042, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20585, (202) 586–2459, 

brian.lavoie@hq.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On September 9, 2022, NFE Altamira 

filed an application (Application) 1 with 

DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and 

Carbon Management (FECM) under 

section 3 of the NGA.2 In the 

Application, NFE Altamira stated that it 

was submitting the Application in 

connection with the development of a 

floating liquefaction and export terminal 

project proposed by its affiliate, Mexico 

FLNG S. de R.L. de C.V.3 This proposed 

facility, known as New Fortress Energy’s 

Altamira FLNG Project (Project),4 would 

be located off the coast of Altamira, 

Tamaulipas, Mexico, in the Gulf of 

Mexico.5

NFE Altamira requests long-term, 

multi-contract authorization to export 

U.S.-sourced natural gas to Mexico, and 

after liquefaction in Mexico, to other 

countries as described below, in a 

combined total volume equivalent to 

158 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year (Bcf/ 

yr) of natural gas (0.43 Bcf per day (Bcf/ 

d)).6 NFE Altamira seeks to export this 

volume of natural gas for the following 

purposes: 

(i) To use approximately 13 Bcf/yr 

(0.03 Bcf/d) in Mexico as ‘‘fuel in the 

liquefaction process and [ ] process gas 

loss during the pretreatment process;’’ 7

and 

(ii) To use approximately 145 Bcf/yr 

of natural gas (0.40 Bcf/d) of natural gas 

in the proposed Project, where the U.S.- 

sourced natural gas would be liquefied, 

then re-exported 8 as liquefied natural 

gas (LNG) by vessel to: 

(a) Any country with which the 

United States has entered into a free 

trade agreement (FTA) requiring 

national treatment for trade in natural 

gas (FTA countries), under NGA section 

3(c); 9 and 

(b) Any other country with which 

trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or 

policy (non-FTA countries), under NGA 

section 3(a).10

NFE Altamira further states that it seeks 

these authorizations ‘‘in order to reexport from Mexico U.S.-sourced 

natural gas for which it has acquired 

title in the United States, as well as 

U.S.-sourced volumes for which it 

acquires title in Mexico.’’ 11 NFE 

Altamira requests the FTA and non-FTA 

authorizations on a non-additive basis 

for a term to commence on the date of 

first export following the 

commencement of commercial 

operation of the Project, and extending 

through December 31, 2050.12


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 182 / Thursday, September 21, 2023 / Notices 65161 

13NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de R.L. de C.V., DOE/ 

FECM Order No. 4960, Docket No. 22–110–LNG, 

Order Granting Long-Term Authorization to Export 

Natural Gas to Mexico and to Other Free Trade 

Agreement Nations (Mar. 3, 2023). 

14See id. at 4, 15–16. 

15 Id. at 1 & n.5, 6. 

16 Id. at 5–6, 8–9. 

17 Id. at 5–7. 

18 DOE finds that the requirement for public 

notice of applications, as well as other hearing-type 

procedures in 10 CFR part 590, will apply only to 

applications seeking to export natural gas, 

including LNG, to non-FTA countries. 

19See NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de R.L. de C.V.; 

Application for Long-Term, Multi-Contract 

Authorization To Export Domestically Produced 

Natural Gas to Mexico and To Re-Export Liquefied 

Natural Gas From Mexico to Non-Free Trade 

Agreement Countries; Notice of Application, 87 FR 

60667 (Oct. 6, 2022) [hereinafter Notice of App.]. 

20 Id. at 87 FR 60668. 

21Sierra Club, Motion to Intervene and Protest of 

NFE Altamira FLNG’s Request for Export and ReExport Authorization, Docket No. 22–110–LNG 

(Dec. 5, 2022). 

22NFE Altamira FLNG, S. de R.L. de C.V., Answer 

in Opposition to Protest of Sierra Club, Docket No. 

22–110–LNG (Dec. 20, 2022). 

23 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. 

24E.O. 14008 sets forth policies to address climate 

change, specifically to ‘‘organize and deploy the full 

capacity of [Federal] agencies to combat the climate 

crisis.’’ Exec. Order No. 14008 of Jan. 27, 2021, 

Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, 

86 FR 7619 (Feb. 1, 2021), https://

www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/ 

2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisisat-home-andabroad. E.O. 14008 further requires the ‘‘Federal 

Government [to] drive assessment, disclosure, and 

mitigation of climate pollution and climate-related 

risks in every sector’’ of the U.S. economy. Id. 

25See Council on Envtl. Quality, National 

Environmental Policy Act Implementing 

Regulations Revisions; Final Rule, 87 FR 23453 

(Apr. 20, 2022). 

26NFE Altamira FLNG, S. De R.L. de C.V., Notice 

of Environmental Assessment, Docket No. 22–110– 

LNG (June 27, 2023). 

On March 3, 2023, in Order No. 4960, 

DOE granted the FTA portion of the 

Application, as required by NGA section 

3(c).13 NFE Altamira is thus authorized 

to export natural gas to Mexico in the 

total requested volume of 158 Bcf/yr of 

natural gas—which includes export by 

pipeline (13 Bcf/yr) and re-export after 

liquefaction in Mexico to FTA countries 

(145 Bcf/yr equivalent).14 The requested 

non-FTA volume, if approved, would 

not be additive to this FTA volume. 

According to NFE Altamira, the U.S.- 

sourced natural gas for which it has 

acquired title in the United States 

would be exported to Mexico at the 

United States-Mexico border via the 

existing border-crossing facilities of 

Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC (Valley 

Crossing Pipeline), and potentially, 

cross-border natural gas pipelines that 

may be constructed in the future and 

that interconnect with the Sur de 

Texas–Tuxpan Pipeline offshore natural 

gas pipeline system in Mexican 

waters.15 Additionally, NFE Altamira 

states that it may purchase U.S.-sourced 

natural gas in Mexico from upstream 

suppliers who have exported the natural 

gas from the United States (under the 

supplier’s own FTA export 

authorization or under this requested 

authorization), with NFE Altamira 

acting as agent.16 Once constructed, the 

Project would be capable of receiving, 

processing, and liquefying the U.S.- 

sourced natural gas, storing the resulting 

LNG, and loading the LNG onto oceangoing LNG vessels for delivery to export 

destinations.17

For the non-FTA portion of NFE 

Altamira’s request,18 DOE published a 

notice of the Application in the Federal 

Register (Notice of Application) on 

October 6, 2022.19 The Notice of 

Application called on interested persons 

to submit protests, motions to intervene, 

notices of intervention, and comments 

by December 5, 2022.20 On December 5, 

2022, Sierra Club filed a Motion to 

Intervene and Protest, with 

accompanying exhibits, opposing the 

non-FTA portion of NFE Altamira’s 

Application.21 Sierra Club 

supplemented its filing on December 9, 

2022, with electronic copies of 

documents that were hyperlinked in its 

initial filing. NFE Altamira filed an 

Answer in Opposition to Sierra Club’s 

Protest on December 20, 2022.22

Before reaching a final decision on a 

non-FTA application under NGA 

section 3(a), DOE must also comply 

with NEPA.23 In evaluating applications 

for re-export authorization similar to 

NFE Altamira’s Application, DOE has 

used recent guidance to inform its 

environmental analysis. On January 27, 

2021, the President issued Executive 

Order (E.O.) No. 14008, Tackling the 

Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.24

Additionally, on April 20, 2022, the 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) issued a final rule for 

implementing CEQ’s NEPA regulations, 

including the definition of 

environmental ‘‘effects.’’ 25 DOE has 

determined that, consistent with E.O. 

14008 and its obligations under NEPA, 

it is appropriate to evaluate the 

potential environmental impacts— 

including the greenhouse gas 

emissions—of exporting (or reexporting) U.S.-sourced LNG from the 

proposed Project to non-FTA countries. 

Therefore, on June 27, 2023, DOE issued 

a ‘‘Notice of Environmental 

Assessment’’ announcing that it is 

undertaking an EA under NEPA to 

analyze NFE Altamira’s requested 

exports of U.S.-sourced natural gas as 

LNG to non-FTA countries.26

The Draft EA examined the potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

unconventional natural gas exploration 

and production activities in the lower48 states; the utilization of the crossborder pipeline facilities in Texas 

named in the Application that 

interconnect the United States and 

Mexico and that NFE Altamira may 

utilize for its U.S. natural gas supply; 

descriptions of Mexico’s environmental 

review process for the construction and 

operation of liquefaction terminals and 

related facilities; marine transport of 

LNG exported from the proposed 

Project; and the global nature of GHG 

emissions associated with re-exporting 

U.S.-sourced natural gas as LNG from 

Mexico from a life cycle perspective. 

NEPA Process and Public Involvement 

DOE prepared the Draft EA in 

accordance with the CEQ regulations at 

Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, 

parts 1500–1508 (40 CFR parts 1500– 

1508) and DOE NEPA implementing 

procedures at 10 CFR part 1021. DOE 

published a Notice of Environmental 

Assessment to Docket No. 22–110–LNG 

on June 27, 2023, announcing its intent 

to prepare an EA. DOE is providing 

opportunities for public review and 

comments on this Draft EA (see DATES

and ADDRESSES sections of this notice). 

Signed in Washington, DC, on September 

15, 2023. 

Amy Sweeney, 

Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and 

Engagement, Office of Resource 

Sustainability. 

[FR Doc. 2023–20427 Filed 9–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. CP22–503–000; Docket No. 

CP22–502–000] 

Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC, 

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 

Company, LLC; Notice of Availability 

of the Final Environmental Impact 

Statement for the Proposed Virginia 

Reliability Project Commonwealth 

Energy Connector Project 

The staff of the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (FERC or 

Commission) has prepared a final 

environmental impact statement (EIS) 

for the Virginia Reliability Project 

(VRP), proposed by Columbia Gas 

Transmission, LLC (Columbia), and the 

Commonwealth Energy Connector 

Project (CEC Project) proposed by 

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 

Company, LLC (Transco) in the abovereferenced dockets. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1