[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 197 (Friday, October 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70965-70966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22693]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP23-513-000]


Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation 
of an Environmental Assessment for the Louisiana Connector Pipeline 
Amendment

    On July 14, 2023, Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC (Port Arthur) filed an 
application in Docket No. CP23-513-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas pipeline 
facilities. The proposed project is known as the Louisiana Connector 
Pipeline Amendment (Amendment), and would involve 38 modifications to 
the pipeline alignment, construction footprint, and installation 
methods for the Louisiana Connector Project, which was approved by the 
Commission on April 18, 2019, in Docket No. CP18-7-000.
    On July 28, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the 
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 document for the Amendment.
    This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an 
environmental assessment (EA) for the Amendment and the planned 
schedule for the completion of the environmental review.\1\
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    \1\ 40 CFR 1501.10 (2020).
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Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--February 2, 2024

[[Page 70966]]

90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \2\--May 2, 2024
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    \2\ The Commission's deadline applies to the decisions of other 
Federal agencies, and State agencies acting under federally 
delegated authority, that are responsible for Federal 
authorizations, permits, and other approvals necessary for proposed 
projects under the Natural Gas Act. Per 18 CFR 157.22(a), the 
Commission's deadline for other agency's decisions applies unless a 
schedule is otherwise established by Federal law.

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

Project Description

    The proposed amended facilities are specific to 38 locations in 
Jefferson County, Texas and Cameron, Calcasieu, Beauregard, and Allen 
Parishes, Louisiana (between milepost 0 in Jefferson County, Texas and 
milepost 82.5 south of Reeves in Allen Parish, Louisiana), as detailed 
below:
    <bullet> Modifications to pipeline routes, construction methods, 
horizontal directional drill (HDD) entry points, and additional 
temporary workspaces to accommodate landowner requests, to reduce 
environmental impacts, to avoid newly identified non-Port Arthur 
pipelines, to avoid new structures, or to allow for safer construction 
access;
    <bullet> Shifting of pipeline easements to allow the permanent 
easements to abut other existing permanent easements;
    <bullet> Addition and modification of access roads for geotechnical 
boring access and/or to allow better and safer access to the HDD drill 
pad for construction and HDD inspection;
    <bullet> Modification of equipment and material storage areas and 
staging areas to utilize areas that were recently and permanently 
impacted by other parties;
    <bullet> Modification to water approaches to use existing boat 
ramp/dock improvements;
    <bullet> Relocation of mainline valves to reduce the amount of 
permanent right-of-way needed, to facilitate operations and 
maintenance, to provide for safer access via road, and to allow access 
to power and communications to comply with new and anticipated U.S. 
Department of Transportation/Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration requirements;
    <bullet> Modification of three waterbody crossings methodologies 
from open cut to an HDD as requested by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers;
    <bullet> Combine, in two locations, multiple HDDs into a single HDD 
which would result in avoiding an open-cut crossing and eliminating an 
HDD; and
    <bullet> Modification of HDD alignments to avoid conflicts with 
potential future deeper canal depths.

Background

    On August 9, 2023, the Commission issued a Notice of Scoping Period 
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Louisiana 
Connector Pipeline Amendment (Notice of Scoping). The Notice of Scoping 
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 Notice of Scoping, the Commission 
received comments from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 
The primary issues raised by the EPA are air quality, environmental 
justice, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. 
All substantive comments will be addressed in the EA. The U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency in the preparation of the 
EA.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, the 
Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. This service 
provides automatic notification of filings made to subscribed dockets, 
document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6a9b6b6a680839485c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="18574848587e7d6a7b367f776e">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Additional information about the 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., 
CP23-513), 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aaeceff8e9e5c4c6c3c4cff9dfdadac5d8deeacccfd8c984cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8dcbc8dfcec2e3e1e4e3e8def8fdfde2fff9cdebe8ffeea3eae2fb">[email protected]</span></a>. 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: October 6, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-22693 Filed 10-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


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