Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 120 / Thursday, June 21, 2018 / Notices 28843 

cause, in writing, why its authorization should not 

be vacated—to which LLNG never responded); 

Louisiana LNG Energy LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 

3482–A, at 3. 

19See Louisiana LNG Energy LLC, DOE/FE Order 

No. 3482–A, at 3–4. 

20See id. at 4 (also dismissing LLNG’s pending 

non-FTA application without prejudice). 

21See, e.g., Eagle LNG Partners Jacksonville II 

LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4078, at 23–38. 

22 In 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 

District of Columbia Circuit issued four decisions 

upholding non-FTA export authorizations issued by 

DOE/FE under NGA section 3(a). See, e.g., Sierra 

Club vs. U.S. Dep’t of Energy, 867 F.3d 189; Sierra 

Club v. U.S. Dep’t of Energy, Nos. 16–1186, 16– 

1252, 16–1253, 703 Fed. Appx. 1 (D.C. Cir. Nov. 1, 

2017). 

23See supra at 4–5. 

24 15 U.S.C. 717o. 

that LLNG neither wished to move 

forward with its proposed LNG export 

facility nor to maintain its FTA 

authorization.19 DOE/FE therefore 

vacated LLNG’s FTA authorization 

under NGA section 16, but it did so 

without objection by LLNG and without 

prejudice to LLNG, should LLNG wish 

to seek an export LNG authorization in 

the future.20

The LLNG proceeding was a highly 

unusual scenario where all evidence 

indicated that the company was no 

longer pursuing its proposed LNG 

export project and had, in fact, ceased 

to exist as a commercial operation. In 

vacating LLNG’s FTA order without 

prejudice, DOE responded appropriately 

in both implementing its statutory 

authority under NGA section 16 and in 

upholding the integrity of its natural gas 

regulatory program under 10 CFR part 

590. 

II. DOE/FE Policy on Non-FTA Export 

Authorizations 

Potential importers of U.S. LNG and 

financiers of LNG export projects 

(collectively, interested stakeholders) 

have expressed concern about DOE/FE 

rescinding one or more non-FTA export 

authorizations in the future. In raising 

this concern, they point to the language 

in the existing non-FTA authorizations 

(quoted above) in which DOE/FE has 

observed its authority under NGA 

section 16 to ‘‘make, amend, and 

rescind such [export] orders . . . as it 

may find necessary or appropriate 

. . . .’’ Citing DOE/FE’s language, they 

have asked what potential 

‘‘developments’’ in the U.S. LNG market 

could rise to the level of ‘‘such 

significant consequence as to put the 

public interest at risk’’—such that DOE 

would unilaterally rescind one or more 

non-FTA export authorizations or take 

other action to protect the public 

interest under NGA section 3(a). 

As a preliminary matter, DOE/FE 

wishes to allay concerns about the 

security of existing (or future) non-FTA 

export authorizations. In this policy 

statement, DOE/FE affirms its 

commitment to all export authorizations 

issued under the NGA, including longterm authorizations approving the 

export of LNG to non-FTA countries. As 

indicated above, DOE/FE currently has 

issued 29 final non-FTA export 

authorizations, based on a thorough 

consideration of the public interest 

under section 3(a) of the NGA. In each 

of these proceedings, DOE/FE reviewed 

a substantial administrative record 

addressing factors including economic 

impacts, international impacts, security 

of natural gas supply, and 

environmental impacts, among others. 

In granting each application, DOE/FE 

concluded that exports of U.S. LNG will 

generate net economic benefits to the 

broader U.S. economy and will provide 

energy security and environmental 

benefits to the global community 

(including emerging economies 

presently reliant upon more carbon 

intensive fuels).21

DOE/FE stands firmly behind these 

factual findings and legal conclusions— 

many of which have been challenged 

and upheld in federal court.22

Authorization holders, as well as any 

interested stakeholders, thus should 

have the utmost confidence in the 

validity of DOE/FE’s LNG export 

authorizations for the full term of each 

non-FTA order. Indeed, as noted above, 

DOE has never rescinded a non-FTA 

export authorization for any reason. 

DOE has vacated one FTA order under 

NGA section 16, but the circumstances 

of that proceeding were based solely on 

the inaction of the authorization 

holder.23

As a matter of law, DOE preserves its 

authority to take action as necessary or 

appropriate to carry out its duties under 

the NGA.24 However, DOE does not 

foresee a scenario where it would 

rescind one or more non-FTA 

authorizations. The United States 

government takes very seriously the 

investment-backed expectations of 

private parties subject to its regulatory 

jurisdiction. In particular, DOE 

understands the far-ranging economic 

investments and natural gas supply 

commitments associated with these 

authorizations over their full term— 

affecting both U.S. and global interests. 

DOE emphasizes that it remains 

committed to the durability and stability 

of the export authorizations it has 

granted under the NGA, as well as to 

supporting the approved export of U.S. 

natural gas around the world. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 15, 

2018. 

Steven E. Winberg, 

Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13427 Filed 6–19–18; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OAR–2013–0566; FRL–9979–72– 

OAR] 

RIN 2060–AT68 

Public Hearing for and Extension of 

Comment Period on Review of the 

Primary National Ambient Air Quality 

Standard for Sulfur Oxides 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of public hearing and 

extension of public comment period. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is announcing that a 

public hearing will be held on the EPA’s 

proposed decision in its ‘‘Review of the 

Primary National Ambient Air Quality 

Standard for Sulfur Oxides,’’ which was 

published in the Federal Register on 

June 8, 2018 (83 FR 26752). The EPA is 

proposing to retain the existing standard 

without revision. The hearing will be 

held on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, in 

Washington, DC. The EPA is 

additionally announcing a 17-day 

extension of the comment period for 

this proposed decision. The original 

comment period was to end on July 23, 

2018. The extended comment period 

will now close on August 9, 2018. 

DATES: The public hearing will be held 

on July 10, 2018, in Washington, DC 

(see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

additional information on the public 

hearing). The comment period on the 

proposed decision announced in the 

Federal Register on June 8, 2018 (83 FR 

26752), is extended. Comments must be 

received on or before August 9, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Public Hearing. The July 10, 

2018, public hearing will be held at the 

EPA, William Jefferson Clinton East 

Building, Room 1117, 1201 Constitution 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004. 

Identification is required. If your 

driver’s license is issued by America 

Samoa, you must present an additional 

form of identification to enter (see 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

additional information on this location). 

Submit your comments, identified by 

Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2013– 

0566, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

online instructions for submitting 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
28844 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 120 / Thursday, June 21, 2018 / Notices 

comments. Once submitted, comments 

cannot be edited or withdrawn. The 

EPA may publish any comment received 

to its public docket. Do not submit 

electronically any information you 

consider to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

Multimedia submissions (audio, video, 

etc.) must be accompanied by a written 

comment. The written comment is 

considered the official comment and 

should include discussion of all points 

you wish to make. The EPA will 

generally not consider comments or 

comment contents located outside of the 

primary submission (i.e., on the Web, 

Cloud, or other file sharing system). For 

additional submission methods, the full 

EPA public comment policy, 

information about CBI or multimedia 

submissions, and general guidance on 

making effective comments, please visit 

https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/ 

commenting-epa-dockets. 

Docket: All documents in the docket 

are listed in the https://

www.regulations.gov index. Although 

listed in the index, some information is 

not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Certain other 

material, such as copyrighted material, 

will be publicly available only in hard 

copy. Publicly available docket 

materials are available either 

electronically in https://

www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at 

the EPA Docket Center Reading Room, 

William Jefferson Clinton West 

Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20004. The Public 

Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

excluding legal holidays. The phone 

number for the Public Reading Room is 

(202) 566–1744. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you would like to speak at the public 

hearing, please register using the online 

registration form available at: https://

www.epa.gov/so2-pollution/primarynational-ambient-air-quality-standardnaaqs-sulfur-dioxide or contact Ms. 

Regina Chappell, U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality 

Planning and Standards (OAQPS) (Mail 

Code C304–03), Research Triangle Park, 

NC 27711, telephone number: (919) 

541–3650; fax number (919) 541–0942; 

email: chappell.regina@epa.gov, no later 

than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 

July 6, 2018. If you have any questions 

relating to the public hearing, please 

contact Ms. Chappell. 

For further information concerning 

the review of the primary national 

ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) 

for sulfur oxides, please contact Dr. 

Nicole Hagan, U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, OAQPS (Mail Code 

C504–06), Research Triangle Park, NC 

27711; telephone number: (919) 541– 

3153; fax number: (919) 541–5315; 

email: hagan.nicole@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EPA 

is reviewing the primary NAAQS for 

sulfur oxides as required under section 

109 (42 U.S.C. 7409) of the Clean Air 

Act (CAA). The EPA’s proposed 

decision to retain the current primary 

NAAQS for sulfur oxides without 

revision was published in the Federal 

Register on June 8, 2018 (83 FR 26752). 

The Federal Register notice of the 

proposed decision specified a 45-day 

public comment period and indicated 

that a public hearing would be held 

during the public comment period if 

one was requested by June 15, 2018. On 

June 8, we received a request for a 

public hearing. In keeping with the 

schedule of this NAAQS review, which 

is governed by a consent decree, the 

date for the public hearing will be July 

10, 2018. Further, consistent with CAA 

section 307(d)(5) (42 U.S.C. 7607(d)(5)), 

this notice additionally extends the 

public comment period by 17 days, 

until August 9, 2018. 

The public hearing will provide 

interested parties the opportunity to 

present data, views, or arguments 

concerning the EPA’s proposed decision 

in the current review of the primary 

NAAQS for sulfur oxides. The EPA may 

ask clarifying questions during the oral 

presentations, but will not respond to 

the presentations at that time. If you 

would like to present oral testimony at 

the hearing, please register using the 

online registration form available at: 

https://www.epa.gov/so2-pollution/ 

primary-national-ambient-air-qualitystandard-naaqs-sulfur-dioxide or notify 

Ms. Regina Chappell, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

OAQPS (Mail Code C304–03), Research 

Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone 

number: (919) 541–3650; fax number 

(919) 541–0942; email: chappell.regina@

epa.gov, no later than 4:00 p.m. ET on 

July 6, 2018. Ms. Chappell will arrange 

a general time slot for you to speak. The 

EPA will make every effort to follow the 

schedule as closely as possible on the 

day of the hearing. Oral testimony will 

be limited to 5 minutes for each 

commenter. The EPA encourages 

commenters to provide the EPA with a 

copy of their oral testimony 

electronically (via email) or in hard 

copy form. Commenters should notify 

Ms. Chappell if they need specific 

translation services for non-English 

speaking commenters. 

The public hearing will convene at 

9:00 a.m. and end at 6:00 p.m. ET or 2 

hours after the last registered speaker 

has spoken, whichever is earlier. The 

EPA will make every effort to 

accommodate all individuals interested 

in providing oral testimony. A lunch 

break is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. until 

1:00 p.m. The hearing schedule, 

including the list of speakers, will be 

posted on the EPA’s website at https:// 

www.epa.gov/so2-pollution/primarynational-ambient-air-quality-standardnaaqs-sulfur-dioxide prior to the 

hearing. Verbatim transcripts of the 

hearing and written statements will be 

included in the docket for the action. 

This hearing will be held at a U.S. 

government facility. Individuals 

planning to attend the hearing should be 

prepared to show valid picture 

identification, such as a driver’s license, 

to the security staff in order to gain 

access to the meeting room. However, 

driver’s licenses from states and 

territories that do not comply with the 

REAL ID Act will not be accepted as 

identification. The REAL ID Act, passed 

by Congress in 2005, established new 

requirements for entering federal 

facilities. These requirements took effect 

on July 21, 2014. If your driver’s license 

is issued by American Samoa, you must 

present an alternative form of 

identification to enter the federal 

building where the public hearing will 

be held. Acceptable alternative forms of 

identification include: Federal 

employee badges, passports, enhanced 

driver’s licenses and military 

identification cards. For additional 

information for the status of your state 

regarding the REAL ID Act, go to https:// 

www.dhs.gov/real-id-enforcement-brief. 

For additional information on building 

access and alternative forms of 

identification, go to https://

www.epa.gov/aboutepa/visiting-epaheadquarters. 

How can I get copies of this document 

and other related information? 

The EPA has established a docket for 

this action under Docket ID No. EPA– 

HQ–OAR–2013–0566 (available at 

https://www.regulations.gov). The EPA 

has also made available information 

related to the proposed action on the 

following website: https://www.epa.gov/ 

so2-pollution/primary-nationalambient-air-quality-standard-naaqssulfur-dioxide. 

Dated: June 15, 2018. 

Panagiotis Tsirigotis, 

Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and 

Standards. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13325 Filed 6–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1