58066 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 188 / Wednesday, September 27, 2000 / Notices

1Southern LNG’s application was filed with the

Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act

and Part 157 of the Commission’s regulations.

• Construct a bioengineered

permanent stabilization structure on the

north bank;

• Construct permanent habitat

enhancement structures near the south

bank.

The EA has been placed in the public

files of the FERC. A limited number of

copies of the EA are available for

distribution and public inspection at:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

Public Reference and Files Maintenance

Branch 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A,

Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208–1371.

Copies of the EA have been mailed to

Federal, state and local agencies, public

interest groups, interested individuals,

newspapers, and parties to this

proceeding.

Any person wishing to comment on

the EA may do so. To ensure

consideration prior to a Commission

decision on the proposal, it is important

that we receive your comments before

the date specified below. Please

carefully follow these instructions to

ensure that your comments are received

in time and properly recorded:

• Send two copies of your comments

to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Room

1A, Washington, DC 20426;

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of the Gas Group 2, PJ11.2;

• Reference Docket No. CP00–141–

000; and

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before October 23, 2000.

Comments will be considered by the

Commission but will not serve to make

the commentor a party to the

proceeding. Any person seeking to

become a party to the proceeding must

file a motion to intervene pursuant to

Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedures (18 CFR

385.214). Only intervenors have the

right to seek rehearing of the

Commission’s decision.

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

which would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

comments considered.

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs,

at (202) 208–0004 or on the FERC

Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us) using

the ‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in this

docket number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’

link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the RIMS

Menu, and follow the instructions. For

assistance with access to RIMS, the

RIMS help line can be reached at (202)

208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ links on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance with access to CIPS, the

CIPS help line can be reached at (202)

208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–24765 Filed 9–26–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP99–580–002]

Southern LNG Inc.; Notice of Intent To

Prepare an Environmental Assessment

for the Proposed Sendout Modification

Project and Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues

September 21, 2000.

The staff of the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC or

Commission) will prepare an

environmental assessment (EA) that will

discuss the environmental impacts of

the Sendout Modification Project

involving construction and operation of

facilities by Southern LNG Inc.

(Southern LNG) on Elba Island in

Chatham County, Georgia. 1 The project

involves limited modifications to the

sendout system at Southern LNG’s

existing, certificated liquefied natural

gas (LNG) marine import terminal (Elba

Island Terminal). This EA will be used

by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether

the project is in the public convenience

and necessity.

Background

In 1972, in Docket No. CP71–264, the

Federal Power Commission (FERC’s

predecessor) authorized Southern

Energy Company (Southern LNG’s

predecessor), to construct and operate

the Elba Island Terminal. Southern LNG

initiated construction in 1973. The

terminal encompasses about 140 acres

on the 840-acre Elba Island in an estuary

of the Savannah River. Elba Island lies

approximately 8 miles upstream of the

river’s discharge into the Atlantic Ocean

and approximately 5 miles downstream

from Savannah, Georgia. The existing

authorized facilities at the Elba Island

Terminal include the following:

• LNG unloading facilities, including

marine berth, pier, and arms for

unloading LNG from vessels;

• LNG storage facilities, including

three double-wall storage tanks, each

with the capacity of 400,000 barrels

(four billion cubic feet vaporized

equivalent);

• LNG sendout facilities, including

pumps and vaporizers with a maximum

capacity of 540 million cubic feet per

day (MMcfd);

• Boil-off compressors;

• Pressure relief, vent, and disposal

systems;

• Spill containment facilities,

including a 400,000-barrel capacity

main spill containment for each LNG

storage tank; and

• Fire water system sourced from a

fresh-water pond and river water.

Southern LNG commenced operation

in July, 1978. Between 1978 to 1980, the

Elba Island Terminal was used to import

LNG purchased from El Paso Algeria

Corporation and delivered by cryogenic

tankers. In April, 1980, Southern LNG

was unable to continue importation of

LNG due to economic considerations.

After LNG shipments were

discontinued, Southern LNG retained an

inventory of LNG through April, 1982.

Since 1982, the Elba Island Terminal

has been maintained in a limited state

of readiness to ensure that the plant

could be safely and reliably reactivated.

An ongoing preventative maintenance

program has been in place since that

time and needed repairs, replacements,

enhancements and additions have been

identified for implementing during the

recommissioning process.

On July 13, 1999, Southern LNG filed

an application with the Commission in

Docket No. CP99–580–000, to

recommission the Elba Island Terminal

for the purpose of providing openaccess service to shippers desiring to

contract for receipt, storage, and

vaporization of LNG and delivery of

vaporized LNG at the existing point of

interconnect with the interstate pipeline

of Southern Natural. The project

involved returning Southern LNG’s

existing, certificated Elba Island

Terminal to active service. Southern

LNG stated that the storage and

vaporization facilities would not be

significantly altered, replaced or

relocated, and that the storage and

throughput capacity of the facilities

would remain the same as originally

placed in service in 1978.

In addition, in Docket No. CP99–579–

000, Southern LNG requested Section 3

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 188 / Wednesday, September 27, 2000 / Notices 58067

2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the

environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects. 3The appendices referenced in this notice are not

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are

available from the Commission’s Public Reference

and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street,

NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208–1371.

Copies of the appendices were sent to all those

receiving this notice in the mail.

authorization under Subpart B of Part

153 of the Commission’s regulations for

siting of natural gas import facilities.

This application was directly related to

Southern LNG’s proposal described

above in Docket No. CP99–580–000.

On August 9, 1999, we 2 issued a

Notice of Intent to Prepare an

Environmental Assessment for the

Proposed Elba Island Terminal

Recommissioning Project and Request

for Comments on Environmental Issues.

On January 10, 2000, we issued a Notice

of Availability of the Environmental

Assessment for the Proposed Elba Island

Terminal Recommissioning Project. On

March 16, 2000, the Commission issued

an Order Issuing Certificate, Section 3

Authorization, and Denying Request for

Rehearing (Order).

Summary of the Proposed Project

Southern LNG proposes to amend the

authorizations issued in the

Commission’s March 16, 2000 Order.

Southern LNG proposes limited

modifications to the sendout system at

the Elba Island Terminal. The sendout

modifications would increase the peak

vaporization from 540 MMcfd to 675

MMcfd and allow control of the heating

value of vaporized LNG. The sendout

modifications are required to enhance

the flexibility and reliability of firm

service by enabling the terminal to

import LNG from various foreign

production areas. These LNG supplies

may have varying heating values, which

may exceed the maximum in Southern

LNG’s tariff of 1,075 British thermal

units per standard cubic foot (Btu/scf).

The location of the project facilities is

shown in appendix 1.3

The Sendout Modifications Project

would include the following:

• Replacement of the existing five 108

MMcfd Ryan Industries LNG submerged

combustion vaporizers with five 135

MMcfd state-of-the-art submerged

combustion water bath heaters;

• Install an additional secondary LNG

pump to supply additional LNG for the

increased capacity of the vaporizers;

and

• Install nitrogen or air injection

facilities to control heating value of

vaporized LNG. Injection of 2 percent

nitrogen or 3.8 percent air into the

sendout stream would allow receipt of

LNG with a heating value of 1,090 or

1,117 Btu/scf, respectively.

Land Requirements for Construction

No additional land would be required

by Southern LNG’s proposal. All work

would occur within previously

disturbed and currently maintained

areas. None of the proposed facilities

would result in substantial changes to

the appearance or previous function of

the existing facilities.

The EA Process

The National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to

take into account the environmental

impacts that could result from an action

whenever it considers the issuance of a

Certificate of Public Convenience and

Necessity. NEPA also requires us to

discover and address concerns the

public may have about proposals. We

call this ‘‘scoping’’. The main goal of the

scoping process is to focus the analysis

in the EA on the important

environmental issues. By this Notice of

Intent, the Commission requests public

comments on the scope of the issues it

will address in the EA. All comments

received are considered during the

preparation of the EA. State and local

government representatives are

encouraged to notify their constituents

of this proposed action and encourage

them to comment on their areas of

concern.

The EA will discuss impacts that

could occur as a result of the

construction and operation of the

proposed project under these general

headings:

• Geology and soils

• Water resources, fisheries, and

wetlands

• Vegetation and wildlife

• Endangered and threatened species

• Land use

• Cultural resources

• Air Quality and noise

• Public safety

We will also evaluate possible

alternatives to the proposed project or

portions of the project, and make

recommendations on how to lessen or

avoid impacts on the various resource

areas.

Our independent analysis of the

issues will be in the EA. Depending on

the comments received during the

scoping process, the EA may be

published and mailed to Federal, state,

and local agencies, public interest

groups, interested individuals, affected

landowners, newspapers, libraries, and

the Commission’s official service list for

this proceeding. A comment period will

be allotted for review if the EA is

published. We will consider all

comments on the EA before we make

our recommendations to the

Commission.

To ensure your comments are

considered, please carefully follow the

instructions in the public participation

section below.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by

providing us with your specific

comments or concerns about the project.

By becoming a commentor, your

concerns will be addressed in the EA

and considered by the Commission. You

should focus on the potential

environmental effects of the proposal,

alternatives to the proposal, and

measures to avoid or lessen

environmental impact. The more

specific your comments, the more useful

they will be. Please carefully follow

these instructions to ensure that your

comments are received in time and

properly recorded:

• Send two copies of your letter to:

David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888

First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC

20426;

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of the Gas Group I, PJ–

11.1;

• Reference Docket No. CP99–580–

002; and

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before October 23, 2000.

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EA

scoping process, you may want to

become an official party to the

proceeding known as an ‘‘intervenor’’.

Intervenors play a more formal role in

the process. Among other things,

intervenors have the right to receive

copies of case-related Commission

documents and filings by other

intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor

must provide 14 copies of its filings to

the Secretary of the Commission and

must send a copy of its filings to all

other parties on the Commission’s

service list for this proceeding. If you

want to become an intervenor you must

file a motion to intervene according to

Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR

385.214) (see appendix 2). Only

intervenors have the right to seek

rehearing of the Commission’s decision.

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

which would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

58068 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 188 / Wednesday, September 27, 2000 / Notices

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at 208–1088 or on the FERC website

(www.ferc.fed.us) using the ‘‘RIMS’’

link to information in this docket

number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’ link,

select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the RIMS Menu,

and follow the instructions. For

assistance with access to RIMS, the

RIMS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance with access to CIPS, the

CIPS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–24764 Filed 9–26–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6877–8]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request, Standards

of Performance for New Stationary

Sources (NSPS) Smelters Including:

Brass and Bronze; Copper Smelters;

Zinc Smelters; Lead Smelters;

Aluminum; Ferroalloy

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this document announces

that the following Information

Collection Request (ICR) has been

forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and

approval: Standards of Performance for

New Stationary Sources (NSPS)

Smelters including Secondary Brass and

Bronze Production Plants, Part 60,

Subpart M; Primary Copper Smelter,

Subpart P; Primary Zinc Smelters,

Subpart Q; Primary Lead Smelters,

Subpart R; Primary Aluminum

Reduction Plants, Subpart S; Ferroalloy

Production Facilities, Subpart Z; OMB

No. 2060–0110; EPA No. 1604.06;

expiration date is November 30, 2000.

This ICR is a consolidation of four

previously separate ICRs. The ICR

describes the nature of the information

collection and its expected burden and

cost; where appropriate, it includes the

actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before October 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing

EPA ICR No.1604.06 and OMB Control

No. 2060–0110, to the following

addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Collection Strategies Division (Mail

Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,

NW, Washington, DC 20460; and to

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer

for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

a copy of the ICR contact Sandy Farmer

at EPA by phone at (202) 260–2740, by

E-Mail at

Farmer.Sandy@epamail.epa.gov or

download off the Internet at http://

www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR

No.1604.06. For technical questions

about the ICR, please contact: Deborah

Thomas (2223–A).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: New Source Performance

Standards for Smelters (40 CFR part 60),

including: Brass and Bronze, Subpart M;

Copper, Subpart P; Zinc, Subpart Q;

Lead, Subpart R; Aluminum, Subpart S;

Ferroalloy, Subpart Z; OMB Control No.

2060–0110; EPA ICR No.1604.06,

expiration 11/30/2000. This is a request

for an extension of 2 currently approved

collections and a reinstatement of 2

lapsed collections.

Abstract: New Source Performance

Standards for Secondary Brass and

Bronze Production Plants, Primary

Copper, Lead, and Zinc Smelters,

Aluminum Reduction, and Ferroalloy

Production Plants were developed to

ensure that air emissions from these

facilities do not cause ambient

concentrations of particulate matter and

certain gases to exceed levels that may

reasonably be anticipated to endanger

public health and the environment.

Owners or operators of all affected

facilities subject to NSPS must notify

EPA of construction, modification,

anticipated and actual startup dates, the

initial performance test and results,

demonstration of a continuous

monitoring system (except for brass and

bronze facilities), and any physical or

operational change that may increase

the emission rate. In addition, primary

copper, lead, and zinc smelters and

ferroalloy plants are required to

semiannually report excess emissions

and aluminum reduction plants must

report excess emissions in each monthly

or annual performance test. Ferroalloy

plants must also report on any product

change. Facilities must maintain records

of performance test results, startups,

shutdowns, and malfunctions. Primary

smelters, aluminum reduction and

ferroalloy production plants have

additional daily or monthly

recordkeeping requirements for certain

operating parameters. In order to ensure

compliance with the standards,

adequate recordkeeping and reporting is

necessary. This information enables the

Agency to: (1) Identify the sources

subject to the standard; (2) ensure initial

compliance with emission limits; and

(3) verify continuous compliance with

the standard. Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements on the part

of the respondent are mandatory under

section 114 of the Clean Air Act as

amended and 40 CFR part 60. All

reports are sent to the delegated State or

Local authority. In the event that there

is no such delegated authority, the

reports are sent directly to the EPA

Regional Office. All information

submitted to the Agency for which a

claim of confidentiality is made will be

safeguarded according to the Agency

policies set forth in Title 40, Chapter 1,

part 2, subpart B—Confidentiality of

Business Information (see 40 CFR part 2;

41 FR 36902, September 1, 1976;

amended by 43 FR 39999, September 8,

1978; 43 FR 42251, September 28, 1978;

44 FR 17674, March 23, 1979).

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The OMB control

numbers for EPA’s regulations are listed

in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter

15. The Federal Register document

required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d),

soliciting comments on this collection

of information was published on

October 29,1999 (64 FR 58398); no

comments were received.

Burden Statement: The annual public

reporting and recordkeeping burden for

this collection of information is

estimated to average two hours per

response. Burden means the total time,

effort, or financial resources expended

by persons to generate, maintain, retain,

or disclose or provide information to or

for a Federal agency. This includes the

time needed to review instructions;

develop, acquire, install, and utilize

technology and systems for the purposes

of collecting, validating, and verifying

information, processing and

maintaining information, and disclosing

and providing information; adjust the

existing ways to comply with any

previously applicable instructions and

requirements; train personnel to be able

to respond to a collection of