Document ID: FERC-2023-0154-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Gator Express Pipeline, LLC
Posted Date: 2023-02-08T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8268-8272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02639]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP17-66-001, CP17-67-001]

Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; Gator Express Pipeline, LLC; 
Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues 
and Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed Plaquemines LNG Amendment

    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 Venture Global Plaquemines 
LNG, LLC (Plaquemines LNG) Amendment (Amendment). If authorized, the 
Amendment would allow additional workspace (a parking/laydown area) and 
increase both the traffic volume and work week/hour limits associated 
with the construction of its terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana 
from that analyzed in the final Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Plaquemines LNG Project (Docket Nos. CP17-66-000 and CP17-67-000), 
which the Commission authorized on September 30, 2019. The proposed 
Amendment would increase construction to 24 hours per day and 7 days a 
week for select activities at the Plaquemines LNG Terminal. The 
Commission will use the EA in its decision-making process to determine 
whether the Amendment is in the public interest.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies regarding the Amendment. As part of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review process, the Commission takes into account 
concerns the public may have about proposals and the environmental 
impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the 
issuance of an authorization. This gathering of public input is 
referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to 
focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. 
Additional information about the Commission's NEPA process is described 
below in the NEPA Process section of this notice.
    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of issues to address in the EA. To ensure that your comments are 
timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the 
Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time on March 6, 2023. Comments may be submitted in written 
form. Further details on how to submit comments are provided in the 
Public Participation section of this notice.
    Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, 
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental 
impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what 
issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Commission staff will consider 
all written comments during the preparation of the EA.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this Amendment. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed 
Amendment and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.

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Public Participation

    There are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the 
Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your 
comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or [email protected].
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for 
submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments 
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your 
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking 
on ``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you 
are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment 
on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP17-
66-001) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service 
must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    The FERC website (www.ferc.gov) includes additional information on 
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings along with other 
stakeholder topics of interest under the Natural Gas, Landowner Topics 
link. The Commission also offers a free service called eSubscription 
which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals 
regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These instant 
email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and 
provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of 
time you spend researching proceedings. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.

Summary of the Proposed Amendment

    Plaquemines LNG proposes to increase the peak workforce from its 
current 3,600 personnel up to 6,000 personnel per day, increase traffic 
volumes, and implement a 24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week construction 
schedule for select activities. In addition, Plaquemines LNG is seeking 
approval for an additional 50-acre parking/laydown area referred to as 
the State Highway (SH) 23 Yard. Plaquemines LNG indicates that the SH23 
Yard is required to accommodate the parking and laydown needs 
associated with the increase in construction workforce. Plaquemines LNG 
anticipates completing the Plaquemines LNG Project in 2025.\1\
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    \1\ On October 20, 2022, pursuant to Environmental Condition No. 
1 of the Authorization Order, Plaquemines LNG requested a variance 
to extend the nighttime construction activities evaluated in the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FERC, 2019) for a 12-month 
period (FERC Accession No. 20221020-5080). This variance is pending 
before the Commission and will be addressed in the Amendment EA.
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    The general location of the Plaquemines LNG Project facilities is 
shown in appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary''. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. At 
this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's 
Public Reference Room due to the proclamation declaring a National 
Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), 
issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact 
FERC at [email protected] or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The request does not involve the construction of any new facilities 
nor any modification of the previously authorized facilities at the 
Plaquemines LNG Terminal site. New land requirements would be limited 
to the 50-acre parking/laydown area at the proposed SH23 Yard. The 
proposed scope of work for site development includes the placement of 
fill material to raise the SH23 Yard by 4 feet and application of 
crushed stone or gravel to facilitate parking. The SH23 Yard would also 
require new driveway connections to SH23.

NEPA Process

    The EA issued by the Commission will discuss impacts that could 
occur as a result of the proposed Amendment under the relevant general 
resource areas:
     geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     threatened and endangered species;
     cultural resources;
     land use and visual resources;
     socioeconomics and traffic;
     environmental justice; and
     air quality and noise.
    Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the 
proposed Amendment or portions of the Amendment and make 
recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various 
resource areas. Your comments will help Commission staff identify and 
focus on the issues that might have an effect on the human environment 
and potentially eliminate others from further study and discussion in 
the EA.
    Following this scoping period, Commission staff will prepare an EA 
to present Commission staff's independent analysis of the issues. The 
EA may be issued for an allotted public comment period. The Commission 
would consider timely comments on the EA before making its decision 
regarding the proposed Amendment. The EA will be available in 
electronic format in the public record through eLibrary \3\ and the 
Commission's natural gas environmental documents web page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents). If eSubscribed, you will receive instant email notification 
when the environmental document is issued.
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    \3\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
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    With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with 
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the 
environmental issues of this Amendment to formally cooperate in the 
preparation of the EA.\4\ Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice.
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    \4\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Section 1501.8.
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Consultation Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, the Commission is using this notice to initiate 
consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s), 
and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies, 
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the Amendment's potential 
effects on

[[Page 8270]]

historic properties.\5\ The EA for this Amendment will document 
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status 
of consultations under section 106.
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    \5\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Schedule for Environmental Review

    On January 6, 2023, the Commission 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 
EA for the Amendment and the planned schedule for the completion of the 
environmental review.\6\
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    \6\ 40 CFR 1501.10 (2020).

Issuance of EA--May 19, 2023
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \7\--August 17, 2023
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    \7\ 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 
Amendment's progress.

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the Amendment and includes a mailing address with their 
comments. Commission staff will update the environmental mailing list 
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that Commission notices related to 
this environmental review are sent to all individuals, organizations, 
and government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by 
the proposed Amendment.
    If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please complete one of 
the following steps:
    (1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your 
request. You must include the docket number CP17-66-001 in your 
request. If you are requesting a change to your address, please be sure 
to include your name and the correct address. If you are requesting to 
delete your address from the mailing list, please include your name and 
address as it appeared on this notice. This email address is unable to 
accept comments.
    OR
    (2) Return the attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 2).

Additional Information

    Additional information about the Amendment is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number 
in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at [email protected] or (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the 
texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    Public sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with 
other related information.

    Dated: February 2, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
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Appendix 1
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08FE23.000

[[Page 8272]]

Appendix 2
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08FE23.001

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08FE23.002

[FR Doc. 2023-02639 Filed 2-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-C