Document ID: USCG-2017-0194-0001
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Notice
Title: Waterway Suitability Assessment for Operation of Liquefied Hazardous Gas Terminal; Port Arthur, TX
Posted Date: 2017-08-14T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 155 (Monday, August 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37887-37888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17106]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2017-0194]

Waterway Suitability Assessment for Operation of Liquefied 
Hazardous Gas Terminal; Port Arthur, TX

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Coast Guard regulations, Lynx Terminals LLC 
(Lynx Terminals) has submitted a Letter of Intent and Preliminary 
Waterway Suitability Assessment to the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, 
Port Arthur, TX (COTP) regarding the company's plans to handle and 
transport Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG) at the Port of Port Arthur 
docks in Port Arthur, TX. The Coast Guard is notifying the public of 
this proposed increase in LHG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches 
Waterway and is soliciting comments relevant to the Coast Guard's 
preparation of a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for issue to the 
federal, state or local agency with jurisdiction over the proposed 
facility.

DATES: Comments and related material must be received on or before 
September 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2017-0194 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for 
further instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call or email Commander Loan T. O'Brien, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 
409-723-6564, email: Loan.T.O'Brien@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material in 
response to this notice through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov. We will consider all submissions and may 
adjust our final action based on your comments. If you submit a 
comment, please include the docket number for this notice, indicate the 
specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and 
provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal

[[Page 37888]]

eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material 
cannot be submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the 
person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document 
for alternate instructions. Documents mentioned in this notice, and all 
public comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov 
and can be viewed by following that Web site's instructions. 
Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email 
alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a final rule 
is published. To view comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov, type 
the docket number (USCG-2017-0194) in the ``SEARCH'' box and click 
``SEARCH.'' Click on ``Open Docket Folder'' on the line associated with 
this notice and request for comment We accept anonymous comments. All 
comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and the docket, you may review a 
Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal Docket Management System in 
the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal Register (70 FR 15086).

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act notice 
regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 
Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Public Meeting

    We do not now plan to hold a public meeting, but you may submit a 
request for one, using one of the methods specified under ADDRESSES. 
Please explain why you believe a public meeting would be beneficial. If 
we determine that a public meeting would aid the Captain of the Port, 
Port Arthur (COTP) in validating the information in the WSA and 
preparing the Letter of Recommendation (LOR), we will hold one at a 
time and place announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Discussion

    Under 33 CFR 127.007(a), an owner or operator planning to build a 
new facility handling Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG), or an owner or 
operator planning new construction to expand or modify marine terminal 
operations in an existing facility handling LHG, where the 
construction, expansion, or modification would result in an increase in 
the size and/or frequency of LHG marine traffic on the waterway 
associated with the proposed facility or modification to an existing 
facility, must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the COTP of the zone 
in which the facility is or will be located. Under 33 CFR 127.007(e), 
an owner or operator planning such new construction or expansion of an 
existing facility must also file or update a Waterway Suitability 
Assessment (WSA) that addresses the proposed increase in LHG marine 
traffic in the associated waterway. Lynx Terminals, located in Port 
Arthur, TX submitted an LOI and WSA on August 09, 2016 regarding the 
company's proposed plans to handle and transport LHG at the Port of 
Port Arthur, TX facility.
    Under 33 CFR 127.009, after receiving an LOI, the COTP issues a LOR 
as to the suitability of the waterway for LNG or LHG marine traffic to 
the appropriate jurisdictional authorities. The LOR is based on a 
series of factors listed in 33 CFR 127.009 that relate to the physical 
nature of the affected waterway and issues of safety and security 
associated with LHG marine traffic on the affected waterway.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit public comments on the 
proposed increase in LHG marine traffic on the Sabine-Neches Waterway. 
The Coast Guard believes that input from the public may be useful to 
the COTP with respect to validating the information provided in Lynx 
Terminals' WSA and development of the LOR. Additionally, the Coast 
Guard intends to task the Area Maritime Security Committee, Port 
Arthur, TX and the Southeast Texas Waterways Advisory Council with 
forming a subcommittee comprised of affected port users and 
stakeholders. The goal of this subcommittee will be to gather 
information to help the COTP assess the suitability of the associated 
waterway for increased LHG marine traffic as it relates to navigational 
safety and maritime security. In addition to the other documents 
referenced in this notice, a brief summation of LYNX Terminals' 
proposal is available for viewing in the public docket for this notice.
    On January 24, 2011, the Coast Guard published Navigation and 
Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-2011, ``Guidance Related to 
Waterfront Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facilities''. NVIC 01-2011 
provides guidance for owners and operators seeking approval to build 
and operate LNG facilities. While NVIC 01-2011 is specific to LNG, it 
provides useful process information and guidance for owners and 
operators seeking approval to build and operate LHG facilities as well. 
The Coast Guard will refer to NVIC 01-2011 for process information and 
guidance in evaluating Lynx Terminals' WSA. A copy of NVIC 01-2011 is 
available for viewing in the public docket for this notice and also on 
the Coast Guard's Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/2010s.asp.

    Dated: August 8, 2017.
Jaqueline Twomey,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Port Arthur.
[FR Doc. 2017-17106 Filed 8-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P