Document ID: FERC-2017-0738-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC; Border Crossing Project
Posted Date: 2017-06-15T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 114 (Thursday, June 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 27477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12392]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-19-000]

Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Border Crossing Project

    On November 21, 2016, Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC (Valley 
Crossing) filed an application in Docket No. CP17-19-000 pursuant to 
Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act seeking authorization and the issuance 
of a Presidential Permit to construct and operate certain natural gas 
transmission facilities for the purpose of exporting natural gas 
between the United States and Mexico. The proposed project is known as 
the Border Crossing Project (Project). The Project would deliver/export 
up to 2.6 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to Mexico to serve 
electrical generation plants.
    On December 2, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
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 Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice 
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the 
EA for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

    Issuance of EA June 30, 2017.
    90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline September 28, 2017.
    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

    Valley Crossing proposes to construct and operate an approximately 
1,000-foot-long, 42-inch-diameter, natural gas transmission pipeline 
segment across the international boundary between the United States and 
Mexico that is under the Commission's jurisdiction. The Border Crossing 
Project would connect the non-jurisdictional Valley Crossing System 
with the Mexican Marina Pipeline. The international boundary crossing 
would occur in Texas state waters, approximately 30 miles east of 
Brownsville, Texas.

Background

    On January 27, 2017, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Border Crossing 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues (NOI). The NOI 
was sent to federal, state, and local government agencies; elected 
officials; and other interested parties. In response to the NOI, 
commenters expressed concerns regarding water quality, methane 
pollution, aquatic/marine life including threatened and endangered 
species, pipeline integrity, climate change, and cumulative impacts.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. This can 
reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by 
automatically providing you with notification of these filings, 
document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to 
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC Web site (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., 
CP17-19), 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued 
by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: June 9, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-12392 Filed 6-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P