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26 September 2006
[Federal Register: September 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 186)]
[Notices]
[Page 56219-56221]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26se06-144]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG-2004-17696]
Freeport McMoRan Energy L.L.C. Main Pass Energy Hub Liquefied
Natural Gas Deepwater Port License Application Amendment; Final Public
Hearings, Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant
Impact
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; notice of public hearings; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard
announce the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the Main Pass Energy
Hub (MPEH) Deepwater Port Amended License Application. We are also
announcing the dates and locations of public hearings for input
regarding the approval or denial of the license application.
The application and the amendment describe a project that would be
located in the Gulf of Mexico in Main Pass Lease Block 299 (MP 299),
approximately 16 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. Draft and final
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) evaluating the original
application were published on June 17, 2005 and March 14, 2006,
respectively.
The Main Pass Energy Hub Deepwater Port License Application
originally proposed the use of ``open-loop'' open rack vaporization
(ORV). In the amended application, the applicant is proposing a
``closed-loop'' system using submerged combustion vaporization with
selective catalytic reduction (SCV/SCR). Though similar, a more generic
SCV/SCR system was analyzed in detail in the Final EIS (FEIS) as an
alternative. The amended application provides expanded and refined
design information regarding the proposed changes. The EA was prepared
to provide analysis of the actual SCV/SCR design now being proposed and
to determine if there were any significant impacts resulting from this
change in proposed regassification technology in addition to or
different from those previously assessed in the FEIS. The original
application and environmental analysis contained in the FEIS still
apply, including facilities, offshore and onshore pipelines, and salt
cavern gas storage. Previous comments on the FEIS and application will
continue to be considered in this process and need not be repeated.
Based upon the EA, we have determined that the project changes as
proposed in this amended application will not have a significant impact
on the environment and we are therefore issuing a Draft Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) for public review and comment.
DATES: Public hearings will be held in Grand Bay, Alabama on October 3,
2006; Pascagoula, Mississippi on October 4, 2006; and New Orleans,
Louisiana, on October 5, 2006. Each public hearing will begin at 6 p.m.
and end at 8 p.m., and will be preceded by an informational open house
from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public hearings may end later than the
stated time, depending on the number of attendees requesting to speak.
Material submitted in response to the request for comments must
reach the Docket Management Facility on or before November 6, 2006,
which is the end of the 45 day public comment period. Federal and State
agencies must submit comments on the application as amended,
recommended conditions for licensing, or letters of no objection by
November 20, 2006 (45 days after the final public hearings). Also by
November 20, 2006 the Governors of the adjacent coastal states of
Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi may approve, disapprove, or notify
MARAD of inconsistencies with State programs relating to environmental
protection, land and water use, and coastal zone management, in which
case MARAD will condition any license granted to make it consistent
with state programs. MARAD will issue a record of decision (ROD) to
approve, approve with conditions, or deny the DWP license application
by January 3, 2007 (90 days after the final public hearing).
ADDRESSES: The first public hearing and informational open house will
be held on October 3, 2006, at the Grand Bay St. Elmo Community Center,
11610 Highway 90 West, Grand Bay, Alabama, phone: 251-865-4010. The
second public hearing and informational open house will be held on
October 4, 2006, at the La Font Inn, 2703 Denny Avenue, Pascagoula,
Mississippi, phone: 228-762-7111. The third public hearing and
informational open house will be held on October 5, 2006, at the New
Orleans Marriott, 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, phone: 504-
581-1000.
A copy of the EA, FEIS, license application, license application
amendment, comments and associated documentation is available for view
at the DOT's docket management Web site: http://dms.dot.gov under
docket number 17696. Copies of the EA and FEIS are also available for
review at the
[[Page 56220]]
Pascagoula Jackson-George Regional Headquarters Public Library,
Pascagoula, MS, 228-769-3227 ; Bayou La Batre City Public Library, AL,
251-824-4213; Mobile Public Main Library, AL, 251-208-7106; New Orleans
Public Main Library, LA, 504-529-7989.
Address docket submissions for USCG-2004-17696 to: Docket
Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
The Docket Management Facility accepts hand-delivered submissions
and makes docket contents available for public inspection and copying,
at this address, in room PL-401, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Facility's telephone is
202-366-9329, its fax is 202-493-2251, and its Web site for electronic
submissions or for electronic access to docket contents is http://dms.dot.gov
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roddy C. Bachman, U.S. Coast Guard,
telephone: 202-372-1451, e-mail: Roddy.C.Bachman@uscg.mil. If you have
questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager,
Docket Operations, telephone: 202-493-0402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Hearings, Open Houses and Request for Comments
We invite you to learn about the proposed deepwater port at the
informational open houses. We also invite you to comment at the public
hearings on the proposed action and the evaluation contained in the
FEIS, EA, the license application and amendment. Relevant comments
previously submitted on the FEIS and the application will continue to
be considered in the license application process and need not be
resubmitted. Speaker registration will be available at the door. In
order to allow everyone a chance to speak, we may limit speaker time,
or extend the hearing hours, or both. You must identify yourself, and
any organization you represent, by name. Your remarks will be recorded
or transcribed for inclusion in the public docket.
You may submit written material at the public hearing, either in
place of or in addition to speaking. Written material must include your
name and address, and will be included in the public docket. Public
docket materials will be made available to the public on the Docket
Management Facility's Docket Management System (DMS). See ''Request for
Comments'' for information about DMS and your rights under the Privacy
Act.
If you plan to attend either the open house or the public hearing,
and need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or
other reasonable accommodation, please notify the Coast Guard (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 3 business days in advance.
Include your contact information as well as information about your
specific needs.
You can submit material to the Docket Management Facility during
the public comment period (see DATES). MARAD and the Coast Guard will
consider all comments submitted during the public comment period.
Submissions should include:
Docket number USCG-2004-17696.
Your name and address.
Your reasons for making each comment or for bringing
information to our attention.
Submit comments or material using only one of the following
methods:
Electronic submission to DMS, http://dms.dot.gov.
Fax, mail, or hand delivery to the Docket Management
Facility (see ADDRESSES). Faxed or hand delivered submissions must be
unbound, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and suitable for copying
and electronic scanning. If you mail your submission and want to know
when it reaches the Facility, include a stamped, self-addressed
postcard or envelope. Regardless of the method used for submitting
comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change,
to the DMS Web site (http://dms.dot.gov), and will include any personal
information you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes
it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that is
available on the DMS Web site, or the Department of Transportation
Privacy Act Statement that appeared in the Federal Register on April
11, 2000 (65 FR 19477).
You may view docket submissions at the Docket Management Facility
(see ADDRESSES), or electronically on the DMS Web site.
Proposed Action
We published a notice of application for the proposed Main Pass
Energy Hub deepwater port at 69 FR 32363 (June 9, 2004); a notice of
intent to prepare an EIS at 69 FR 45337 (July 29, 2004); announced the
availability of the draft EIS (DEIS) at 70 FR 35277 (June 17, 2005);
the Final EIS at 71 FR 13213 (March 14, 2006); and the amended
application, intent to prepare an EA, and request for comments at 71 FR
45899 (August 10, 2006). The proposed action requiring environmental
review is the Federal licensing decision on the proposed deepwater port
application as originally submitted and subsequently amended.
Alternatives Being Considered
The alternatives available for this action are: (1) License the
facility according to the application as amended, (2) license the
facility according to the application as amended with conditions
(including conditions designed to mitigate environmental impact), and
(3) deny the application, which for purposes of environmental review is
the ``no-action'' alternative. These alternatives are more fully
discussed in the FEIS and EA.
Background
MARAD and the Coast Guard, as the lead Federal agencies for the
license review process under the Deepwater Port Act (DWPA) and the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), completed a Draft EIS that
was released on June 17, 2005. A Final EIS was released on March 14,
2006. To seek public involvement and comply with the requirements of
the DWPA and NEPA, open houses and public hearings were held in all
adjacent coastal states for: (1) Scoping, (2) the DEIS, and (3) the
FEIS in Grand Bay, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Pascagoula,
Mississippi.
During this public review process, extensive public and agency
comments were submitted that discussed the project and both ``open-
loop'' ORV and ``closed-loop'' SCV technologies as reasonable
alternatives for the regasification technology. For this and other
reasons, the Final EIS included detailed discussion and evaluation of
both SCV and ORV technologies.
On May 5, 2005, Governor Blanco of Louisiana, exercising authority
granted under the DWPA, disapproved the Main Pass application based on
the use of ORV. In her letter of disapproval she indicated support for
closed-loop systems. On May 31, 2006, the Coast Guard and MARAD
received an amendment to the original application from the applicant.
The applicant in this amended application now proposes to change the
project to use SCV in place of ORV. On June 21, 2006, the Administrator
of MARAD issued a ROD stating that a license for the project as
originally planned would not be issued and no further action would be
taken on the application as originally submitted. MARAD and the Coast
Guard further determined that they would process the amended
application according to the applicable provisions of the DWPA and
NEPA.
The application amendment contains the actual SCV/SCR design that
would
[[Page 56221]]
be used. Because a more generic SCV/SCR system was fully evaluated as a
reasonable alternative in sufficient detail in the EIS to provide an
opportunity for in-depth public review, the Coast Guard and MARAD
determined, in coordination with other involved Federal agencies,
including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that an
Environmental Assessment that incorporates by reference and tiers from
the FEIS would provide the appropriate level of NEPA review and
analysis. After the EA was completed, we determined that a FONSI for
the amended application was applicable for the action and that the
applicant's change in preferred regassification technology from ORV to
SCV/SCR that was previously evaluated in the FEIS would not have a
significant effect on the environment in addition to or different from
those impacts previously assessed and disclosed in the FEIS.
The EA describes the project changes and focuses on the evaluation
of the amendment, incorporating by reference and tiering from the FEIS.
Our review indicates the SCV/SCR proposal provides a reduction in
impacts in several key resource areas. In addition, a number of
comments from the public, and from State and Federal agencies discussed
and supported closed-loop SCV as a preferred alternative.
On August 10, 2006, (71 FR 45899) we provided notice of the
availability of the amended application; the intent to prepare an EA;
and request for comments.
Summary of the Application Amendment
In the original application, the applicant proposed open rack
vaporization (ORV) as their preferred alternative. In this application
amendment, the applicant is now proposing a ``closed-loop''
vaporization system known as submerged combustion vaporization with
selective catalytic reduction (SCV/SCR). This change would eliminate
seawater usage; replace water-cooled generators with low emission, air-
cooled gas turbine generators; propose use of sodium hydroxide to
neutralize the SCV process water; would move Platform No. 3 from its
current position to the Terminal to support vaporization equipment; and
make other minor changes to Terminal operations and infrastructure to
support SCV/SCR operations. Proposed non-Terminal construction and
operations were not changed by the amended application. All other
aspects of the original application and environmental analysis
contained in the EIS continue to apply, including facilities,
pipelines, and salt cavern gas storage.
SCV/SCR vaporization was analyzed in detail in the EIS as an
alternative technology (EIS Option 1d). In summary, the key differences
in this proposed change from the original ORV proposal (EIS Option 2b)
include:
Elimination of 134 million gallons per day of seawater
intake and discharge. Elimination of seawater intakes and outfall
structures. The SCV/SCR system uses no seawater.
Elimination of potential biological impacts from
vaporization seawater intake due to impingement or entrainment and
reduced discharge temperature plume.
Elimination of the use of sodium hypochlorite chlorination
requirements.
Discharge of 345,000 gallons per day (at peak 1.6 bcfd
vaporization) process water produced through SCV/SCR operation. Ph
would be managed between 6 and 9 through injection of 20% by weight
caustic soda solution (sodium hydroxide) into the stream. The
neutralization reaction produces sodium carbonate and water. This would
also require the addition of a 50,000 gallon storage tank.
Installation of eight SCV/SCR units (EIS Option 1d) as
replacements for the six ORV units previously proposed (EIS Option 2b).
Relocation and remodeling the existing MPEH Platform No. 3
to a position north of Bridge 11 between Platforms BS-8 and BS-Y7 to
accommodate three of the eight SCV/SCR vaporizers and three gas turbine
generators relocated from Platform No. 1. Existing well conductors and
jacket main piles would be removed and the jacket installed on the new
site. Structural and system modifications to the deck of existing
Platform BS-8 and existing Bridge No. 11 would also be required.
Injection of 240 gallons per day of 19.5% (by weight)
aqueous ammonia solution into the gas stream of the SCR. This would
require installation of a 7200 gallon tank.
Operational air emissions of the SCV/SCR amendment are
reduced from the original proposal. Total emissions attributed to
construction over 5 years would be approximately 7% higher than the
original proposal due to the need to move one platform.
Direct burning of 1-1.5% of natural gas for LNG
vaporization--removing this resource from the nation's energy supply.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Certificate of Public Convenience
and Necessity
The onshore portion of this project shoreward of the mean high
water line falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC). Freeport-McMoRan has received FERC
authorization to construct and operate the Coden pipeline conditioned
on receiving the license for the DWP from MARAD (FERC Order Issuing
Certificate issued May 18, 2006, FERC Docket Nos. CP04-68 and CP04-69).
This is the 5.1 mile Bayou La Batre alternative in the FEIS.
Department of Army Permits
On July 22, 2005, the New Orleans District, Army Corps of Engineers
issued a joint public notice advising all interested parties of the
proposed activity for which Department of the Army Section 404 and
Section 10 permits are being sought, and solicited comments and
information necessary to evaluate the probable impact on the public
interest. This comment period is now closed. As this amendment falls
under the environmental review of the DWPA, and not Section 10 of the
Rivers and Harbors Act and does not change the Section 404 and Section
10 reviews, an additional comment period is not required by the Army
Corps of Engineers.
Dated: September 21, 2006.
By order of the Maritime Administrator.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-15756 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P