[Federal Register: April 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 66)]
[Notices]
[Page 16808-16809]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07ap03-75]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[USCG 2003-14134]
Port Pelican LLC Deepwater Port License Application; Preparation
of Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS, and Maritime Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent and request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
announce their intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS) for the project described in the Port Pelican LLC Deepwater Port
License Application. The plan description in the license application
calls for construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) Deepwater Port
known as ``Port Pelican'' and associated anchorage in the Gulf of
Mexico, approximately 36 miles south southwest of Fresh Water City,
Louisiana, located in Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Block Vermillion
140. Port Pelican would deliver natural gas to the U.S. Gulf Coast
using existing gas supply and gathering systems in the Gulf of Mexico
and southern Louisiana. Gas would then be delivered to shippers using
the national pipeline grid though interconnections with major
interstate and intrastate pipelines. The Coast Guard seeks public and
agency input on the scope of the EIS. Specifically, the Coast Guard
requests input on any environmental concerns that the public may have
related to the proposal to construct a new Deepwater Port, sources of
relevant data or information, and any suggested analysis methods for
inclusion in the EIS.
DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Docket on or before
May 7, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in several ways. To make sure your
comments and related material are not entered more than once in the
docket, please submit them by only one of the following means:
(1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility (USCG-2003-14134),
U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(2) By delivery to Room PL-401 on the Plaza Level of the Nassif
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington DC between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone
number is (202) 366-9329.
(3) By fax to the Docket Management Facility at (202) 493-2251.
(4) Electronically through the Web site for the Docket Management
System at http://dms.dot.gov.
The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this
notice. Comments will become part of this docket and will be available
for inspection or copying in Room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of
the Nassif Building at the above address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. You may also view
this docket, including this notice and comments, on the Internet at
http://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about the
project, you may contact Commander Mark Prescott, U.S. Coast Guard at
(202) 267-0225 or mprescott@comdt.uscg.mil. For questions on viewing or
submitting materials to the docket, contact Dorothy Beard, Chief,
Dockets, DOT, at (202) 366-5149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Request for Comments
We encourage you to submit comments and related materials on this
notice. Persons submitting comments should include their names and
addresses, this notice reference number (USCG-2003-14134), and the
reasons for each comment. You may submit your comments and materials by
mail, hand delivery, fax, or electronic means to the Docket Management
Facility at the address given under ADDRESSES. If you choose to submit
them by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, and suitable for copying and
[[Page 16809]]
electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would like to know if
they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed
postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and materials
received during the comment period. (For additional information about
this notice or the EIS, contact Commander Mark Prescott, U.S. Coast
Guard at (202) 267-0225 or mprescott@comdt.uscg.mil.)
Background Information
The Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended (the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1501
et seq.), defines a deepwater port as any fixed or floating manmade
structure other than a vessel, or any group of such structures, that
are located beyond State seaward boundaries and that are used or
intended for use as a port or terminal for the transportation, storage,
or further handling of oil or natural gas for transportation to any
State. The Act provides that an applicant must submit detailed plans
for a proposed facility to the Secretary of Transportation, along with
its license application. The Secretary has delegated the processing of
deepwater port applications to the Coast Guard and the Maritime
Administration (MARAD). The Act provides ``For all applications, the
Secretary, in cooperation with other involved Federal agencies and
departments, shall comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332).'' This notice is intended to meet the
requirements of NEPA and to provide general information about the
procedure that will be followed in complying with NEPA.
Proposed Action
The Coast Guard intends to prepare an EIS consistent to the maximum
extent practicable with the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended (the
Act, 33 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), NEPA (Section 102(2)(c), as implemented
by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR Parts
1500-1508)), Department of Transportation (DOT) Order 5610.1C
(Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts), and Coast Guard
Policy (Commandant's Instruction (COMDTINST) M16475.1D). The Coast
Guard anticipates having one or more cooperating agencies in this
endeavor.
NEPA requires Federal agencies to consider environmental impacts
that may result from a proposed action, to inform the public of
potential impacts and alternatives, and to facilitate public
involvement in the assessment process. The EIS describes in detail the
nature and extent of the environmental impacts of the Proposed Action
and each alternative and discusses appropriate mitigation measures for
any adverse impacts. An EIS includes, among other matters, discussions
of the purpose and need for the Proposed Action, a description of
alternatives, a description of the affected environment, and an
evaluation of the environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and
alternatives.
The Port Pelican EIS will assess the impacts of the alternatives,
including approving or not approving (No Action Alternative) the
license application to construct and operate Port Pelican, on the
natural and human environment. The application addresses the Port
Pelican Terminal (the Terminal), an LNG receiving, storage and
regasification facility, and the Pelican Interconnector Pipeline (PIPL)
to transport the gas to the existing offshore gas gathering and
transmission system. Port Pelican would consist of two concrete gravity
based structure (GBS) units fixed to the seabed, which would include
integral LNG storage tanks, support deck mounted LNG receiving and
vaporization equipment and utilities, berthing accommodations for LNG
carriers, facilities for delivery of natural gas to a pipeline
transportation system, and personnel accommodations. The Terminal would
be able to receive the largest LNG carriers currently in service or
under contract for construction. All marine systems, communication,
navigation aids and equipment necessary to conduct safe LNG carrier
operations and receiving of product would be provided at the port.
The Terminal would be constructed in two phases. Phase I includes
the installation of the two GBS units with internal storage tanks and
facilities for LNG offloading, and vaporization capability to deliver a
peak 1.0 billion standard cubic feet per day (SCFD) of natural gas to
the pipeline system. Additional vaporization equipment and associated
support equipment and facilities would be installed during Phase II to
increase the peak facility vaporization and send out rate to 2.0
billion SCFD.
As required by NEPA, the Coast Guard also will analyze the No
Action Alternative as a baseline for comparing the impacts of the
proposed project. For the purposes of this project, the No Action
Alternative is defined as not approving the Port Pelican LLC Deepwater
Port License Application. The Coast Guard encourages public
participation in the EIS process. The scoping period will begin upon
publication of this notice in the Federal Register and continue for a
period of 30 days. A scoping meeting may be held. If one is held, the
date and location of the meeting will be announced separately in the
Federal Register. Multiple methods for providing comments are
available, including mail, Internet and fax.
Following the scoping process, the Coast Guard will prepare a draft
EIS. A Notice of Availability will be published in the Federal Register
when the draft EIS is available. Public notices will be mailed or
emailed to those who have requested a copy of the draft EIS. The public
will be provided an opportunity to review the draft EIS and to offer
appropriate comments.
Comments received during the draft EIS review period will be
available in the public docket and made available in the final EIS. A
Notice of Availability of the final EIS will also be published in the
Federal Register.
Dated: March 31, 2003.
Howard L. Hime,
Acting Director of Standards, Marine Safety, Security, and
Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard.
Margaret D. Blum,
Associate Administrator, Port, Intermodal, and Environmental
Activities, U.S. Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-8450 Filed 4-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P