Notice2022-19474
Rio Grande LNG, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Carbon Capture and Sequestration System Amendment, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions
Primary source
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Published
September 9, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 174 (Friday, September 9, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 174 (Friday, September 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55415-55418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19474]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP22-17-000]
Rio Grande LNG, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments
on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Carbon Capture and
Sequestration System Amendment, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss
the environmental impacts of the Carbon Capture and Sequestration
System Amendment (CCS System Amendment) involving construction and
operation of facilities by Rio Grande LNG, LLC (Rio Grande) in Cameron
County, Texas. Rio Grande's CCS System Amendment was filed under
section 3 of the Natural Gas Act as an amendment to its November 22,
2019 Authorization order for the Rio Grande LNG Terminal.\1\ The
Commission will use this environmental document in its decision-making
process to determine whether the CCS System Amendment is consistent
with the public interest.
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\1\ Rio Grande LNG, LLC, 169 FERC ] 61,131 (2019), order on
reh'g, 170 FERC ] 61,046 (2020).
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This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies regarding the project 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 under Section 3 of the
Natural Gas Act. This gathering of public input is referred to as
``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the
analysis in the environmental document on the important environmental
issues. Additional information about the Commission's NEPA process is
described below in the NEPA Process and Environmental Document section
of this notice.
[[Page 55416]]
By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the
scope of issues to address in the environmental document. 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 Monday, October 3, 2022. Comments may
be submitted in written or oral 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 environmental document. Commission
staff will consider all written or oral comments during the preparation
of the environmental document.
If you submitted comments on this project amendment to the
Commission before the opening of this docket on November 17, 2021, you
will need to file those comments in Docket No. CP22-17-000 to ensure
they are considered as part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project amendment. State and local government
representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents of this
proposed project amendment and encourage them to comment on their areas
of concern.
Public Participation
There are four 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#51173423321e3f3d383f34022421213e232511373423327f363e27"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c88eadbaab87a6a4a1a6ad9bbdb8b8a7babc88aeadbaabe6afa7be">[email protected]</span></a>.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>)
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 (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>)
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'';
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP22-
17-000) 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, MD 20852.
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend one of the public scoping sessions its staff will conduct in
the project area, scheduled as follows:
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Date and time Location
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Tuesday, September 27, 2022............
Session 1: 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Port Isabel Event and Cultural
Session 2: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Center, 309 E Railroad Avenue,
(local time). Port Isabel, TX 78578, 956-943-
0720.
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The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be
considered in the environmental document. Individual oral comments will
be taken on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter. This format is
designed to receive the maximum amount of oral comments in a convenient
way during the timeframe allotted. Spanish-English translation services
will be provided.
Scoping sessions are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and
from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central time. Entrance into the facility
will begin at the start time of each meeting. There will not be a
formal or opening presentation by Commission staff for either session.
If you wish to speak, the Commission staff will hand out numbers in the
order of your arrival. Please see appendix 1 for additional information
on the session format and conduct.\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
<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aceae9feefe3c2c0c5c2c9ffd9dcdcc3ded8eccac9decf82cbc3da">[email protected]</a> or call toll free, (886) 208-3676
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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Your scoping comments will be recorded by a court reporter (with
FERC staff or representative present) and become part of the public
record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be publicly available on
FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice for
instructions on using eLibrary). If a significant number of people are
interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one settings, a
time limit of 3 minutes may be implemented for each commentor. Although
there will not be a formal presentation, Commission staff will be
available throughout the scoping session to answer your questions about
the environmental review process.
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided orally at a scoping session.
Additionally, the Commission 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 <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to register for eSubscription.
Summary of the Proposed Project Amendment
Rio Grande proposes to construct and operate a carbon capture and
sequestration system (CCS System) for incorporation into the design of
its Rio Grande LNG Terminal Project that was previously approved by the
Commission in Docket No. CP16-454-000. According to Rio Grande, the
proposed CCS System Amendment would enable Rio Grande to capture a
minimum of 90 percent of the carbon dioxide produced at the Rio Grande
LNG Terminal, which
[[Page 55417]]
would then be transported via a proposed pipeline (which would not be
under FERC jurisdiction) to a nearby underground geologic formation for
sequestration. This pipeline and sequestration of carbon dioxide in the
geologic formation would require permits from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and relevant Texas agencies via EPA's
underground injection control Class VI permitting regime for geologic
sequestration.
The CCS System Amendment would consist of the following facility
modifications, components, and equipment at the approved but as yet
unbuilt Rio Grande LNG Terminal:
<bullet> a post-combustion capture system for the exhaust flue gas
of the Rio Grande LNG Terminal's main refrigerant gas turbine
compressors;
<bullet> the re-routing of the Rio Grande LNG Terminal's acid gas
removal unit vent stream from a thermal oxidizer to a sequestration
compressor;
<bullet> the addition of a sequestration compressor to the combined
gas streams from the post-combustion capture system and acid gas
removal unit to meet an interface with a carbon dioxide sequestration
pipeline;
<bullet> modifications to the Rio Grande LNG Terminal utility
design to accommodate CCS System equipment, such as various heat
exchangers, pumps, compressors, blowers, tanks, filters, and similar
equipment; and
<bullet> a hot oil system, including a waste heat recovery unit and
distribution components.
In addition, the CCS System Amendment would consist of a carbon
sequestration pipeline, which would extend from the Rio Grande LNG
Terminal site to a geologic sequestration formation. The location of
the Rio Grande LNG Terminal site, where the FERC-jurisdictional CCS
System Amendment facilities are proposed, is shown in appendix 2.
Although Rio Grande has not yet determined the location of the specific
geological formation it would use, or the exact length and location of
the sequestration pipeline, Rio Grande has indicated that it may co-
locate the proposed CCS System pipeline along a portion of Rio Bravo
Pipeline route (shown on the map in appendix 2), which was authorized
in Docket No. CP16-455-000.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed CCS System Amendment facilities would
disturb areas within the previously authorized Rio Grande LNG Terminal
boundary, but would not result in new land requirements beyond that
required for construction of the LNG Terminal (Docket No. CP16-454-
000). Rio Grande states that it has not finalized the planned non-
jurisdictional CCS System pipeline and the associated land requirements
along the planned the pipeline's route. FERC staff's environmental
document will include the most current information about the planned
non-jurisdictional pipeline based on publicly available information.
Following construction, Rio Grande would not require any additional
acreage for permanent operation of the FERC-jurisdictional CCS System
Amendment facilities.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by the Commission will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation
of the proposed project amendment under the relevant general resource
areas:
<bullet> geology and soils;
<bullet> water resources and wetlands;
<bullet> vegetation and wildlife;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> cultural resources;
<bullet> land use;
<bullet> socioeconomics and environmental justice;
<bullet> air quality and noise;
<bullet> reliability and safety; and
<bullet> cumulative impacts.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
proposed project amendment or portions of the project 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 environmental document.
Following this scoping period, Commission staff will determine
whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present Commission
staff's independent analysis of the issues. If Commission staff
prepares an EA, a Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an
Environmental Assessment will be issued. 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
project amendment. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of
Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued. Staff will
then prepare a draft EIS which will be issued for public comment.
Commission staff will consider all timely comments received during the
comment period on the draft EIS and revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft and final EIS will be
available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary
\3\ and the Commission's natural gas environmental documents web page
(<a href="https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents">https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents</a>). 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 project amendment to formally cooperate in
the preparation of the environmental document.\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 project amendment's
potential effects on historic properties.\5\ The environmental document
for this project 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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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
[[Page 55418]]
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 project 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 project 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f3b49280a3819c99969087b2979781968080b09b929d9496b395968190dd949c85"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1156706241637e7b747265507575637462625279707f767451777463723f767e67">[email protected]</span></a> stating your
request. You must include the docket number CP22-17-000 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 3).
Additional Information
Additional information about the project amendment is available
from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or
on the FERC website at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#266043544569484a4f484375535656495452664043544508414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5b1d3e293814353732353e082e2b2b34292f1b3d3e2938753c342d">[email protected]</span></a> 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 <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events">https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events</a> along with
other related information.
Dated: September 2, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-19474 Filed 9-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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