Notice2024-30020
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the California Hydrogen Hub (ARCHES), (DOE/EIS-0570)
Primary source
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Published
December 18, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and applicable NEPA implementing regulations to assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action of providing financial assistance to the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (also referred to as ARCHES) to facilitate the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the California Hydrogen Hub in the state of California. DOE is issuing this Notice of Intent to inform the public about the proposed action; announce plans to conduct public scoping meetings; invite public participation in the scoping process; and solicit public comments for consideration in establishing the scope of the EIS, including the range of reasonable alternatives and the potential environmental impacts to be analyzed.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 102881-102884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30020]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the California Hydrogen Hub (ARCHES), (DOE/EIS-0570)
AGENCY: Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, U.S. Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement,
notice of scoping meetings, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and applicable NEPA
implementing regulations to assess the potential environmental impacts
of the proposed action of providing financial assistance to the
Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (also referred to
as ARCHES) to facilitate the design, construction, operation and
maintenance of the California Hydrogen Hub in the state of California.
DOE is issuing this Notice of Intent to inform the public about the
proposed action; announce plans to conduct public scoping meetings;
invite public participation in the scoping process; and solicit public
comments for consideration in establishing the scope of the EIS,
including the range of reasonable alternatives and the potential
environmental impacts to be analyzed.
DATES: The public scoping period for the EIS starts with the
publication of this notice of intent (NOI) and ends on March 3, 2025.
DOE will hold one virtual public scoping meeting at the following date
and time (pacific time):
<bullet> Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Pacific
Time.
DOE will hold three in-person public scoping meetings. Dates,
times, and locations are to be determined and will be shared on the
DOE's web page for this EIS no less than 15 days before the meetings.
In addition, DOE will have an open virtual public meeting space
available for the public. This public meeting space will open on Monday
January 20, 2025, at <a href="http://ocedarcheseis.com">ocedarcheseis.com</a> and stay open through the
duration of the scoping period.
All meetings are open to the public and free to attend. Details on
how to participate in the virtual and in-person public scoping meetings
are available on the DOE's web page for this EIS: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeeis-0570-california-hydrogen-hub-multiple-locations">https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeeis-0570-california-hydrogen-hub-multiple-locations</a>. In defining the scope of the EIS, DOE will consider all
scoping comments received or postmarked by March 3, 2025. Comments
received or postmarked after the scoping period end date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Oral or written comments may be provided at the public
scoping meetings or submitted in any of the following ways:
<bullet> Through the <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> web portal: Navigate to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket No. DOE-HQ-2024-0087 and
follow the instructions for submitting comments; or
<bullet> Mail or Hand Delivery Service: Send comments in an
envelope labeled ``DOE/EIS-0570'' and addressed to Jacobs, Attention:
Rosa Esquivel, 2600 Michelson Drive, Suite 500, Irvine, CA 92612-6506.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristin Welch, Project Manager, Office
of Clean Energy Demonstrations, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f2bdb1b7b6adb3a0b1bab7a1adb7bba1b29a83dc969d97dc959d84"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9bd4d8dedfc4dac9d8d3dec8c4ded2c8dbf3eab5fff4feb5fcf4ed">[email protected]</span></a>, or telephone (240) 981-0461.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Congress established and
funded a Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) program to create
regional networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local
connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean
energy carrier. The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) within
DOE is implementing the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program and will
use the NEPA process to help it decide whether to provide financial
assistance for the H2Hubs.
Congress directed DOE to select H2Hubs using certain criteria.
Specifically, Congress directed DOE to select H2Hubs that will use a
diversity of feedstocks to produce clean hydrogen, including at least
one H2Hub that will demonstrate the production of clean hydrogen from
fossil fuels, one H2Hub that will demonstrate the production of clean
hydrogen from
[[Page 102882]]
renewables, and one H2Hub that will demonstrate the production of clean
hydrogen from nuclear energy. Congress also directed DOE to select
H2Hubs that will use clean hydrogen in a diversity of end uses,
including at least one H2Hub that will demonstrate the use of clean
hydrogen in the following sectors: electric power generation,
industrial, residential and commercial heating, and transportation.
Congress required that DOE give priority to regional clean hydrogen
hubs that are likely to create opportunities for skilled training and
long-term employment to the greatest number of residents of the region.
Congress also directed DOE to include geographic diversity, directing
that DOE locate H2Hubs in different regions of the United States, and
that the H2Hubs are to use the energy resources that are abundant in
their respective regions. Congress further required DOE to select, to
the maximum extent practicable, at least two H2Hubs in the regions of
the United States with the greatest natural gas resources.
DOE issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA-0002779) to
solicit applications for H2Hubs. DOE selected the California Hydrogen
Hub for award negotiations following a rigorous Merit Review process to
identify meritorious applications to the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs
Program based on the criteria listed in FOA-0002779. DOE has provided
limited funding in support of preliminary California Hydrogen Hub
planning activities.
The California Hydrogen Hub, as proposed, satisfies certain
criteria Congress required in the BIL for the Regional Clean Hydrogen
Hubs program. The California Hydrogen Hub has the potential to
demonstrate the production of clean hydrogen from renewable energy
resources. The California Hydrogen Hub proposes to use clean hydrogen
in a diversity of end uses including but not limited to electric power
generation and transportation. Further, the California Hydrogen Hub
would create opportunities for skilled training and long-term
employment for residents of the region. In addition, the location of
the California Hydrogen Hub in the state of California meets the
criterion requiring geographic diversity within the Regional Clean
Hydrogen Hubs program. The California Hydrogen Hub also satisfies the
criterion that DOE select hubs that use the energy resources that are
abundant in their respective regions.
The California Hydrogen Hub is proposed to consist of a suite of
demonstration projects involving clean hydrogen production,
transportation, and end uses located within California. ARCHES is the
primary funding recipient and lead California Hydrogen Hub manager. As
currently structured, the California Hydrogen Hub encompasses
approximately 35 projects including clean hydrogen production
facilities that could produce 450-500 metric tonnes per day of clean
hydrogen from renewable electricity and biogenic sources, connective
infrastructure including refueling stations and pipelines, and a range
of end uses including fuel-cell electric trucks, fuel-cell electric
buses, a marine vessel, cargo handling equipment, power generation via
turbines, and stationary fuel cells.
Purpose and Scope of the EIS
DOE will prepare an EIS (DOE/EIS-0570) to evaluate the potential
impacts to the human environment associated with funding the California
Hydrogen Hub. The EIS will evaluate the potential impacts associated
with the types of hydrogen infrastructure and technologies proposed in
the California Hydrogen Hub, such as impacts from electricity and water
usage and rates of emissions, that are inherent to the technologies and
infrastructure regardless of where they may be deployed. The EIS will
help inform DOE's decision as to whether to carry the California
Hydrogen Hub forward for project-specific funding decisions but will
not directly authorize funding for specific California Hydrogen Hub
projects.
If DOE decides to provide funding for the construction and
operation of the California Hydrogen Hub, DOE will analyze the
potential site-specific environmental effects of individual proposed
projects and make site-specific funding decisions. In addition to being
subject to DOE's NEPA review, with associated public scoping and
comment periods as appropriate, individual projects will be required to
adhere to the requirements of all applicable Federal, State, and local
laws and regulations.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose and need for DOE's action is to comply with its
statutory mandate in BIL to catalyze investment in the production,
processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydrogen, and
contribute to the development of a national clean hydrogen network. The
proposed action of funding the California Hydrogen Hub would fulfill
this mandate by accelerating the deployment of clean hydrogen
technologies and enabling infrastructure to attract greater investments
from the private sector and promote substantial U.S. manufacturing of
numerous hydrogen technologies.
DOE's purpose and need in funding the California Hydrogen Hub also
includes funding a clean hydrogen hub that meets certain BIL criteria
for the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program. The proposed California
Hydrogen Hub meets these criteria by:
<bullet> Demonstrating feedstock diversity by including the
production of clean hydrogen from renewable energy sources.
<bullet> Demonstrating end use diversity by including the use of
clean hydrogen in the electric power generation and transportation
sectors.
<bullet> Enabling DOE to meet the geographic diversity criterion by
being located in the California region and using energy resources that
are abundant in that region.
<bullet> Creating opportunities for skilled training and long-term
employment for residents in the region.
Proposed Action, No Action, and Preliminary Alternatives
Proposed Action
DOE's proposed action is to provide funding to support the
development of the California Hydrogen Hub, as proposed by ARCHES. The
proposed California Hydrogen Hub would include a variety of hydrogen
production technologies, storage, delivery, and end-use applications.
Hydrogen production technologies being considered include electrolysis
utilizing renewable energy sources, and generation from biogenic
sources (with possible carbon-dioxide capture). Methods of hydrogen
storage may include above-ground tanks and/or tube trailers. Delivery
options may include pipelines, trucking, and refueling stations, as
well as the delivery of hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia. A broad
variety of end-use applications are being considered including fuel-
cell electric trucks, fuel-cell electric buses, a marine vessel, cargo
handling equipment, power generation via turbines, stationary fuel
cells, aviation, trains, other fuel-cell electric vehicles, and ammonia
synthesis.
California Hydrogen Hub projects and site locations are in
development. DOE will evaluate specific projects and site locations in
subsequent tiered NEPA reviews.
No Action Alternative
Under the No Action Alternative, DOE would not provide funding to
ARCHES for the construction and
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operation of the California Hydrogen Hub, with the assumption that the
H2Hub would not be developed. The no action alternative provides a
benchmark for comparison with environmental impacts of the other
alternatives.
Preliminary Action Alternatives
The EIS will evaluate reasonable alternatives that are technically
and economically feasible and meet the purpose and need for the
proposed action. Preliminarily, DOE has identified three alternatives
that potentially address the purpose and need stated previously:
(1) DOE funding for the proposed California Hydrogen Hub: The
proposed action alternative as described above.
(2) DOE funding for an expanded California Hydrogen Hub: An action
alternative that considers the hydrogen technologies and infrastructure
in the proposed action plus reasonably foreseeable clean hydrogen
technologies and infrastructure that, while not currently considered in
the proposed action, could be proposed for DOE funding.
(3) DOE funding for a reduced California Hydrogen Hub: An action
alternative that is smaller in scope wherein DOE would fund only a
portion of the proposed action.
Summary of Potential Impacts
DOE's analysis in the EIS will focus on potentially significant
environmental impacts from construction and operation of the California
Hydrogen Hub's proposed types of hydrogen technologies and
infrastructure, as well as the potential cumulative impacts resulting
from reasonably foreseeable past, present, and future projects in the
same region. Accordingly, in the EIS, DOE anticipates evaluating
potential non-site-specific impacts related to: (1) land use and
infrastructure, (2) atmospheric conditions and air quality, (3) climate
change and greenhouse gasses, (4) hydrologic conditions and water
quality, (5) geology, seismicity and soils, (6) socioeconomic
conditions, (7) environmental justice, (8) energy resources, (9) noise
and vibration, (10) transportation and accidents, (11) intentional
destructive acts, and (12) human health and safety. This list is not
intended to be all-inclusive or to imply a predetermination of
potential impacts. DOE invites interested stakeholders to suggest
specific issues, including possible mitigation measures, within these
general categories or others, to be considered in the EIS.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
DOE does not anticipate that permits and authorizations will be
needed for agency action because it will not authorize the construction
and operation of any project to be included in the California Hydrogen
Hub. The permits and authorizations required for the California
Hydrogen Hub projects will be identified in subsequent site-specific
NEPA analyses for those projects.
Schedule for Decision-Making Process
After the draft EIS is completed, DOE will publish a notice of
availability (NOA) and request public comments on the draft EIS. DOE
currently expects to issue the NOA in October 2025. After the public
comment period ends, DOE will review and respond to comments received
and will develop the final EIS. DOE currently expects to make the final
EIS available to the public in April 2026. A record of decision will be
completed no sooner than 30 days after the final EIS is released, in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Scoping Process
This NOI commences the public scoping process to identify issues
and potential alternatives for consideration in the EIS. Throughout the
scoping process, Federal agencies, Tribes, State and local governments,
and the public have the opportunity to help DOE identify significant
resources and issues, reasonable alternatives, mitigation measures, and
other pertinent information that DOE should consider in the EIS. DOE
will hold public scoping meetings at the times and dates described
above under the DATES section. DOE will post information on how to
participate in the virtual and in-person public meetings on the EIS
website listed previously, in advance of the meetings. The public will
have the opportunity to comment on the scope of the EIS. DOE
representatives will be available to answer questions and provide
additional information on the NEPA process to meeting attendees. In
addition to providing comments at the public scoping meetings,
stakeholders may submit written comments as described in the ADDRESSES
section.
Comments may be broad in nature or restricted to specific areas of
concern, but they should be directly relevant to the NEPA process, or
potential environmental impacts. The scoping process allows the public
and interested parties to shape the EIS impact analysis, focusing on
the areas of greatest importance and identifying areas requiring less
attention. DOE will consider the comments received on the scope of the
EIS during the 75-day scoping period as it prepares the draft EIS.
OCED does not consider anonymous scoping comments. Please include
your name and address as part of your scoping comment. All scoping
comments, including the names, addresses, and other personally
identifiable information included in the comment, will be part of the
administrative record. DOE will protect privileged or confidential
information that you submit when required by Exemption 4 of the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA), which applies to trade secrets and
commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential.
Please label privileged or confidential information ``Contains
Confidential Information'' and consider submitting such information as
a separate attachment. Information that is not labeled as privileged or
confidential may be regarded by DOE as suitable for public release.
DOE will invite Tribal government-to-government consultations.
Request for Comment on Alternatives and Effects, as Well as on Relevant
Information, Studies, or Analyses With Respect to the Proposed Action
Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal
Nations and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by
the proposed action, are invited to participate in the scoping process
and, if eligible, may request or be requested by DOE to participate in
the development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
DOE requests data, comments, views, information, analysis,
alternatives, or suggestions relevant to the proposed action from the
public; affected Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments,
agencies, and offices; the scientific community; industry; or any other
interested party.
Specifically, DOE requests information on the following topics:
(1) Potential effects that the proposed action could have on
biological, physical, socioeconomic, cultural, or other resources.
(2) Other potential reasonable alternatives to the proposed action
that DOE should consider, including additional or alternative
avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures.
(3) Information on other current or planned activities in, or in
the vicinity of, the proposed action, that could impact one another or
contribute to cumulative impacts.
(4) Other information, studies, or analyses relevant to the
proposed action
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and its impacts on the human environment.
To promote informed decision-making, comments should be as specific
as possible and should provide as much detail as necessary to
meaningfully and fully inform DOE of why the issues raised are
important to the agency's review of the proposed action.
The draft EIS will include as an appendix a summary of issues
raised in public scoping comments that DOE considered in preparing the
EIS and comments outside the scope of the analysis.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on December
11, 2024, by Kelly Cummins, Acting Director, Office of Clean Energy
Demonstrations, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of
Energy. That document with the original signature and date is
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on December 13, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-30020 Filed 12-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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