Notice2025-05771
Rio Grande LNG, LLC, Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Rio Grande LNG Terminal and Rio Bravo Pipeline Project
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 4, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14834-14835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05771]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP16-454-000; CP16-455-000; CP20-481-000]
Rio Grande LNG, LLC, Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of
Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Rio Grande LNG Terminal and Rio Bravo Pipeline Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a draft supplemental environmental impact
statement (EIS) to address the August 6, 2024 opinion issued by the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (court)
regarding the Commission's environmental review of the Rio Grande LNG
Terminal and Rio Bravo Pipeline Project proposed by Rio Grande LNG, LLC
and Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC, respectively.<SUP>1 2</SUP> The
court remanded the Commission's April 21, 2023 ``Order on Remand and
Amending Section 7 Certificate'' that approved the liquefied natural
gas (LNG) terminal and pipeline project. The court found that FERC
failed to issue a supplemental EIS consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act to discuss impacts on communities with
environmental justice concerns, address why the Commission did not use
data from a particular air quality monitor in the air analysis, and
address a carbon capture and sequestration proposal. As part of the
Commission's consideration of the proposed projects on remand, we \3\
prepared this draft supplemental EIS to assess the issues remanded by
the court.
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\1\ For tracking purposes under the National Environmental
Policy Act, the unique identification number for documents relating
to this environmental review is FERC/SEIS-019-20-000-1726224918.
\2\ City of Port Isabel v. FERC, 111 F.4th 1198 (D.C. Cir.
2024). On March 18, 2025, the court partially granted rehearing and
remanded the case without vacatur.
\3\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental and
engineering staff of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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The Commission mailed a copy of the ``Notice of Availability'' of
the draft supplemental EIS to Federal, State, and local government
representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American Tribes; potentially affected
landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers
and libraries in the project area. The draft supplemental EIS is only
available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from
the FERC's website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>), on the natural gas environmental
documents 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>). In addition, the draft
supplemental EIS may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the
FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link (<a href="https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search">https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search</a>) select ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
CP16-454, CP16-455, or CP20-481). Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c187a4b3a28eafada8afa492b4b1b1aeb3b581a7a4b3a2efa6aeb7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a1c3f283915343633343f092f2a2a35282e1a3c3f2839743d352c">[email protected]</span></a> or toll free at (866) 208-3676,
or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
The draft supplemental EIS is not a decision document. It presents
Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for
the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in
this proceeding. Any person wishing to comment on the draft
supplemental EIS may do so. Your comments should focus on the draft
supplemental EIS's disclosure and discussion of potential environmental
effects, carbon capture and sequestration alternatives, and measures to
avoid or lessen environmental impacts disclosed within this document.
To ensure consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final
supplemental EIS, it is important that the Commission receive your
comments on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 19, 2025.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. 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#e5a3809786aa8b898c8b80b69095958a9791a583809786cb828a93"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aee8cbdccde1c0c2c7c0cbfddbdedec1dcdaeec8cbdccd80c9c1d8">[email protected]</span></a>. Please carefully follow these
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
(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 also 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''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket numbers (CP16-
454-000; CP16-455-000; and/or CP20-481-000) on your letter. Submissions
sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A.
Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any
other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville,
MD 20852.
Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more
fully described at <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/ferc-online/how-guides">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/ferc-online/how-guides</a>. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial
review of the Commission's decision. The Commission grants affected
landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor status
upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct
[[Page 14835]]
interest in this proceeding which no other party can adequately
represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you
intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your
comments considered.
Questions?
Additional information about the projects 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. The eLibrary link
also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners,
community organizations, Tribal members and others, access publicly
available information and navigate Commission processes. For public
inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions,
comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to
contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d39c838393b5b6a1b0fdb4bca5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="226d727262444750410c454d54">[email protected]</span></a>.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription that allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and
submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you
spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notifications of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to
register for eSubscription.
Dated: March 28, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-05771 Filed 4-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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