Notice2025-11131
Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC; Request for Extension of Export Commencement Deadline
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
June 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) (formerly the Office of Fossil Energy (FE)) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of a request (Request), filed on May 29, 2025, by Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC (Louisiana LNG). Louisiana LNG requests to amend its existing authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement countries set forth in DOE/FE Order No. 4373 (as amended)-- specifically, to extend the current export commencement deadline in its order. Louisiana LNG filed the Request under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 115 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25607-25608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11131]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. 16-144-LNG]
Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC; Request for Extension of Export
Commencement Deadline
AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of request.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)
(formerly the Office of Fossil Energy (FE)) of the Department of Energy
(DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of a request (Request), filed on
May 29, 2025, by Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC (Louisiana LNG).
Louisiana LNG requests to amend its existing authorization to export
domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade
agreement countries set forth in DOE/FE Order No. 4373 (as amended)--
specifically, to extend the current export commencement deadline in its
order. Louisiana LNG filed the Request under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
DATES: Protests, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention, as
applicable, and written comments are to be filed electronically as
detailed in the Public Comment Procedures section no later than 4:30
p.m., Eastern time, July 17, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
Electronic Filing by email (Strongly encouraged):
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#82e4e7f0e5e3f1c2eaf3ace6ede7ace5edf4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aacccfd8cdcbd9eac2db84cec5cf84cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>.
Postal Mail, Hand Delivery, or Private Delivery Services (e.g.,
FedEx, UPS, etc.): U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of
Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy and
Carbon Management, Forrestal Building, Room 3E-056, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.
Due to potential delays in DOE's receipt and processing of mail
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, we encourage respondents to
submit filings electronically to ensure timely receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Wade or Peri Ulrey, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34) Office
of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Resource
Sustainability, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management,
Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4749 or (202) 586-7893,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c2a8a7acacaba4a7b0ecb5a3a6a782aab3eca6ada7eca5adb4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a000f0404030c0f18441d0b0e0f2a021b440e050f440d051c">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2d5d485f440358415f48546d455c03494248034a425b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="30405542591e455c4255497058411e545f551e575f46">[email protected]</span></a>.
Cassandra Bernstein. U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76) Office of the
Assistant General Counsel for Energy Delivery and Resilience, Forrestal
Building, Room 6D-033, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585, (240) 780-1691, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fd9e9c8e8e9c93998f9cd39f988f938e89989493bd958cd3999298d39a928b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0261637171636c6670632c6067706c7176676b6c426a732c666d672c656d74">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 2, 2019, in DOE/FE Order No. 4373 (as
amended),\1\ DOE authorized Louisiana LNG to export domestically
produced LNG by vessel from the proposed Woodside Louisiana LNG Project
(Project) \2\ in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, to any country with which
the United States has not entered into a free trade agreement (FTA)
requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which
trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA countries).\3\
Louisiana LNG is authorized to export this LNG in a volume equivalent
to 1,415.3 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas for a
term extending through December 31, 2050.\4\
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\1\ Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4373,
Docket No. 16-144-LNG, Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term
Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations (May 2, 2019), amended by DOE/FE Order No. 4373-A
(Dec. 10, 2020) (extending export term), further amended by DOE/FECM
Order No. 4373-B (Feb. 26, 2025) (changing name of authorization
holder from Driftwood LNG LLC to Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC).
In light of the authorization holder's corporate name change from
Driftwood LNG LLC to Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC, and DOE's
approval of this change, this Notice references this non-FTA
authorization as having been issued in the name of Louisiana LNG
Infrastructure LLC. See Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC, Request
for Extension of Export Commencement Deadline, Docket No. 16-144-
LNG, at 1 n.1 (May 29, 2025) [hereinafter Request].
\2\ The initial order authorized exports from the proposed
``Driftwood LNG Facility.'' In conjunction with the corporate name
change referenced above, the export project is now known as the
Woodside Louisiana LNG Project. See Louisiana LNG Infrastructure
LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4373-B, at 3-4; see also Request at 2.
\3\ 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).
\4\ Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4373, as
amended by DOE/FE Order No. 4373-A.
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As relevant here, Order No. 4373 requires Louisiana LNG to
``commence export operations using the planned liquefaction facility no
later than seven years from the date of issuance of this Order''--i.e.,
by May 2, 2026.\5\ In the Request, Louisiana LNG asks DOE to grant an
extension of the export commencement deadline in its non-FTA
authorization, ``so that it may commence exports from the Project by
December 31, 2029.'' \6\
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\5\ Louisiana. LNG Infrastructure LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4373, at
68 (Ordering Para. D).
\6\ Request at 6. Louisiana LNG states that it is not requesting
any modification to its existing FTA authorization (DOE/FE Order No.
3968); see id. at 2 n3.
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In support of this Request, Louisiana LNG states that, in 2024, the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted Louisiana LNG's
request for a three-year extension to complete construction and place
the Project in-service.\7\ Louisiana LNG further states that, on May
13, 2025, it submitted a second request for extension to FERC, seeking
an additional eight-month period, until December 31, 2029 (the same
date as requested in this proceeding), to complete construction and
place the Project in-service.\8\ Louisiana LNG also identifies the
actions it has taken to date toward the development of the Project.
Louisiana LNG states that it has ``made substantial progress'' in
developing the Project, and that ``there is significant evidence
[[Page 25608]]
demonstrating good cause for the extension of time.'' \9\
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\7\ Id. at 4.
\8\ Id. at 2, 4 (stating that this ``minor additional extension
of time is required to meet certain schedule milestones'' under
Louisiana LNG's Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contract
with Bechtel Energy Inc.). This extension request is currently
pending at FERC.
\9\ Id. at 2.
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Additional details can be found in the Request, posted on the DOE
website at <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/LALNG%20DOE%20Request%20for%20Extension%20of%20Time.pdf">https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/LALNG%20DOE%20Request%20for%20Extension%20of%20Time.pdf</a>.
DOE Evaluation
In reviewing the Request, DOE will consider any issues required by
law or policy under NGA section 3(a), DOE's regulations, and any other
documents deemed appropriate.
Parties that may oppose the Request should address these issues and
documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as other issues
deemed relevant to the Request.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq., requires DOE to give appropriate consideration to the
environmental effects of its proposed decisions. No final decision will
be issued in this proceeding until DOE has met its environmental
responsibilities.
Public Comment Procedures
In response to this Notice, any person may file a protest,
comments, or a motion to intervene or notice of intervention, as
applicable, addressing the Request. Interested parties will be provided
30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Federal
Register in which to submit comments, protests, motions to intervene,
or notices of intervention. The public previously was given an
opportunity to intervene in, protest, and comment on Louisiana LNG's
long-term non-FTA application in Docket No. 16-144-LNG (then submitted
by Driftwood LNG LLC, see supra note 1). Therefore, DOE will not
consider comments or protests that do not bear directly on this
Request.
Any person wishing to become a party to this proceeding evaluating
Louisiana LNG's Request must file a motion to intervene or notice of
intervention.\10\ The filing of comments or a protest with respect to
the Request will not serve to make the commenter or protestant a party
to this proceeding, although protests and comments received from
persons who are not parties will be considered in determining the
appropriate action to be taken on the Request. All protests, comments,
motions to intervene, or notices of intervention must meet the
requirements specified by DOE's regulations in 10 CFR part 590,
including the service requirements.
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\10\ Status as an intervenor in prior proceeding(s) in this
docket does not continue to this proceeding evaluating Louisiana
LNG's Request, and therefore any person interested in intervening to
address the Request must file a new motion to intervene (or notice
of intervention, as applicable). 10 CFR 590.303.
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Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods:
(1) Submitting the filing electronically at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d0b081f0a0c1e2d051c43090208430a021b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2b4d4e594c4a586b435a054f444e054c445d">[email protected]</span></a>;
(2) Mailing the filing to the Office of Regulation, Analysis, and
Engagement at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section; or
(3) Hand delivering the filing to the Office of Regulation,
Analysis, and Engagement at the address listed in the ADDRESSES
section.
For administrative efficiency, DOE prefers filings to be filed
electronically. All filings must include a reference to ``Docket No.
16-144-LNG'' or ``Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC Request for
Extension'' in the title line.
For electronic submissions: Please include all related documents
and attachments (e.g., exhibits) in the original email correspondence.
Please do not include any active hyperlinks or password protection in
any of the documents or attachments related to the filing. All
electronic filings submitted to DOE must follow these guidelines to
ensure that all documents are filed in a timely manner.
The Request, and any filed protests, motions to intervene, notices
of intervention, and comments will be available electronically on the
DOE website at <a href="http://www.energy.gov/fecm/regulation">www.energy.gov/fecm/regulation</a>.
A decisional record on the Request will be developed through
responses to this Notice by parties, including the parties' written
comments and replies thereto. Additional procedures will be used as
necessary to achieve a complete understanding of the facts and issues.
If an additional procedure is scheduled, notice will be provided to all
parties. If no party requests additional procedures, a final Order may
be issued based on the official record, including the Request and
responses filed by parties pursuant to this Notice, in accordance with
10 CFR 590.316.
Signed in Washington, DC, on June 13, 2025.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2025-11131 Filed 6-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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