Notice2025-22816
Plaquemines Expansion, LLC; Application for Long-Term Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade Agreement Nations
Primary source
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Published
December 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of an application (Application), filed by Plaquemines Expansion, LLC (Plaquemines Expansion) on November 17, 2025. Plaquemines Expansion requests long-term, multi-contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to approximately 1,624.25 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per year (Bcf/yr). Plaquemines Expansion seeks to export this LNG from the Plaquemines LNG Terminal (Plaquemines Terminal), constructed and operated by its affiliate Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC (Plaquemines LNG) in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, including the LNG loading berth to be constructed as part of the proposed Plaquemines Expansion Project (Expansion Project). Plaquemines Expansion filed the Application under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57989-57990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22816]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. 25-143-LNG]
Plaquemines Expansion, LLC; Application for Long-Term
Authorization To Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations
AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of application.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) of
the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of an
application (Application), filed by Plaquemines Expansion, LLC
(Plaquemines Expansion) on November 17, 2025. Plaquemines Expansion
requests long-term, multi-contract authorization to export domestically
produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to
approximately 1,624.25 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per year
(Bcf/yr). Plaquemines Expansion seeks to export this LNG from the
Plaquemines LNG Terminal (Plaquemines Terminal), constructed and
operated by its affiliate Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC
(Plaquemines LNG) in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, including the LNG
loading berth to be constructed as part of the proposed Plaquemines
Expansion Project (Expansion Project). Plaquemines Expansion filed the
Application 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, February 13, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Electronic Filing by email (Strongly encouraged):
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#98fefdeafff9ebd8f0e9b6fcf7fdb6fff7ee"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="03656671646270436b722d676c662d646c75">[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#751f101b1b1c1310075b02141110351d045b111a105b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d5bfb0bbbbbcb3b0a7fba2b4b1b095bda4fbb1bab0fbb2baa3">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#621207100b4c170e10071b220a134c060d074c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a7d7c2d5ce89d2cbd5c2dee7cfd689c3c8c289c0c8d1">[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#3e5d5f4d4d5f505a4c5f105c5b4c504d4a5b57507e564f105a515b10595148"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a292b39392b242e382b64282f3824393e2f23240a223b642e252f642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Plaquemines Expansion requests authorization
to export additional domestically produced LNG in a volume up to 31
million metric tons per annum (mtpa), which it states is equivalent to
1,624.25 Bcf/yr of natural gas, by ocean-going vessel from the
Plaquemines Terminal and the Expansion Project.\1\
[[Page 57990]]
The proposed Expansion Project will be constructed and located on an
approximately 587-acre site on the west bank of the Mississippi River
immediately adjacent to the site on which the existing Plaquemines
Terminal is located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Plaquemines
Expansion states that the Expansion Project will be interconnected with
and utilize certain facilities of the Plaquemines Terminal, and will
include new liquefaction facilities and other major facilities to
support the incremental LNG export operations.
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\1\ Plaquemines Expansion states that DOE previously has
authorized Plaquemines LNG to export LNG from the Plaquemines
Terminal in Docket No. 16-28-LNG. Plaquemines Expansion provides
additional detail about the Plaquemines Terminal, as currently
authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and
states that, contemporaneously with the filing of the Application in
this proceeding, Plaquemines Expansion and Plaquemines LNG filed
with FERC a joint application pursuant to NGA section 3 for
authorization of the siting, construction, and operation of the
Expansion Project.
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Plaquemines Expansion requests authorization to export the LNG to:
(i) any nation with which the United States has entered into a free
trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural
gas (FTA nations), and (ii) any other nation with which trade is not
prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA nations). This Notice applies
only to the portion of the Application requesting authority to export
LNG to non-FTA countries pursuant to section 3(a) of the NGA.\2\ DOE
will review Plaquemines Expansion's request for authorization to export
LNG to FTA countries separately pursuant to NGA section 3(c).\3\
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\2\ 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).
\3\ Id. 717b(c).
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Plaquemines Expansion seeks this authorization on its own behalf
and as agent for other entities that will hold title to the LNG at the
time of export. Plaquemines Expansion requests the authorization for a
term of 20 years ``commencing on the earlier of the date of first
export or seven years from the date the requested authorization is
granted by DOE/FECM,'' \4\ plus a three-year Make-Up period at the end
of that term consistent with recent DOE practice.\5\
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\4\ Plaquemines Expansion, LLC, Application for Authorizations
to Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Free Trade and Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations, Docket No. 25-143-LNG, at 14 (Nov. 17, 2025)
[hereinafter App.].
\5\ Plaquemines Expansion emphasizes that, due to the
circumstances of its proposed Expansion Project, it is not
requesting DOE's ``generally applicable term through December 31,
2050,'' as set forth in DOE's 2050 Policy Statement, but rather is
requesting a ``term of 20 years after the start of commercial
exports under the requested authorization,'' as well as the three-
year Make-Up Period. App. at 17; see also id. at 3.
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Additional details can be found in Plaquemines Expansion's
Application, posted on the DOE website at <a href="https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/plaquemines-expansion-llc-plaquemines-expansion-fecm-docket-no-25-143-lng">https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/plaquemines-expansion-llc-plaquemines-expansion-fecm-docket-no-25-143-lng</a>.
DOE Evaluation
In reviewing the Application, 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 Application should address these issues
and documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as other
issues deemed relevant to the Application.
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 NEPA
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 Application. Interested parties will be
provided 60 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.
Any person wishing to become a party to this proceeding evaluating
the Application must file a motion to intervene or notice of
intervention.\6\ The filing of comments or a protest with respect to
the Application 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 Application. 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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\6\ 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#e98f8c9b8e889aa98198c78d868cc78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="593f3c2b3e382a193128773d363c773e362f">[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.
25-143-LNG'' or ``Plaquemines Expansion Application'' in the title
line. Filings must be submitted in English to be considered.\7\
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\7\ Executive Order 14224 of March 1, 2025, Designating English
as the Official Language of the United States, 90 FR 11363 (Mar. 6,
2025).
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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 Application, 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 Application 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 Application and
responses filed by parties pursuant to this Notice, in accordance with
10 CFR 590.316.
Signed in Washington, DC, on December 10, 2025.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2025-22816 Filed 12-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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