Notice2026-06766
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC; Sabine Pass Liquefaction Stage V, LLC; Sabine Crossing Pipeline, LLC; Cheniere Creole Trail Pipeline, L.P.: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Sabine Pass Stage 5 Expansion 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 8, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17803-17805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06766]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP24-75-001, CP25-505-000, CP25-506-000]
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC; Sabine Pass Liquefaction Stage V,
LLC; Sabine Crossing Pipeline, LLC; Cheniere Creole Trail Pipeline,
L.P.: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Sabine Pass Stage 5 Expansion Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission)
have prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the
Sabine Pass Stage 5 Expansion Project (Project), proposed by Sabine
Pass Liquefaction, LLC; Sabine Pass Liquefaction Stage V, LLC; Sabine
Crossing Pipeline, LLC; and Cheniere Creole Trail Pipeline, L.P.
(collectively, the Applicants).\1\ The Applicants propose to expand the
existing Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (SPLNG) Terminal facility in
Cameron Parish, Louisiana by adding three new liquefaction trains and
appurtenant facilities; construct and operate the Sabine Crossing
Pipeline (SCPL), a new, 48-inch-diameter, 55.6-mile-long natural gas
pipeline as well as one new compressor station, six new meter stations,
and other new appurtenant facilities in Liberty, Chambers, and
Jefferson Counties, Texas and Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and construct
and operate the new greenfield Tarpon Compressor Station in Cameron
Parish, Louisiana, expand the existing Gillis Compressor Station in
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, and modify an existing delivery meter
station in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, all along the existing Creole
Trail Pipeline System (CTPL).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For tracking purposes under the National Environmental
Policy Act, the unique identification number for documents relating
to this environmental review is FERC/EISX-019-20-000-1751972136.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure
consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is
important that the Commission receive your comments on or before 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time on May 26, 2026. Instructions for filing comments are
provided on page 4.
FERC is the lead federal agency for authorizing interstate natural
gas transmission facilities under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (NGA) and
the lead federal agency for preparation of the draft EIS. The draft EIS
assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and
operation of the SPLNG Terminal Expansion, SCPL and SCPL Aboveground
Facilities, and CTPL Aboveground Facilities (collectively referred to
as ``the Project'') in accordance with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) \2\ and the Commission's implementing
regulations.\3\ The principal purposes of the draft EIS are to:
identify and assess the potential effects on the natural and human
environment; describe and evaluate reasonable alternatives; identify
and recommend mitigation measures; and facilitate public involvement in
the environmental review process. The EIS concludes that for most
resources, the construction and operation of the Project would result
in limited environmental effects. Most environmental effects would be
temporary or short-term during construction, but some long-term and
permanent environmental effects would occur in wetlands, forested
lands, visual resources, and on air quality. This determination is
based on our review of the information provided by the Applicants and
further developed from environmental information requests; scoping;
literature research; consideration of potential alternatives; contacts
with federal, state, and local agencies; and other stakeholders. We
conclude that effects would be less than significant with
implementation of the Applicants' proposed avoidance, minimization, and
mitigation measures as well as the environmental and engineering
conditions we recommend the Commission include in any Project
authorization it may issue. In addition, based on a preliminary
engineering and technical review of the SPLNG Terminal Expansion
design, we conclude there are acceptable layers of protection or
safeguards that would reduce the risk of a potentially hazardous
scenario from developing into an event that could impact the offsite
public.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (Pub.
L. [Pub. L.] 91-190. 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended by Pub. L. 94-
52, July 3, 1975; Pub. L. 94-83, August 9, 1975; Pub. L. 97-258,
4(b), September 13, 1982; Pub. L. 118-5, June 3, 2023; Pub. L. 119-
21, July 4, 2025).
\3\ 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 380.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S.
Department of Transportation, the U.S. Coast Guard, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration--National Marine Fisheries
Service, and the U.S. Department of Energy participated as cooperating
agencies in the preparation of the draft EIS. Cooperating agencies have
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources
potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA
analysis. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will adopt and use the EIS
to consider the issuance of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Although the cooperating agencies provided input towards the
conclusions and recommendations presented in the draft EIS, the
agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in
their respective records of decision (where applicable) for the
Projects.
The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of
construction and operation in Texas and Louisiana of the following
facilities:
<bullet> SPLNG Terminal Expansion
[cir] Three new Liquefaction Trains (Trains 7, 8 and 9) and
appurtenant facilities.
<bullet> SCPL
[[Page 17804]]
[cir] Approximately 55.6 miles of 48-inch-diameter pipeline.
[cir] SCPL Aboveground Facilities
[ssquf] Four 52,500-horsepower (hp) modular compressor packages and
appurtenant facilities at the new Hamshire Compressor Station along the
pipeline route;
[ssquf] Six new meter stations (i.e., Moss Bluff, two at Winnie,
Kinder Morgan Tejas, Hamshire, SCPL Delivery) along the pipeline route;
and
[ssquf] Four new pig traps \4\ and three new mainline valves (MLV)
along the pipeline route.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline,
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes. A pig trap is an
ancillary item of pipeline equipment, with associated pipework and
valves, for introducing a pig into a pipeline or removing a pig from
a pipeline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<bullet> CTPL Aboveground Facilities
[cir] Two 23,470-hp compressor packages and appurtenant facilities
at the existing Gillis Compressor Station along the existing pipeline
system;
[cir] One 52,500-hp modular compressor package and appurtenant
facilities at the new Tarpon Compressor Station along the existing
pipeline system; and
[cir] One new 16-inch-diameter meter and flow control run and one
new filter at an existing meter station within the SPLNG Terminal.
The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the
draft 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 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 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. CP24-75, CP25-505 or CP25-506). Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC
Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#02446770614d6c6e6b6c67517772726d707642646770612c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f2b4978091bd9c9e9b9c97a18782829d8086b294978091dc959d84">[email protected]</span></a> or toll free at (866) 208-
3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
The draft 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. Under Section 3 of the NGA, the FERC considers as part of
its decision to authorize natural gas facilities, all factors bearing
on the public interest. Specifically, regarding whether to authorize
natural gas facilities used for importation or exportation, the FERC
shall authorize the proposal unless it finds that the proposed
facilities will not be consistent with the public interest. Under
section 7(c) of the NGA, the Commission determines whether interstate
natural gas transportation facilities are in the public convenience and
necessity and, if so, grants a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity to construct and operate them. The Commission bases its
decisions on both economic issues, including need, and environmental
effects.
Your comments should focus on draft EIS's disclosure and discussion
of potential environmental effects, measures to avoid or lessen
environmental effects, and the completeness of the submitted
alternatives, information and analyses. For your convenience, there are
four 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#084e6d7a6b47666461666d5b7d7878677a7c486e6d7a6b266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a3c1f081935141613141f290f0a0a15080e3a1c1f0819541d150c">[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 on the Commission's website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>) under the link to
FERC Online. This 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 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.'' If you
are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ``Comment
on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP24-
75-001, CP25-505, or CP25-506) 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, Maryland 20852.
(4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the
Commission invites you to attend the public comment session its staff
will conduct in the project area to receive comments on the draft EIS,
scheduled as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date and Time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 21, 2026, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central Sabine Pass Community Center,
Time. 5262 S Gulfway Dr., Sabine
Pass, TX 77655.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The primary goal of this comment session is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and concerns with the draft EIS.
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 comments, in a convenient way during the timeframe allotted.
The comment session is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local
time zone where meeting is held). You may arrive at any time after 4:00
p.m. There will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when
the session opens. If you wish to speak, the Commission staff will hand
out numbers in the order of your arrival. Comments will be taken until
6:00 p.m. However, if no additional numbers have been handed out and
all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to
do so, staff may conclude the session at 5:30 p.m. Please see appendix
1 for additional
[[Page 17805]]
information on the session format and conduct.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ 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 assistance,
contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8eeedfaebe7c6c4c1c6cdfbddd8d8c7dadce8cecddacb86cfc7de">[email protected]</a> or call toll free, (886)
208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your oral comments will be recorded by the court reporter (with
FERC staff or representative present) and become part of the public
record for this proceeding. A transcript will be publicly available on
FERC's eLibrary system (see page 3 for instructions on using eLibrary).
If a significant number of people are interested in providing oral
comments in the one-on-one setting, a time limit of 5 minutes may be
implemented for each commentor. Although there will not be a formal
presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the comment
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 comment session.
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 part 385.214). Motions to intervene are
more fully described at <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/how-intervene">https://www.ferc.gov/how-intervene</a>. Only
intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the
Commission's decision. Simply filing environmental comments will not
give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to
have your comments considered.
Questions?
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office
of Public Participation at (202)502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#105f404050767562733e777f66"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fdb2adadbd9b988f9ed39a928b">[email protected]</span></a>. Additional
information about the project is available from the FERC website
(<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.
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
notification 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.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1.)
Dated: April 3, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-06766 Filed 4-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 8, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.