Notice2026-08707
Rio Grande LNG, LLC, Rio Grande LNG Train 4, LLC, Rio Grande LNG Train 5, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time
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
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24222-24223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08707]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP16-454-010, CP24-70-002]
Rio Grande LNG, LLC, Rio Grande LNG Train 4, LLC, Rio Grande LNG
Train 5, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time
Take notice that on April 24, 2026, Rio Grande LNG, LLC, Rio Grande
LNG Train 4, LLC, and Rio Grande LNG Train 5, LLC (collectively Rio
Grande Entities) requested that the Commission grant an extension of
time, until November 22, 2031, to construct and place into service its
Rio Grande LNG Terminal (Terminal) located in Cameron County, Texas as
authorized in the Order Granting Authorizations Under Sections 3 and 7
of the Natural Gas Act (2019 Order).\1\ The 2019 Order required the Rio
Grande Entities to complete construction of the Terminal and make it
available for service within seven years of the date of the Order, or
by November 22, 2026.
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\1\ Rio Grande LNG, LLC & Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC, 169
FERC ] 61,131 (2019).
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On October 14, 2022, the Commission granted Rio Grande LNG, LLC an
extension of time, until November 22, 2028, to complete construction of
the Terminal and make it available for service (Extension Order).\2\
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\2\ Rio Grande LNG, LLC, 181 FERC ] 61,032 (2022).
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Rio Grande Entities state that, in the time since the Commission
issued the Extension Order, NextDecade Corporation (NextDecade), a
parent company of the Rio Grande Entities, reached a positive final
investment decision (FID) for all project facilities and construction
is well underway for all five trains. However, Rio Grande Entities
explains that given intervening events,\3\ completion of Train 1 is not
anticipated until the fourth quarter of 2027, and the four remaining
trains will be placed in service sequentially thereafter, with Train 5
scheduled to be placed in service in the second quarter of 2031.
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\3\ D.C. Circuit remands 2019 Order to FERC, August 3, 2021;
FERC issues FirstRemand Order, April 21, 2023; FERC issues order
addressing arguments raised in opposing parties' request for
rehearing October 27, 2023; D.C. Circuit remands First Remand Order
to FERC August 6, 2024, as modified on March 18, 2025; FERC issues
Second Remand Order, August 29, 2025; Opposing parties' challenge to
the Second Remand Order currently pending in the D.C. Circuit.
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Despite the efforts of the Rio Grande Entities and the progress
made to date, the Rio Grande Entities state that they have encountered
unforeseen circumstances, such as rehearing and remands orders from
FERC that have impacted timely financing and construction progress at
the Terminal. Further, Rio Grande Entities state that the issuance of
the remand orders prevented NextDecade from reaching a FID for Trains 4
and 5 due to the lack of regulatory certainty and clarity which
resulted in preventing Rio Grande Entities from meeting the
Commission's in-service deadline and therefore request a three year
extension of time until November 22, 2031, to construct and place into
service its Rio Grande LNG Terminal facilities.
This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Rio Grande Entities'
request for an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or
answers will be considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by
becoming a party to the proceedings for this request, you should, on or
before the comment date stated below, file a motion to intervene in
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the
Natural Gas Act (NGA) (18 CFR 157.10).
As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for NGA
facilities when such requests are contested before order issuance. For
those extension requests that are contested,\4\ the Commission will aim
to issue an order acting on the request within 45 days.\5\ The
Commission will address all arguments relating to whether the applicant
has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the extension.\6\ The
Commission will not consider arguments that re-litigate the issuance of
the certificate order, including whether the Commission properly found
the project to be in the public convenience and necessity and whether
the Commission's environmental analysis for the certificate complied
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).\7\ At the time a
pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on certificates of
public convenience and necessity are final and the Commission will not
re-litigate their issuance.\8\ The Director of the Office of Energy
Projects, or his or her designee, will act on all of those extension
requests that are uncontested.
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\4\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1).
\5\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
\6\ Id. at P 40.
\7\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied
with NEPA.
\8\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
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In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>). From
the Commission's Home Page on the internet, this information is
available on eLibrary. The full text of this document is available on
eLibrary in PDF and
[[Page 24223]]
Microsoft Word format for viewing, printing, and/or downloading. To
access this document in eLibrary, type the docket number excluding the
last three digits of this document in the docket number field.
User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's
website during normal business hours from FERC Online Support at (202)
502-6652 (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f191a0d1c10111316111a0c0a0f0f100d0b3f191a0d1c51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b0d0e190804050702050e181e1b1b04191f2b0d0e1908450c041d">[email protected]</span></a>, or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY (202) 502-8659. Email the Public Reference Room at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f4f4a5d53565c114d5a595a4d5a515c5a4d5050527f595a4d5c11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d6d687f71747e336f787b786f78737e786f7272705d7b786f7e337a726b">[email protected]</span></a>.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments
in lieu of paper using the ``eFile'' link at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>. In
lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy which must
reference the Project docket number.
To file via USPS: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
To file via any other courier: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville,
Maryland 20852.
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#5a150a0a1a3c3f2839743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="88c7d8d8c8eeedfaeba6efe7fe">[email protected]</span></a>.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 15, 2026.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: April 30, 2026.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-08707 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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