2021-01553. Port Arthur LNG Phase II, LLC; PALNG Common Facilities Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Port Arthur LNG Expansion Project

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Port Arthur LNG Expansion Project, proposed by Port Arthur LNG Phase II, LLC and PALNG Common Facilities Company, LLC (collectively referred to as Applicant) in the above-referenced docket. The Applicant requests authorization to expand the previously certificated Port Arthur Liquefaction Terminal in Jefferson County, Texas by siting, constructing, and operating additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities to increase the terminal's capability to liquefy natural gas for export by 13.46 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The Port Arthur LNG Expansion Project would increase the terminal's total liquefaction capacity from 13.46 MTPA to 26.92 MTPA.

The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Port Arthur LNG Expansion Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

The U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S. Coast Guard participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EA. 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 proposed Port Arthur LNG Expansion Project includes the following facilities:

• Two liquefaction trains (Trains 3 and 4) each with a maximum LNG production capacity of 6.73 MTPA (13.46 MTPA total). Each liquefaction train would be composed of a feed gas treatment unit consisting of a mercury removal unit; hydrogen sulfide scavenger bed to remove hydrogen sulfide; amine unit to remove carbon dioxide; a dehydration unit to remove water; a heavy hydrocarbon removal unit to remove isopentane and heavier hydrocarbons; and a liquefaction unit consisting of a main cryogenic heat exchanger, refrigeration system, and end flash drum;
• one new low-pressure ground flare;
• new flare knockout drums;
• one new boil-off gas (BOG) compressor unit to compress BOG and deliver as fuel to gas turbine;
• two new utility and instrument air compressor packages to deliver air to two new air drier packages;
• one new 3.675 megawatt capacity diesel powered standby generator; and
• shifting location of some equipment from Base Project, including LNG storage tanks, and modifications and additions to approved utilities, fire and gas detection systems, control system, firewater system, spill containment, tertiary berm, and infrastructure needed to accommodate the two additional liquefaction trains.

The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups. The EA is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov), on the natural gas environmental documents page (https://www.ferc.gov/​industries-data/​natural-gas/​environment/​environmental-documents). In addition, the EA may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link (https://elibrary.ferc.gov/​eLibrary/​search), select “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field (i.e. CP20-55). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail] or toll free at [phone], or for TTY, contact [phone].

The EA 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 EA may do so. Your comments should focus on the EA's disclosure and discussion of potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2021.

For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at [phone] or [e-mail]. 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 (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;

(2) You can also file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 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 must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select “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 number (CP20-55-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the Commission's decision. At this point in this proceeding, the timeframe for filing timely intervention requests has expired. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene out-of-time pursuant to Rule 214(b)(3) and (d) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214(b)(3) and (d)) and show good cause why the time limitation should be waived. Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/​ferc-online/​ferc-online/​how-guides.

Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) 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 which 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 https://www.ferc.gov/​ferc-online/​overview to register for eSubscription.

Dated: January 15, 2021.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.