[Federal Register: January 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 3458-3459]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja08-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP06-54-000; CP06-55-000]
Broadwater Energy LLC; Broadwater Pipeline LLC; Notice of
Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the
Proposed Broadwater LNG Project
January 11, 2008.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard);
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(COE); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine
Fisheries Service; and the New York Department of State has prepared a
final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a liquefied natural gas
(LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipeline (referred to as the
Broadwater LNG Project) proposed by Broadwater Energy LLC and
Broadwater Pipeline LLC (jointly referred to as Broadwater) in the
above-referenced dockets. Broadwater Energy LLC is jointly owned by
TCPL USA LNG, Inc. (a subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation) and Shell
Broadwater Holdings LLC (a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company). Broadwater
Pipeline LLC is owned by Broadwater Energy LLC.
The proposed LNG terminal would be located in New York State waters
of Long Island Sound, approximately 9 miles from the nearest shoreline
of Long Island, and about 10 miles from the nearest shoreline in
Connecticut. The terminal would be a floating storage and
regasification unit (FSRU) that would be attached to a yoke mooring
system (YMS) that includes a mooring tower embedded in the seafloor.
The FSRU would look like a marine vessel and would remain moored in
place for the duration of the Project (expected to be 30 years or
more). The YMS would allow the FSRU to pivot or ``weathervane'' around
the YMS, enabling the FSRU to orient in response to the prevailing
wind, tide, and current conditions.
LNG would be delivered to the FSRU by LNG carriers, temporarily
stored, vaporized (regasified), and then transported in a new subsea
natural gas pipeline that would extend from the seafloor beneath the
FSRU approximately 21.7 miles to an offshore connection with the
existing Iroquois Gas Transmission System (IGTS) pipeline in Long
Island Sound.
Natural gas would be routed from the FSRU to the subsea pipeline
and into the IGTS pipeline for delivery at an average flow rate of
about 1.0 billion cubic feet per day. LNG would be delivered to the
FSRU by 2 to 3 LNG carriers per week to meet the Project's planned
send-out volumes of natural gas. LNG carriers would transit from the
Atlantic Ocean to either the Point Judith Pilot Station (northeast of
Block Island) or the Montauk Pilot Station (southwest of Block Island).
From the Point Judith Pilot Station, carriers would transit Block
Island Sound north of Block Island, head generally west to enter Long
Island Sound at its eastern end (an area known as the Race), and then
proceed to the FSRU. From the Montauk Pilot Station, carriers would
head generally northwest to approach the Race, then proceed to the
FSRU.
The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the following LNG and natural gas
pipeline facilities:
A double-hulled FSRU approximately 1,215 feet long and 200
feet wide, with a closed-loop shell-and-tube vaporization system and a
total
[[Page 3459]]
storage capacity of 350,000 cubic meters (approximately 8 billion cubic
feet);
A berthing facility at the FSRU for receiving LNG ships
with capacities up to 250,000 cubic meters;
A YMS embedded in the seafloor to moor the FSRU;
Approximately 2 to 3 LNG carriers per week that would call
at the FSRU;
LNG carriers that would transit through waters subject to
federal jurisdiction as well as waters under the jurisdiction of the
state of New York, and in some cases, may transit waters under the
jurisdiction of the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut;
Approximately 21.7 miles of 30-inch-diameter natural gas
pipeline, a pig launcher and receiver facility, and a meter station at
the interconnect with the IGTS pipeline; and
Onshore facilities at either Greenport or Port Jefferson,
New York, including administrative offices, a warehouse, guardhouse,
and an existing commercial pier.
Broadwater proposes to construct the Project in two phases. The
first phase would include installation of the subsea pipeline between
October 2009 and April 2010. The second phase would include
installation of the YMS, hookup of the FSRU, and connection of the
project components between September and December 2010. Broadwater
anticipates that the Project would be in service by the end of December
2010.
As part of this evaluation, FERC staff has prepared a final EIS to
assess the environmental impacts of the Project. The final EIS was
prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA).
The Coast Guard has assessed potential risks to navigation safety
and port security associated with the proposed Project. The Coast
Guard's safety and security assessment is documented in the Captain of
the Port Long Island Sound's Waterways Suitability Report (WSR). The
final EIS includes an analysis of the environmental impacts related to
the Coast Guard's Letter of Recommendation regarding the suitability of
the involved waterways for LNG carrier operations.
The Coast Guard Captain of the Port Long Island Sound will issue a
Letter of Recommendation to Broadwater Energy and the appropriate
federal, state and local agencies, in accordance with 33 CFR 127.009.
The Letter of Recommendation, which will be based on the Coast Guard's
WSR, is an official determination regarding the suitability or
unsuitability of Long Island Sound to support the proposed FSRU and
associated LNG marine traffic. The Coast Guard intends to adopt all or
portions of the EIS being prepared by FERC to serve as the NEPA
analysis for the Letter of Recommendation. The Letter of Recommendation
will not be issued until after the NEPA process has been completed.
The final EIS also evaluates alternatives to the proposal,
including alternative energy sources, system alternatives, alternative
sites for the LNG import terminal, alternative designs, pipeline
alternatives, and alternatives to the Coast Guard Letter of
Recommendation action. Based on the analysis included in the final EIS,
the FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed Project with
appropriate mitigating measures as recommended, would have limited
adverse environmental impacts.
The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
A limited number of hard copies and CDs are available at the Public
Reference Room identified above. CD copies of the final EIS have been
mailed to federal, state, and local agencies; public interest groups;
and individuals who requested a copy of the final EIS or provided
comments during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area;
and parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the final EIS
were mailed to those specifically requesting them.
Additional information about the Project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the
FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link.
Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link on the FERC Internet website
also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now 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 the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web
site.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-868 Filed 1-17-08; 8:45 am]
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