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AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Sparrows Point Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and Notice of a Joint Public Meeting
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 29941-29944]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my06-73]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF06-22-000]
AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC; Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed
Sparrows Point Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
and Notice of a Joint Public Meeting
May 16, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast
Guard (Coast Guard) are in the process of evaluating the Sparrows Point
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project planned by AES Sparrows Point LNG,
LLC (AES) and the associated pipeline planned by Mid-Atlantic Express
LLC (Mid-Atlantic Express). The project would consist of an onshore LNG
import and storage terminal located on the west shore of Sparrows
Point, south of Dundalk, Maryland, and an approximately 87-mile natural
gas sendout pipeline, extending north from the terminal to
interconnects with existing pipelines of Transco, Tetco, and Columbia
Gas Transmission near Eagle, Pennsylvania.
As a part of this evaluation, FERC staff will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) that will address the
environmental impacts of the project and the Coast Guard will assess
the maritime safety and security of the project. As described below,
the FERC and the Coast Guard will hold a joint public meeting at
Sparrows Point to allow the public to provide input to these
assessments. The FERC will host additional public meetings along the
pipeline route to provide input to the assessment of the pipeline
component of the project.
The Commission will use the EIS in its decision-making process to
determine whether or not to authorize the project. This Notice of
Intent (NOI) explains the scoping process we \1\ will use to gather
information on the project from the public and interested agencies and
summarizes the process that the Coast Guard will use. Your input will
help identify the issues that need to be evaluated in the EIS and in
the Coast Guard's maritime safety and security assessment. Please note
that scoping comments are requested by June 16, 2006.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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Comments on the project may be submitted in written form or
verbally. Further details on how to submit written comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this NOI. In lieu of
sending written comments, we invite you to attend any of the following
public scoping meetings or site visits scheduled as follows:
Monday, June 5, 2006, 7 p.m.:
North Point/Edgemere Volunteer Fire Co., 7500 North Point Road,
Sparrows Point, MD, 410-477-1310.
Tuesday, June 6, 2006, 7 p.m.:
East Brandywine Fire Hall, 2096 Bondsville Road, Downingtown, PA, 610-
269-1817.
Wednesday, June 7, 2006, 7 p.m.:
Harford Community College, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, MD, 410-836-4000.
FERC will be conducting a site visit of the proposed project route
over a two-day period. The tour each day will begin and end at the
locations and times listed below. Please note that no private property
will be entered and all locations of anticipated alignment of the
project pipeline will be viewed from public rights-of-way.
Tour Day 1, June 6, 2006
Tour Start Location--Sparrows Point Shipyard. Note: The Shipyard
may not be open to the public on the day of the tour depending upon
site work scheduled that day. Persons wishing to enter the Shipyard
site must have photo identification. The Shipyard may not be entered
without a security escort and all tour participants will need to meet
in a marshalling area outside the security entrance for Sparrows Point
Shipyard at the location shown on the map in Appendix 1. Follow signs
for Bethlehem Blvd. west off of Rt 695 at Sparrows Point. Bethlehem
Blvd. will turn into Riverside Drive as you near Bear Creek on the west
side of Sparrows Point. Take the right hand turn at the flashing sign
that says ``All Shipyard Traffic to Sparrows Point'' and park in the
parking area before the security guard trailer.
Tour Start Time--8 a.m. The tour will depart promptly at 8:15 a.m.
and will proceed from the marshalling area northerly along the proposed
primary pipeline route. All attendees must provide their own
transportation. Several locations that are publicly accessible will be
visited along the route section between Sparrows Point and Bel Air, MD
where the tour will end on Day 1. The Day 1 Tour will end on or near
Walter's Mill Road north of Bel Air, MD, by 1 p.m.
[[Page 29942]]
Tour Day 2, June 7, 2006
Tour Start Location--East Brandywine Fire Hall, 2096 Bondsville
Road, near the intersection of Bondsville Road and Route 322. Tour
Start Time--8 a.m. The Day 2 Tour will view the proposed pipeline route
starting from an existing Columbia Gas Transmission compressor station
in Eagle, PA, and will proceed south. All attendees must provide their
own transportation. Several locations that are publicly accessible will
be visited along the route section between Eagle, PA and Bel Air, MD
where the tour will end on Day 2. The Day 2 Tour will end south of the
Susquehanna River and north of Bel Air, MD in the area of Walter's Mill
Road, by 1 p.m.
The first public scoping meeting listed above (Sparrows Point, MD)
will be combined with the Coast Guard's public meeting regarding the
maritime safety and security of the project. At the meeting, the Coast
Guard will discuss: (1) The waterway suitability assessment that the
applicant will conduct to determine whether or not the waterway can
safely accommodate the LNG carrier traffic and operation of the planned
LNG marine terminal; and (2) the facility security assessment that the
applicant will conduct in accordance with the regulations of the
Maritime Transportation Security Act to assist with the preparation of
a Facility Security Plan. The Coast Guard will not be issuing a
separate meeting notice for the maritime safety and security aspects of
the project.
The Coast Guard is responsible for matters related to navigation
safety, vessel engineering and safety standards, and all matters
pertaining to the safety of facilities or equipment located in or
adjacent to navigable waters up to the last valve immediately before
the receiving tanks. The Coast Guard also has authority for LNG
facility security plan review, approval, and compliance verification as
provided in Title 33 CFR 105, and recommendation for siting as it pertains
to the management of vessel traffic in and around the LNG facility.
Upon receipt of a letter of intent from an owner or operator
intending to build a new LNG facility, the Coast Guard Captain of the
Port (COTP) conducts an analysis that results in a letter of
recommendation issued to the owner or operator and to the state and
local governments having jurisdiction, addressing the suitability of
the waterway to accommodate LNG vessels. Specifically the letter of
recommendation addresses the suitability of the waterway based on:
? The physical location and layout of the facility and its
berthing and mooring arrangements.
? The LNG vessels' characteristics and the frequency of LNG
shipments to the facility.
? Commercial, industrial, environmentally sensitive, and
residential area in and adjacent to the waterway used by the LNG
vessels en route to the facility.
? Density and character of the marine traffic on the waterway.
? Bridges or other manmade obstructions in the waterway.
? Depth of water.
? Tidal range.
? Natural hazards, including rocks and sandbars.
? Underwater pipelines and cables.
? Distance of berthed LNG vessels from the channel, and the
width of the channel.
In addition, the Coast Guard will review and approve the facility's
operations manual and emergency response plan (33 CFR 127.019), as well
as the facility's security plan (33 CFR 105.410). The Coast Guard will
also provide input to other federal, state, and local government
agencies reviewing the project.
In order to complete a thorough analysis and fulfill the regulatory
mandates cited above, the applicant will be conducting a Waterway
Suitability Assessment, a formal risk assessment evaluating the various
safety and security aspects associated with the Sparrows Point LNG
proposed project. This risk assessment will be accomplished through a
series of workshops focusing on the areas of waterways safety, port
security, and consequence management, with involvement from a broad
cross-section of government and port stakeholders with expertise in
each of the respective areas. The workshops will be by invitation only.
However, comments received during the public comment period will be
considered as input in the risk assessment process. The results of the
Waterway Suitability Assessment will be submitted to the Coast Guard to
be used in determining whether the waterway is suitable for LNG traffic.
This NOI is being sent to Federal, state, and local government
agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; environmental and
public interest groups; Indian tribes and regional Native American
organizations; commentors and other interested parties; and local
libraries and newspapers. We encourage government representatives to
notify their constituents of this planned project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
Summary of the Proposed Project
The proposed project will consist of a 1.5 billion standard cubic
feet per day (bscfd) LNG import terminal with unloading platforms,
process equipment, boil-off compression system, and storage tanks, and
a 28-inch-diameter, 87-mile send-out pipeline with ancillary facilities
such as metering and flow-control facilities.
LNG Terminal Marine Facility
The Sparrows Point LNG Terminal will consist of the following:
? 500-foot marine finger pier/access trestle and unloading
platform, supporting two unloading berths;
? Breasting and mooring dolphins;
? Turning basin and entrance channel
? Aids to navigation;
? Retractable security barrier;
? Three 1 million barrel (160,000 m3) net
capacity full containment LNG storage tanks.
? Process equipment;
? Boil-off gas (BOG) compression system; and
? Electrical, control, and hazard protection system.
Sendout Pipeline
The Mid-Atlantic Express sendout pipeline will consist of the
following:
? A 87-mile, 28-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline with
capacity to deliver 1.5 bscfd, and a maximum allowable operating
pressure (MAOP) of 2200 pounds per square inch (psig).
? A SCADA system for remote monitoring, control and leak detection;
? Local interconnections with the Baltimore Gas & Electric
(BG&E) pipeline system;
? Three interconnections with Columbia, Tetco and Transco
pipeline systems near Eagle, PA.
? Mainline valve facilities, at approximately four to six locations;
? Metering, flow control/pressure control, and security systems; and
? Scrapper launcher/receiver facilities (pigging facilities).
AES and Mid-Atlantic Express propose to begin construction of the
project in mid-2007 with a projected in-service date of the 1st quarter
of 2011.
A location map depicting AES's proposed facilities, including its
preferred pipeline route and several pipeline options, is attached to
this NOI as Appendix 1 (Figures 1 and 2).\2\
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\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the ``e-Library'' link or
from the Commission's Public Reference Room or call (202) 502-8371.
For instructions on connecting to e-Library refer to the end of this
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving
this notice in the mail.
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[[Page 29943]]
The EIS Process
The NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the
environmental impacts that could result from an action when it
considers whether or not an LNG import terminal or an interstate
natural gas pipeline should be approved. The FERC will use the EIS to
consider the environmental impacts that could result if it issues
project authorizations to AES and Mid-Atlantic Express under sections 3
and 7 of the Natural Gas Act. The NEPA also requires us to discover and
address concerns the public may have about proposals. This process is
referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EIS on the important environmental issues.
With this NOI, the Commission staff is requesting public comments on
the scope of the issues to be addressed in the EIS. All comments
received will be considered during preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of the
proposed project under these general headings:
? Geology and Soils
? Water Resources
? Aquatic Resources
? Vegetation and Wildlife
? Threatened and Endangered Species
? Land Use, Recreation, and Visual Resources
? Cultural Resources
? Socioeconomics
? Marine Transportation
? Air Quality and Noise
? Reliability and Safety
? Cumulative Impacts
In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; affected landowners;
environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes and regional
Native American organizations; commentors; other interested parties;
local libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's official service list
for this proceeding. A 45-day comment period will be allotted for
review of the draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the draft EIS
and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We
will consider all comments on the final EIS before we make our
recommendations to the Commission. To ensure that your comments are
considered, please follow the instructions in the Public Participation
section of this NOI.
Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has
already initiated its NEPA review under its pre-filing process. The
purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an
application is filed with the FERC. In addition, the Coast Guard, which
would be responsible for reviewing the maritime safety and security
aspects of the planned project and regulating maritime safety and
security if the project is approved, has initiated its review of the
project as well.
With this NOI, we are asking federal, state, and local agencies
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to
environmental issues, especially those identified in Appendix 2, to
express their interest in becoming cooperating agencies for the
preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once
they have evaluated the proposal relative to their responsibilities.
Agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status should
follow the instructions for filing comments provided in Appendix 2.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the project area, the planned facility
information provided by AES and Mid-Atlantic Express, and the public
open houses sponsored by AES and attended by FERC. This preliminary
list of issues, which is presented below, may be revised based on your
comments and our continuing analyses.
? Impact of LNG ship traffic on other Chesapeake Bay and
Patapsco River users, including fishing and recreational boaters.
? Safety issues relating to LNG ship traffic, including
transit through Chesapeake Bay, passage under the Bay Bridge, and
transit through the Brewerton Channel to Sparrows Point.
? Potential impacts on residents in the project area,
including safety issues at the import and storage facility, noise, air
quality, and visual resources.
? Potential impacts of the construction of the LNG terminal
and the pipeline on property values.
? Potential impacts of dredging contaminated sediments on
water quality and estuarine fishery resources (contaminants may include
tri-butyl tin and PCBs).
? Project impacts on threatened and endangered species.
? Project impacts on wetlands, vegetation, and wildlife habitat.
? Project impacts on cultural resources.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the planned project. By becoming a
commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please follow these instructions:
? Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Magalie
R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First
St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
? Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 2, DG2E.
? Reference Docket No. PF06-22-000 on the original and both copies.
? Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before June 16, 2006. Appropriate copies will be
provided to the Coast Guard.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of any comments
in response to this NOI. For information on electronically filing comments,
please see the instructions on the Commission's Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov 
under the ``e-Filing'' link and the link
to the User's Guide as well as information in 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii).
Before you can file comments you will need to create a free account,
which can be accomplished on-line.
The public scoping meetings (dates, times, and locations listed
above) are designed to provide another opportunity to offer comments on
the proposed project. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged
to attend the meetings and to present comments on the environmental
issues that they believe should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript
of each meeting will be
[[Page 29944]]
generated so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
Once AES and Mid-Atlantic Express formally file their application
with the Commission, you may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is
an official party to the proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal
role in the process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings,
and be heard by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's
final ruling. An intervenor formally participates in a Commission
proceeding by filing a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming
an intervenor are included in the User's Guide under the ``e-filing''
link on the Commission's Web site. Please note that you may not request
intervenor status at this time. You must wait until a formal
application is filed with the Commission.
Environmental Mailing List
If you wish to remain on the environmental mailing list, please
return the attached Mailing List Retention Form (Appendix 3 of this
NOI). If you do not return this form, we will remove your name from our
mailing list.
To reduce printing and mailing costs, the draft and final EIS will
be issued in both compact disk (CD-ROM) and hard copy formats. The FERC
strongly encourages the use of CD-ROM format in its publication of
large documents. Thus, all recipients will automatically receive the
EIS on CD-ROM. If you wish to receive a paper copy of the draft EIS
instead of a CD-ROM, you must indicate that choice on the return mailer.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC (3372) or on the
FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary
link.'' Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter
the project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF06-
22) in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance with eLibrary, the eLibrary
helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or by e-
mail at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. 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 rule makings.
In addition, the FERC now 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. To register for this service, go to
http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx
along with other related information.
Finally, AES has established an Internet Web site for this project at
http://www.AESsparrowspointLNG.com. The Web site includes a
project overview, status, answers to frequently asked questions, and links
to related documents. You can also request additional information by
calling AES directly at (866) 640-9080.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-7888 Filed 5-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P