The staff of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project proposed by Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, Gulf LNG Energy, and Gulf LNG Pipeline.
Gulf LNG requested authorization to construct and operate onshore LNG liquefaction and associated facilities to enable export of LNG.
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Gulf LNG aims to construct, own, operate, and maintain new interconnection and metering facilities for the current Gulf LNG Pipeline in Jackson County, Mississippi. The proposed actions are referred to as the Gulf LNG Liquefaction Project and include the Gulf LNG Terminal Expansion and the GLP Pipeline Modifications.
The FERC staff concluded that approval of the proposed Project, with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, would have some adverse environmental impacts. However, these impacts would be avoided or reduced to less-than-significant levels.
FERC based its conclusions upon information provided by Gulf LNG and through data requests; field investigations; literature research; geospatial analysis; alternatives analysis; public comments; and coordination with federal, state, and local agencies.
In addition, it developed site-specific mitigation measures that Gulf LNG should implement to reduce the environmental impacts that would otherwise result from construction of the Project.
What is more, the following factors were also taken into consideration:
- The Terminal Expansion facilities would be an expansion of an existing, operating LNG import Terminal with existing LNG storage tanks and berthing and loading/unloading facilities;
- There is a recommended condition that Gulf LNG restore the wetlands at CSA-5 following construction. Gulf LNG’s compensatory wetland mitigation plan, as required by the COE, would adequately address additional impacts on wetlands;
- The siting requirements of DOT for the Project, the Letter of Recommendation (LOR) issued by the USCG for the LNG marine traffic associated with the Project, FERC staff’s preliminary engineering review and recommendations for the Project, and the regulatory requirements for the pipeline system and Project would avoid a significant increase in public safety risks;
- Gulf LNG would implement its Project-specific Upland Erosion Control, Revegetation, and Maintenance Plan and its Project-specific Wetland and Waterbody Construction and Mitigation Procedures to minimize construction impacts on soils, wetlands, and waterbodies;
- The Project is not likely to adversely affect any species listed under the Endangered Species Act, would not contribute to a trend toward federal listing for any federally or state-listed threatened or endangered species, or have a substantial adverse impact on EFH;
- The Project would have no effect on cultural resources;
- All appropriate consultations with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fish and Parks (MDWFP); and the MDMR would be completed before construction is allowed to start;
- The FERC’s environmental and engineering inspection and mitigation monitoring program for the Project would ensure compliance with all mitigation measures and conditions of any FERC Authorization.