Final Required Milestone Date of 05/04/2020 for Incidental Take Authorization Decision Rendered has passed by 5 business days
Cooperating under NEPA
Description:
MMPA prohibits the take of marine mammals but provides exceptions for incidental take. Federal agencies, companies, and citizens may seek authorization to incidentally take marine mammals when conducting otherwise lawful activities. Two types of incidental take permit authorizations can be issued: Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA, and Incidental Take Regulations (ITRs) under section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA. IHAs may be issued for up to 12 months for activities that harass marine mammals, but do not have the potential to cause mortality or serious injury. ITRs may be issued for up to 5 years for activities that harass marine mammals and may have the potential to cause mortality or serious injury. Jurisdiction for the MMPA is shared by the FWS and the NMFS.
FWS currently has an ITR in place for the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) (81 FR 52276, August 5, 2016) for oil and gas activities for the incidental take of polar bears and walruses until August 2021. The AGDC may request an LOA under the SBS ITR. The AGDC may also request an intentional take LOA for polar bear deterrence. Intentional take LOAs are completely separate from ITRs and IHAs and are authorized under different sections of the MMPA.
On June 28, 2018, FWS received a revised request for an ITR for Cook Inlet for oil and gas activities for the incidental take of northern sea otters. The final Cook Inlet ITR, that includes incidental take of northern sea otters during activities associated with the Alaska LNG Project, was published in the Federal Register on August 1, 2019 (84 FR 37716). FWS has not received a request from the AGDC for a Letter of Authorization under that ITR. With agreement from the applicant, the FWS is cancelling this action. In the future, the applicant can pursue LOAs under either ITR should they chose to.
Agency: FWS
Marine mammals in agency's jurisdiction and in geographic area:
Polar bears, Pacific walrus: South Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea
Sea otters: Cook Inlet
Milestones:
-
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
:
Issuance of Lead Agency Record of Decision (Agency Action)
- Completed Date: 05/21/2020
-
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Incidental Take Authorization (DOC – NOAA/NMFS)
:
Publish Final ITA Regulations in Federal Register (LOA Only) (Agency Action)
- Completed Date: 08/17/2020
-
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Incidental Take Authorization (DOC – NOAA/NMFS)
:
Publish Final ITA Regulations in Federal Register (LOA Only) (Agency Action)
- Completed Date: 08/17/2020
PROJECT WEBSITE: http://alaska-lng.com/
All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
IN PROGRESS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
04/13/2023
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED
SECTOR
Pipelines
CATEGORY
Project Category
FAST-41 Covered Projects
LEAD AGENCY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
View FAST-41 Postings by Agencies
Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Homeland Security, US Coast Guard
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Regulatory
Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy
Department of the Interior, National Park Service
Department of Energy
Description:
The Alaska LNG Project is comprised of the following integrated and interdependent facilities: a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Southcentral Alaska designed to produce up to 20 million metric tons per annum of LNG; an approximately 807-mile, 42-inch diameter gas pipeline; a gas treatment plant (GTP) within the Prudhoe Bay Unit (PBU) on the North Slope; an approximately 1-mile, 60-inch diameter gas transmission line connecting the GTP to the PBU gas production facility; and an approximately 63 mile, 32-inch diameter gas transmission line connecting the GTP to the Point Thomson gas production facility. The mainline of the Alaska LNG Project will traverse over 800 miles from the GTP on the North Slope of Alaska through several boroughs before it crosses Cook Inlet and connects with the liquefaction plant and marine terminal in Nikiski, Alaska.
Fast-41 Initiation Notice
- Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/OpenNat.asp?fileID=14666498.
Project Application and Supporting Documents
- Project Application, FERC Docket No. CP17-178-000 (submitted 04/17/2017). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/OpenNat.asp?fileID=14568607.
- Supporting Documents to Project Application and Additional Project-related filings and issuances can be found on FERC’s eLibrary website by searching under Docket No. CP17-178.
Federal Agency Actions
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Application (issued 05/01/2017). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14578591.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Project (issued 03/12/2018). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14838969.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Review of the Project (issued 08/31/2018). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=15013558.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Anticipated Schedule of Final Order for the Project (issued 08/31/2018). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=15013581.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Review of the Project (issued 02/28/2019). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=15172046.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Draft Environmental Impact Statement (issued 06/28/2019). Document located at: https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis/2019/06-28-19-DEIS.asp.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Final Environmental Impact Statement (issued 03/06/2020). Document located at: https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis/2020/03-06-20-FEIS.asp.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Order Granting Authorization under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (issued 05/21/2020). Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=15540301.
FERC Litigation
- None filed.
For improved transparency, FERC is providing this supplemental table to reflect the additional federal authorizations that may be required for the Alaska LNG Project.
| Additional Federal Agency Permitting Timetable for the Alaska LNG Project | |||
| Responsible Agency | Federal Permit/Review | Status | Applicable Timelines |
| US Coast Guard | Letter of Recommendation | Complete | Receipt of Letter of Intent: May 15, 2014 Receipt of Waterway Suitability Assessment: March 18, 2016 Letter of Recommendation to FERC: August 17, 2016 |
Last updated May 22, 2020
-
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Incidental Take Authorization (DOC – NOAA/NMFS)
:
Publish Final ITA Regulations in Federal Register (LOA Only) (Agency Action)
- Completed Date: 08/17/2020