Docket Numbers: CP21-465-000, CP21-465-001, CP21-465-002
Issued: May 13, 2022
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Driftwood Line 200 and Line 300 Project (Project).
Driftwood proposes to construct and operate dual 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipelines originating near the town of Ragley in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana southward to a proposed receiver facility near the town of Carlyss in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. Driftwood proposes to use temporary access roads and staging areas to support construction activities and would establish new permanent access roads to support operation of the new aboveground facilities. The Project would enhance natural gas supply deliverability by providing a connection between the existing supply pipelines located near Ragley and Gillis, in Beauregard and Calcasieu Parishes to additional and existing pipelines and end-user infrastructure located near and south of Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish. Construction and operation of the proposed facilities would provide a maximum of 5.7 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas per day to additional and existing pipelines and end-user infrastructure located near and south of Lake Charles market. According to Driftwood, the Project would offer more economic and efficient pathways/connections and bring a more reliable and sustainable natural gas supply to the Lake Charles market.
The Project, proposed by Driftwood Pipeline, LLC (Driftwood), would include the following natural gas facilities in southwestern Louisiana:
- approximately 36.9 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in Beauregard and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana (Line 200);
- approximately 30.8 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in Beauregard and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana (Line 300) that would be constructed adjacent to Line 200 in a second phase of construction;
- approximately 0.9 mile of 30-inch-diameter lateral (Sempra Lateral) extending from Meter Station 14 (milepost [MP] 4.0) to the Indian Bayou Compressor Station (MP 4.5);
- approximately 0.8 mile of 30-inch-diameter lateral (Transco Lateral) extending from Meter Station 5 (MP 5.2) to the Indian Bayou Compressor Station (MP 4.5);
- approximately 850 feet of dual 42-inch-diameter pipelines connecting the receiver facility (MP 36.9) to Meter Station 12 (MP 36.9);
- new compressor station at MP 4.5 identified as the Indian Bayou Compressor Station with a total 211,200 horsepower (hp) in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana;
- new receiver facility at the terminus of the Line 200 and Line 300 (MP 36.9) in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana;
- 11 new meter stations and interconnects in Beauregard and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana;
- 6 mainline valves (MLV) within 3 valve facilities; and
- additional ancillary facilities such as communication facilities and internal inspection devices (i.e., pig launchers and receivers).
The EIS was prepared in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], 1502.13), and the FERC regulations implementing NEPA (18 CFR 380). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency participated as a cooperating agency in the development of the EIS. Input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was considered during the development of the EIS conclusions and recommendations. The conclusions and recommendations presented in the EIS are those of the FERC environmental and engineering staff.
The FERC staff concludes that construction and operation of the Project would result in some adverse environmental impacts. Most of these impacts would be temporary and occur during construction (e.g., impacts on land use, traffic, and noise). With the exception of climate change impacts, that are not characterized in this EIS as significant or insignificant, we conclude that Project effects would not be significant based on implementation of Driftwood’s impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures, as well as their adherence to our recommendations. Other than the non-significant impacts on environmental justice communities associated with the construction and operation of Meter Station 7 and Meter Station 9, we conclude that the Project would not result in disproportionately high or adverse impacts on environmental justice communities.
As part of the analysis, Commission staff developed specific mitigation measures for the construction and operation of the Project (included in the draft EIS as recommendations). Staff are, therefore, recommending that these mitigation measures be attached as conditions to any authorization issued by the Commission.
The draft EIS comment period closes on July 5, 2022. The Commission will take into consideration staff’s recommendations when it makes a decision on the Project.