Public comment opportunities:

State agency poised to let Houston petrochemical plant continue discharging wastewater to Greens Bayou

On Sept. 27, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued notice of preliminary decision for the renewal of the wastewater discharge permit for the Sasol Greens Bayou Plant in Houston. Comments on the proposed permit can be submitted at least until Oct. 27, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.

Construction updates:

Company hits pause on construction of polymer plant in Corpus Christi, Texas

On Sept 27, 2023, Corpus Christi Polymers announced that construction on its planned polymer resin plant near Corpus Christi, Texas, has been paused while it considers unexpected costs and a labor shortage. The project was first permitted in 2014 but has undergone several delays, including another construction interruption in July 2020. The plant is supposed to begin operations in early 2025.

Permit applications submitted:

Algonquin Gas Transmission plans to expand existing gas pipeline in New England, New York

Algonquin Gas Transmission announced that it plans to expand pipeline capacity between Salem, Massachusetts, and Ramapo, New York, along its existing gas pipeline. Algonquin will submit an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission once its bidding process is complete on Nov. 17, 2023.

Updates for the week of Sept. 25, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Louisiana agency to hold Nov. 1 hearing on LNG terminal and pipeline in Southwest Louisiana

On Sept. 19, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources announced that a public hearing regarding the Coastal Use Permits for the proposed CP2 LNG Terminal in Cameron Parish and associated CP Express Pipeline will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2023,  at the Cameron Parish Police Jury West Annex at 148 Smith Cir., Cameron, LA 70631. The facility and 91-mile pipeline would impact 1,368.5 acres of wetlands. The public notice is available here for more information.  

Public comment period open on Maryland natural gas pipeline expansion

On Aug. 31, 2023, Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company submitted an application to expand natural gas pipeline storage and transport capacity in Maryland and Delaware via the Worcester Resiliency Upgrade. The upgrade would involve construction of liquefied natural gas storage tanks and vaporizers in Worcester County, Maryland, 1.1 miles of new 10-inch pipeline in Sussex County, Delaware and Wicomico County, Maryland, and upgrades to compressor and meter stations in Sussex County, Worcester County, and Somerset County, all in Maryland. Comments on the proposed project can be submitted here until Oct. 6, 2023 (docket CP23-536). 

Draft permit would allow potential emissions increase at Houston-area chemical plant

On Sept. 15, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft permit modification that would authorize an increase in potential volatile organic compound emissions from the Equistar La Porte Polyethylene Unit of 36 tons per year. This permit modification does not introduce new equipment; it is needed solely due to changes in design that occurred while the project was under construction. Public comment on the proposed modification is open at least until Oct. 15, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.  

FERC will study environmental impacts of 122-mile Tennessee gas pipeline

On Sept. 18, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced that it will be preparing an environmental impact statement for the proposed Ridgeline Expansion Project, which would involve building 110 miles of new natural gas pipeline through counties in northeastern Tennessee. Comments related to the potential environmental impacts of the project can be submitted here until Oct. 18, 2023 (docket CP23-516). 

Public comment period open on Golden Pass LNG wastewater discharge

On Sept. 21, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a revised notice of preliminary decision for the modification to the wastewater discharge permit for the Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Sabine Pass, Texas, on the Texas-Louisiana state line. Comments on the revised proposed permit can be submitted at least until Oct. 21, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information. 

Permit applications submitted:

Company seeks changes to wastewater discharge permit for export complex on Houston Ship Channel

On Aug. 8, 2023, Enterprise Products Operating LLC applied to modify the wastewater discharge permit for the Morgan’s Point Complex, an ethylene export terminal on the Houston Ship Channel. More information about the proposed changes can be found in the public notice.

New projects announced:

Company will reapply to build long-delayed methanol plant near Lake Charles, Louisiana

On Sept. 13, 2023, Lake Charles Methanol submitted documents to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality indicating that it plans to apply once again for permits to build a methanol plant in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The facility was first authorized in 2016, but after seven years of delays the company is applying for fresh construction permits. It has indicated it will submit a full application by the end of 2023.   

Updates for the week of Sept. 18, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Draft permit would allow new equipment at Kansas natural gas liquids hub

On Sept. 15, 2023, the Kansas Division of Environment issued a draft permit that would authorize Mid-Continent Fractionation and Storage LLC to add new equipment to its Conway Fractionator. Fractionation facilities separate liquid natural gas into individual products used for fuel and as raw ingredients in chemical manufacturing. The Conway Fractionation Hub, which includes the Conway Fractionator in McPherson, Kansas, is the second largest fractionation hub in the country. Public comments on the proposal can be submitted until Oct. 16, 2023; please see the public notice for more information.

Permit applications submitted:

CF Industries, Mitsui apply to build ammonia plant southeast of Baton Rouge

On Sept. 11, 2023, CF Industries Blue Point LLC submitted an application to build a blue ammonia plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, southeast of Baton Rouge. Blue ammonia refers to ammonia produced using natural gas, with the carbon dioxide produced during the process captured and stored. The plant is a joint project between CF Industries and Mitsui & Co. It would have the capacity to produce 4,300 tons per day of ammonia and the potential to emit more than 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases each year, emissions equivalent to four natural gas-fired power plants.

Construction updates:

CF Industries announces second ammonia plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana

On Sept. 14, 2023, CF Industries and POSCO Holdings announced plans to build another $2 billion blue ammonia plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. This plant would be co-located with CF Industries’ other proposed ammonia plant in the parish.

Updates for the week of Sept. 11, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Energy Department to hold public hearing on Southwest Louisiana carbon sequestration hub

The U.S. Department of Energy will hold a community meeting this fall regarding the Project Cypress carbon capture and sequestration hub in Southwest Louisiana. The proposed hub, which was recently awarded a large federal grant, is designed to capture and sequester one million tons of carbon dioxide directly from the air when at full capacity. The DOE had originally scheduled the meeting for Sept. 19 but has recently said it would reschedule the meeting to another date based on “local feedback.” Please see the public notice for more information.

Draft permit would let ExxonMobil chemical plant near Houston continue operations

On Sept. 8, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft operating permit renewal for ExxonMobil’s Baytown Olefins Plant in Harris County, Texas. The permit would authorize continued operation of the facility and update operating conditions. Public comments can be submitted at least until Oct. 8, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

Draft permit would authorize new boiler at Valero refinery in St. Charles, Louisiana

On Sept. 8, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for the construction of a new boiler at the Valero St. Charles Refinery. The new equipment could emit as much as 215,413 tons of greenhouse gases per year, equivalent to the emissions from 27,000 homes’ energy use in one year. Public comments can be submitted until Oct. 12, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.

Public hearing planned Oct. 12 on Louisiana chemical plant expansion

On Sept. 8, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for the construction of a new alpha olefins unit at Shell Chemical’s plant in Ascension Parish, south of Baton Rouge. A public hearing regarding the proposed construction is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Richard Brown Community Center, and written public comments can be submitted until Oct. 16, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.

Permit applications submitted:

Company reapplies to begin construction at gas processing plant near Corpus Christi, Texas

On Aug. 18, 2023, Permico Midstream Partners submitted an application to re-authorize construction of two fractionation units at the Robstown Fractionator in Nueces County, Texas, near Corpus Christi. The facility was initially permitted in 2019, but Permico did not begin construction of the fractionators before the permit expired.

Updates for the week of Sept. 4, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Draft permit issued for pipeline that would alter 258 acres of Texas-Louisiana wetlands

On Aug. 24, 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a draft wetland permit to Venture Global CP Express for the construction of the CP Express Pipeline segment traveling from Jasper County, Texas, to Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The permit would authorize impacts occurring only in the Galveston Army Corps District, including 258 acres of wetland impacts during and after construction of the pipeline. Public comment on the proposed permit can be submitted until Sept. 25, 2023: please see the public notice for more information. 

Permit applications submitted:

Gas processing plant in Louisiana applies to continue discharge to Mermentau River

On July 17, 2023, EnLink Processing applied to renew a wastewater permit for the Eunice Fractionator, a natural gas processing plant. The fractionator is located in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, northwest of Lafayette. If the application is approved, it would reauthorize the Eunice Fractionator to discharge wastewater into the Mermentau River.

Permit sought to increase wastewater discharge from Mont Belvieu, Texas, gas plant

On July 12, 2023, ONEOK Hydrocarbon submitted an application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to modify the waste water discharge permit for the Mont Belvieu Natural Gas Liquids Fractionation Plant, located east of Houston. The modification requests to increase wastewater discharge rates from three of its discharge points.

Station tied to Gator Express Pipeline planned for Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

On Aug. 18, 2023, Venture Global submitted a permit application to increase horsepower at the proposed TETCO Metering and Regulation Station in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The TETCO Station is being built as part of the Gator Express Pipeline project, which would ultimately supply natural gas to the Plaquemines LNG Export Terminal.

Company seeks extension to start construction on southwest Indiana fertilizer plant

On Aug. 22, 2023, the Midwest Fertilizer Company applied for another extension to start building a new fertilizer plant in Posey County, near Evansville, in far southwestern Indiana. The plant, which as initially permitted in June 2014, would be able to produce over 3 million metric tons of fertilizer products every year.

Updates for the week of Aug. 28, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Draft permit issued for Koch Methanol expansion in St. James, Louisiana

On July 31, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for a proposed expansion project at the Koch Methanol Plant in St. James, Louisiana. The project would increase methanol production by 25 percent. The deadline to submit written comments has been extended from Sept. 5 to Sept. 18, and there will be a public hearing on Aug. 31 at the St. James-St. Louis Academy. Please see the public notice for more information.

Public comment period open on gas compressor in northern West Virginia

On Aug. 16, 2023, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) issued a draft permit for a proposed natural gas compression station in Marshall County, West Virginia, part of the state's Northern Panhandle. The compressor could emit as much as 119,717 tons of greenhouse gases each year, as much as 15,000 homes’ annual energy use. The WVDEP is accepting public comments on the draft permit until Sept. 20; comments should be emailed to Roy.F.Kees@wv.gov.

Draft permit issued for hydrogen manufacturing site near Port Arthur, Texas

On Aug. 23, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued a draft permit that would authorize the construction of a hydrogen manufacturing facility in Jefferson County, Texas, about 50 miles east of Houston. The proposed facility would also capture and sequester over 2 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Public comments can be submitted at least until Sept. 23; please see the public notice for more information.

FERC seeking comments on South Texas gas pipeline project's environmental impacts

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is seeking comments on environmental issues posed by a proposed route amendment to the Rio Bravo pipeline project, which would consist of two parallel 135-mile gas pipelines that would supply natural gas to the proposed Rio Grande LNG terminal in Brownsville, Texas. Public comments can be submitted here (docket CP23-519) until Sept. 22, 2023.

Updates for the week of Aug. 21, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Hearing planned on emissions increase at southeastern New Mexico gas plant

The New Mexico Environment Department will host a public hearing on Sept. 25, 2023, regarding a proposed decrease in capacity at the Roadrunner Gas Processing Plant in Eddy County. The proposed permit would decrease facility processing capacity from 321,000 million cubic feet per day to 268,275 million cubic feet per day but increase air pollution emission limits to allow the facility to process gas with a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide. The New Mexico Environment Department is accepting public comments prior to the beginning of the hearing. For more information, please refer to the public notice.

Draft construction permit approved for propane terminal near Port Arthur, Texas

On Aug. 15, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft construction permit for the Nederland LPG Terminal, a storage and handling facility for various liquified petroleum gases. The permit would authorize continued operation of the terminal and construction of a new flare. Comments on the draft permit can be submitted at least until Sept. 15, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.

LNG export terminal on Texas-Louisiana border to add more wastewater discharge points

On Aug. 15, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a preliminary decision on a modification to the wastewater discharge permit for the Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Sabine Pass, Texas. The new permit would remove one outfall and add seven new ones, all of which would discharge to the Sabine-Neches Canal Tidal, a man-made waterway that connects the Sabine Lake bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Comments on the proposed permit can be submitted at least until Sept. 15, 2023. Please see the public notice for more information.

Permit applications submitted:

Louisiana vinyl plant plans to increase PVC chemical production

On Aug. 10, 2023, Westlake Vinyls submitted an application to expand ethylene dichloride production at its Geismar, Louisiana facility by 605 million pounds per year. Ethylene dichloride is used to produce precursors to PVC plastic and poses significant health risks to humans.

New projects announced:

Hydrogen plant with carbon capture planned in western West Virginia

Fidelis New Energy in summer 2023 announced plans to construction a hydrogen manufacturing facility in Mason County, West Virginia, near the Ohio state line. The facility would be constructed in four phases, each of which would produce 500 metric tons of hydrogen per day to be used to power data centers, transportation, and/or steel production. Fidelis plans to capture the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the facility and sequester them underground on state-owned lands, potentially including wildlife refuges.

New hydrogen plant announced south of Baton Rouge.

On Aug. 22, 2023, the Louisiana Economic Development announced that Monarch Energy plant to build a hydrogen manufacturing facility in Ascension Parish, south of Baton Rouge. The facility would produce up to 12,000 kilogram of hydrogen per day using electrolysis, a process where electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Monarch hopes to begin construction on the project by 2025 and commence operations by 2027.

Updates for the week of Aug. 14, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Changes proposed for Louisiana pipeline that would serve Port Arthur LNG

On July 14, 2023, Port Arthur Pipeline LLC submitted an application to amend its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorization to build the Louisiana Connector Project, a new 131-mile pipeline. The amendment would modify the pipeline's proposed route, construction footprint, and installation methods. The scoping period for this proposal is currently open and public comment on the proposal can be submitted here until Sept. 8, 2023 (docket CP23-513).

Company seeks changes to gas pipeline route through South Texas

On July 20, 2023, Rio Bravo Pipeline LLC submitted an application to amend a key permit needed to build the Rio Bravo Pipeline Project, which involves connecting existing pipelines in Texas. The amendment would modify the pipeline route design. Public comment on the proposed amendment is open until Aug. 22, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-519).

Public comment open on new methanol plant proposed in Texas City, south of Houston

On July 26, 2023, Sandpiper Chemicals LLC submitted an application for a permit to construct its proposed Texas City methanol plant south of Houston. The facility would produce 3,000 metric tons of methanol each day and be allowed to release up to 97 tons of air pollutants every year. Public comment on the permit can be submitted at least until Sept. 1, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

New projects announced:

Carbon capture projects in Louisiana and Texas to get $1 bil in federal grants

On Aug. 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy announced two carbon dioxide direct air capture (DAC) projects that, combined, will receive over $1 billion in federal grants. One, Project Cypress, will be located in southwest Louisiana and will send captured CO2 to be injected underground at the Gulf Coast Sequestration Hub. The other project will be located in Kleburg County in Texas on the historic King Ranch and will inject the CO2 underground onsite. The two projects are expected to capture and sequester more than two million tons of CO2 each year.

Updates for the week of Aug. 7, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Draft construction permit issued for upgrade at Motiva chemical plant in Port Arthur, Texas

On July 24, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft construction permit for a project that would recover more plastics-grade propylene at Motiva’s Polyethylene Manufacturing Complex in Jefferson County, Texas. Public comment on the permit can be submitted at least until Aug. 24, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

New 122-mile pipeline would ship gas across Middle Tennessee to former coal plant

On July 28, 2023, Enbridge applied to build the Ridgeline Expansion Project, a new 122-mile-long natural gas pipeline in Tennessee, which would supply Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County. Kingston was the largest coal-burning power plant in the world when it was constructed in 1955 and was the site of a coal ash spill in December 2008. TVA is now considering converting the facility to burn natural gas. Public comment on the proposed project is open until Aug. 18, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-516).

Modification planned at pipeline that would serve Port Arthur LNG in Texas

On July 28, 2023, Sempra Energy, the company developing the Port Arthur LNG Export Terminal in Jefferson County, Texas, applied to modify the associated Louisiana Connector pipeline. Public comment on the request is open until Aug. 18, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-513).

Louisiana agency plans hearing over Koch methanol plant expansion in St. James

On July 31, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for a proposed expansion project at the Koch Methanol Plant in St. James, Louisiana. The project would increase methanol production by 25%. Written comments on the proposed permit can be submitted until Sept. 5, 2023, and there will be a public hearing on Aug. 31 at the St. James-St. Louis Academy. Please see the public notice for more information.

Louisiana ammonia plant developer gets draft permit days after pausing project

On Aug. 4, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for the proposed Nutrien Geismar Ammonia Plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana—just two days after the company announced a decision to “indefinitely pause” the project’s development.  Written comments on the proposed permit can be submitted until Sept. 6, 2023, and there will be a public hearing on Sept. 5 at the Ascension – Richard Brown Community Center. Please see the public notice for more information.

New projects announced:

Matador weighs options for New Mexico gas processing expansion

On July 28, 2023, Matador Resources announced plans to expand gas processing capacity in southeastern New Mexico. The company may build a new gas plant in Lea County or expand the existing Black River Gas Processing Complex in Eddy County by 200 million standard cubic feet per day.

Updates for the week of July 31, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Delfin LNG seeks extension to construction deadline at Southwest Louisiana facility

On July 21, 2023, Delfin LNG submitted its fifth request for an extension of the deadline to complete construction and place into service its onshore facilities in Cameron, Louisiana. The onshore facilities include a new compressor station and connection to offshore LNG facilities via a new pipeline. The requested extension would move the deadline to September 28, 2027. Public comment on the request is open until Aug. 9, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP15-490).

Ohio agency to hold hearing on proposed Youngstown chemical plastics recycling plant

On July 26, 2023, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft construction permit to SOBE Thermal Energy Systems for its proposed chemical plastics recycling plant in Youngstown, Ohio. The plant would produce fuel using old tire plastic and would emit a variety of potentially harmful air pollutants. The Ohio EPA is holding a public hearing on August 10 at the Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center and is accepting written comments on the draft permit until Sept. 10, 2023. Please refer to the public notice for more information.

New projects announced:

Louisiana plant would produce methanol with renewable or biomass energy

On July 26, 2023, SunGas Renewables announced plans to build a new methanol production facility in Pineville, in central Louisiana. The proposed plant would manufacture 400,000 tons of methanol each year using renewable or biomass energy. The methanol would then be sold to a Danish shipping company which uses methanol to power its vessels. SunGas plans to begin operations at the plant in 2027. 

TotalEnergies, New Hope Energy announce chemical plastics recycling partnership in Texas

New Hope Energy and TotalEnergies announced a joint project to build anew chemical recycling plant in Texas. The plant would use pyrolysis to convert up to 310,000 pounds of used plastic to synthetic oil, which would be used to produce new plastic products.

Construction updates:

Supreme Court clears way for construction of Mountain Valley Pipeline

On July 27, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated two stays issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that had been blocking construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Following the decision, the company issued a notice  that it is resuming construction. 

Updates for the week of July 24, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Permit would increase emissions at Formosa plant in Point Comfort, Texas

On July 18, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a notice of preliminary decision to Formosa for the construction of facilities that would support a new hexene production plant at the company's plastics plant in Point Comfort, on the Texas Gulf Coast. Hexene is used in the production of plastic resins. The amendment would increase volatile organic compound emission limits by 85 tons per year. Public comment on the permit can be submitted at least until Aug. 18, 2023; please see the public notice for more information.

Public comment period open on Wisconsin, Illinois gas pipeline project

On July 21, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released an environmental assessment for the Wisconsin Reliability Project, a proposed pipeline replacement and modification in Wisconsin and Illinois. Public comment on the environmental assessment is open until Aug. 21, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-15).

Port Arthur LNG construction plans open to public comment

On July 18, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice requesting comments on environmental issues related to Port Arthur LNG's proposed increase in construction hours, workforce, and parking space at its LNG export terminal in Southeast Texas. Public comment is open until Aug. 17, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-501).

New projects announced:

Company plans chemical plastic recycling plant in Gulf Coast

In June 2023, Braven Environmental announced plans to build a new chemical recycling plant somewhere in the Gulf Coast region. The plant would process up to 250,000 metric tons of used plastic each year, converting it into 50 million gallons of fuel that canbe used to make new plastic. 

Emissions increases planned at Louisiana ammonia plant

On July 19, 2023, CF Industries submitted an application to increase the concentration of nitric acid produced at its Donaldsonville ammonia production facility. The company is scheduled to begin construction on the project in 2023 and begin operation at the beginning of 2024. It would involve increases in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from the facility.

Construction updates:

Mountain Valley Pipeline seeks Supreme Court approval for construction

On July 14, 2023, Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC filed an emergency application asking the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn the Fourth District Court’s stay on construction of the pipeline. Nine members of Congress, including three members of the West Virginia delegation, have filed an amicus brief in support of the pipeline company (Joe Manchin, Democratic senator from West Virginia, filed a separate supportive brief). Environmental advocates and some legal scholars argue that Congress violated the Constitution's separation of powers clause by removing jurisdiction over the pipeline from the regional circuit court. Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC has asked for a decision from the Supreme Court before July 27, 2023.

Fire adds to list of disasters at Dow Chemical facility in Louisiana

On July 15, 2023, a fire broke out after an explosion at Dow Chemical’s Plaquemine, Louisiana, facility. The impact of the explosion was felt 15 miles away in Baton Rouge, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for several hours. The facility, which produces ethylene and other petrochemicals, houses equipment owned by other companies that have also seen accidents in recent years, including an April 2022 chlorine leak from a unit owned by Olin Chemical that sent 39 people to the hospital.

Updates for the week of July 17, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Public comment open on South Louisiana Pipeline Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is accepting public input on the environmental impacts that could result from the proposed South Louisiana Pipeline Project, which would involve modifying several natural gas compressor stations in St. Landry, East Baton Rouge, and Washington parishes in Louisiana and Perry County in Mississippi. Public comments are being accepted until August 7, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-492).

Permit applications submitted:

Louisiana plant would produce ammonia from natural gas with carbon capture

In late June 2023, Clean Hydrogen Works applied for permits to build the Ascension Clean Energy Facility in Geismar, Louisiana, south of Baton Rouge. If approved, this new plant could produce nearly 7.9 million metric tons per year of “blue” ammonia from fracked natural gas while capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide. 

New projects announced:

North Dakota refinery to receive $2.5M federal grant for carbon capture

On July 10, 2023, the Department of Energy announced that it had awarded a $2.5 million grant to develop a carbon capture, use, and storage project at the Dickinson Refinery—Marathon Petroleum’s renewable fuels plant in Stark County, North Dakota.

Construction updates:

Developer scraps plans for Nopetro LNG on Florida's Gulf Coast

As of July 18, 2023, officials with Miami-based Nopetro Energy told the Port St. Joe Star, a local newspaper, that they would "no longer pursue" plans to build an LNG terminal in St. Joe, about two hours southwest of Tallahassee. Nopetro's senior vice president said the decision was "purely due to market conditions," however the project faced significant opposition from local environmentalists and Public Citizen.

Updates for the week of July 10, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Port Arthur LNG seeks changes to construction plans

On June 21, 2023, Port Arthur LNG LLC submitted an application to increase the workforce, parking space, and construction hours during the construction of the Port Arthur LNG project. The project is a proposed LNG terminal in Port Arthur, Texas, located near the Texas-Louisiana state line. Public comment on the extension request is open until July 19, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-501).

Permit applications submitted:

Valero to add "sustainable" aviation fuel unit to Louisiana refinery

On June 30, 2023, Valero Refining submitted an application to build a “sustainable” aviation fuel production unit at its St. Charles Refinery in Norco, Louisiana. The project could emit as much as 123,093 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year, more than the emissions from 15,000 homes’ energy use in a year.

New projects announced:

Plant east of Houston would turn garbage into aviation fuel

Fulcrum Bioenergy is planning to construct a new chemical recycling plant in Baytown, Texas, east of Houston. The plant would convert 700,000 tons of municipal waste into 31 million gallons of aviation fuel each year. Fulcrum hopes to begin operations at the site in 2026.

Updates for the week of July 3, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Mountain Valley Pipeline seeks extension to build in North Carolina, Virginia

On June 15, 2023, Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC submitted an application to extend the deadline to begin construction for the MVP Southgate Project by three years, to June 18, 2026. The Southgate Project includes 75 miles of new pipeline through North Carolina and Virginia and is currently delayed because it has not been issued the necessary state permits. Public comment on the extension request is open until July 24, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP19-14).

New projects announced:

Companies plan joint blue ammonia project on Gulf Coast

On June 29, 2023, Yara and BASF announced a joint project to explore building a blue ammonia plant on the U.S. Gulf Coast capable of producing 1.2-1.4 million tons per year. Blue ammonia relies on natural gas, along with carbon capture and sequestration to avoid releasing greenhouse gases to atmosphere. The companies plan to capture up to 95% of the carbon dioxide produced during the manufacturing process. A feasibility study will be completed by the end of 2023.

Baton Rouge "chemical recycling" plant would convert old synthetic turf into plastics

Tencate Turf Recycling Solution recently announced plans to build a chemical plastics recycling facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The proposed facility would convert old synthetic turf into plastic compounds using a process currently in use by ExxonMobil at its Baytown Technology and Engineering Complex.

Updates for the week of June 26, 2023

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Permit applications submitted:

Houston-area chemical plant plans to stop monitoring discharge for zinc, aluminum

On March 1, 2023, Equistar Chemicals applied for a modification to its pollutant discharge permit for the Channelview Petrochemical Complex east of Houston. The permit modification would remove daily monitoring and maximum concentration limits for zinc and aluminum from some outfalls, which discharge to tidal portions of the San Jacinto River. Please see the public notice for more information.

Occidental to increase chlorine production at Geismar, Louisiana, plant

On June 15, 2023, Occidental Chemical Corporation submitted an application to increase chlorine production at its plant in Geismar, Louisiana, south of Baton Rouge. The proposed expansion would increase greenhouse gas emissions at the plant by up to 14,772 metric tons per year, the equivalent of 196 tanker trucks worth of gasoline.

New projects announced:

Cheniere plans to ship LNG from Louisiana to Chinese firm by 2027

Cheniere Energy recently signed an agreement with ENN Natural Gas Co. to sell 900,000 metric tons per year of liquefied natural gas to ENN by 2027. Cheniere will supply the Chinese company with LNG processed at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal in Southwest Louisiana, where Cheniere plans to expand LNG processing capacity by nearly 20 million metric tons per year starting in 2032.   

Updates for the week of June 19, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Company seeks deadline extension for East Coast gas pipeline construction

On June 8, 2023, Columbia Gas Transmission submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the construction deadline of the Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project for the second time. The project, which would involve the construction of 3.4 miles of pipeline in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, was initially permitted in 2018, but has been delayed by litigation. This request would extend the construction deadline to July 1, 2026. Public comment is open until June 30, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP17-80).

Company plans to add compression to Louisiana gas pipeline

On June 2, 2023, Florida Gas Transmission Company submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to increase compressor station capacity at stations in Wiggins, Mississippi and Franklinton and Port Barre, Louisiana. Public comment is open until July 3, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-492).

LNG project planned on Alaska's North Slope

On June 8, 2023, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation issued a draft construction permit to Harvest Alaska LNG for a proposed liquefied natural gas processing and treatment facility in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The facility would process up to 150,000 gallons of natural gas per day which would then be transported by truck to Fairbanks, 11 hours south. Public comment on the proposed facility is open until July 10, 2023, and can be submitted here.

New gas compressor planned in northern West Virginia

On May 10, 2023, Antero Midstream LLC submitted an application to construct a new compressor station in Wetzel County, West Virginia. The facility would potentially emit 166,654 tons of greenhouse gases per year, equivalent to nearly 840 railcars worth of coal burned. Public comment on the draft permit can be submitted until July 14, 2023, according to the instructions here.

Permit applications submitted:

Dow Chemical plans plastics research at Freeport, Texas, plant

On May 31, 2023, Dow Chemical Company submitted an application to build a new research and development plant at its Freeport Operations facility on the Texas Gulf Coast. The plant would be used to test different operating scenarios to produce plastic products.

Updates for the week of June 12, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Styrofoam plant in Houston plans expansion

On June 9, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for a proposed expansion at the Houston Foam Plastics Plant in Houston, Texas. The expansion would increase polystyrene foam (often called by the brand name Styrofoam) manufacturing capacity at the plant. Public comment on the permit can be submitted at least until July 9, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

Expansion planned at LNG terminal near Savannah, Georgia

On June 9, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of scoping period for the proposed Elba Liquefaction Optimization Project, which would increase capacity at the Elba LNG Terminal near Savannah, Georgia, by 0.4 million metric tons per year. Public comment is open until July 10, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-375).

Public comment open on Louisiana plant that would make diesel fuel from wood

On June 8, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft construction permit for a proposed bio-refinery in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. The facility would process forestry waste to produce diesel and naphtha. Public comment on the permit can be submitted until July 13, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

Company plans to add more gas to existing Texas, Louisiana pipeline

On June 9, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an environmental assessment for the proposed Texas to Louisiana Energy Pathway Project, which would increase compression capacity to add more gas to an existing pipeline in Texas and Louisiana. Public comment is open until July 10, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-495).

Cheniere to hold meetings on Sabine Pass LNG expansion

Cheniere Energy will hold three community open houses in August 2023 to discuss the Sabine Pass Liquefaction Stage 5 Expansion Project, which would increase processing capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal by 19.5 million metric tons per year. Please see the announcement notice for information on where and when the open houses will occur.

Permit applications submitted:

Company to add storage at Ohio plastic-to-fuel plant

On June 6, 2023, Freepoint Ecosystems Hebron submitted an application to add three storage tanks for an oil product at its plastic-to-fuel facility in Hebron, Ohio. More information on the application and the public notice can be accessed here.

New projects announced:

Chemical plastics recycling plant planned near Chicago

Nexus Circular plans to build a new chemical plastics recycling facility near Chicago, Illinois. The facility would process 30,000 metric tons of used plastic per year using pyrolysis to convert the plastic into a liquid which could be used to produce more plastics.

Chemical plastics recycling plant planned in Quincy, West Virginia

Clean Seas Corporation plans to build a new chemical plastics recycling facility in Quincy, West Virginia, three hours southeast of Columbus, Ohio. The facility would process around 100 tons of used plastic products and convert them into fuel starting in 2024. The company has been promised $12 million in state incentives.

Georgia plant would use chemical process to recycle plastic bottles

Revalyu Resources plans to build a plastic bottle recycling facility in Statesboro, Georgia, an hour northwest of Savannah. Thefacility would initially process up to 225,000 pounds of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) plastic per day using glycolysis, where plastic is broken down by exposing it to glycols. ‍

Updates for the week of May 29, 2023

Public comment opportunities:

Permit sought to fill wetlands for LNG plant in Beaumont, Texas

On April 4, 2023, Enterprise Products applied for a wetlands permit that would authorize permanently filling 0.82 acres of waterway during the construction of its proposed ethane manufacturing and export terminal in Beaumont, Texas. Public comments on the draft permit can be submitted until June 12, 2023; please see the public notice for more information.

Comment period open on gas pipeline expansion in Alabama, Georgia

On June 2, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice marking the beginning of a scoping period to evaluate potential environmental impacts for the proposed Alabama Georgia Connector Project. The project would add and upgrade compressor units in Alabama and Georgia to add more gas to existing pipelines. Public comment is open until July 3, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP23-194).

Public comment sought on draft permit for Louisiana gas facility

On June 2, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft construction permit for the Gillis Treating Facility in Ragley, Louisiana, two hours west of Baton Rouge. The proposed natural gas treatment and compression facility would have the potential to emit 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases each year, or as much as 200,000 homes’ energy use for one year. Comments on the proposed permit can be submitted until July 6, 2023: please see the public notice for more information.

Proposed permits would allow wastewater discharge from Louisiana gas plants

On May 9, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued draft wastewater discharge permits for the DTM Longstreet Gas Treatment Facility and the DTE Pelican Plant. The permits would authorize discharge of wastewater to Bayou Castor and Belle Bayou. Public comment on the draft permits is open until July 6, 2023; please see the public notices for more information (here and here, respectively).

Permit applications submitted:

New blue ammonia facility proposed west of New Orleans

On May 25, 2023, St. Charles Clean Fuels submitted an application to build a new blue ammonia facility in St. Rose, Louisiana, about 30 minutes west of New Orleans. The plant would be able to produce up to 2.92 million metric tons of ammonia every year for use as fertilizer or fuel, which would be stored and exported from the neighboring International Matex Tank Terminal.

New projects announced:

Polymer plant west of New Orleans plans expansion

Pinnacle Polymers plans to expand its polypropylene production capacity from 1.25 billion pounds per year to 1.3 billion pounds per year at its Garyville, Louisiana facility. Polypropylene produced at the Garyville Plant is sold for use in injection molding, fiber production, and extrusion.

Expansion planned at vinyl plant south of Baton Rouge

Westlake Vinyls plans to expand its facility in Geismar, Louisiana, south of Baton Rouge, by 2025. The expansion would involve increasing chloralkali capacity by 0.75 million pounds per day and vinyl chloride monomer capacity by 1.09 million pounds per day. These chemicals are used to make polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, a toxic resin linked to hormone disruption.

Oklahoma plant would use renewable energy to make hydrogen, ammonia

On May 5, 2023, CF Industries announced plans to build an electrolysis unit for hydrogen production at its Verdigris Plant in Claremore, Oklahoma. The electrolysis unit would be powered by renewable energy, and hydrogen produced could be used to make up to 100,000 metric tons of green ammonia each year.

Companies say they can reduce emissions at Texas chemical plant by 90%

On June 1, 2023, three companies announced plans to build an electric steam cracking furnace at LyondellBasell’s chemical complex in Channelview, Texas, just east of Houston. The technology was developed by Technip Energies; LyondellBasell and Chevron Phillips Chemical are partnering on the design, construction, and operation of the "demonstration" unit, which, according to the companies, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the steam cracking process by up to 90 percent.

New offshore LNG export terminal proposed south of New Orleans

On June 1, 2023, construction of a new offshore LNG export terminal was announced. The Grand Isle LNG Export Terminal would be located thirteen miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana, in Plaquemines Parish. It would be designed to export around 4.2 million metric tons of LNG per year and is expected to be completed in 2026.

Construction updates:

Company that had planned South Texas refinery picks Oklahoma instead

Prairie Energy Partners recently announced it will build its proposed crude oil refinery in Cushing, Oklahoma, between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The company was previously considering a site in Victoria County, Texas. The refinery would have the capacity to produce 91.25 million barrels per year of transportation fuels, including diesel and aviation fuel. Prairie Energy Partners plans to power the refinery using a mix of fossil fuels and renewable energy, deploying carbon capture and sequestration to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases.

Closure of Houston refinery delayed until 2025

On May 31, 2023, LyondellBasell announced it plans to delay the closure of its Houston Refinery until 2025. It had previously planned to shutter the refinery by the end of this year. The refinery will likely be converted to a hydrogen production facility, although other options are being considered.

Company scraps plans for LNG export terminal in Southwest Louisiana

G2 Net-Zero no longer intends to build the G2 LNG Terminal in Southwest Louisiana. The company applied to withdraw its export authorization in late March 2023 and will instead focus on developing a new energy complex, which will manufacture “blue” ammonia, electricity, and industrial gases while sequestering carbon dioxide.

Updates for the week of May 29, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Texas's Freeport LNG seeks modifications to wastewater discharge permit

On April 3, 2023, Freeport LNG applied for a modification to the wastewater discharge permit for the facility, located one hour south of Houston. The permit modification would remove certain wastewater testing parameters, including whole effluent testing requirements, and it would add a pH treatment system prior to discharge through one of the plant's outfalls. To submit comments on the proposed modification, please refer to the public notice.

Expansion planned at methanol plant in Beaumont, Texas

On May 9, 2023, Natgasoline, a joint venture between two companies based in Switzerland and the Netherlands, submitted an application to operate an additional methane reformer at its Beaumont Methanol Plant in Southeast Texas. This would potentially result in additional greenhouse gas emissions of over 37,000 metric tons per year, equivalent to about 7,000 homes' electricity use. To submit comments on the proposed modification, please refer to the public notice.

Draft permit issued for West Virginia gas processing plant

On May 24 2023, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft operating permit renewal for the Sherwood Gas Processing Plant in Doddridge County. Comments on the draft permit are being accepted until June 23, 2023. For more information about how to submit written comments, please refer to the public notice.

Permit applications submitted:

Ohio chemical plastics recycling facility seeks permit renewal

Alterra Energy LLC is in the process of renewing its construction and operating permit for the Akron Plastics Recycling Facility in Summit County, Ohio. The chemical recycling plant would be able to produce up to 20,000 metric tons of pyrolysis oil every year.

New projects announced:

Chemical plastics recycling planned in Longview, Texas

Eastman Chemical Corporation is planning to build a chemical plastics recycling facility at its existing chemical plant in Longview, Texas. The new plant, which is expected to come online by the end of 2026, would use a process called depolymerization to make “recycled” PET plastics, often used in clothing and food packaging. It would be Eastman’s second chemical recycling facility in the United States, after a similar project was completed in Kingsport, Tennessee last year.

Updates for the week of May 22, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Oil export terminal would draw water from Corpus Christi Bay in Texas

On February 28, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft water rights permit for the Enbridge Ingleside Energy Center that would allow the facility to divert up to 500 acre-feet, or 163 million gallons, of water from Corpus Christi Bay each year for industrial use. Public comments or requests for a hearing on the permit can be submitted here (permit number WRPERM 13775).

Comment period open on LNG export terminal expansion near Savannah, Georgia

On April 28, 2023, Elba Liquefaction Company and Southern LNG Company submitted an application for an authorization amendment for their proposed Elba Liquefaction Optimization Project, located about five miles east of Savannah, Georgia, along the border of Georgia and South Carolina. The amendment would increase liquefaction capacity at the Elba LNG Terminal by 400,000 metric tons per year. Public comment is open until May 31, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-375).

Nevada gas pipeline expansion open for public comment

On May 1, 2023, Great Basin Gas Transmission Company submitted an application for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit that would authorize the construction and operation of its proposed Great Basin 2024 Expansion Project. The proposed project would involve construction and replacement of gas pipelines in Storey, Lyon, and Douglas Counties in Nevada. Public comment is open until June 5, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP23-466).

Plaquemines LNG would fill additional 5 acres of Louisiana wetlands

On May 19, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an environmental assessment for a proposed amendment to the Plaquemines LNG Terminal that would increase the workforce, update the construction schedule, and add a new parking/laydown area. Construction of the laydown area would require permanent filling of 4.7 acres of wetlands. Public comment is open until June 20, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP17-66).

New projects announced:

Washington State plant would produce jet fuel from renewables and plants

On May 18, 2023, SkyNRG announced that it has chosen to locate its proposed sustainable aviation fuel plant in Washington state, though the precise location has not been announced yet. The plant would produce aviation fuel using hydrogen produced using renewable energy and “renewable natural gas,” or gas made from biomatter. It would have the capacity to make 30 million gallons of fuel per year.

Construction updates:

Energy Department to fund four carbon sequestration projects across the Gulf South

On May 19, 2023, the Department of Energy announced $242 million in funding for proposed carbon capture and sequestration projects across the country, including the Bluebonnet CCS Hub, Lone Star CCS Hub, Magnolia Sequestration Hub, and Longleaf CCS Hub. The funded projects would have a combined sequestration capacity of at least 35 million metric tons per year.

Updates for the week of May 15, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Virginia company tries to exempt LNG storage site from FERC rules

On May 1, 2023, the Virginia Electric and Power Company submitted a request that its proposed Brunswick-Greensville LNG Storage Facility not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This proposed facility would serve as a back-up natural gas supply for the Greensville County Power Station and the Brunswick County Power Station located in Southside Virginia. Virginia Electric and Power states that the LNG stored at the facility will not enter interstate commerce and so should not be subject to the Natural Gas Act. Public comment is open until June 2, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-468).

Approval sought to add compressors to Alabama, Georgia pipelines

On April 19, 2023, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to proceed with the proposed Alabama Georgia Connector Project, which would add and upgrade compressor units in Alabama and Georgia to add more gas to existing pipelines. Public comment is open until May 24, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-194).

Construction updates:

Energy Department awards $8.4 million for Louisiana carbon sequestration project

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in May 2023 that it has awarded the proposed Louisiana Offshore CO2 Hub $8,441,877 in funding. The proposed hub would have the capacity to sequester up to 300 million tons of carbon dioxide, mostly in re-purposed offshore wells near Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Shell reaches financial milestone on Louisiana catalyst plant

On May 15, 2023, Shell Catalysts and Technologies announced that it has reached a final investment decision on a proposed expansion of its Port Allen Catalyst Plant and Refinery in Louisiana. The plant produces catalysts used to remove sulfur and nitrogen from fuel products, allowing the fuel to meet road specifications. The proposed expansion, which began construction earlier this year, would increase catalyst manufacturing capacity by 15,000 tons per year.

Updates for the week of May 8, 2023

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Public comment opportunities:

Public comment open on gas pipeline through NY, PA, NJ

On April 27, 2023, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC requested an extension that would delay the deadline to put its Northeast Supply Enhancement Project into service until May 3, 2025. This would be the project’s second two-year extension. The project involves the construction of 37 miles of new pipeline and impacts to infrastructure in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Public comment is open until May 19, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP17-101).

Environmental assessment released for Port Arthur LNG terminal in Texas

On April 28, 2023, the Federal Environmental Regulatory Commission issued a supplemental environmental assessment for a proposed expansion at the Port Arthur LNG export terminal which would increase the terminal’s export capacity by 13.46 million metric tons per year. Public comment is open until May 30, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP20-55).

Houston-area hydrogen, carbon monoxide plant open for comment

On May 1, 2023, Air Products’ Harris County CO and H2 Manufacturing Facility, near Houston, received a draft wastewater discharge permit. The plant would convert natural gas into carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The modified permit would increase the facility’s maximum daily average flow volume to 1 million gallons per day. Public comments can be submitted here (permit number TX0004944) until May 31, 2023.

Louisiana seeks primary responsibility for carbon sequestration wells

The Environmental Protection Agency is currently accepting public comments on Louisiana’s request for primary responsibility of Class VI wells. Class VI wells are wells into which carbon dioxide can be injected and stored, an activity that is becoming more common as more carbon capture and sequestration projects are proposed. Currently, the EPA writes and enforces regulations on Class VI wells, but this action would transfer that responsibility to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. Comments on the proposal can be submitted here until July 3, 2023. EPA will hold an in-person public hearing on June 15, 2023, in Baton Rouge. For more information and to sign up for the hearing, please see the public notice.

New projects announced:

Hawaii refinery to partially convert to renewable diesel

In late April, Par Pacific Holdings announced that it plans to convert portions of its existing Kapolei Refinery in Oahu, Hawaii, into a renewable diesel refinery that processes vegetable oil. The new project – which could be completed by 2025 – would produce 61 million gallons per year of renewable diesel, aviation fuel, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas.

Carbon sequestration planned in Barnett Shale of North Texas

BKV Corporation and EnLink Midstream are developing a joint carbon capture and sequestration project in the Barnett Shale region of North Texas. When natural gas is extracted from shale formations deep underground, it contains trace amounts of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide would be extracted at EnLink’s gas processing plant in Bridgeport, Texas, and injected into nearby sequestration wells owned by BKV.

Updates for the week of May 1, 2023
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Permit applications submitted:

Renewable diesel plant planned in Clinton, Iowa

On April 18, 2023, HOBO Renewable Diesel submitted an application to build a diesel production facility in Clinton, Iowa, three hours west of Chicago. The plant would produce 120 million gallons of diesel per year using agricultural feedstock and has the potential to emit nearly 500,000 tons of greenhouse gases each year. This is equivalent to the emissions from burning 44 million gallons of diesel, or more than one third of the diesel that will be produced by this facility.

New projects announced:

Proposed Kansas plant would produce plastic resin from corn

Citroniq Chemicals and Lummus Technology are planning to build a plant at an as-yet-undisclosed location in Kansas that would produce polypropylene, a plastic resin, from corn. The plant would produce 3.5 billion pounds per year. The companies claims the plant will sequester 1.2 million tons carbon dioxide annually, but they are basing that figure on the carbon dioxide taken up by growing the corn that will be used to produce polypropylene pellets.

Construction updates:

Expanded Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, begins operations

After delays, a new coker and sulfur recovery unit at Valero’s Port Arthur Refinery in Southeast Texas began operations on April 5, 2023. The new equipment increases the crude oil capacity and throughput of the refinery from 415,000 barrels per day to 430,000 barrels per day.

Updates for the week of April 27, 2023

Public comment opportunities

On April 15, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft permit for the MarkWest Bluestone Gas Processing Plant that would allow MarkWest to build a new vapor combustion unit at the facility, located in Evans City, just north of Pittsburgh. Public comment on the proposal is open until May 15, 2023, and can be submitted to egustafson@pa.gov.

The public comment period is currently open on an application to build a new chemical recycling plant in McDonough, Georgia, southeast of Atlanta. The plant would process plastic waste using a process called pyrolysis, where plastics are melted, vaporized, and turned into liquid that can be used to make more plastics. Comments on the proposed project can be submitted to epdcomments@dnr.ga.gov until May 19, 2023.

Permit applications submitted

On April 17, 2023, Shintech submitted applications to build a fourth vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plant and a second ethylene cracker at its facility in Plaquemine, Louisiana, along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge. The projects would increase ethylene production by 1.6 billion pounds per year and production of VCM – the same hazardous chemical responsible for the chemical fire in East Palestine, Ohio – by 3.8 billion pounds per year. The proposed plants would have the potential to emit almost 1.8 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, roughly half the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as a new coal-fired power plant. In addition, Shintech applied to modify its SPP-3 plant, which also produces VCM, by adding equipment that would support the new plants.

New projects announced

Chemours Company and TC Energy recently announced that they plan to collaborate on two hydrogen production plants in West Virginia, one in Washington and one in Belle, which would be located at or near existing Chemours facilities. The hydrogen plants would use electrolysis to produce hydrogen without fossil fuels and would be part of the proposed Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), along with a recently proposed ammonia plant in Gilbert Creek, West Virginia, near the Kentucky/Virginia border.

Construction updates‍

On April 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) denied Lake Charles LNG’s request for a three-year extension to export LNG to any country with which the U.S. has not entered into a free trade agreement. The DOE also issued a new policy, stating that it will no longer consider applications for extensions unless an applicant can show it has physically begun construction and that it faced extenuating circumstances beyond its control to meeting the deadline.

On April 20, 2023, the company developing the Texas LNG terminal in Cameron, Texas, applied for a second extension to begin construction on the 4.5 million metric ton per year export terminal. If approved, the deadline to start building will be pushed back to Nov. 12, 2024.
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Updates for the week of April 17, 2023‍

Public comment opportunities

On March 10, 2023, Gulfstream LNG in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, south of New Orleans, submitted an application to export up to 237.5 billion cubic feet per year of natural gas. Public comment on the application is open until June 13, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket 23-24-LNG).

On April 11, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental impact statement for the Virginia Reliability Project, which would involve replacing nearly 50 miles of pipeline in Virginia, among other modifications. Public comment is open until June 5, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-503).

New projects announced

Adams Fork Energy recently announced that it plans to build a blue ammonia production facility in southern West Virginia. The facility would produce 2.16 million metric tons of ammonia per year to be used as fuel, making it one of the largest ammonia production facilities in the world. Adams Fork plans to capture and sequester associated carbon dioxide emissions, although few details about the sequestration capacity are available. The project would serve as the anchor of a proposed clean hydrogen hub in the region.

Updates for the week of April 10, 2023‍

‍Public comment opportunities

‍On April 7, 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announced that it will hold a public hearing about a proposed expansion at Valero’s Corpus Christi West Refinery in Nueces County, Texas. The project would increase greenhouse gas emissions at the refinery by over 1.1 million tons per year and increase emissions of other harmful air pollutants by over 1,500 tons per year. The virtual hearing will take place on May 22, 2023, at 10 a.m. More information is available here.

Permit applications submitted

On March 30, 2023, Linde submitted an application for its proposed hydrogen production facility in Nederland, Texas, part of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area near the Louisiana state line. The facility would produce 300,000 tons of hydrogen per year for use at the OCI Beaumont Clean Ammonia Complex. Linde has stated that it plans to capture and sequester over two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which it says would offset the facility’s potential greenhouse gas emissions of 2.97 million tons per year. Without carbon sequestration, the facility’s greenhouse gas emissions would be the equivalent of adding 660,000 cars to the road.

On March 30, 2023, Cheniere Energy submitted an application for a permit modification that, if approved, would authorize design changes to the Stage III Expansion Project currently under construction at the Corpus Christi LNG Terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The new permit would also authorize construction of two additional liquefaction units, Trains 8 and 9, which together would be capable of producing 3.28 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year.

Construction updates

On March 28, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued final air construction permits for the Commonwealth LNG Terminal, in Southwest Louisiana. The terminal would have the capacity to produce 9.5 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas and emit over 3.5 million tons of greenhouse gases every year, roughly the equivalent of adding 147,000 gas-powered vehicles to the roads. Commonwealth must start building the terminal by September 28, 2024.

Updates for the week of April 3, 2023

‍Public comment opportunities

On March 31, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released an Environmental Assessment for the Trailblazer Conversion Project, which would include the construction of 41 miles of pipeline in Colorado and Nebraska. Public comment is open until May 1, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-468).

New projects announced

ExxonMobil is considering building a chemical recycling plant at its Baton Rouge Refinery. The plant would convert used plastic products into oil, gas, and char (a high-carbon product that can be used for fuel or soil enrichment) using pyrolysis, where the plastics would be heated to high temperatures to force them to break down. The proposal is part of Exxon’s stated goal to build 1 billion pounds of plastic recycling capacity by 2026.

Construction updates

On March 20, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit to authorize increasing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate production at BASF’s Geismar Chemical Complex from 300,000 to 600,000 metric tons per year.  Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) is a chemical used to manufacture products like home insulation. The project would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 18,969 tons per year, or roughly the equivalent of adding 147,000 gas-powered vehicles to the roads and must begin construction by September 2024.

Updates for the week of March 27, 2023

‍Public comment opportunities

On March 24, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released an environmental assessment for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company's Southeast Energy Connector Project. The project involves expanding a compressor station and building 1.9 miles of new pipeline in Chilton and Coosa Counties in central Alabama, between Birmingham and Montgomery. Public comment is open until April 24, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-501).

Permit applications submitted

On March 17, 2023, Venture Global submitted an application to renew and modify the construction and operating permits for the Calcasieu Pass LNG Terminal in Southwest Louisiana. The modified permits would authorize an increase in air emissions, including up to 680,388 tons per year of greenhouse gases, or roughly the equivalent of adding 147,000 gas-powered vehicles to the roads.

New projects announced

Texas Green Fuels recently announced plans to construct a hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol production complex in Galveston Bay, Texas, near Houston. According to the company, the Galveston Bay Clean Fuels Export Complex would be powered entirely by renewable energy and use water to produce “green” hydrogen from electrolysis, which would be exported to overseas markets. Construction of the new facility is expected to begin in 2025, with completion expected in 2028.

DG Fuels announced two proposed sustainable aviation fuel production facilities, one in St. James Parish, Louisiana, and one in Aroostook County, Maine. The facilities would each produce around 175 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually using renewable energy to process biomass waste from the timber and agriculture industries. The projects would begin operations in 2026 and 2027, respectively, if they proceed.

Freepoint Ecosystems Holdings plans to build a plastic recycling plant on the Gulf Coast which would have the capacity to process 192,000 tons of waste plastic per day once completed. The plant would use pyrolysis to convert waste plastic into oil, which would then be sold to Shell for refining. An exact location for the plant has not yet been announced.

Construction updates

On March 20, 2023, Sempra Infrastructure Partners announced it had reached a final investment decision for phase one of its proposed Port Arthur LNG Export Terminal. Phase one of the project involves construction of two 6.75-million-ton-per-year liquefaction units. The second proposed phase, for which Sempra has not yet finalized an investment decision, would involve construction of two additional liquefaction units which would increase terminal capacity to 27 million tons of LNG per year. Phase one has already received Texas air quality permits and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval. The first unit is expected to begin operating in 2027.

Updates for the week of March 20, 2023‍

Permit applications submitted

On Jan. 27, 2023, Motiva submitted an application for a second extension for a project at its Port Arthur Refinery that would allow the refinery to process more light and heavy crude oil and produce more high-value hydrocarbon products. Motiva is a wholly owned affiliate of Saudi Aramco, which has owned the more than 120-year-old refinery in Southeast Texas since taking over Shell's portion of a joint venture between the two oil giants in 2017. The most recent project was initially permitted in February 2020 and would add 150,000 barrels per day of processing capacity of heavy naphtha, an oil byproduct. Once complete, it would add more than 4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, more than the average coal-fired power plant. 

On Feb. 6, 2023, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures applied for an updated wastewater discharge permit for its petrochemical complex in Gregory, Texas, north of Corpus Christi. The complex discharges its wastewater to to Corpus Christi Bay, Copano Bay, Mission Bay, and Port Bay.

New projects announced

‍Myplas, a South African plastics recycling company, plans to build its first U.S. plant in Rogers, Minnesota. The plant would process 90 million pounds of polyethylene film per year once fully operational, converting the used plastic into food and non-food-grade resins.

On March 13, 2023, LyondellBasell announced plans to convert its Houston Refinery into a hydrogen plant. The company intends to close the refinery by the end of 2023 but has not yet solidified plans for the facility’s future. The site is already connected via pipeline to LyondellBasell’s Channelview ethylene cracker facilities, making it a likely site for continued industrial use.

Updates for the week of March 13, 2023

On March 13, 2023, Venture Global announced it had reached a major financial milestone to fully finance construction of the second phase of the Plaquemines LNG export terminal, located in Plaquemines Parish south of New Orleans. The company claims the $21 billion in financing from 23 international banks represents the “largest project financing ever done.” The announcement accompanied a notice to construction firms KBR and Zachry to proceed on work the second phase of construction for the facility.
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At the beginning of March 2023, PureCycle Technologies indicated it is at risk of defaulting on $250 million of revenue bonds after missing a Dec. 1, 2022, construction deadline for its plastic recycling facility in Ironton, Ohio. Ironton is located on the east bank of the Ohio River, which in this area forms the state border with Kentucky.

On March 3, 2023, American Plant Food submitted an application for a state air pollution permit for its proposed fertilizer plant in Waggaman, Louisiana, on the west bank of the Mississippi River upriver of New Orleans. The fertilizer plant would be located adjacent to the Cornerstone Chemical Facility there.

On March 8, 2023, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued an updated draft permit for the addition of a second production line at the NexusCircular plastic production plant in Atlanta. Public comment is open until April 7, 2023 and can be sent to epdcomments@dnr.ga.gov.

Updates for the week of March 6, 2023

Last year, Shell (doing business as Equilon Enterprises) submitted air and coastal use permit applications to move forward with the proposed conversion of its Convent Refinery in Ascension and St. James parishes, part of the Louisiana Chemical Corridor along the Mississippi River. The facility would be capable of processing 6,000 tons of feedstock per day (primarily ethanol made from sugarcane) into aviation and diesel fuel. Though the refinery would produce plant-based fuels, it would still emit thousands of pounds per year of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, fine particles, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. The facility's pending coastal use permit, required in Louisiana's coastal zone, involves plans to build a 369-acre rail spur and loading facility, along with a heavy haul bridge over the Mississippi.
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Companies focused on capturing greenhouse gases and storing them underground have proposed two new projects recently: the Gulf Coast Sequestration Hub in southwest Louisiana and the Bluebonnet CCS Hub in Chambers, Liberty, and Jefferson Counties in Texas. The hubs would receive carbon dioxide from refineries and chemical facilities along the Gulf Coast and store it in geological formations deep underground. The Gulf Coast hub would have the capacity to sequester 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, and the Bluebonnet hub would have a total storage capacity of 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Enbridge recently announced plans to build the Enbridge Houston Oil Terminal near Freeport, Texas, south of Houston. If it proceeds, the terminal would export crude oil through ports in Freeport and Texas City and eventually through the Sea Port Oil Terminal, located approximately 35 miles off of the Texas coast.

On Jan. 23, 2023, Power LNG applied to export liquefied natural gas from a planned terminal on Galveston Island, Texas. The terminal would be located on Harborside Drive, less than a mile from neighborhoods and commercial areas. The terminal would have have the capacity to export the equivalent of more than 7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year.

On Feb. 24, 2023, EnergyTransfer applied to modify the design of the proposed Lake Charles LNG Export Terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. If approved,  modified permit would extend the deadline by which the company must begin construction on this massive export facility, which was first authorized in May 2015. EnergyTransfer has not commenced construction on the plant for nearly 8 years, far longer than the 18 months allowed under the federal Clean Air Act.

On Feb. 23, 2023, Gulfstream LNG Development announced plans to build a new liquefied natural gas export terminal within the Plaquemines Port, Harbor & Terminal District in Louisiana, just south of New Orleans. The Gulfstream LNG Terminal would be capable of exporting up to 4 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas every year and is being proposed by the same developers behind the Texas LNG project in South Texas. 

Updates for the week of Feb. 27, 2023

Viking Gas Transmission Company on Jan. 30, 2023, submitted a request to add a compressor unit at its Angus Compressor Station in Angus, Minnesota, near the city of Grand Forks and the North Dakota state line. The additional compressor would add 30 million cubic feet per day of capacity to the Viking pipeline, which moves natural gas from the TransCanada Pipeline in Minnesota to Wisconsin. Public comment is open until April 10, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP23-41).

On Feb. 20, 2023, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft permit for the addition of polyfluoroalkyl manufacturing capability at the Chemours Washington Works Plant in Wood County, West Virginia, near the Ohio state line. Part of a family of chemicals known as PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl are used in a wide variety of products, such as anti-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, and fire-fighting foam. They have also been linked to a variety of health and environmental problems. Public comment on the proposed permit is open until March 16 and can be submitted to Jonathan.W.Carney@wv.gov.

On Feb. 22, 2023, Cheniere Energy asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to start the permitting process for the proposed Stage 5 Expansion Project at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The Stage 5 Expansion would consist of three new liquefaction units, each capable of processing 6.5 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas every year. If approved, the project could increase the terminal’s total production capacity to more than 54 million metric tons per year.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on Feb. 23, 2023, announced plans to build a new blue ammonia facility along the Texas or Louisiana Gulf Coast. The facility would produce almost 3 million metric tons of ammonia each year and could be completed by 2027.

In late February 2023, ProPublica unearthed information that a proposed "biofuels" project at the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery on the Mississippi Gulf Coast may result in emissions so toxic that one in four people exposed to it are at risk of developing cancer. The fuel would be produced by incinerating plastic waste, and the project has been approved by the EPA, although it has not yet applied for Mississippi air permits.

The city council of Greeley, Colorado, southeast of Fort Collins, announced in late February 2023 that it would consider a $1.3 million incentive agreement with a currently undisclosed company that has proposed the construction of a plastic sorting and pyrolysis facility in Greeley. The facility would convert plastic waste from vehicles and household products into base chemicals that could be used to produce new plastic. The date of the hearing has not yet been announced. 

Updates for the week of Feb. 27, 2023

On Feb. 14, 2023, Enlink Midstream announced plans to restart its Gulf Coast Fractionator in 2024. The facility is an oil refinery and fractionation facility that separates natural gas into various products. Located in Mont Belvieu, Texas, just east of Houston, has a 145,000-barrel-per-day capacity and was idled in January 2021 to cut costs.

In early February, Circularix announced the first of five planned recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) production facilities had begun operation. The material is often used in water bottles, packaging, clothing, and manufacturing. The first of these facilities is in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, a small, mostly residential borough north of Philadelphia. It has the capacity to produce 55 million pounds of rPET annually. Other plants have been proposed in Ocala, Florida, and in Texas, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest.

On Feb. 13, 2023, Linde Inc, Mitsubishi, and RWE announced a plan to build an ammonia production facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. The facility would have an overall production capacity of 10 million tons of ammonia per year and would would make both ammonia the company labels both blue "blue" (from natural gas) and "green" (involving carbon capture and sequestration). The plant would come online in 2030.

On Feb. 21, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved an application to restart Freeport LNG's liquefied natural gas export terminal in Quintana, on the Texas Gulf Coast. The plant ceased operations in June 2022 after a fire.

On Feb. 14, 2023, EnLink Midstream announced plans to expand the Tiger Gas Plant in Culberson County, Texas, just south of the New Mexico state line. The expansion, called Tiger II, would be built as part of the existing Tiger Gas plant instead of in North Texas, as previously planned. The expansion would increase the facility’s processing capacity to 390 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Updates for the week of Feb. 20, 2023

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing on the proposed addition of a new cogeneration boiler at the Dyno Nobel Ammonia Facility in Waggaman, Louisiana, on the west bank of the Mississippi River near New Orleans. The hearing will be on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Waggaman Playground Gymnasium, 516 Dandelion Street, Waggaman, LA 70094.

On Jan. 19, 2023, Nexus Circular Fuels submitted an application to a new plastic recycling plant in McDonough, Georgia, southeast of Atlanta. The plant would use pyrolysis to convert used plastic into new petroleum products. Public comment on the permit application can be submitted to epdcomments@dnr.ga.gov until Feb. 24.

On Feb. 10, 2023, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an environmental assessment for the proposed Appalachia to Market II Project, which would include construction of two miles of pipeline in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, a rural county northeast of Harrisburg. Public comment is open until March 13, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-486).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is currently accepting scoping comments for the proposed Saguaro Connector Pipeline Project, which would allow the transport of natural gas to Mexico from Hudspeth County, Texas, a sparsely populated county east of El Paso. Public comment is open until March 6, 2023, and can be submitted here (docket CP23-29).

On Feb. 3, 2023, the U.S. Forest Service Extended the comment period for the draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The controversial project would consist of approximately 303 miles of new natural gas pipelines that would cross three states (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia), four new compressor stations, 12 new meter and regulation stations, and supporting infrastructure. The comment period now ends on Feb 21,2023 and comments can be submitted here (docket CP16-10).

Updates for the week of Feb. 6, 2023

On Jan. 31, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for the construction of a second boiler at the LACC/LOTTE Chemical Plant in Westlake, Louisiana, near Lake Charles. The ethane cracker facility converts natural gas into the building blocks of other industrial chemicals. Public comment on the draft permit is open until March 7, 2023, and can be submitted here.  

On Feb. 2, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issues a issued a draft permit for the removal of some liquefaction equipment and construction of new, electric-powered liquefaction equipment at the Cameron LNG Terminal on the southwestern Louisiana coast. Public comment on the draft permit is open until March 6, 2023 and can be submitted here.  

On Feb. 3, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental impact statement for the Cumberland Project, a proposed 32-mile natural gas pipeline in north-central Tennessee. Public comment is open until March 3, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-493). 

On Feb. 2, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission began a scoping period and said it would prepare an environmental assessment for a proposed amendment to Plaquemines LNG’s construction plans. The amendment would allow construction to occur 24/7 and increase the associated workforce. Public comments are being accepted until March 6, 2023, and can be submitted here (dockets number CP17-66-001 and CP17-67-001).

Updates for the week of Jan. 30, 2023

On Nov. 22, 2022, Chevron Phillips Chemicals submitted an application for a modification to its existing pollutant discharge permit for its Sweeny Old Ocean Facilities, a chemical plant located an hour's drive southwest of Houston. The modification would allow the addition of contaminated stormwater to two existing outfalls which flow into an unnamed tributary stream and the tidal sections of the Brazos River.

Targa Resources on Dec. 14, 2022, applied to increase the volume of natural gas flowing through its Roadrunner Gas Processing Plant near in southeastern New Mexico, close to the Texas border. These modifications would result in an increased greenhouse gas potential-to-emit of 129,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. Public comments are currently open and can be submitted to joseph.kimbrell@env.nm.gov until Feb. 8, 2023.

On Dec. 28, 2022, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation issued draft state facility permit modifications for the addition of 12,000 horsepower to the Athens Compressor Station in Athens, New York and the Dover Compressor Station in Dover, New York. The expansions would add capacity to the Iroquois Gas Transmission Pipeline. Public comment on the draft permits are open until Feb. 7, 2023.

Updates for the week of Jan. 23, 2023

On Dec. 20, 2022, Chevron Phillips Chemical applied to increase ethylene production at its Port Arthur facility in southeast Texas. This expansion would result in an increased greenhouse gas potential-to-emit of 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, along with emissions limit increases. Public comments are currently open and can be submitted here until Feb. 11, 2023 (permit number 21101, docket number 2022-0735-AIR-E).

New Generation Gas Gathering LLC on Jan. 12, 2023, applied to build a new natural gas processing and compression facility in Ragley, Louisiana, north of Lake Charles. It would have the capacity to process 2.2 million cubic feet of gas per day. Requests for more information can be submitted to deq.publicnotices@la.gov, although the official public comment period is not yet open.

On Jan. 13, 2023, Enable Midstream applied to build a new natural gas processing plant in Pelican, Louisiana, an unincorporated community an hour south of Shreveport. The proposed plant would have the capacity to process 300,000 cubic feet of gas per day. Requests for more information can be submitted to deq.publicnotices@la.gov, although the official public comment period is not yet open.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Jan. 19, 2023, issued a draft environmental impact statement for Venture Global’s CP2 LNG Terminal and CP Express Pipeline along the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Southwest Louisiana. Public comment is open until March 13, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-21).

Updates for the week of Jan. 16, 2023

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is accepting public comments on the proposed Saguaro Connector Pipeline. The 48-inch diameter pipeline would extend from the from the U.S.-Mexico border in West Texas to approximately 1,000 feet inland from the Rio Grande, where it will connect to a 155-mile pipeline originating from the Waha Hub in Pecos County, Texas. Public comment is open until Jan. 26, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP23-29).

On Jan. 6, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an environmental assessment for Venture Global Plaquemines LNG’s proposal to increase the liquefaction capacity at its LNG terminal in Port Sulphur, Louisiana from 1.2 trillion cubic feet per year to 1.4 trillion cubic feet per year . Public comment is open until Feb. 6, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-92).

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality on Jan. 10, 2023, issued a draft permit for the construction an operation of a new cogeneration boiler at Dyno Nobel’s ammonia production facility in Waggaman, Louisiana. Public comment is open until Feb. 14, 2023 and can be submitted here.

On Jan. 10, 2023, the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality issued an initial draft of a federal air quality permit for a renewable diesel production project at the former Dickinson Refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota. Public comment is open until Feb. 17, 2023 and can be submitted via email to AirQuality@nd.gov.

Updates for the week of Jan. 9, 2023

On Jan. 5, 2023, Shell submitted an application to build a new linear alpha olefins plant at its Geismar Chemical Plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The parish is part of the heavy concentration of chemical industries along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Linear alpha olefins are used to make polyethylene, synthetic lubricants, detergents, and waxes.

In early January 2023, the California Resources Corporation, Carbon TerraVault Holdings, and Grannus LLC announced plans to build the first blue ammonia and hydrogen facility in Northern California. Grannus is also planning to build a new blue ammonia plant and offshore marine export terminal in Port MacKenzie, Alaska, not far from Anchorage.

WBI Energy Transmission is seeking authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build a new 15-mile pipeline in Dunn County, North Dakota. The Grasslands South ExpansionProject would carry gas from the Bear Creek Gas Plant to anew interconnect in Sheridan County, Wyoming. Public comments are being accepted until Feb. 28, 2023.

Updates for the week of Jan. 9, 2023

On Dec. 9, 2022, Double E Pipeline submitted a request to build and operate its Red Hill Lateral Project, a 20 mile natural gas pipeline stretching from Poker Lake Meter Station in Eddy County, New Mexico, to the proposed Red Hills Meter Station in Lea County, New Mexico. These two adjacent counties in the southeast corner of New Mexico are part of the Permian Basin, a major oil and gas extraction area. Public comment is open until Feb. 17, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP23-24).

PCS Nitrogen Ohio on Dec. 15, 2022, submitted an application to expand the production of urea, a key component in nitrogen fertilizer, production from 1,900 to 2,800 tons per day at its plant in Lima, a city of 35,000 in northeast Ohio. Comments on the application can be submitted to HClerk@epa.ohio.gov before Jan. 29^th, 2023.

On Dec. 28, 2022, pipeline company ONEOK submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build and operate the Saguaro Connector Pipeline Project, located in sparsely populated Hudspeth County, Texas, east of El Paso. The pipeline would allow the export to Mexico of more than 2.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Crescent Midstream announced on Dec. 28, 2022, that it has joined a group of companies proposing a carbon capture and sequestration hub offshore of Grand Isle, Louisiana, a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico located 20 miles south of New Orleans. Crescent plans to use existing right-of-ways to construct a 110-mile carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline to Grand Isle from Geismar, along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. From there, the CO2 would be transported offshore and sequestered underground.

Louisiana Energy Gateway applied on Dec. 16, 2022, to build two new compressor stations southwest of Shreveport, Louisiana: the Jupiter Compressor and the Texana Compressor. They would be located next to each other and each would emit over 99,000 tons of greenhouse gases and over 110 tons of criteria pollutants each year.

On Dec. 28, 2022, Valero applied to expand its oil refinery in St. Charles, Louisiana, with the construction of a new boiler. The expansion would increase greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 215,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide.

Updates for the week of Dec. 19, 2022

In early December 2022, Low Carbon America Corp announced plans to develop a hydrogen plant in Polk County, Florida, east of Tampa. The company would produce hydrogen using natural gas and capture the subsequent carbon emissions. The hydrogen would be sold as fuel across the U.S. and the captured carbon would be used to produce calcium carbonate and sodium carbonate for building materials.

On Dec. 16, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Energy Transfer LP’s request to place its Gulf Run Natural Gas Pipeline into service The pipeline runs 134 miles through western Louisiana and adds 1.65 billion cubic feet per day of transportation capacity.

On Dec. 16, 2022, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued its final environmental impact statement for Columbia Gas Transmission’s Virginia Electrification Project (CP21-498). The project involves modifications at three existing compressor stations in Louisa, Goochland, and Prince George counties.

Updates for the week of Dec. 12, 2022

On Nov. 23, 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued notice that they plan to authorize the construction of a second cryogenic gas processing plant at the MarkWest Harmon Creek facility in Bulger, Pennsylvania. The new plant would have the capacity to process 260 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day. To oppose this issuance, file a written protest before Dec. 23, 2022, with ldickson@pa.gov, including your name, address, and telephone number, identifying the proposed Plan Approval (PA-63-01011). Include a concise statement of the objections to the plan approval issuance and the relevant facts upon which the objections are based.

‍On Nov. 29, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice that RH energytrans has submitted a an extension request for the deadline to complete construction of its Risberg Line Project. The project involves construction of new pipeline and compressors in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Public comment is open until Dec. 14, 2022 and can be submitted here (docket CP18-6).

AES and Air Products on Dec. 8, 2022, announced plans to construct a green hydrogen plant in Wilbarger County, Texas. This is the companies' second proposed green hydrogen plant in Texas – the first would be located in Nolan County. The plant would have the capacity to produce 200 metric tons per day of hydrogen using renewable energy, including wind and solar generating capacity built as part of the project.

The South Korea-based company LowCarbon America Corporation on Dec. 8, 2022, announced plans to develop a blue hydrogen plant in Polk County, Florida. The hydrogen produced at the facility would be transported using high-pressure hydrogen trailers and sold to fueling stations across the U.S. The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

Updates for the week of Dec. 5, 2022

LACC LLC applied on Nov. 22, 2022, to expand ethylene cracking capacity by 50 percent at their ethylene cracker and monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant in Westlake, a city near Lake Charles in southwestern Louisiana. MEG is a liquid ingredient in synthetic fibers, films, and other products. The expansion would increase ethylene production from 1 to 1.5 million metric tons per year. The facility’s industrial wastewater discharge permit is also up for renewal and, if approved, would allow it to discharge 1.749 million gallons per day of process wastewater into the Calcasieu River Ship Channel and Bayou D'Inde.

Six proposed chemical recycling projects were added to Oil and Gas Watch last week. These include Avangard Innovative’s announcement that it would use Honeywell’s Upcycle technology at a proposed  plant in Waller, Texas and Clean-Seas LLC’s proposed plastics recycling plant in Templeton, Massachusetts. Both facilities would use pyrolysis to convert used plastics into fuel that could be used to make more plastic products.

On Nov. 23, 2022, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a draft permit for Ethox’s proposed alkoxylation plant in Pasadena, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Alkoxylation is a specialized process used to manufacture surfactants, chemicals that reduce the surface tension of liquids. Public comment is open until Dec. 23, 2022 and can be submitted here (permit number 169664).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an environmental assessment for Cameron LNG’s proposed expansion project in Hackberry, Louisiana on Dec. 2, 2022. Public comment is open until Jan. 3, 2023 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-41).‍

On Nov. 14, 2022, ANR Pipeline Company LLC filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build the Wisconsin Reliability Project, a proposed natural gas pipeline expansion in Wisconsin and Illinois. The expansion involves replacing replacing 48 miles of existing pipeline at three locations in Wisconsin and Illinois with approximately 51 miles of larger diameter pipeline, modifying two compressor stations in Wisconsin, and modifying, installing, and/or removing related aboveground facilities in Wisconsin and Illinois. This project will increase pipeline capacity by 144 million cubic feet per day. Comments on the application can be submitted here until Dec. 19,2022 (docket number CP23-15).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released a notice that it is preparing an environmental assessment for the proposed carbon capture and sequestration system at Rio Grande LNG’s Brownsville Terminal. The assessment will be released on May 5, 2023 under docket number CP22-17.

Updates for the week of Nov. 28, 2022

As of Nov. 15, 2022, the coastal use permit for Venture Global’s CP2LNG Terminal is available for comment, according to the the Louisiana Office of Coastal Management. The permit would allow construction of the proposed LNG terminal in Monkey Island, Louisiana, which would potentially affect 357.8 acres of uplands, water bottoms, and wetlands. Relevant documents can be viewed here, and public comments are being accepted until Dec. 10, 2022.

On Nov. 16, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Texas to Louisiana Energy Pathway Project proposed by Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company. The project would increase compression capacity in Louisiana and Texas. Public comment is open until Dec. 16, 2022 and can be submitted here (docket CP22-495).

On Nov. 16, 2022, Iron Horse Midstream announced its intention to construct a new natural gas cryogenic processing plant capable of handling 200 million cubic feet per day at the Iron Horse Gas Plant in Grady County, Oklahoma. The new processing plant is expected to be operational by late 2023 and will bring the facility’s total processing capacity to 425 million cubic feed per day.

The Louisiana coastal use permit for Commonweath LNG export terminal is open for public comment as of Nov. 22, 2022. The permit would allow construction of the proposed LNG terminal in Cameron, Louisiana, which would potentially affect 897 acres of uplands, water bottoms, and wetlands. Relevant documents can be viewed here and public comments are being accepted until Dec. 17, 2022.‍

Updates for the week of Nov. 21, 2022

On Nov. 2, 2022, Koch Methanol St. James applied for a permit modification to increase production from 4,950 to 6,200 metric tons per day of methanol at its methanol plant in St. James Parish, Louisiana. The associated increase in greenhouse gas emissions would be more than 400,000 tons per year. The modification would also consolidate previously issued permits for the facility.

A subsidiary of Energy Transfer on Nov. 7, 2022, published notice of an open comment period on its permit application to construct a new ethylene cracker in Nederland, Texas. Ethylene crackers are the first step of a process that turns components of natural gas into plastics. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is accepting comments here until Dec. 8, 2022 (permit number 170854).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Nov. 10, 2022, issued a notice of scoping period for an expansion of the Corpus Christi LNG import-export terminal in Gregory, Texas. The additional LNG manufacturing trains would would each be capable of processing 1.64 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year. Public comment is open until Dec. 12, 2022 and can be submitted here (docket PF22-10).

On Nov. 11, 2022, Stamicarbon announced it had signed an agreement for a feasibility study with Keystate Natural Gas Synthesis to become its urea and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) technology licensor. Keystate has proposed a natural gas synthesis plant in West Keating Township, Pennsylvania which would use gas to produce hydrogen, ammonia, and urea. The agreement with Stamicarbon is an indication that the project is moving forward.

Updates for the week of Nov. 14, 2022

On Nov. 11, 2022, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's administration announced its support for a hydrogen hub proposed by Shell and Equinor. The hub would be eligible for up to $2 billion in federal funding through the infrastructure act passed last year. Details on the facility are sparse, but the hydrogen produced would likely be used to power industrial processes like fuel production. The exact location of the proposed facility has not yet been announced, nor has the project been funded yet.

On Nov. 8, 2022, TopChem submitted a request to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to rescind its federal Clean Air Act Title V and construction permits for its proposed ammonia plant in Pollock, Louisiana. TopChem had applied for permit extensions in May that would have required construction to begin by the end of 2022, but construction had not yet begun. TopChem has not yet indicated whether it plans to re-submit permit applications.

On Nov. 2, 2022, Dyno Nobel submitted supplemental information related to a proposed federal Clean Air Act permit modification (PSD-LA-768 (M7)) at its ammonia production facility in Waggaman, Louisiana. The supplemental information claims that emissions of nitrogen oxides, smog-forming pollutants that irritate the lungs, are low enough for a boiler at the facility that it doesn't trigger a more stringent air quality review. The permit modification, initially submitted June 13, is still pending.

On Nov. 4, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental assessment for the proposed Des Moines A-Line Capacity Replacement Project in Iowa, which would include the construction of nine new miles of pipeline.  Public comment is open until Dec. 5, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-26).

On Nov. 3, 2022, Sempra Energy, the company developing the Port Arthur LNG export terminal in Jefferson County, Texas, announced plans to make a final investment decision on the first phase of the project early next year. The Port Arthur LNG terminal was initially authorized in February 2016 and, if built, would be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollution.

Nexus Circular applied to build a second production line at the Nexus Fuels Plant in Atlanta, Georgia, a chemical recycling plant that uses a process called pyrolysis to turn plastic waste into fuel for making more plastics. The facility is a source of hazardous air pollutants, and Nexus is proposing new emissions limits for nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. Comments on Nexus’ permit application are being accepted until Dec. 9, 2022. To comment, send written comments via email to epdcomments@dnr.ga.gov(include “Air permit application” in the subject line) or by mail to Air Permit Manager, 4244 International Parkway, Suite 120, Atlanta, Georgia 30354.

Updates for the week of Nov. 7, 2022

On Nov. 3, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of availability of a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Wahpeton Expansion Project, which would include the construction of new pipeline in North Dakota. Public comment is open until Dec. 27, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-466).

At 6 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 16, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public scoping meeting for the planned System Alignment Program Project in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia (docket PF22-8). Information on how to join the virtual meeting is available here.

On Oct. 28, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed Southeast Energy Connector Project. Public comment is open until Nov. 28, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-501).

Occidental Petroleum announced on Nov. 1, 2022, that it had leased land for a second carbon dioxide capture and sequestration hub in Texas, this one on the King Ranch in Kleburg County. The immense 825,000-acre South Texas ranch dates to the 1850s and played a significant role in Texas history. Occidental's plans state that the proposed facility would have the capacity to capture 30 million tons per year of carbon dioxide and sequester the gas in pore space in underground rock layers beneath the ranch.

On Oct. 3, 2022, Louisiana Economic Development announced that Clean Hydrogen Works plans to develop a new blue hydrogen/ammonia production facility in Ascension Parish. Clean Hydrogen Works proposes to begin construction on the facility in 2024 and to be fully operational by 2027, with a maximum ammonia production capacity of 7.2 million tons per year. Carbon dioxide emissions would be captured and sequestered underground offsite.
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On Oct. 28, 2022, Energy Transfer submitted application documents for its new proposed ethylene cracker in Nederland, Texas, next to its existing storage and export terminal. Energy Transfer proposes to bring the plant online by 2026. Application documents for the construction permits are forthcoming.  
 
Recently announced expansion projects at gas plants in the Permian Basin of Texas could add 400 million standard cubic feet per day of processing capacity. The Red Lake 2 Gas Plant in Martin County is expected to begin operating in the first half of 2023,followed by a second processing train at the Dos Picos Gas Plant in Midland County in early 2024.

Updates for the week of Oct. 31, 2022

The Badger Walsh Gas Plant in Mesa County, Colorado, was issued a draft air permit on Oct. 24, 2022, to begin construct (permit number 21ME0753). The permit would authorize Utah Gas Corp. to restart the gas plant. Comments are currently being accepted on the draft permit here; the comment period ends on Nov. 23, 2022.

‍On Oct. 25, 2022, Mitsubishi Chemical America Inc. submitted an initial permit application to build a new methyl methacrylate plant in Geismar, Louisiana. Methyl methacrylate, or MMA, is a petrochemical made from ethylene and natural gas that’s used to manufacture acrylics, industrial solvents, and surface coatings. If built, Mitsubishi’s Geismar facility would be a major source of toxic air pollutants and the largest MMA plant in the world, with the capacity to produce up to 385,000 tons of MMA per year.

On Oct. 25, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed Virginia Reliability Project and Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, which would increase capacity along the pipeline. Public comment is open until Nov. 25, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket CP22-503).

On Oct. 19, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of scoping period request comments on environmental Issues for the Planned System Alignment Program Project, which would involve the construction of new pipeline in Tennessee and replacement of existing pipeline in Virginia. Public comment is open until Nov. 18, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket PF22-8).

On Oct. 4, 2022, Chevron Phillips submitted a permit application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to construct a new ethylene derivatives unit at its facility in Orange, Texas. The unit would process ethylene into chemicals needed to make plastics. Public comment on the proposal is currently open and can be  submitted here (permit number PSDTX1612).

On Oct. 24, 2022, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued a decision on a permit for the Calumet Refinery in Great Falls, Montana. The permit increases hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compound emissions for the asphalt upgrades project and removes some equipment from the list of permitted equipment for the refinery reconfiguration project. A protest period is open until Nov. 8, 2022 (find instructions on the appeal process here).

Updates for the week of Oct. 24, 2022

The Velma Gas Plant in Velma, Oklahoma, was issued a draft air permit to construct on Sept. 12, 2022 (permit number 2016-0190-C M-4). The permit would authorize installation of five new compressor engines at the gas plant. Comments are currently being accepted on the draft permit here; the comment period ends Nov. 19, 2022.

The Stanberry Gas Plant in Colgate, Oklahoma, was issued a draft air permit to construct on Oct. 12, 2022 (2022-0107-C). The permit would authorize the restarting of the Stanberry Gas Plant and installation of the following equipment: one amine unit, one amine reboiler, one triethylene glycol dehydration unit, three heaters, three condensate tanks, one produced water tank, and one condensate flare. Comments are currently being accepted on the draft permit here; the comment period ends on Nov. 11, 2022.

On Sept. 29, 2022, Formosa Plastics submitted an application for an initial air permit to construct a new hexene plant at its Point Comfort Facility. Hexene is a key ingredient in plastics manufacturing. The addition of this plant to the facility will increase emissions, both from the construction of a new unit and from associated emissions increases from the high-density polyethylene unit. Public comments on the associated permits (NSR 170552 and NSR 127838) can be submitted here.

Uniper, LyondellBassell, Chevron, and Air Liquide announced on Oct. 19, 2022, that they plan to study the potential for a hydrogen and ammonia production facility along the Gulf Coast. The four companies intend to invest in carbon sequestration and storage for carbon emissions associated with the facility, making the proposed project a “blue” hydrogen and ammonia plant.

The Larose Compressor in Larose, Louisiana, was issued a draft pollution discharge permit on July 27, 2022 (permit number LA0110744). The permit would allow the station to discharge waste into the Intracoastal Waterway. Public comment on the draft permit is currently open and can be submitted here until Nov. 16, 2022.

On Oct. 21, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental impact statement for Transcontinental Gas Pipeline's Southside Reliability Enhancement Project. The project would involve the expansion and modification of existing compressor stations in Virginia and North Carolina. Public comment can be submitted here until Dec. 12, 2022 (docket number CP22-461).

On Oct. 14, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental impact statement for Northern Natural Gas's Northern Lights 2023 Expansion Project. The project would involve construction of just under 10 miles of new pipeline in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Public comment can be submitted here until Dec. 5, 2022 (docket CP22-138).

Updates for the week of Oct. 17, 2022

On Oct. 4, 2022, Double E Pipeline LLC submitted a request to extend the deadline to place receipt meter stations in service at the Big Eddy Plant and Lobo Processing Plant, located in New Mexico, by two years. The original permit in-service deadline was Oct. 15, 2022. Comments on the extension request can be submitted here until Oct. 26 (docket CP19-495).

CF industries, ExxonMobil, and Enlink Midstream announced on Oct. 12, 2022, that they are forming a partnership to capture, transport, and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) produced at CF Industries’ Donaldsonville Nitrogen Complex southeast of Baton Rouge. CF Industries announced in February that they would capture CO2 at Donaldsonville to produce blue carbon. This latest announcement provides more details on this plan: the captured CO2 will be transported through Enlink’s existing pipeline network and permanently stored in geologic formations in Vermillion Parish at a site owned by ExxonMobil.

On Sept. 1, 2022, Formosa’s Baton Rouge Plastics Plant in Louisiana submitted an application for renewal of their pollution discharge permit (LA0006419). The permit would allow discharge from the facility to the Mississippi River and Monte Sano Bayou. A discharge permit was first issued to the facility in 2017.
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Updates for the week of Oct. 11, 2022

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Equitrans, LP's Ohio Valley Connector Expansion Project on Sept. 30, 2022. The project would transport natural gas from the Appalachian Basin to local distribution companies and power plants. Comments on the draft EIS can be submitted here (docket number CP22-44). until Nov. 21, 2022. 

On Aug. 16 and 31, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requested further information from Texas Brownsville LNG LLC related to their proposed Brownsville LNG Terminal in Cameron, Texas.  Public comment is now open on the information provided by Texas Brownville LNG LLC. Comments can be submitted here (docket number CP16-116) until Oct. 21, 2022. 

In August and September 2022, Rio Grande LNG LLC submitted more information regarding their proposal to build a new LNG terminal and associated pipeline in Brownsville, Texas to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is accepting comments on the new information until Oct. 21, 2022, which can be submitted here (docket number CP16-454).

On Sept. 28, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepting comments on Ozark Gas Transmission LLC’s Ozark Supply Access Project, which would involve construction of new pipeline and a new compressor station, among other things. Comments on the proposed project authorization and protest deadline are open until Nov. 28, 2022, and can be submitted here (docket number CP22-511).

In late September 2022, Neste Corp finalized its partnership with Marathon Petroleum to convert the currently-idled Martinez Refinery in Martinez, California, into a renewable fuels plant. Neste is investing $1 billion into the project and will share responsibility for feedstock outsourcing and eventually share in half the output with Marathon.

At the beginning of October 2022, Alaska Gasline Development Corp signed a memorandum of understanding with four other companies to investigate the financial feasibility of building an ammonia plant in the Cook Inlet region of Alaska. The plant would include carbon capture and sequestration in nearby underground geologic formations and would be supplied with gas via the Alaska Nikiski LNG Pipeline.

Updates for the week of Oct. 3, 2022

In late September, an LA-based startup called Carbon Capture announced plans to construct a direct air capture facility in Wyoming called Project Bison (exact location has not yet been announced). Direct air capture is technology that pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for storage underground industry uses. Project Bison proposes to remove 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year in the first phase of their project and then inject the CO2 in storage wells nearby. Completion of the first phase is projected for 2023.

On July 11, 2022, construction began on an expansion project at the Chevron Pasadena Refinery in Pasadena, Texas. The expansion will increase the crude processing capacity of the facility from 110,000 barrels of crude oil per day to 125,000 barrels per day and will enable the refinery to make jet fuel. 

On Sept. 23, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, a type of permit often crucial to building interstate pipelines, to LA Storage LLC for their Hackberry Pipeline and Storage Project, despite public opposition. The certificate grants authorization to construct a pipeline delivering 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to two pipelines supplying LNG ports, and authorizes new natural gas storage facilities with a 20-billion-cubic-foot capacity. The project is located in Cameron and Calcaseiu Parishes, Louisiana.

On Sept. 21, ExxonMobil submitted an application to increase olefin production at their Baytown Plant. Olefins are art of the plastics production process, and the proposed increase in production could result in increases in criteria emissions from the plant. Public comment is currently open for the amendment to permit 102982 and can be submitted here.

At the beginning of September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency denied a permit for a major offshore oil terminal proposed on the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi, Texas, ruling that the Bluewater Texas terminal would need to reduce its toxic air pollution by about 95 percent. On Sept. 30,the company involved announced it would submit a new permit application for the terminal which will incorporate “an emissions reduction strategy to further minimize the air emissions associated with marine loading,” according to a statement.

Updates for the week of Sept. 26, 2022

The proposed Venice Extension Project’s draft environmental impact statement was published on Sept. 16, 2022. The project involves the addition of about three miles of pipe to Texas Eastern’s Line 40 pipeline, construction of a new compressor station in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, and modification of two existing compressor stations in LaFourche and Iberville Parishes. Public comment on the environmental impact statement (docket CP22-15) is open until Nov. 7 and can be submitted here.

Targa received a draft operating permit for the Little Missouri Gas Plant and Smokey Compressor Station in McKenzie County, North Dakota. The comment period for this draft permit will open on Sept. 29, 2022, and will close on Oct. 28, 2022. Direct comments in writing to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, 4201 Normandy St. 2nd Floor, Bismark, ND 58503 or email AirQuality@nd.gov, Re: Public Comment Permit No. AOP-284407 v2.0.

The Texas to Louisiana Energy Pathway project was announced last month and consists of the construction of a new compressor station in Fort Bend County, Texas, and the modification of six compressors in Hardin County, Texas. These modifications would provide an additional 193 million cubic feet per day of natural gas transport capacity from the Valley Crossing Interconnection in South Texas to a compressor station in Wharton County, Texas, and an additional 135 million cubic feet per day of capacity in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.
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Updates for the week of Sept. 19, 2022

On Sept. 14, Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District Court reversed the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s decision to issue air permits that a Taiwan-based company needed to build one of the largest proposed plastics plants in the world,  the Formosa Sunshine Project in St. James Parish, Louisiana.

Three new plastics-to-fuels plants have been announced in the last year. Plastics-to-fuels plants process waste plastic to generate fuel that can be used to produce new plastic products. Most use proprietary processes with few details available, and processes vary from plant to plant. The Encina Point Township Circular Manufacturing Plant, located in Point Township, Pennsylvania, was announced in April 2022. The SES Lowellville Plastics Recycling Plant in Lowellville, Ohio was announced in October 2021, and the PTTGCA Grove City Plastics Recycling Plant in Grove City, Ohio was announced in June.

On Sept. 15, Green Energy Ventures LLC announced that it is planning to construct a new hydrogen plant at the site of the Birchwood Power Plant, a coal plant that was retired in 2021. The plant would be located in King George, Virginia, and would power a data center as well as generate hydrogen for power use offsite.
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Updates for the week of Sept. 12, 2022

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is accepting public comments here (docket number CP22-17) on a proposed amendment to add carbon capture and sequestration  at the Rio Grande LNG terminal in Cameron County, Texas. The comment period ends Oct. 3, and a public scoping session will be held on Sept. 27 in Port Isabel, Texas.

On Sept. 9, after a nearly decade-long fight from local community members and environmental groups, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Protection withdrew its review of South Louisiana Methanol’s application to modify the air permits for the proposed St. James Methanol Plant. The St. James Methanol Plant, which was originally permitted in 2013, would have released over 2 million tons of greenhouse gases and 770 tons of toxic air pollutants into predominantly Black communities in historic St. James Parish, Louisiana.

On Sept. 9, the Advocate newspaper reported that Livingston Parish leaders voted to impose a year-long moratorium on injection wells used in carbon capture, citing the need for stricter regulation amid anxieties over the technology's safety. The announcement could delay carbon capture promises for projects like Air Products’ Darrow Blue Energy Facility, which plans to store carbon dioxide in deep underground wells across Livingston, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and Tangipahoa parishes. 

On Aug. 29, a draft construction permit modification for permit number 2016-1295-C (M-12) was issued for Koch Fertilizer’s Enid Nitrogen Plant about 5 miles east of Enid, Oklahoma. The proposed modification would increase the facility’s hazardous air pollutant (HAP)emissions limit, upgrading it from an area source to a major source of HAPs, and would increase VOC emissions limits. Public comment on the draft permit is open until October 6^th and can be submitted here.

Linde announced that it plans to construct a new hydrogen plant in McIntosh, Alabama in June 2022. The plant would produce liquid hydrogen using fossil fuels and Linde aims to have it operational by 2024. The project is part of an $83 million investment in the area.

In June, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection joined a Clean Air Act lawsuit against Westlake Petrochemical LLC, which operates ethylene plants in Calvert City, Kentucky and Lake Charles, Louisiana. Westlake has agreed to a proposed consent decree requiring flare gas minimization, flaring efficiency measures, and fenceline monitoring as well as a $1 million dollar fine for violations of emissions standards. Public comment on the draft consent decree is open until Sept. 23 and can be submitted by email to dep.generalcounsel@ky.gov.

On Aug. 24, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) filed an application for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit to increase transportation service through their Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, located in Greensville, Chesapeake, Mecklenburg, Prince George, and Brunswick Counties in Virginia. The application is under docket number CP22-502 and the comment period ends Sept. 29, 2022. Comments can be submitted here.

On Sept. 7, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s proposed Cumberland Project, which would add approximately 32 miles of natural gas transport pipeline traveling from Dickson County to Steward County in Tennessee. The docket number is CP22-493. The comment period ends Oct. 7 and comments can be submitted here. 

On Sept. 9, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's general counsel sent a letter notifying ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd., that the commission will consider a motion to overturn an air permit for the Bear Gas Processing Plant, located in Orla, Texas, about two hours west of Midland. Environmental Integrity Project and two allied groups had in August filed a motion to overturn the permit on the grounds that the type of permit sought was too minor for the levels of emissions associated with the plant. The TCEQ's decision puts the permit, which authorizes construction of the new plant, on hold until the commission can act on the motion. The commission has until Oct. 21 to make a final decision.

Updates for the week of Sept. 5, 2022

On Sept. 1, in response to public comments submitted by the Environmental Integrity Project and a coalition of 15 allied organizations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency denied a permit for a major offshore oil terminal proposed on the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi, ruling that the Bluewater Texas terminal would need to reduce its toxic air pollution by about 95 percent.

The Louisiana Economic Development on Sept. 2 announced a $50 million grant directed at research into and production of green hydrogen, a process where hydrogen is produced exclusively using clean energy, such as wind power. The grant recipient is a coalition led by the Greater New Orleans Development Foundation. Funding for the project, called H2theFuture, comes from a 2021 American Rescue Plan Act competitive grant program

Cheniere confirmed on Aug. 29 that it plans to continue expanding its Corpus Christi LNG terminal located about 15 miles northwest of Corpus Christi, Texas. They submitted a request to initiate pre-filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) outlining intentions to add two liquefaction trains, which convert natural gas into liquefied natural gas. Each train would be capable of producing up to 1.64 million metric tons of LNG per year, with construction to begin in 2024. The in-service date is targeted for the second half of 2031.

Howard Energy Partners announced in August 2021 that it plans to add carbon capture capabilities to its Javelina Gas Processing Plant in Corpus Christi, Texas. The plant currently controls around 60 million cubic feet of hydrogen production. Howard has not yet specified how the captured carbon dioxide will be used – it could go to industrial uses, such as cement production, or it could be sequestered belowground, or the company could implement some mix of use and sequestration.
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Updates for the week of Aug. 29, 2022

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on August 23, 2022 granted a four-year extension on the period of time the Mountain Valley Pipeline company is permitted to complete the project, extending the deadline from Oct. 13, 2022, to Oct. 13, 2026.

On Aug. 18, Koch Fertilizers announced an expansion of urea ammonium nitrate production at its Dodge City, Kansas plant. The expansion will increase the plant’s production capacity by 35,000 tons per year. Urea ammonium nitrate is a liquid fertilizer.

Targa Resources Corp. confirmed in August that they plan to build a new gas processing plant in Midland County, Texas. The Greenwood Gas Plant will process 275 million cubic feet per day, and Targa plans to have it operational by the end of 2023.

On Aug. 22, 2022, Equilon Enterprises LLC submitted applications for tax breaks to Louisiana Economic Development for a new aviation fuel and diesel production facility at what was previously the Shell Convent Refinery in St. James Parish. The proposed project will produce jet and diesel fuel using primarily sugarcane ethanol.

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Updates for the week of Aug. 22, 2022

On July 25, Roehm America LLC applied for an amendment to their air permit for their Bay City methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Matagorda County, Texas, that would increase emissions of multiple pollutants. MMA is a petrochemical used to manufacture pesticides, industrial solvents, surface coatings, and polyesters.

Freeport LNG on Aug. 9 submitted two permit applications to implement a flare gas recovery project at their natural gas liquefaction and pretreatment facilities in Brazoria County, Texas.  

On April 22, Air Products announced an expansion/conversion of World Energy’s fuel production facility in Paramount, California. The announced facility will produce 340 million gallons of hydrogen a year for aviation fuel. The project is scheduled to come online in 2025.

On June 29, Linde announced plans to build an industrial gas plant in Jefferson County, Texas, that would supply OCI’s co-located Blue Ammonia Complex.  
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Updates for the week of Aug. 15, 2022

‍BASF announced plans to increase production of specialty chemicals at its Geismar Chemical Complex in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, southeast of Baton Rouge.

Enterprise is planning to build its sixth and seventh gas processing plants at the Midland Basin Processing Complex in Midland and Glasscock counties, in West Texas. The sixth plant will be a 300 million cubic feet of gas per day expansion to its existing Trident Gas Plant. The exact location of the seventh plant has yet to be disclosed.

Enterprise plans to add another plant capable of processing 300 million cubic feet per day of natural gas to its Mentone Gas Processing Plant in Loving County, Texas.

Enterprise announced plans to expand its existing Shin Oak Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Pipeline in Texas by 275,000 barrels per day. The pipeline carries natural gas liquids from the Permian Basin in West Texas to Enterprise’s fractionation and storage complex in Mont Belvieu, along the Texas Gulf Coast.

MPLX, a Marathon Petroleum limited partnership, announced plans to add a second 200-million-cubic-feet-per-day gas plant to its existing Preakness Gas Plant in Culberson County, TX.

Energy Transfer recently announced plans to build the Bear Gas Processing Plant, a new plant capable of processing 220 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, in Orla, Texas.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft permit to expand Transco Compressor Station 505 in Somerset County, New Jersey, as part of the Regional Energy Access (REAE) Pipeline project. Public comments are due September 6, 2022, and a public hearing will be held on August 11, 2022. For more information, see here.‍

Updates for the week of Aug. 8, 2022

Blue Bayou Ammonia applied to the Texas City school district for tax breaks to construct a “blue” ammonia plant. The plant, planned in Galveston County, Texas, would be capable of producing over 3 million metric tons of ammonia per year.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is seeking public comments on the Environmental Assessment prepared for the proposed Calcasieu Pass LNG Terminal Update Amendment Project (FERC Docket No. CP22-25-000). This project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, would increase the LNG terminal’s export capacity by 0.4 million metric tons per year. A copy of the draft Environmental Assessment is available here. Public comments are due Sept. 4, 2022.
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Updates for the week of Aug. 1, 2022

‍Air Products applied for tax breaks to construct a new syngas unit, new air separation units, and carbon capture and sequestration equipment in Galveston County, Texas. Syngas is a combustible mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide used as a fuel and in fertilizer manufacturing.

‍Prairie Energy Partners applied for tax breaks to construct a 250,000 barrel-per-day crude oil refinery in Victoria County, Texas, that would operate using blue hydrogen and renewable electricity.

‍Union Carbide Corporation applied for tax breaks to construct an alkoxylation plant within the company's Seadrift Complex in Calhoun County, Texas, about 60 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. Alkoxylation is a chemical reaction required in the manufacturing of surfactants, chemicals that act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.

‍BASF announced plans to complete the third phase of a $1 billion expansion to increase production of MDI, a chemical used in the creation of polymers, at the company's Geismar site in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

OCI applied for a Clean Air Act permit on July 18, 2022, that would authorize construction of the OCI Nitrogen Production Complex in Jefferson County, Texas.

MarkWest submitted an (incomplete) application to construct a second cryogenic gas processing plant in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Venture Global applied for a permit to build the Moss Lake Compressor in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, as part of the CP2 LNG terminal and CP Express Pipeline projects.

Magellan received a draft operating permit for the Magellan Corpus Christi Terminal in Nueces County, Texas. The terminal can store up to 6 million barrels of petroleum and natural gas liquids. The public comment period for this draft permit is now open. For information on how to submit a comment, see the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's public notice.

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Updates for the week of July 25, 2022‍

Equistar Chemicals LP (Harris County, Texas) applied for a tax abatement (a Texas Chapter 313 value limitation agreement) from Sheldon Independent School District to construct a new propylene manufacturing plant at its Channelview Complex east of Houston. The plant would manufacture 950 million tons per year of propylene, a gas similar to propane that's used as a fuel. Construction is expected to begin mid-2025, with the plant scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026.

Siete Green Fuels LLC (Webb County, Texas) applied for a tax abatement (a Texas Chapter 313 value limitation agreement) from Webb Independent School District to construct a new "green hydrogen" plant in a rural area east of Laredo, Texas. The plant would produce 240 tons per day of hydrogen using methods that are purportedly cleaner than the more common gray hydrogen derived from natural gas. The potential greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions from this plant are currently unknown.
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Updates for the week of July 18, 2022‍

Arkema Inc. (Jefferson County, Texas) applied for a tax break (a Texas Chapter 313 value limitation agreement) from the Beaumont Independent School District for “Project Strawberry.” The project involves building “a new process unit at its petrochemical production complex…to produce intermediates used in refining and petrochemicals” in Beaumont, Texas. Construction is expected to begin in 2023, and the unit would be operational by 2025.

Cabot's Pampa Plant (Gray County, Texas) received a draft federal air pollution control permit on July 13, 2022. This Clean Air Act construction permit would authorize various expansion projects at the facility in the Texas Panhandle that manufactures carbon blacks, raw ingredients used in industrial processes such as polymers, printing, and coating. The plant's expansions would make maintenance startup and shutdown activities more efficient, increase oxygen enrichment at one of the production units, and begin manufacturing carbon black treated with a proprietary acid. The comment period for this draft permit is now open. For detailed information about submitting public comments, see the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Public Notice.

Cameron LNG (Cameron Parish, Louisiana) submitted an application to modify the federal air pollution control permits (Title V and Prevention of Significant Deterioration) covering the proposed expansion of the Cameron LNG facility in Southwest Louisiana. The application covers changes to the liquefaction units and reflects design changes, including the use of electric motors to replace certain turbine drives.
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Updates for the week of July 10, 2022‍

Cheniere Energy (San Patricio County, Texas) has applied for tax breaks to construct three expansion projects at the Corpus Christi LNG terminal in San Patricio County. The projects could include anywhere from 8 to 24 liquefaction units, depending on the size of each, although design is still being finalized. Cheniere expects the expansion to be completed between 2037 and 2041.

Chevron Phillips Chemical's Sweeny Old Ocean Facility (Brazoria County, Texas) received a draft federal air pollution control permit (Title V operating permit) with major modifications on July 5, 2022. The permit would incorporate a new unit to produce 1-Hexene, a key ingredient in plastics, at the facility.

Kinder Morgan's Altamont Gas Processing Plant (Duchesne County, Utah) received a draft initial federal air pollution control permit (Title V operating permit) on June 29, 2022. The comment period for this draft permit is now open; comments are being accepted until July 28, 2022.
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Updates for the week of June 23, 2022

Brazos Delaware Gas LLC (Ward County, Texas) is applying for tax breaks to construct a gas processing plant. They expect to start construction on the 200 mmcf/d plant in January 2023 and hope to be operational by December 2023.

Magnolia Renewable Fuels LLC (West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana) plans to construct a renewable gasoline refinery. The refinery would convert woody biomass from southern yellow pine plantations in Louisiana and Mississippi into 2,000 barrels of renewable gasoline per day. The project also has a CCS component that is expected to sequester 550,000 tons of CO2 per year. The refinery is expected to be operational by 2025.‍

Monroe Energy’s Trainer Refinery (Delaware County, Pennsylvania) received a draft CAA permit on June 11, 2022. The permit would authorize modifications to the refinery’s D2 Process Unit to convert it to produce renewable diesel from soybean oil. Comment period deadline is July 11, 2022.‍

Phillips 66’s Borger Refinery (Hutchinson County, Texas) received a draft Title V permit on June 10, 2022. This permit would renew Title V authorization for the refinery’s methyl mercaptan plant. Comments are now being accepted; the comment period deadline will be set for 30 days after public notice of this draft permit is published in a newspaper.‍

OQ Chemicals’ Bay City Plant (Matagorda County, Texas) received a draft Title V permit on June 10, 2022. This permit would renew the Bay City Plant’s Title V authorization. Comments are now being accepted; the comment period deadline will be set for 30 days after public notice of this draft permit is published in a newspaper.‍

Air Liquide’s Port Allen Facility (West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana) received a draft initial NPDES permit on May 26, 2022. This permit would authorize the facility to discharge utility wastewater, cooling tower blowdown, and stormwater to the Intracoastal Waterway. Comment period deadline is July 7, 2022.