[Federal Register: March 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 56)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14079]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr98-52]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. SA98-31-000]

 
Kaiser-Francis Oil Company; Notice of Petition for Adjustment

March 18, 1998.
    Take notice that on March 9, 1998, Kaiser-Francis Oil Company 
(Kaiser-Francis) filed a petition for adjustment under section 502(c) 
of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA),\1\ requesting adjustment 
relief from refund procedures, as required by the Commission's 
September 10, 1997 order in Docket Nos. GP97-3-000, GP97-4-000, GP97-5-
000, and RP97-369-000.\2\ concerning Northern Natural Gas Company. 
Kaiser-Francis' petition is on file with the Commission and open to 
public inspection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 3142(c) (1982).
    \2\ See 80 FERC para. 61,264 (1997); order denying reh'g issued 
January 28, 1998, 82 FERC para. 61,058 (1998).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission's September 10 order on remand from the D.C. Circuit 
Court of Appeals \3\ directed first sellers under the NGPA to make 
Kansas ad valorem tax refunds, with interest, for the period from 1983 
to 1988. The Commission's September 10 order also provided that first 
sellers could, with the Commission's prior approval, amortize their 
Kansas ad valorem tax refunds over a 5-year period, although interest 
would continue to accrue on any outstanding balance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Public Service Company of Colorado v. FERC, 91 F.3d 1478 
(D.C. 1996), cert. denied, Nos. 96-954 and 96-1230 (65 U.S.L.W. 3751 
and 3754, May 12, 1997). (Public Service).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Kaiser-Francis requests that the Commission: (1) grant an 
adjustment to its procedures to allow Kaiser-Francis to defer payment 
of principal and interest attributable to royalties for one year until 
March 9, 1999; and (2) grant an adjustment to the Commission's 
procedures to allow Kaiser-Francis to place into an escrow account in a 
federally-insured financial institution: (i) amounts attributable to 
royalty refunds which have not been collected from the royalty owner 
(principal and interest), (ii) principal and interest on amounts 
attributable to production prior to October 4, 1983; (iii) interest on 
royalty amounts which have been recovered from the royalty owners (the 
principal of which was refunded); and (iv) interest on the total amount 
of refunds allegedly due (excluding royalties, disputed amounts, and 
pre-October 4th production).
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said petition should on or before 15 days after the date 
of publication in the Federal Register of this notice, file with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., 
Washington, D.C. 20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214, 385.211, 385.1105, and 385.1106). All 
protests filed with the Commission will be considered by it in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken but will not serve to 
make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a party in any 
hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
Commission's Rules.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-7540 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M