[Federal Register: July 25, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 143)]
[Notices]
[Page 48643-48644]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jy02-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP02-402-000]
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Application
July 19, 2002.
Take notice that on July 3, 2002, Tennessee Gas Pipelines Company
(Tennessee), 9 East Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas 77046, filed in
Docket No. CP02-402-000 , for permission and approval pursuant to
section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) to abandon certain pipeline
and appurtenant facilities in the offshore Louisiana area, all as more
fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission
and open to public inspection. Copies of this filing are on file with
the Commission and are available for public inspection. This filing may
be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link,
select ``Docket '' from the RIMS Menu and follow the
instructions (call (202) 208-2222 for assistance).
Specifically, Tennessee proposes to abandon a 200-foot segment of
Line 527A-300 located in West Delta Block 61A (WD61A) at the point
where the line connects with Mesa Petroleum Company's (Mesa) platform.
Tennessee also proposes to abandon a meter designated as the WD61A
receipt point. Tennessee states that the line and meter were installed
in 1978 to gain access to gas supplies in West Delta Blocks 61 and 62.
It is explained that production from the platform ceased as of May 20,
1998 and that Pioneer Resources, USA, Inc. (Pioneer), the successor to
Mesa's interest in the WD61A platform, intends to abandon and remove
the platform. Tennessee's application includes a copy of the letter
from Pioneer dated April 9, 2002, informing Tennessee that the platform
is being removed.
In addition, Tennessee requests a limited, one-time waiver of the
Commission's capacity release regulations and the capacity release
provisions in Tennessee's FERC Gas Tariff to allow the continuation of
a replacement contract with a new receipt point made necessary by the
proposed abandonment. It is explained that although Tennessee is no
longer receiving gas supplies from the Block 61 platform, Tennessee
still has an agreement with Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc. (COH) to provide
gas under an FT agreement at the meter being abandoned, and that COH
has released a portion of its firm capacity to Mirant Americas Energy
Marketing , L.P. for a one-year term ending October 31, 2002.
Any questions regarding this amendment should be directed to Susan
T. Halbach Senior Counsel, at (832) 676-5556.
There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or
before August 9, 2002, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, a motion to
intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the
Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party
status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary
of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the
applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit 14 copies of
filings made with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant
and to every other party in the proceeding. Only parties to the
proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the
proceeding.
However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project.
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly
involved in the protest.
Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commenters will be
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings
associated with the Commission's environmental review process.
Environmental commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commenters will
not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by
the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court
review of the Commission's final order.
The Commission may issue a preliminary determination on non-
environmental issues prior to the completion of its review of the
environmental aspects of the project. This preliminary determination
typically considers such issues as the need for the project and its
economic effect on existing customers of the applicant, on other
pipelines in the area, and on landowners and communities. For example,
the Commission considers the extent to which the applicant may need to
exercise eminent domain to obtain rights-of-way for the proposed
project and balances that against the non-environmental benefits to be
provided by the project. Therefore, if a person has comments on
community and landowner impacts from this proposal, it is important
either to file
[[Page 48644]]
comments or to intervene as early in the process as possible.
Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically
via the Internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and
the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the ``e-Filing''
link.
If the Commission decides to set the application for a formal
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the Commission will issue
another notice describing that process. At the end of the Commission's
review process, a final Commission order approving or denying a
certificate will be issued.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-18829 Filed 7-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P