[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38088-38089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13660]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP02-233-000]
Equitrans, L.P., Carnegie Interstate Pipeline Company; Notice of
Application
May 24, 2002.
On May 20, 2002, the affiliated interstate natural gas pipelines,
Equitrans, L.P. (Equitrans) and Carnegie Interstate Pipeline Company
(CIPCO), located at 100 and 150 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15212-5331, respectively, tendered for filing an
application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity
pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for authorization
permitting Equitrans to acquire and operate by merger CIPCO's gas
pipeline services and facilities, and for authorization permitting
CIPCO to abandon such services and facilities, all as more fully
explained in the application. 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 #'' and follow the instructions (call (202) 208-2222
for assistance).
[[Page 38089]]
Any questions regarding this application should be directed to
Fredrick K. Dalena, Vice President, Administration, Equitrans, L.P.,
100 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212, at (412)
395-3270.
Applicants state that no new construction is proposed in the
application. Further, Applicants state that upon Commission approval of
the application, Equitrans proposes to operate the merged facilities
under the open access provisions of its existing FERC Gas Tariff.
Applicants state that the merger will be reflected at the net utility
plant balance of the CIPCO assets to be merged into Equitrans.
Applicants state that Equitrans' existing customers will experience
no impact on the settlement rates that are currently in effect.
Applicants further state that the transportation services performed by
the merged facilities will continue to be charged the same rate as
under CIPCO's current FERC Gas Tariff until Equitrans' next general
section 4 rate proceeding, which is required by settlement to be filed
in 2003. Accordingly, CIPCO's existing customers also will not
experience any impact on the currently effective rates.
There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of
this abandonment. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by
becoming a party to the proceedings for this abandonment should, on or
before June 14, 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
abandonment. 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 abandonment 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 abandonment 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 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 the
application will be issued.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-13660 Filed 5-30-02; 8:45 am]
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