[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 14768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8067]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. RP95-374-004]


Gas Research Institute; Notice of Petition To Amend GRI's 1996 
RD&D Program

March 28, 1996.
    Take notice that on March 22, 1996, the Gas Research Institute 
(GRI) filed a petition requesting expedited approval of its proposal to 
amend its approved 1996 RD&D Program. In its petition, GRI states that 
it now anticipates an approximately 20 percent reduction in 1996 
revenues due to decontracting and greater than anticipated discounting 
and, therefore, proposes to reduce its RD&D Program Obligations Budget 
from the approved 1996 level of $218.8 million to $174.8 million. GRI 
also requests approval of one-time staff severance and restructuring 
costs of $2.0 million, associated with an approximately 20 percent cut 
in GRI staffing.
    GRI requests approval to utilize its proposed amended 1996 Program 
Obligations Budget of $174.8 million to fund R&D obligations of $151.0 
million and general operating expenses of $23.8 million. GRI states 
that it expects to be able to fund this reduced budget with the 
currently effective GRI surcharges.
    GRI proposes to maintain the overall balance of the approved 1996 
program in the amended 1996 program, and therefore proposes to allocate 
reduced budgets for contract R&D and directly associated R&D management 
costs on a roughly pro rata basis across the overall objectives of 
GRI's RD&D program.
    A detailed description of GRI's proposed revision of its approved 
1996 R&D Program budget, including its plan to eliminate 1996 funding 
for seventeen approved new projects, and to fund eight additional 
projects that were not previously included in its 1996 R&D Program, is 
set forth in the text of GRI's petition and its attachments.
    In a supplemental letter to its filing, GRI clarifies that it is 
not seeking Commission approval to fund the eight additional projects. 
According to GRI, these programs are being implemented using existing 
authority under Stipulation No. 6 and are only included in the revised 
budget request filing to give the Commission, all intervenors and other 
interested parties a complete picture of GRI's current funding plans 
and priorities.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said petition should file a petition to intervene or 
protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, in accordance with the requirements 
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 or 
385.214) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). All such 
petition or protests must be filed on or before April 4, 1996. 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 the 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 petition to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's Rules.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-8067 Filed 4-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M