[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 126 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33730-33732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16566]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-569-000, et al.]


Michigan Gas Storage Company, et al.; Natural Gas Certificate 
Filings

June 21, 1996.
    Take notice that the following filings have been made with the 
Commission:

1. Michigan Gas Storage Company

[Docket No. CP96-569-000]

    Take notice that on June 13, 1996, as supplemented on June 20, 
1996, Michigan Gas Storage Company (Michigan Gas), 212 West Michigan 
Avenue, Jackson, Michigan 49201, filed in Docket No. CP96-569-000, a 
request pursuant to Sections 157.211 and 157.216 of the Commission's 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.211 and 157.216) for 
authorization to install two delivery taps and abandon one delivery tap 
in Oakland County, Michigan, in order to serve Consumers Power Company 
(Consumers), under the blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP84-
451-000, pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, all as more 
fully set forth in the request which is on file with the Commission and 
open to public inspection.
    Specifically, Michigan Gas states it plans to install a 22-inch tap 
at the Squirrel Road Valve Site in Orion Township, and a 20-inch tap at 
the Dutton Road Valve Site in Oakland Township, both on its Line 600 in 
Oakland County, Michigan. Michigan Gas explains that Consumers has 
requested these delivery taps be constructed in conjunction with a new 
transmission line being built on Consumers' system under a certificate 
granted by the Michigan Public Service Commission in Case U-10925.
    Michigan Gas explains that deliveries through these taps will be 
made to and from Michigan Gas' system dependent upon the time of year 
and whether Consumers is withdrawing or injecting gas from its nearby 
storage fields. Michigan Gas states that these new delivery taps, in 
conjunction with Consumers' new transmission line, will increase the 
peak day capacity of the integrated system by about 400 MMcf/d, in 
order to meet the design peak loads of Consumers' sales and end use

[[Page 33731]]

transport customers. Michigan Gas states that the transfer of gas will 
be made primarily under Michigan Gas' NNS and IT Tariffs. Michigan Gas 
says that the total deliveries through the taps will not exceed the 
authorized volumes in transport contracts under Michigan Gas' existing 
tariffs. Michigan Gas relates that the new delivery taps are not 
prohibited by any existing Michigan Gas tariff.
    Further, Michigan Gas requests authority, under Section 157.216 of 
the Commission's regulations, to abandon its existing Dutton Road 
delivery tap because that tap will, at the request of Consumers, the 
only customer directly served by that facility, be replaced by the new 
Dutton Road delivery tap.
    Michigan Gas estimates the cost of the delivery taps to be 
$175,000, which will be reimbursed to it by Consumers.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

2. Northwest Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP96-574-000]

    Take notice that on June 17, 1996, Northwest Pipeline Corporation 
(Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, filed a 
request with the Commission in Docket No. CP96-574-000, pursuant to 
Sections 157.205, 157.211 and 157.216(b) of the Commission's 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for authorization to 
abandon existing meter facilities and appurtenances of its Yelm Meter 
Station and constructing and operating upgraded replacements to 
accommodate Washington National Gas Company (Washington Natural) for 
additional delivery capacity authorized in blanket certificate issued 
in Docket No. CP82-433-000, all as more fully set forth in the request 
on file with the Commission and open to public inspection.
    Northwest proposes to remove the existing 2-inch rotary meter and 
appurtenances and install a new 3-inch turbine meter and appurtenances 
at the Yelm Meter Station, located in Thurston County, Washington. 
Northwest states that the proposed meter replacement will increase the 
design capacity of the station from 1,400 Dth per day to approximately 
2,200 Dth per day at the 400 psig contract pressure. The estimated cost 
of the proposed facility upgrade would be approximately 76,900, which 
would be reimbursed by Washington Natural.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

3. Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America

[Docket No. CP96-575-000]

    Take notice that on June 17, 1996, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America (Applicant), 701 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, 
filed pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act, for authority to 
abandon, by sale to Valero Transmission, L.P. (Valero), its Luby-
Petronilla Lateral consisting of 17.15 miles of 8-inch pipeline lateral 
and related facilities.
    Valero intends to pay Applicant $775,000 for the facilities. 
Applicant requests a Commission determination that the facilities will 
be non-jurisdictional after transfer to Valero.
    Comment date: July 12, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
F at the end of this notice.

4. El Paso Natural Gas Company

[Docket No. CP96-578-000]

    Take notice that on June 18, 1996, El Paso Natural Gas Company (El 
Paso), P.O. Box 1492, El Paso, Texas 79978, filed in Docket No. CP96-
578-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 157.212 of the 
Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205, 
157.212) for authorization to construct and operate a new delivery 
point in Pecos County, Texas to permit the interruptible transportation 
and delivery of natural gas to Delhi Gas Pipeline Corporation (Delhi), 
under El Paso's blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-435-000 
pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, all as more fully set 
forth in the request that is on file with the Commission and open to 
public inspection.
    El Paso states that Delhi desires to augment its system supplies 
within the State of Texas and has requested that El Paso provide 
transportation service pursuant to a Transportation Service Agreement 
(TSA) dated March 29, 1996. This TSA provides for the interruptible 
transportation of natural gas by El Paso for Delhi from any point of 
interconnection on El Paso's mainline facilities located in Anadarko, 
Permian and San Juan Basins to a proposed point of delivery in Pecos 
County, Texas and any other existing delivery points.
    El Paso states that the proposed quantity of natural gas to be 
transported on an interruptible basis to the Delhi W2 Delivery Point is 
estimated to be 5,475,000 Mcf annually or an average of 15,000 Mcf per 
day, and the estimated maximum peak day natural gas requirement at the 
Delhi W2 Delivery Point is 50,000 Mcf.
    In order to facilitate the delivery of gas under the TSA, the 
request for authorization states that a new delivery point on El Paso's 
24'' O.D. Line from Oasis Meter Station to 12\3/4\'' O.D. Suction Line 
in Pecos County, Texas would be constructed by El Paso to provide Delhi 
with additional flexibility in acquiring gas supplies to serve their 
growing markets.
    Accordingly, El Paso requests authorization to construct and 
operate the new Delhi W2 Delivery Point. The request states the 
estimated cost of the new delivery point to El Paso is $58,900, and 
that Delhi has agreed to reimburse El Paso for the costs related to the 
construction of the Delhi W2 Delivery Point.
    In addition, Delhi has advised El Paso that Delhi will construct 
the meter run facility at the Delhi W2 Delivery Point. El Paso has also 
been advised that Delhi will install appurtenant pipeline and 
regulation facilities to connect its intrastate pipeline system with 
the proposed delivery point. El Paso further states that its 
environmental analysis supports the conclusion that construction and 
operation of the proposed Delhi W2 Delivery Point would not be a major 
Federal action significantly affecting the human environment.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

5. Northwest Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP96-580-000]

    Take notice that on June 19, 1996, Northwest Pipeline Corporation 
(Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, filed a 
request with the Commission in Docket No. CP96-580-000, pursuant to 
Sections 157.205, 157.211 and 157.216(b) of the Commission's 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for authorization to 
abandon certain inefficient facilities and to construct and operate 
modified replacement facilities at their Covinton Meter Station 
authorized in blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-433-000, 
all as more fully set forth in the request on file with the Commission 
and open to public inspection.
    Northwest proposes to modify the Covinton Meter Station located in 
King County, Washington by replacing the two existing 6-inch orifice 
meters and appurtenances with two new 6-inch turbine meter and 
appurtenances. Northwest states that these modifications would increase 
the maximum design capacity of the meters from 21,500 Dth per day to 
approximately 26,167 Dth per day at a delivery pressure of 300 psig. 
The

[[Page 33732]]

estimated cost of the proposed facility replacements would be $100,632.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

6. Northwest Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP96-581-000]

    Take notice that on June 19, 1996, Northwest Pipeline Corporation 
(Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84158, filed in 
Docket No. CP96-581-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 
157.211 of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 
CFR 157.205, 157.211) for authorization to construct and operate the 
new Merlin Meter Station in Josephine County, Oregon to deliver natural 
gas to The Washington Water Power Company (Water Power), a local 
distribution company, under Northwest's blanket certificate issued in 
Docket No. CP82-433-000 pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, 
all as more fully set forth in the request that is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection.
    Northwest proposes to construct and operate the new Merlin Meter 
Station consisting of a 2-inch hot tap, two 1-inch regulators, two 2-
inch rotary meters, inlet and outlet piping and appurtenances at 
approximately milepost 126.95 on Northwest's Eugene to Grants Pass 
Lateral in Section 21, Township 35 South, Range 5 West, Josephine 
County, Oregon. The proposed Merlin Meter Station will have a design 
capacity of approximately 700 Dth per day at a delivery pressure of 300 
psig. Northwest estimates that the total cost for the proposed meter 
station to be $201,715.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

7. Northern Natural Gas Company

[Docket No. CP96-584-000]

    Take notice that on June 19, 1996, Northern Natural Gas Company 
(Northern), P.O. Box 3330, Omaha, Nebraska 68103-0330, filed in Docket 
No. CP96-584-000, a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 157.216(b) 
of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 
157.205 and 157.216) for authorization to abandon 23 small volume 
measuring facilities located in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska, under 
Northern's blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-401-000 and 
Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, all as more fully set forth in the 
request which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection.
    Northern asserts that it has the consent of each end-user to remove 
the measuring stations from their property. Northern states that the 
facilities to be abandoned are jurisdictional facilities under the NGA 
and were constructed pursuant to superseded 2.55 regulations, budget, 
or blanket authority, depending on the year the facilities were 
originally placed in-service.
    Comment date: August 5, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraphs

    F. Any person desiring to be heard or make any protest with 
reference to said filing should on or before the comment date 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 385.211 and 385.214) and the Regulations under 
the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). 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 motion 
to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a hearing will be 
held without further notice before the Commission or its designee on 
this filing if no motion to intervene is filed within the time required 
herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter finds that a 
grant of the certificate is required by the public convenience and 
necessity. If a motion for leave to intervene is timely filed, or if 
the Commission on its own motion believes that a formal hearing is 
required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for the applicant to appear or be represented at 
the hearing.
    G. Any person or the Commission's staff may, within 45 days after 
the issuance of the instant notice by the Commission, file pursuant to 
Rule 214 of the Commission's Procedural Rules (18 CFR 385.214) a motion 
to intervene or notice of intervention and pursuant to Section 157.205 
of the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205) a protest 
to the request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed 
therefore, the proposed activity shall be deemed to be authorized 
effective the day after the time allowed for filing a protest. If a 
protest is filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the time 
allowed for filing a protest, the instant request shall be treated as 
an application for authorization pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural 
Gas Act.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-16566 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P