[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 222 (Friday, November 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58545-58547]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29358]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Hearings and Appeals
Determination of Excess Petroleum Violation Escrow Funds for
Fiscal Year 1997
AGENCY: Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of determination of excess monies pursuant to the
Petroleum Overcharge Distribution and Restitution Act of 1986.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Petroleum Overcharge Distribution and Restitution Act of
1986 requires the Secretary of Energy to determine annually the amount
of oil overcharge funds held in escrow that is in excess of the amount
needed to make restitution to injured parties. Notice is hereby given
that $29,996,617 of the amounts currently in escrow is determined to be
excess funds for fiscal year 1997. Pursuant to the statutory directive,
these funds will be made available to state governments for use in
specified energy conservation programs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas O. Mann, Deputy Director, Roger Klurfeld, Assistant Director,
Office of hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0107, (202) 426-1492
[Mann]; (202) 426-1449 [Klurfeld].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Petroleum Overcharge Distribution and
Restitution Act of 1986 (hereinafter PODRA), contained in Title III of
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, Public Law 99-509,
establishes certain procedures for the disbursement of funds collected
by the Department of Energy (hereinafter DOE) pursuant to the Emergency
Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 (hereinafter EPAA) or the Economic
Stabilization Act of 1970 (hereinafter ESA). These funds, commonly
referred to as oil overcharge funds, are monies obtained through
enforcement actions instituted to remedy actual or alleged violations
of those Acts.
PODRA requires the DOE, through the Office of Hearings and Appeals
(hereinafter OHA), to conduct proceedings under 10 CFR Part 205,
Subpart V, to accept claims for restitution from the public and to
refund oil overcharge monies to persons injured by violations of the
EPAA or the ESA. In addition, PODRA requires the Secretary of Energy to
determine annually the amount of oil overcharge funds that will not be
required for restitution to injured parties in these refund proceedings
and to make this excess available to state governments for use in four
energy conservation programs. This determination must be published in
the Federal Register within 45 days after the beginning of each fiscal
year. The Secretary has delegated this responsibility to the OHA
Director.
Notice is hereby given that based on the best currently available
information, $29,996,617 is in excess of the amount that is needed to
make restitution to injured parties.
To arrive at that figure, the OHA has reviewed all accounts in
which monies covered by PODRA are deposited. PODRA generally covers all
funds now in DOE escrow which are derived from alleged violations of
the EPAA or the ESA, with certain exclusions. Excluded are funds which
(1) have been identified for indirect restitution in orders issued
prior to enactment of PODRA; (2) have been identified for direct
restitution in a judicial or administrative order; or (3) are
attributable to alleged violations of regulations governing the pricing
of crude oil and subject to the settlement agreement in In re The
Department of
[[Page 58546]]
Energy Stripper Well Exemption Litigation, M.D.L. No. 378 (D. Kan.,
July 7, 1986). As of September 30, 1996, the total in escrow subject to
the PODRA procedures was $127,538,107
The OHA has employed the following methodology to determine the
amount of excess funds. We took special account of the provision of
PODRA which directs that ``primary consideration [be given] to assuring
that at all times sufficient funds (including a reasonable reserve) are
set aside for making [direct] restitution.'' Thus, in proceedings in
which refund claims are pending, we have on a claim-by-claim basis
examined pending claims and established reserves sufficient to pay the
amount of these claims. The reserves also include all refunds ordered
by the OHA since the end of the last fiscal year on September 30, 1996,
but not yet paid. For proceedings in which all claims have been
considered or in which no claims have been filed, and the deadline for
filing claims has passed, all funds remaining are excess. Small amounts
of interest accrued, until transfer, on funds in accounts that were
closed (with a zero balance) in the fiscal year 1996 PODRA
determination (60 FR 57413 (1995)) are included as part of the
``excess'' for fiscal year 1997. No ``other commitments'' are reflected
in the reserves.
As indicated above, the total escrow account equity subject to
PODRA is $127,538,107. The total amount needed as reserves for direct
restitution in those cases is $97,541,490. When the figure is
subtracted from the former, the remainder--$29,996,617--is the amount
in fiscal year 1997 that is ``in excess'' of the amount that will be
needed to make restitution to injured persons. Appendix A sets forth
for each refund case within the OHA's jurisdiction the total amount
eligible for distribution under PODRA and the ``excess'' amount.
Accordingly, $29,996,617 will be transferred to a separate account
within the United States Treasury and made available to the States for
use in the designated energy conservation programs in the manner
prescribed by PODRA.
Dated: November 8, 1996.
George B. Breznay,
Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals.
Appendix A--Amount Available in FY 1997
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity as of Amount available
Name of firm Consent Order No. OHA Case No. September 30, 1996 under PODRA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-1 Exxon....................... 999K90080T HEF-0509 $116.15 $116.15
Agway, Inc...................... RTYA00001Z KEF-0102 74.37 74.37
Alameda Chevron................. 900Z06251T LEF-0093 30.28 30.28
Alameda Chevron................. 999K90081T LEF-0093 56.08 56.08
Anchor Gasoline Corporation..... 740S01247Z KEF-0120 5,241,334.38 600,000.00
AOC Acquisition Corporation..... RCKH016A1Z LEF-0003 9,656,790.32 0.00
APTOS Shell..................... 999K90083T LEF-0092 178.68 178.68
Atlantic Richfield Co (ARCO).... RARH00001Z HEF-0591 18,928,646.41 8,000,000.00
Automatic Comfort Corp.......... 110H00519A LEF-0005 2.39 2.39
BEACON Bay Enterprises, Inc..... 999K90120T LEF-0074 87,662.01 87,662.01
Beacon Oil Co................... 910S00008Z HEF-0203 0.01 0.01
Bell Fuels Inc.................. 570H00195T LEF-0061 39,345.23 0.00
Ben's Exxon Service............. 999K90085T HEF-0512 118.42 118.42
Berryesse Chevron............... 999K90086T LEF-0095 113.57 113.57
Bill Wren's Shell............... 999K90087T LEF-0096 170.02 170.02
Bob Hutchinson, Inc............. 900Z02252T LEF-0080 7.29 7.29
Bob's Broadway.................. 900Z40056T LEF-0075 60.25 60.25
Buchanan Shell Inc.............. 900Z10250T LEF-0081 15.28 15.28
C J King Chevron................ 999K90089T LEF-0109 186.37 186.37
Capitol 66 Oil Company.......... 422H00238T LEF-0067 18,257.71 0.00
Clearview Gulf.................. 640Z00670T LEF-0076 16.81 16.81
Crescent Oil Company............ 930H00094Z LEF-0044 7.90 7.90
Crude Oil Purchasing Inc........ 6A0X00269T LEF-0058 108,582.50 0.00
Cumberland Farms Dairy Inc...... 120K00497T LEF-0068 7,185.50 0.00
Cutting Shell Service........... 999K90091T LEF-0097 187.35 187.35
Dalco Petroleum................. 660T00642Z HEF-0060 3,555.12 3,555.12
Diamond Industries, Inc......... 320H00097Z KEF-0130 0.02 0.02
E-Z Service Inc................. 400H00220T LEF-0077 320,847.15 320,847.15
Eason Oil Company............... 740S01314Z LEF-0040 5,404,444.77 0.00
Ed Gularte Chevron.............. 999K90095T LEF-0098 243.40 243.40
Ed's Exxon...................... 939K90097T LEF-0078 72.57 72.57
Elwood Chevron Service.......... 999K90098T LEF-0085 3,497.05 3,497.05
Empire Gas Corporation.......... 720T00521Z KEF-0048 521,290.30 520,000.00
Enron Corporation............... 730V00221Z KEF-0116 22,497,355.02 0.00
Este Oil Company................ 533H00163T LEF-0062 73,005.26 0.00
Exxon Corporation............... REXL00201Z KEF-0087 0.01 0.01
G & G Oil Company............... 550H00332T LEF-0063 56,863.02 0.00
General Equities, Inc........... 110H00527Z HEF-0078 1,399.00 1,399.00
General Petroleum............... 550H00075T LEF-0064 26,706.13 0.00
Getty Oil Company............... RGEA00001Z HEF-0209 6,185,470.84 0.00
Good Hope Refineries Inc........ 150S00154Z HEF-0211 3,772,819.36 0.00
Gratex/Compton Corp............. 6A0X00340W VEF-0012 2,524,327.91 0.00
Gulf Oil Corporation............ RGFA00001Z HEF-0590 3,999,743.57 0.00
Gulf States Oil & Refining...... 6E0S00057T LEF-0073 579,124.84 0.00
Half Moon Bay Exxon............. 999K90099T LEF-0087 72.57 72.57
Houma Oil Co.................... 640H10422W VEF-0023 410,829.04 0.00
Houston/Pasadena Apache Oil Co.. BJBBBBBBBB VEF-0022 18,531.10 0.00
Hudson Oil Co Inc............... 740S01258W VEF-0011 8,748,498.97 0.00
[[Page 58547]]
Hughes Burlingame Shell......... 999K90100T LEF-0110 284.24 284.24
Indian Wells Oil Company........ 710V02002Z KEF-0103 0.51 0.51
Intercoastal Oil Co............. 940X00076T LEF-0057 33,517.90 0.00
Jaguar Petroleum Inc............ 640X00444T LEF-0059 74,703.35 0.00
Jedco Inc....................... 421K00107W VEF-0024 4,108.66 0.00
Jim Campbell Shell.............. 900Z03255T LEF-0082 4.98 4.98
Joe Berube Services............. 999K90101T LEF-0099 323.97 323.97
Kenny Larson Oil Co............. 000H00439W HEF-0104 17,595.02 10,000.00
Kickapoo Oil.................... 570H00214T LEF-0069 47,267.34 0.00
Lampton-Love Inc................ 422T00013T LEF-0070 15,034.20 0.00
MacMillan Oil Company, Inc...... 730T00031Z LEF-0046 818,160.58 250,000.00
Marathon Petroleum Co........... RMNA00001Z KEF-0021 2,106.17 2,106.17
Maxwell Oil Co.................. 000H00425Z HEF-0125 17,901.95 0.00
MdDowell Exxon.................. 999K90104T LEF-0100 273.08 273.08
Metrolpolitan Petroleum Co, Inc. 412H00171Z LEF-0032 33,499.21 15,189.21
Milbrae Shell................... 900Z06293T LEF-0079 50.14 50.14
Miles Union Service............. 900Z03258T LEF-0083 34.58 34.58
Mockabee Gas & Fuel Co.......... 311H00342W VEF-0001 64,975.84 64,975.84
Murphy Oil Corporation.......... RMUH01983Z KEF-0095 353.76 353.76
N C Ginther Company............. 710V03022T LEF-0060 5,681.72 0.00
Oasis Petroleum Corp............ 940X00217Z LEF-0007 2,064,262.61 0.00
Permian Corporation............. 650X00246T LEF-0035 1,526,565.99 0.00
Petaluma Standard Service....... 999K90106T LEF-0101 155.21 155.21
Pete Alijian Chevron............ 999K90062T LEF-0089 0.75 0.75
Product Tracking--PODRA......... 999DOE005W N/A 97,680.57 97,680.57
Quantum Chemical Corporation.... 720V01245Z LEF-0011 18.15 18.15
Quintana Energy Corp et al...... 650X00356Z KEF-0131 129.23 129.23
Reco Petroleum Inc.............. 320H00304T LEF-0065 30,657.64 0.00
Redhill Mobil and Towing........ 999K90109T LEF-0088 133.92 133.92
Regalia's Chevron Service....... 999K90110T LEF-0102 347.04 347.04
Reinauer Petroleum Company Inc.. 240H00492Z KEF-0110 82.96 82.96
Ron's Shell..................... 900Z10251T LEF-0084 32.87 32.87
Sandusky's Union Service........ 999K90068T LEF-0111 110.68 110.68
Shaw & 99 Chevron............... 999K90061T LEF-0090 0.57 0.57
Shell Oil Company............... RSHA00001Z KEF-0093 5,383,827.31 0.00
Skinney's Inc................... 400H00227T LEF-0071 18,527.76 0.00
Skycrest Shell.................. 999K90112T LEF-0112 87.22 87.22
SOS Monarch Oil Corp............ 240H00498T LEF-0066 6,830.58 0.00
Starr Union Service............. 999K90067T LEF-0103 264.33 264.33
Strasburger Enterprises, Inc.... 400H00219Z LEF-0014 134.10 134.10
Sunset Blvd Car Wash............ 999K90113T LEF-0091 2,046.45 2,046.45
Tenth Street Chevron............ 999K90115T LEF-0104 276.77 276.77
Tesoro Petroleum Corp........... BUBBBBBBBB KEF-0128 3,511,758.67 1,500,000.00
Texaco Inc...................... RTXE006A1Z KEF-0119 21,312,124.70 18,512,124.70
Tom's Coffee Tree Chevron....... 999K90116T LEF-0105 175.17 175.17
Vermont Morgan Corp............. 110H00514T LEF-0072 23,479.66 0.00
Vessels Gas Processing, Ltd..... 740V01387W VEF-0007 2,317,987.42 0.00
Wallace ARCO Service............ 999K90117T LEF-0106 80.08 80.08
Walt's Shell.................... 999K90118T LEF-0107 138.09 138.09
Weber's Chevron Service......... 999K90119T LEF-0108 312.49 312.49
Witco Chemical Corp............. 240S00054Z HEF-0227 866,168.40 0.00
Totals...................... 127,538,106.89 29,996,617.95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FR Doc. 96-29358 Filed 11-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M