[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 245 (Thursday, December 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 67008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32151]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP97-143-000]


Western Transmission Corporation; Petition for Declaratory Order 
Disclaiming Jurisdiction and Request for Abandonment Authorization

December 13, 1996.
    Take notice that on December 6, 1996, Western Transmission 
Corporation (WESTRANS), 1625 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, Colorado 
80202, filed in Docket No. CP97-143-000, a Petition for Declaratory 
Order Disclaiming Jurisdiction and Request for Abandonment 
Authorization regarding all of its pipeline facilities, pursuant to 
Rule 207(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations, 18 CFR 385.207(a)(2) 
and Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act, 15 USC 717f(b), all as more 
fully set forth in the petition/request.
    WESTRANS states that it owns and operates a small gas pipeline 
system in the Washakie Basin area Wyoming, consisting of a 26-mile 
12\3/4\-inch main pipeline, a 9.2 mile 4-inch line, and related 
gathering, dehydration and measuring facilities. WESTRANS states that 
the net book value of these facilities is $688,000. WESTRANS explains 
that these facilities were originally constructed to purchase, gather, 
transport, and sell gas to Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG) under 
a contract executed in 1963. WESTRANS says that its system now gathers 
gas from some 155 wells into the interstate transmission systems of CIG 
and Williams Natural Gas Company.
    WESTRANS assets that its facilities have long-qualified as 
gathering under the Commission's primary function test, but that the 
Commission's ``Tarpon'' doctrine prohibited WESTRANS from seeking a 
gathering determination because its facilities were located in-between 
CIG's certificated interstate facilities. WESTRANS contends that since 
the CIG facilities upstream of WESTRANS' facilities were recently 
declared nonjurisdictional, the ``Tarpon'' prohibition no longer 
applies.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before January 3, 1997, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 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 in any proceeding herein 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 the jurisdiction conferred upon the 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 application if no motion 
to intervene is filed within the time required herein, if the 
Commission on its own review of the matter finds that permission and 
approval for the proposed abandonment are 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 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 WESTRANS to appear or to be represented at 
the hearing.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-32151 Filed 12-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M