[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 30, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71806-71807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34587]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Parts 161, 250, and 284

[Docket Nos. RM98-10-000 and RM98-12-000]


Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation Services; 
Regulation of Interstate Natural Gas Transportation Services; Order 
Granting Extention of Time for Filing Comments

December 23, 1998.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE

ACTION: Order granting extension of time for filing comments.

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SUMMARY: On July 29, 1998, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NOPR) in Docket No. RM98-10-000 (63 FR 42982) and a Notice 
of Inquiry (NOI) in Docket No. RM98-12-000 (63 FR 42974) dealing with 
the Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation Services. The 
date for filing comments in these proceedings is being extended at the 
request of various interested parties.

DATES:
Comments on the NOPR are extended to and including April 22, 1998.
Comments on the NOI are extended to and including February 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David P. Boergers, Secretary 888 First 
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-0400.
Before Commissioners: James J. Hoecker, Chairman; Vicky A. Bailey, 
William L. Massey, Linda Breathitt, and Curt Hebert, Jr.
Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation Services, Docket 
No. RM98-10-000
Regulation of Interstate Natural Gas Transportation Services, Docket 
No. RM98-12-000

Order Granting Extension of Time for Filing Comments

(Issued December 23, 1998)
    On December 7, 1998, the Natural Gas Council (composed of the 
American Gas Association, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of 
America, the Natural Gas Supply Association, and the Independent 
Petroleum Association of America) joined by the Process Gas Consumers 
Group, the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Georgia Industrial 
Group, and the Edison Electric Institute submitted a letter, filed in 
Docket No. RM98-10-000, requesting an extension of time until April 22, 
1999, within which to file comments in response to the Commission's 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), issued July 29, 1998, in Docket 
No. RM98-10-000,1 and the Notice of Inquiry (NOI), issued 
July 29, 1998, in Docket No. RM98-12-000.2 Comments on the 
NOPR and NOI currently are due by January 22, 1999.
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    \1\ 63 FR 42982 (Aug. 11, 1998).
    \2\ 63 FR 42974 (Aug. 11, 1998).
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    The Commission will grant an extension, until April 22, 1999, for 
parties to file comments on the NOPR and NOI. However, the Commission 
would be interested in any comments that can be filed on a voluntary 
basis, within the current schedule addressing the relationship between 
the short-term issues in the NOPR and the long-term issues in the NOI. 
The Commission emphasizes that any comments filed in January will not 
be the last opportunity for parties to have input on these important 
matters. The Commission merely wishes to be more fully apprised of the 
current state of the parties' ideas.
    So far, the public discussions on the proposals in the NOPR and NOI 
have concentrated on the issue of auctions. The other issues included 
in the NOPR, such as negotiated terms and conditions or certificate 
policy, have received little attention. Similarly, there has been 
little dialogue concerning rate designs for long-term contracts that 
would remove or lessen the current bias toward short-term contracts. 
The extension will provide time for the industry to focus on these 
important issues and to better formulate comments. The informal 
dialogue that has occurred to date between the Commission staff and all 
the segments of the industry appears to have been worthwhile. The 
extension also will give the Commission's staff the opportunity to 
continue holding conferences and using other means to continue the 
interaction with all segments of the industry on all of the issues 
raised in the NOPR and NOI. The Commission requests that by January 22, 
1999, parties identify any issues, other than those related to 
auctions, for which it might be beneficial for the Commission staff to 
convene a technical conference during the pendency of the extended 
comment period.
    The additional time has been requested to permit the groups who 
joined in the request to engage in further discussions regarding the 
issues raised in the NOPR and NOI. The results of such consensus-
building efforts will be of most value to the Commission if they

[[Page 71807]]

include all of the affected interests. The groups have committed to 
apprising the Commission of the status of their discussions at some 
interim date and the Commission would find that information helpful.
    The Commission orders: The date for filing comments on the Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking and the Notice of Inquiry in these dockets is 
extended to April 22, 1999.

    By the Commission.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-34587 Filed 12-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P