[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16728-16729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8373]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-21-001]


Northern Border Pipeline Company; Notice of Amendment

March 31, 1999.#
    Take notice that on March 25, 1999, Northern Border Pipeline 
Company (Northern Border), 1111 South 103rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 
68124-1000, filed in Docket No. CP99-21-001, an amendment to its 
pending application in Docket No. CP99-21-000, for a certificate of 
public convenience and necessity, pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations, to 
construct and operate pipeline and compression facilities, all as more 
fully set forth in the amendment which is on file with the Commission 
and open to public inspection. This filing may be viewed on the 
Internet at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222 
for assistance).
    Specifically, Northern Border seeks to: (1) replace the compressor 
wheel and uprate the 6,500 HP electric drive compressor at Compressor 
Station No. 14 to a 13,000 HP electric drive compressor; (2) replace 
the compressor wheel and internals and uprate the 12,000 HP electric 
drive compressor at Compressor Station No. 17 to a 15,000 HP electric 
drive compressor; (3) install and operate a 13,000 HP electric drive 
compressor at Compressor Station Site No. 18; (4) construct and operate 
approximately 34.4 miles of 36-inch pipeline from Manhattan, Illinois 
to North Hayden, Indiana; (5) construct and operate a new meter 
station; and (6) other appurtenant facilities. Northern Border also 
withdraws its request to install compression at Compressor Station Nos. 
2, 4, and 16 and will not make the previously proposed cooling 
modifications. Further, Northern Border withdraws its request for 
permission and approval to abandon and remove certain compression 
facilities. The change in facility configuration was prompted when two 
of the original project shippers, El Paso Energy Marketing Company and 
Minnesota Corn Processors, obtained firm capacity via capacity release 
subsequent to the filing of Docket No. CP99-21-000. Northern Border 
states that the estimated cost of the proposed facilities is $125.7 
million. The proposed in-service date of the facilities is November 1, 
2000.
    Northern Border proposes to maintain its cost of service ratemaking 
methodology and roll-in to Rate Schedule T-1 (Northern Border's Part 
284 firm transportation rate schedule) the cost of the new facilities 
with its existing system costs. Northern Border maintains that the 
aggregation of the proposed costs with existing facility costs will 
result in an increase in the unit cost under Rate Schedule T-1 that is 
less than the 5 percent presumption in the Commission's Pricing Policy 
for New and Existing Facilities Constructed by Interstate Natural Gas 
Pipelines (68 FERC para. 61,140 (1994)). Northern Border also asserts 
that its proposal will offer system-wide benefits to existing and 
prospective shippers.
    Northern Border also requests a one-time waiver of Subsection 4.83 
of Rate Schedule T-1 in Northern Border's FERC Gas Tariff, First 
Revised Volume No. 1, which details the calculation of

[[Page 16729]]

an average monthly rate base. Instead of calculating the average 
monthly rate base using the beginning and end-of-month balances as is 
currently in the tariff, Northern Border seeks to use a daily weighted 
average balance for the in-service month of a the proposed facilities.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before April 21, 1999, 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. The Commission's rules require that protestors 
provide copies of their protests to the party or parties directly 
involved. Any person wishing to become a party in any proceeding herein 
must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's 
rules.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive 
copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by every one of the 
intervenors. An intervenor can file for rehearing of any Commission 
order and can petition for court review of any such order. However, an 
intervenor must submit copies of comments or any other filing it makes 
with the Commission to every other intervenor in the proceeding, as 
well as 14 copies with the Commission.
    A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of 
comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed 
on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of 
environmental documents and will be able to participate in meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties. However, commenters will not receive copies of all 
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will 
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final 
order to a federal court.
    The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally, 
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
    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 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 abandonments and a grant of the certificate 
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 Northern Border to appear or to be 
represented at the hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-8373 Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M