[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 191 (Monday, October 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53670-53671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25653]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. GP99-16-000]


Joel T. Strohl, Scott T. Strohl and Sid Strohl; Notice of Request 
for Equitable Waivers of Any Refund Liability

September 28, 1999.
    Take notice that on September 23, 1999, Joel T. Strohl Scott T. 
Strohl and Sid Strohl, (Petitioners), Box 323, Pretty Prairie Kansas 
67570, filed in Docket No. GP99-16-000, pursuant to Section

[[Page 53671]]

502(c) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, a request for equitable 
relief. Petitioners request relief with respect to claims that have 
been made or may be made by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) 
asserting petitioners unlawfully overcharged or natural gas sales for 
the period from October 1983 to the summer of 1988. Petitioners do not 
seek relief on grounds of ``hardship'' or ``unfair distribution of 
burdens.'' Additional details are more fully set forth in the request, 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. 
This filing may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.fed.us/onLine/
htm (call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
    Although Petitioners deny that they have any liability at law for 
refunds of Kansas ad valorem taxes, they assert that equity requires a 
waiver without even reaching the legal question. Petitioners state that 
the total of $406.43 (in principal) and $781.56 (in interest) in claims 
asserted against the three petitioners is part of a larger claim for 
$6,502.88 (in principal) and $12,505.02 (in interest) among all working 
interest owners in the Shannon Estate No. 1 well, Edwards County, 
Kansas. Deducting the royalty, the claim against each individual 
petitioner would be $114.84 in principal. Petitioners assert that 
interest is not owed as a matter of law.
    Petitoners state that for the period from October 4, 1983 through 
the summer of 1988, the prices for the gas sold from the well were 
reduced so that revenues to the producers were reduced by $48,911.61, 
an amount that more than offsets the amount of Northern's refund claim, 
even including interest. Since the consumers are thus positively saved 
more than $30,000, petitioners assert it would be inequitable to demand 
refunds from working interests and royalty interests for a period of 
claimed overcharges when any overcharges is more than offset by 
undercharges.
    Petitioners also assert that since the Shannon Estate #1 qualified 
for stripper well status, the maximum lawful price would be even higher 
and request the Commission to take notice of the official records in 
its files in order to verify these facts. Petitioners submit that 
equity requires that what should have been done then be done now, nunc 
pro tunc, and that any measure of overcharge be based on the stripper 
well prices.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make a protest with respect 
to this petition should on or before October 19, 1999, file with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE , 
Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in accordance 
with the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 
or 385.211) 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 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.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-25653 Filed 10-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M