[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 67 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18081-18082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8462]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-132-000]


Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Application 
for Certificate

March 31, 2000.
    Take notice that on March 23, 2000, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America (Natural or Applicant), 747 E. 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 
60148-5072, filed in Docket No. CP00-132-000 an application pursuant to 
sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for permission and 
approval to abandon, by operating lease to Horizon Pipeline Company, 
L.L.C. (Horizon),\1\ firm capacity on its system, and for certificate 
authority to construct and operate certain facilities, all as more 
fully set forth in the application which are on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection. This filing may be viewed on 
the web at http://www.ferc.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222).
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    \1\ Horizon has simultaneously filed applications in Docket Nos. 
CP00-129-000, CP00-130-000, and CP00-131-000 to construct, own, 
lease, operate and maintain a new natural gas pipeline (Horizon 
Project) from Joliet, Illinois to McHenry, Illinois.
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    Natural is seeking authority to abandon 380 MDth/d of firm capacity 
on its system by lease to Horizon pursuant to the terms of a Lease 
Agreement, dated January 18, 2000. Horizon will incorporate the leased 
capacity as part of its interstate pipeline system, thereby avoiding 
the need of building duplicate facilities. The leased capacity will run 
for a total of 42 miles, from an interconnection between Alliance 
Pipeline L.P. (Alliance) and Natural's Gulf Coast mainline (at a point 
approximately 9 miles south of Natural's Compressor Station 113 (CS 
113) to the interconnection between Horizon's new pipeline and an 
existing 36-inch line of Natural (at a point approximately 33-miles 
north of CS 113). Central to the lease agreement is the construction 
and ownership by Horizon of a new 8,900 horsepower compressor at CS 
113, which will have the effect of creating the 380 MDth/d of leased 
capacity.
    The capacity lease, will also require Natural to construct certain 
new facilities and the rearrangement of certain existing Natural 
facilities. Specifically, Natural is seeking certificate authority to 
increase the horsepower of each of its nine 1,040 horsepower compressor 
units, totaling 9,360 horsepower, at CS 113, so that the new total will 
be 13,050 horsepower. Natural is also seeking to rearrange its 20-inch 
line that runs 63 miles north to Volo, Illinois and one of its 36-inch 
lines that runs north to Natural's Howard Street Lines \2\ so that in 
the future the Howard Street Lines will be served by a 20-inch line and 
a 36-inch line, in conjunction with the nine Natural compressors at CS 
113.\3\ Natural seeks certificate authority for a tap at the 
interconnection with the new Horizon pipeline and a second tap at the 
point where the northern terminus of Horizon meets an existing west-to-
east line of Natural. Natural also seeks certificate authority for 
revisions at its Streamwood meter station, which is at the start of the 
Howard Street Lines.
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    \2\ A west-to-east system providing delivery capability to both 
Chicago and its northwestern suburbs.
    \3\ This arrangement will provide Howard Street Lines with 
service that is substantially the same as that is provided currently 
under the current facility arrangement.
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    Natural states that neither Natural nor its customers will 
subsidize Horizon, because any costs to Natural will be more than 
offset by the lease payments it will receive from Horizon. Under the 
Lease Agreement, Horizon has contracted with Natural for an initial 
term of 20 years to lease capacity at $0.015 per Dth within a 42-mile 
section of Natural's pipeline system in Grundy, Will and DuPage 
Counties, Illinois. This lease payment compensates Natural for its 
related costs in providing the leased capacity, primarily the $7.8 
million in facilities proposed by Natural in this application, but also 
the fuel associated with the maintenance of Natural's service to its 
customers.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
James

[[Page 18082]]

J. McElligott, Senior Vice President for Natural, 747 East 22nd, 
Lombard, Illinois 60148 at (630) 691-3525, or Philip R. Telleen, 
Attorney for Natural, 747 East 22nd, Lombard, Illinois 60148 at (630) 
691-3749.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make protest with reference 
to said application should on or before April 21, 2000, 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 requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 or 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 to a proceeding or to practicipate as 
a party in any hearing therein 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 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 jurisdiction conferred upon the Commission by Sections 7 
and 15 of the NGA 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 a grant of the certificate is 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 a 
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 Natural to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-8462 Filed 4-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M