[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 165 (Thursday, August 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51607-51608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21605]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Interstate Natural Gas Facility-Planning Seminar

August 18, 2000.
    The Office of Energy Projects is initiating a series of public 
meetings around the country for the purposes of exploring and enhancing 
strategies for constructive public participation in the earliest stages 
of natural gas facility planning. The first meeting will be held in 
Albany, New York on Tuesday, September 26, 2000. We are inviting 
interstate natural gas companies; Federal, state and local agencies; 
landowners and other non-governmental organizations with an interest in 
developing a new way of doing business to join us in this effort. We 
will discuss the facility planning process, not the merits of any 
pending or planned pipelines projects.
    Presentations will be made by the staff of the Commission's Office 
of Energy Projects, various Federal and state agencies, representatives 
from natural gas companies, and private landowners who have had 
relevant experiences. Join us as we explore how the natural gas 
industry has responded to the recent Commission regulations governing 
project notification for affected parties and learn about new 
strategies being employed within various gas companies to engage the 
public and agencies in participatory project design. There Will be 
substantial opportunity for the sharing of experiences and knowledge in 
interactive ``brainstorming'' sessions, so bring your ideas with you 
and prepare to share them.
    The objectives of the meeting are:
     To explore ways of resolving issues during the applicant's 
pre-filing route planning, when the parties directly involved with and 
affected by natural gas facility siting and/or permitting can work 
together.
     To explore the best avenues for fostering settlements 
through creative issue resolution.
     To reduce the Commission's application processing time by 
encouraging the submission of filings with no or few contested issues.
    The result will be the development of a toolbox of the best options 
to take to achieve faster approval by the Commission for projects 
required by the public convenience and necessity, fewer conditions, and 
a more direct path to commencement of construction.
    The meeting in Albany, New York will be held at the Albany Marriott 
located at 189 Wolf Road, (518) 458-8444. The meeting is scheduled to 
start at 10:00 AM and finish at 4:00 PM. A preliminary agenda and 
directions to the hotel are enclosed. See attachment 2 regarding the 
selection of locations of future meetings.
    If you plan to attend or have suggestions for the agenda, please 
respond by September 8, 2000 via facsimile to Pennie Louis-Partee at 
202/219-2722, or you can email our team at: [email protected]. 
Please include in the response the names, addresses, and the telephone 
numbers of all attendees from your organization.
    To help us enhance our panel discussions, please consider issues 
and/or questions you would like to have addressed at the meetings. If 
you have any questions, you may contact any of the staff listed below:

Richard Hoffmann 202/208-0066
Lauren O'Donnell 202/208-0325
Jeff Shenot 202/219-2178
Howard Wheeler 202/208-2299

J. Mark Robinson, Director,
Director, Division of Environmental & Engineering Review, Office of 
Energy Projects.

Appendix 1

Agenda

Interstate Natural Gas Facility Planning Seminar, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Albany Meeting

September 26, 2000--10:00 am to 4:00 pm

10:00--Introductions
    Welcome: Mark Robinson, Director, Division of Environmental & 
Engineering Review, Office of Energy Projects, FERC Rich Hoffmann, 
Office of Energy Projects, FERC Maureen Helmer, Chairman, New York 
PSC
10:15--The Pipeline Planning/Approval Process
    Where FERC fits in
    Who's involved and when
10:45--Perspectives on Pipeline Planning Panel #1--Initial Project 
Announcement
    Industry Representative
    Citizen Representative
    Agency Representative
11:15--Break
11:25--Perspectives on Pipeline Planning Panel #2--General Route 
Planning
    Agency Representative
    Industry Representative
    Citizen Representative
11:55--Morning Summary and Lunchtime Homework Assignment
12:00--Lunch
1:30--Perspectives on Pipeline Planning Panel #3--Detailed Route 
Planning
    Citizen Representative
    Agency Representative
    Industry Representative
2:00--Brainstorming Session
    Pre-filing BMPs from and Industry Perspective
     First announcement of the project
     How best to work with the communities
    Pre-filing BMPs from an Agency Perspective
     How best to work with applicants
     How to get agency requests on the table and implemented
     How to coordinate with multiple agencies/jurisdictions
     How to work with agencies early in the process
    Pre-filing BMPs from a Citizen Perspective
     How best to engage landowners
     How to get information on the need for a project
     How to describe workspace/right-of-way requirements
3:30--Closing summary
    Directions to the Albany Marriott: 158 Wolf Rd, Albany, NY 
12205; (518) 458-8444.
    Taxis and rental cars are available at the Albany International 
Airport, or call the Marriott from the courtesy phone located near 
the baggage claim for complimentary shuttle service.
    By car: From I-90 take I-87 North for three miles to exit 4 
(Wolf Rd.--Albany Airport). At foot of exit, turn right at light 
onto Wolf Rd. and proceed to Marriott 1/2 mile on left.

[[Page 51608]]

Appendix 2

Future Meetings

    Over the next year, we will hold other meetings at various 
locations around the country. Locations for the meetings will be 
selected based on this history of past, present and especially 
future pipeline projects where interstate natural gas markets are 
developing or expanding.
    Areas we are considering for meetings include:

Tampa area or Tallahassee, Florida
Wooster, Ohio
Boston, Massachusetts/Portland, Maine area.
Springfield, Indiana area
Seattle/Puget Sound, Washington
Reno/Tahoe, Nevada or Salt Lake City, Utah area.

    If you care to voice your opinion about these or other areas, 
please follow the instructions in the notice.

[FR Doc. 00-21605 Filed 8-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M