[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15110-15111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6422]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-100-000]


Western Gas Resources, Inc.; Notice of Petition for Declaratory 
Order

March 9, 2001.
    Take notice that on March 7, 2001, Western Gas Resources, Inc. 
(Western), 12200 N. Pecos Street, Denver, CO 80234, filed a petition 
for declaratory order in Docket No. CP01-100-000, requesting that the 
Commission declare that the acquisition of certain natural gas 
pipeline, gathering, treating and compression facilities from Northern 
Natural Gas Company (Northern) by Western's intrastate pipeline 
affiliate, Western Gas Resources--Texas, Inc. (WGR-Tx), and the 
subsequent ownership and operation of such facilities by WGR-Tx an/or 
Western, will be exempt from the Commission's jurisdiction under the 
Natural Gas Act either pursuant to section 1(b) of the statute or by 
virtue of their ownership by, and operation as part of, the intrastate 
pipeline system of WGR-Tx, an intrastate pipeline company as defined by 
section 2(16) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, all as more fully 
set forth in the petition which is 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).
    Any questions concerning this application may be directed to John 
B. Rudolph, at (202) 973-1200.
    Northern has submitted an application in Docket No. CP01-89-000 for 
abandonment of these facilities pursuant to section 7(b) of the NGA. 
Western indicates that the facilities are located adjacent to Western's 
existing Gomez and Mitchell Processing and Treating Plants in Pecos 
County, Texas. Western states that Western's and WGR-Tx's Mitchell/
Gomez gathering and treating facilities are currently both physically 
connected into the Northern Gomez Compressor Station by Northern 
pipelines running between these two Western/WGR-Tx treating plants and 
the Northern Gomez Station; and thus, these two plants are, to a 
degree, already operationally dependent on these Northern pipelines and 
compression facilities. Western states that WGR-Tx's acquisition and 
reconfiguration of these pipeline and compression facilities, together 
with certain other Northern pipelines/gathering lines in this general 
geographic area will enhance the operational flexibility of the 
Mitchell/Gomez gathering and treating facilities, enable greater access 
of deliveries from these facilities to intrastate markets, and provide 
WGR-Tx and Western greater operational control of facilities which are 
already a physically integrated part of their gas gathering and 
treating operations in this field production area.
    Therefore, Western seeks a Commission order declaring that, 
following Northern's abandonment of the aforementioned natural gas 
pipeline and compression facilities together with certain treating and 
dehydration facilities and four (4) additional short lateral lines, 
WGR-Tx's acquisition, and its and/or Western's subsequent ownership and 
operation of such facilities as part of the Mitchell/Gomez gathering/
treating facility complex, will be exempt from the Commission's 
jurisdiction under the NGA, either by reason of the NGA's section 1(b) 
gathering exemption, or because such facilities will be owned and 
operated as part of WGR-Tx's intrastate system subject to the 
jurisdiction of the Texas Railroad Commission.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make protest with reference 
to said petition should on or before March 30, 2001, 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 participate as a 
party in any hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in 
accordance with the Commission's rules. Comments and protests may be 
filed electronically via the internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's web site 
at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.

[[Page 15111]]

    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 Western to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-6422 Filed 3-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M