[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18919-18920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9030]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-111-000]


Algonquin Gas Transmission Company, Texas Eastern Transmission 
Corporation; Notice of Application

April 6, 2001.

    Take notice that on March 28, 2001, Algonquin Gas Transmission 
Company (Algonquin) and Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas 
Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056-5310, filed in 
Docket No. CP01-111-000 a joint application pursuant to sections 7(b) 
and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for a certificate of public convenience 
and necessity to (i) replace two existing 3830 HP Solar Centaur 40 
compressor units with two 7150 HP Solar Taurus 60 compressor units at 
Algonquin's Hanover compressor station, subject to specified cost and 
fuel reimbursement by Texas Eastern, (ii) a dispatching and compression 
services arrangement between Algonquin and Texas Eastern (iii) an 
expansion of 135,000 dekatherms per day, as a result of (i) and (ii) 
above, of Texas Eastern's system capacity east of Lambertville to the 
terminus of the Texas Eastern system, all as more fully set forth in 
the application 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/rims.htm (call (202) 208-2222 for assistance).
    The parties state that Texas Eastern has requested Algonquin to 
replace the two existing Centaur units at Algonquin's Hanover station 
with two new Taurus units as part of Texas Eastern's proposal to 
accommodate a shifting of deliveries from Texas Eastern to Algonquin 
from Hanover, New Jersey to Lambertville, New Jersey. The parties 
further state that such compression modifications, in conjunction with 
the Dispatching Agreement between Texas Eastern and Algonquin, will 
result in an additional 135,000 dekatherms per day of firm capacity to 
the Texas Eastern system from the Lambertville compressor station to as 
far as Texas Eastern's primary delivery terminus into the New York City 
markets and will contemporaneously provide Texas Eastern customers with 
additional operational reliability and flexibility downstream of 
Lambertville, which has historically been an area of constraint on the 
Texas Eastern system.
    It is stated that pursuant to the Dispatching Agreement, Texas 
Eastern will reimburse Algonquin for the net capital cost of $6.7 
million for the replacement of the two existing 3830 HP compressor 
units at Hanover with two 7150 HP units, will provide the incremental 
fuel necessary to run these units, and Algonquin will, at Texas 
Eastern's direction, receive up to 200,000 dekatherms per day at the 
Lambertville station interconnect instead of the Hanover station 
interconnect. It is stated that Algonquin will own and operate the 
compressor units subject to the Dispatching Agreement. It is further 
stated that shippers with delivery/receipt entitlements at the 
interconnect points will not be impacted and that no changes in shipper 
contracts or scheduling procedures will be required.
    The parties state that in its next section 4 rate case, Texas 
Eastern expects to file for rolled-in rate treatment of the net 
facility-related costs for which it is reimbursing Algonquin; however, 
a predetermination of rolled-in rate treatment from the Commission is 
not requested at this time.
    The parties state that because the joint proposal can be 
implemented quickly with minimal construction, the project will provide 
certain comprehensive benefits which include, but are not limited to, 
being able to meet growing markets needs in the New York and New Jersey 
market area for the upcoming 2001-2002 peak winter season at a minimal 
cost and with minimal environmental impact. Texas Eastern indicates 
that key project benefits include, but are not limited to, the 
alleviation of system constraints

[[Page 18920]]

downstream of Lambertville, open access goals, increased reliability of 
service, and no change to existing base rates. Algonquin specifies that 
the benefits to its system and customers include, but are not limited 
to, a reduction in peak day fuel consumption at the Hanover station, a 
new reduction in permitted long-term air emissions, no adverse impact 
to the existing quality of service to Algonquin customers and no change 
in existing base rates.
    Questions regarding the details of this proposed project should be 
directed to Steven E. Tillman, Director of Regulatory Affairs for 
Algonquin Gas Transmission Company and Texas Eastern Transmission 
Corporation, P.O. Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77251-1642.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before April 27, 2001, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426, a motion to 
intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the 
Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party 
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 all other parties. A party must submit 14 copies of 
filings made with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant 
and to every other party in the proceeding. Only parties to the 
proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the 
proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of 
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments 
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commenters will be 
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Environmental commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commenters will 
not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by 
the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    The Commission may issue a preliminary determination on non-
environmental issues prior to the completion of its review of the 
environmental aspects of the project. This preliminary determination 
typically considers such issues as the need for the project and its 
economic effect on existing customers of the applicant, on other 
pipelines in the area, and on landowners and communities. For example, 
the Commission considers the extent to which the applicant may need to 
exercise eminent domain to obtain rights-of-way for the proposed 
project and balances that against the non-environmental benefits to be 
provided by the project. Therefore, if a person has comments on 
community and landowner impacts from this proposal, it is important 
either to file comments to intervene as early in the process as 
possible.
    Comments, protests and interventions and 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.
    If the Commission decides to set the application for a formal 
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the Commission will issue 
another notice describing that process. At the end of the Commission's 
review process, a final Commission order approving or denying a 
certificate will be issued.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-9030 Filed 4-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M