[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 92 (Friday, May 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24127-24128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11865]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP01-180-000, CP01-181-000 and CP01-182-000]


Cypress Natural Gas Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Applications

May 7, 2001.
    Take notice that on April 25, 2001, Cypress Natural Gas Company, 
L.L.C. (Cypress), P.O. Box 2563, Birmingham, Alabama 35202-2563, filed 
applications pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act. In Docket 
No. CP01-180-000, Cypress seeks a certificate of public convenience and 
necessity authorizing it to construct, install and operate pipeline, 
compression, and metering facilities, as well as acquire certain 
pipeline facilities. In Docket No. CP01-181-000, Cypress seeks a 
blanket certificate pursuant to 18 CFR Part 284, Subpart G of the 
Commission's Regulations for self-implementing transportation 
authority. In Docket No. CP01-182-000, Cypress seeks a certificate of 
public convenience and necessity to construct and operate natural gas 
pipeline facilities under Part 157, Subpart E of the Commission's 
Regulations. Cypress' proposals are 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).
    Cypress proposes in Docket No. CP01-180-000 to construct and 
operate 166 miles of 24-inch pipeline from an interconnection with the 
facilities of Southern Natural Gas Company

[[Page 24128]]

(Southern) in Chatham County, Georgia to an interconnection with the 
facilities of Florida Gas Transmission Company in Clay County, Georgia. 
In addition, Cypress proposes to construct and operate at 13,000 
horsepower compressor station and four metering stations. Cypress 
states that the capacity of the proposed pipeline is 310,000 Mcf per 
day. Further, Cypress seeks authorization to acquire an undivided 
interest in 310,000 Mcf per day of capacity on Southern's existing 
pipeline between Elba Island, Georgia and the proposed interconnection 
between Southern and Cypress in Chatham County, Georgia. Cypress states 
that the estimated cost of the proposed facilities is approximately 
$236.1 million and when the cost of acquiring the interest in 
Southern's facilities is included, the estimated cost is approximately 
$241.7 million. Cypress states that the project will be financed with 
equity contributions from its parent, Southern.
    Cypress proposes to provide open access firm and interruptible 
service under Rate Schedules FT and IT, respectively. Cypress will 
offer both negotiated and recourse rates. Cypress designed its recourse 
rate using the straight fixed-variable method. Cypress states that its 
firm rate is designed to recover all fixed costs, less $500,000 which 
will be allocated to interruptible transportation service, through the 
monthly reservation charge. Cypress states that variable costs, except 
compressor power costs and gas lost and unaccounted for, will be 
recovered through the commodity charge. According to Cypress, 
compressor power costs and gas lost and unaccounted for are to be 
recovered through a fuel retention percentage of 0.5%. Cypress has also 
included a pro forma FERC Gas Tariff.
    Cypress asserts that its project will provide a new source of 
supply--regasified liquefied natural gas (LMG) from the reactivated 
Southern LNG terminal at Elba Island, Georgia--to markets in south 
Georgia and north Florida, including new gas-fired electric generation. 
Further, Cypress states that its proposal is consistent with the 
Commission's statement of policy on certification of new interstate 
natural gas pipeline facilities. Cypress requests a preliminary 
determination on non-environmental issues by October 1, 2001, and final 
certificate authorization by August 1, 2002. Cypress states that this 
will allow construction to be completed by its proposed in-service date 
of June 1, 2003.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to 
Patricia S. Francis, Senior Counsel, Cypress Natural Gas Company, 
L.L.C., P.O. Box 2563, Birmingham, Alabama 35202-2563 at 205-325-7696.
    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 May 29, 2001, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 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 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 or to intervene as early in the process as 
possible.
    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.
    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.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-11865 Filed 5-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M