[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50424-50425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24688]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-445-000]


El Paso Natural Gas Company; Notice of Request Under Blanket 
Authorization

September 27, 2001.
    Take notice that on September 21, 2001, El Paso Natural Gas Company 
(El Paso), Post Office Box 1087, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904, 
filed in Docket No. CP01-445-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 
and 157.216 of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act 
(18 CFR 157.205 and 157.216) for authorization to abandon, in place, a 
17.23 mile segment of the Globe-Miami First Loop Line, located in 
Hidalgo County, New Mexico, under El Paso's blanket certificate issued 
in Docket No. CP82-435-000 pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas 
Act, all as more fully set forth in the request which is on file with 
the Commission and open to public inspection. This filing may be viewed 
on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link, select 
``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu and follow the instructions (please 
call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
    El Paso proposes to abandon, in place, approximately 17.23 miles of 
the 6-inch diameter Globe-Miami First Loop Line (Line No. 2005), 
between Block Valve 4\1/4\ and block Valve 6\1/4\, located in Hidalgo 
County, New Mexico. El Paso states that by Commission order issued May 
20, 1947, in Docket No. G-881 (6 FPC 670 (1947) ), El Paso was 
authorized to construct Line No. 2005 to loop their existing 8\5/8\-
inch diameter Globe-Miami Line (Line No. 2004), directly parallel and 
adjacent to Line No. 2004. El Paso indicates that these loop facilities 
were installed for the direct sale of additional gas volumes to Phelps 
Dodge Corporation (Phelps Dodge) to be utilized at its Morenci Plant. 
El Paso asserts that it will continue to operate three additional loop 
segments of Line No. 2005 and a 12\3/4\-inch diameter Globe-Miami 
Second Loop Line (Line No. 2085).
    El Paso states that El Paso and Dodge Phelps are parties to a 
Transportation Service Agreement, dated August 16, 1991, providing for 
the firm transportation of Phelps Dodge's full requirements for its 
mining operations in the states of Arizona and New Mexico, including 
the Morenci Plant. El Paso indicates that the 17.23 mile segment of 
Line no. 2005, proposed herein to be abandoned in place, was originally 
constructed to provide increased volumes of natural gas to the Morenci 
Plant.
    El Paso states that as part of their routine maintenance program, 
they recently identified corrosion and integrity problems on Line No. 
2005, between Block Valve 4\1/4\ and Block Valve 6\1/4\, which forced 
El Paso to shut-in this segment of Line No. 2005. El Paso asserts that 
there was no reduction in natural gas service being provided to the 
Phelps Dodge Morenci Plant resulting from the shut-in of this segment 
of Line No. 2005. El Paso indicates that they have redirected natural 
gas service through Line Nos.

[[Page 50425]]

2004 and 2085 to maintain the previous service levels. El Paso states 
that since service has not been affected at the Morenci Plant, El Paso 
and Phelps Dodge have determined that service through this 17.23 mile 
segment of Line no. 2005 is no longer necessary. Based upon this 
determination, El Paso states that Phelps Dodge has agreed to the 
abandonment of the 17.23 mile segment of Line No. 2005 in a letter 
agreement.
    El Paso asserts that the proposed abandonment of this segment of 
Line No. 2005 will not affect El Paso's ability to provide 
transportation service on its pipeline system, and will not adversely 
affect El Paso or its customers in any manner.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to 
Robert T. Tomlinson, Director, Regulatory Affairs Department, El Paso 
Natural Gas Company, Post Office Box 1087, Colorado Springs, Colorado 
80904, at (719) 520-3788.
    Any person or the Commission's staff may, within 45 day after 
issuance of the instant notice by the Commission, file pursuant to Rule 
214 of the Commission's Procedural Rules (18 CFR 385.214) a motion to 
intervene or notice of intervention and pursuant to Section 157.205 of 
the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205), a protest 
to the request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed 
therefor, the proposed activity shall be deemed to be authorized 
effective the day after the time allowed for protest. If a protest is 
filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the time allowed for 
filing a protest, the instant request shall be treated as an 
application for authorization pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas 
Act. Copies of this filing are on file with the Commission and are 
available for public inspection. Comments, protests and interventions 
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 under the ``e-Filing'' link.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-24688 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P