[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 240 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64411-64412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30798]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-34-000]


Texas Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Application

December 7, 2001.
    Take notice that on December 4, 2001, Texas Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Texas Gas), 3800 Frederica Street, Owensboro, Kentucky 
42301, filed in Docket No. CP02-34-000, for: (1) an application 
pursuant to section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for authorization 
to abandon, by sale to Stone Energy Corporation (Stone), certain supply 
lateral facilities and appurtenances, located in the East Cameron and 
Vermillion areas, offshore Louisiana and (2) a determination by the 
Commission, that upon approval of the abandonment by sale, Stone's 
ownership and operation of the subject supply lateral facilities will 
be exempt from Commission jurisdiction under the NGA, all as more fully 
set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and 
open to public inspection. Copies of this filing are on file with the 
Commission and are available for 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 
(call (202) 208-2222 for assistance).
    Texas Gas states that it has entered into an agreement with Stone 
whereby Texas Gas will, upon Commission approval, transfer by sale to 
Stone, certain supply lateral facilities consisting of 6.94 miles of 
12-inch diameter pipeline, measurement facilities, and appurtenances 
located in the East Cameron and Vermillion block areas, offshore 
Louisiana. Texas Gas declares that pursuant to an agreement dated March 
23, 2001 and amended August 9, 2001, Texas Gas and Stone have mutually 
agreed, that subject to receipt of acceptable regulatory approvals, 
Texas Gas will sell to Stone all of Texas Gas' rights, title, and 
interests in the identified supply lateral facilities and 
appurtenances.
    Texas Gas states that the agreement will terminate Texas Gas' 
interest in the subject facilities upon the date of closing, which will 
occur after receipt of acceptable regulatory approval. Texas Gas 
indicates that Stone will pay Texas Gas the sum of $100 for Texas Gas' 
interest (100%) in the facilities. Texas Gas declares that in 
recognition of the costs associated with any future retirement of these 
facilities by Stone, the agreement provides for Texas Gas to pay Stone 
actual and reasonable costs associated with the retirement up to 
$125,000.
    Texas Gas indicates that the subject facilities are not contiguous 
to its mainline system, were originally constructed and operated to 
support its merchant function by connecting supplies in the East 
Cameron and Vermillion areas to the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company 
system for ultimate delivery to Texas Gas' mainline system. Texas Gas 
asserts that due to the elimination of Texas Gas' merchant function and 
termination of third party transportation agreements, for delivery of 
the subject gas supplies to Texas Gas' mainline system, Texas Gas no 
longer has a firm transportation commitment involving the utilization 
of these facilities. Texas Gas avers that since these facilities are no 
longer integral to their role as an open-access transporter, 
abandonment of these facilities will enable Texas Gas to streamline its 
transmission operations.
    Texas Gas states that abandonment by sale of these supply lateral 
facilities will not adversely affect any of Texas Gas' customers, since 
only interruptible service is provided through these facilities and 
Stone has indicated it will, upon transfer, provide non-jurisdictional 
service on a non-discriminatory basis.
    Any questions regarding this amendment should be directed to David 
N. Roberts, Manager of Certificates and Tariffs, Texas Gas Transmission 
Corporation, PO Box 20008, Owensboro, Kentucky 42304, at (270) 688-
6712.
    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 December 17, 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 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

[[Page 64412]]

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, 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.
    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. 01-30798 Filed 12-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P