[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 240 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64412-64413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30799]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-37-000]


Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company; Notice of 
Application

December 7, 2001.
    Take notice that on November 30, 2001, Williston Basin Interstate 
Pipeline Company (Williston Basin), 1250 West Century Avenue, Bismarck, 
North Dakota 58530, filed pursuant to sections 7(c) and 7(b) of the 
Natural Gas Act and the Commission's Regulations thereunder, an 
Abbreviated Application for a Certificate of Public and Necessity to 
construct and operate the Grasslands Pipeline Project, and for 
authority to abandon certain facilities, all as more fully set forth in 
the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection. This filing may also be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket#'' and follow the 
instructions (call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
    Specifically, Williston Basin proposes to:
     Construct and operate approximately 219 miles of new 16-
inch natural gas pipeline from Belle Creek, Montana to Dunn County, 
North Dakota and 28 miles of 16-inch looping along an existing 8-inch 
pipeline in Campbell County, Wyoming;
     Construct and operate three new 4,180 Horsepower 
compressor stations in Campbell County, Wyoming, Fallon County, Montana 
and Dunn County, North Dakota;
     Construct and operate one mile of 16-inch pipeline, and 
associated facilities, to interconnect with the facilities of Northern 
Border Pipeline Company in Dunn County, North Dakota;
     Construct and operate 0.9 miles of 12-inch lateral line in 
Fallon County, Montana;
     Construct and operate various metering and regulating 
facilities in Campbell County, Wyoming, Dunn County, North Dakota, and 
Fallon County, Montana;
     Uprate 40 miles of existing 8-inch supply line in Campbell 
County, Wyoming to a maximum allowable operating pressure of 1,440 
psig, and to abandon and replace nine-existing underground road 
crossings as part of the uprating effort; and
     To construct and operate certain permanent and temporary 
miscellaneous facilities such as pig launcher/receiver sites, cathodic 
protection units, pipe yards, access roads and staging areas.
    Williston Basin states that the proposed project will accomplish 
three objectives. Specifically, the project will provide: (1) An outlet 
for coal bed natural gas production in the Powder River Basin along 
with other conventional gas sources in Wyoming and Montana; (2) access 
to Williston Basin's storage facilities to shippers of gas produced in 
Powder River Basin; and (3) access from Williston Basin's storage 
facilities to the facilities of Northern Border Pipeline Company.
    Williston Basin proposes an in-service date of November 1, 2002 and 
asks that the Commission authorize its proposal by August 21, 2002.
    Any questions regarding the amendment should be directed to Keith 
A. Tiggelaar, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Williston Basin Interstate 
Pipeline Company, PO Box 5601, Bismarck, ND, 58506-5601, (701) 530-
1560.
    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 28, 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 64413]]

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. 01-30799 Filed 12-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P