[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 2, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44-48]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-32004]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 284

(Docket No. RM96-1-020)


Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas 
Pipelines

Issued December 20, 2001.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to amend 
Sec. 284.12 of its regulations governing standards for conducting 
business practices with interstate natural gas pipelines. The 
Commission is proposing to incorporate by reference the most recent 
version of the standards, Version 1.5, promulgated August 18, 2001 by 
the Gas Industry Standards Board (GISB). Version 1.5 of the GISB 
standards can be obtained from GISB at 1100 Louisiana, Suite 4925, 
Houston, TX 77002, 713-356-0060, http://www.gisb.org.

DATES: Comments are due February 1, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC, 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Goldenberg, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, 
(202) 208-2294
Marvin Rosenberg, Office of Markets, Tariffs, and Rates, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, 
(202) 208-1283
Kay Morice, Office of Markets, Tariffs, and Rates, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, 
(202) 208-0507

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes 
to amend Sec. 284.12 of its open access regulations governing standards 
for conducting business practices and electronic communications with 
interstate natural gas pipelines. The Commission is proposing to adopt 
the most recent version, Version 1.5, of the consensus industry 
standards, promulgated by the Gas Industry Standards Board (GISB). The 
Commission also is proposing to remove Sec. 284.12(a) of its 
regulations dealing with pipeline Electronic Bulletin Boards (EBBs), 
since all pipelines are required under Commission regulations to 
provide all electronic communications and conduct all electronic 
transactions using the public Internet.\1\ The proposed rule is 
intended to benefit the public by adopting the most recent and up-to-
date standards governing electronic communication that includes new 
shipper options such as title transfer tracking, as well as standards 
for imbalance netting and trading and uniform procedures for 
implementation of aspects of Order No. 637.\2\
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    \1\ 18 CFR 284.12(c)(3)(i)(A) (2001).
    \2\ Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation 
Services, Order No. 637, 65 FR 10156 (Feb. 25, 2000), FERC Stats. & 
Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 31,091 
(Feb. 9, 2000).
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2. Background

    3. Since 1996, in the Order No. 587 series,\3\ the Commission has 
adopted regulations to standardize the business practices and 
communication methodologies of interstate pipelines in order to create 
a more integrated and efficient pipeline grid. In this series of 
orders, the Commission incorporated by reference consensus standards 
developed by GISB, a private consensus standards developer composed of 
members from all segments of the natural gas industry. GISB is an 
accredited standards organization under the auspices of the American 
National Standards Institute (ANSI).
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    \3\ Standards For Business Practices Of Interstate Natural Gas 
Pipelines, Order No. 587, 61 FR 39053 (Jul. 26, 1996), FERC Stats. & 
Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 31,038 
(Jul. 17, 1996), Order No. 587-B, 62 FR 5521 (Feb. 6, 1997), FERC 
Stats. & Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 
31,046 (Jan. 30, 1997), Order No. 587-C, 62 FR 10684 (Mar. 10, 
1997), FERC Stats. & Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 
2000] para. 31,050 (Mar. 4, 1997), Order No. 587-G, 63 FR 20072 
(Apr. 23, 1998), FERC Stats. & Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 
1996-December 2000] para. 31,062 (Apr. 16, 1998), Order No. 587-H, 
63 FR 39509 (July 23, 1998), FERC Stats. & Regs. Regulations 
Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 31,063 (July 15, 1998); 
Order No. 587-I, 63 FR 53565 (Oct. 6, 1998), FERC Stats. & Regs. 
Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 31,067 (Sept. 
29, 1998), Order No. 587-K, 64 FR 17276 (Apr. 9, 1999), FERC Stats. 
& Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 31,072 
(Apr. 2, 1999); Order No. 587-M, 65 FR 77285 (Dec. 11, 2000), FERC 
Stats. & Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 2000] para. 
31,114 (Dec. 11, 2000).
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    4. On October 19, 2001, GISB filed with the Commission a report 
informing the Commission that it had adopted a new version of its 
standards, Version 1.5. On December 3, 2001, GISB filed with the 
Commission a report listing errata to the Version 1.5 standards.

[[Page 45]]

    5. GISB reports that its newest version contains some of the 
following highlights: modifications to the data set, data element, and 
code value tables to support Internet web page standards and the 
transition of EBBs to the Internet; business practice standards and 
data sets governing imbalance netting and trading (although standards 
for electronic data interchange of the imbalance netting and trading 
are still in process); standards for title transfer tracking (TTT), 
with a recommendation from the GISB Executive Committee that these 
standards be implemented no earlier than eight months from publication 
of these standards on August 18, 2001; and standards to support the 
implementation of Order No. 637 (additional standards are still being 
considered at the subcommittee level). GISB also reports that its 
electronic delivery mechanism standards include modifications related 
to the surety assessment performed by Sandia National Laboratories on 
the GISB Electronic Delivery Mechanism (EDM) standards.

6. Discussion

    7. The Commission is proposing to adopt Version 1.5 \4\ of GISB's 
consensus standards.\5\ Pipelines would be required to implement the 
standards three months after a final rule is issued.\6\
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    \4\ The incorporation includes the errata sheets published by 
GISB.
    \5\ Pursuant to the regulations regarding incorporation by 
reference, copies of Version 1.5 of the standards are available from 
GISB. 5 U.S.C. 552 (a)(1); 1 CFR 51 (2001).
    \6\ GISB standard 1.3.78 provides that implementation of TTT not 
take place until eight months after publication of the TTT standards 
in the GISB standards manual (which took place on August 18, 2001), 
and the Commission proposes to adopt that recommendation.
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    8. Version 1.5 of the GISB standards provides added flexibility to 
shippers, standardizes additional business practices, and update and 
improves the current standards.\7\ The principal changes occur in the 
areas of title transfer tracking, imbalance netting and trading, and 
improvement of the standards for conducting business transactions 
electronically over the Internet. Version 1.5 incorporates a series of 
standards (Standards 1.3.64 through 1.3.78) providing that natural gas 
pipelines track title transfers at pooling points. These standards will 
provide shippers with greater flexibility in structuring business 
transactions, and will enhance the liquidity of the natural gas market 
by providing for accurate accounting of gas purchase and sale 
transactions and integrating such transactions into the pipeline 
scheduling process. Version 1.5 includes new standards (standards 
2.3.36 through 2.3.50) for transmitting statements of allocation and 
implementing imbalance netting and trading as required by the 
Commission's regulations.\8\ Version 1.5 also updates and improves the 
standards by modifying the electronic communication standards to better 
support Internet web page standards and the transition of EBBs to the 
Internet and by effectuating changes to accommodate the recommendations 
of Sandia National Laboratories. Commission adoption of these standards 
will keep the Commission regulations current.\9\
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    \7\ In Version 1.5, GISB made the following changes to its 
standards. It added Principles 1.1.20, 1.1.21 and 2.1.5; Definitions 
1.2.13 through 1.2.19, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, and 4.2.20; Standards 1.3.64 
through 1.3.78, 2.3.36 through 2.3.50, 3.3.26, 4.3.86, 4.3.87, and 
5.3.43; and Data Sets 2.4.7 through 2.4.16. It revised Standards 
1.3.2, 1.3.54, 1.3.61, 1.3.63, 2.3.30, 2.3.32, 2.3.34, 4.3.16, 
4.3.23, 4.3.35, 5.3.2, 5.3.22, 5.3.24, 5.3.31, 5.3.32, and 5.3.33, 
and Data Sets 1.4.1 through 1.4.7, 2.4.1, 2.4.3 through 2.4.6, 
3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.4, 5.4.1 through 5.4.10, 5.4.12, 5.4.13, and 
5.4.16 through 5.4.19. It deleted Principles 4.1.5 and 4.1.8, and 
Standard 4.3.77.
    \8\ 18 CFR 284.12 (c)(2)(ii) (2001).
    \9\ The Commission also is continuing its previous practice by 
proposing to exclude standards 2.3.29 dealing with operational 
balancing agreements (OBAs), 2.3.30 dealing with netting and trading 
of imbalances, and 4.3.4 dealing with retention of electronic data. 
The Commission has issued its own regulations in these areas (18 CFR 
284.12(c)(2)(i) (OBAs), (c)(2)(ii) (netting and trading of 
imbalances), and (c)(3)(v) (record retention)), so that 
incorporation of the GISB standards is unnecessary and may cause 
confusion as to the applicable Commission requirements.
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    9. GISB approved the standards under its consensus procedures.\10\ 
As the Commission found in Order No. 587, adoption of consensus 
standards is appropriate because the consensus process helps ensure the 
reasonableness of the standards by requiring that the standards draw 
support from a broad spectrum of all segments of the industry. 
Moreover, since the industry itself has to conduct business under these 
standards, the Commission's regulations should reflect those standards 
that have the widest possible support. In Sec. 12(d) of the National 
Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTT&AA), Congress 
affirmatively requires federal agencies to use technical standards 
developed by voluntary consensus standards organizations, like GISB, as 
means to carry out policy objectives or activities.\11\
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    \10\ This process first requires a super-majority vote of 17 out 
of 25 members of GISB's Executive Committee with support from at 
least two members from each of the five industry segments--
interstate pipelines, local distribution companies, gas producers, 
end-users, and services (including marketers and computer service 
providers). For final approval, 67% of GISB's general membership 
must ratify the standards.
    \11\ Pub. L. No. 104-113, Sec. 12(d), 110 Stat. 775 (1996), 15 
U.S.C. 272 note (1997).
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    10. While comments are requested on all of the GISB standards, the 
Commission specifically requests comment on whether it should adopt 
revised standard 5.3.2 dealing with the timeline for capacity release 
transactions. The revision to standard 5.3.2 in Version 1.5 was made in 
response to Order No. 637 in which the Commission adopted a regulation 
requiring pipelines to provide scheduling equality between capacity 
release transactions and pipeline transportation services.\12\ The 
regulation states:
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    \12\ 18 CFR 284.12 (c)(1)(ii) (2001); Order No. 637, 65 FR at 
10191, FERC Stats. & Regs. Regulations Preambles [July 1996-December 
2000] para. 31,091, at 31,297.

    11. Pipelines must permit shippers acquiring released capacity to 
submit a nomination at the earliest available nomination opportunity 
after the acquisition of capacity. If the pipeline requires the 
replacement shipper to enter into a contract, the contract must be 
issued within one hour after the pipeline has been notified of the 
release, but the requirement for contracting must not inhibit the 
ability of the replacement shipper to submit a nomination at the 
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earliest available nomination opportunity.

    12. GISB standards adopted by the Commission currently provide for 
four nomination cycles: a timely nomination at 11:30 a.m. to take 
effect at 9 a.m. central clock time (CCT) \13\ the next gas day, an 
Evening nomination at 6 p.m. CCT to take effect at 9 a.m. CCT the next 
gas day, an Intra-Day 1 nomination at 10 a.m. CCT to take effect at 
5:00 p.m. CCT on the same gas day, and an Intra-Day 2 nomination at 5 
p.m. CCT to take effect at 9 p.m. CCT on the same gas day.\14\ In 
implementing the scheduling equality requirement, the Commission held 
that a replacement shipper under a capacity release transaction must be 
able to nominate coincident with notification to the pipeline of a pre-
arranged capacity release transaction or coincident with the award of 
capacity

[[Page 46]]

subject to the Commission's bidding requirements.\15\
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    \13\ CCT refers to Central Clock Time, which includes an 
adjustment for day light savings time. See 18 CFR 284.12(b)(1)(i), 
Nominations Related Standards 1.3.1 (2001). Under the GISB 
standards, a gas day runs from 9 a.m. central clock time (CCT) on 
Day 1 to 9 a.m. CCT the next day (Day 2). 18 CFR 284.12(b)(1)(i), 
Nominations Related Standards 1.3.1 (2001).
    \14\ 18 CFR 284.12(b)(1)(i) (2001), Nominations Related Standard 
1.3.2 (2001).
    \15\ Colorado Interstate Gas Company, 95 FERC para. 61,321, at 
62,111-12 (2001), 97 FERC para. 61,011 (2001). See, e.g., Kinder 
Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, 97 FERC para. 61,062 
(2001); MIGC, Inc, 97 FERC para. 61,042 (2001); National Fuel Gas 
Supply Corporation, 96 FERC para. 61,182, at 61,804-805 (2001); 
Paiute Pipeline Company, 96 FERC para. 61,167, at 61,748-49 (2001); 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, 96 FERC para. 61, 352, 
at 62,323 (2001); Trailblazer Pipeline Company, 97 FERC para. 61,056 
(2001).
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    13. With respect to pre-arranged capacity release transactions not 
subject to bidding, the Commission found that releasing shippers should 
be able to inform the pipeline of such prearranged deals at any of the 
four nomination opportunities and the replacement shipper should be 
able to submit a nomination at the time the pipeline is informed of the 
release. For example, if the pipeline is informed of a capacity release 
transaction at the 6 p.m. CCT timely nomination timeline, the 
replacement shipper should be permitted to submit an evening nomination 
for the next gas day at 6 p.m.\16\
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    \16\ Colorado Interstate Gas Company, 95 FERC para. 61,321, at 
62,111-12 (2001).
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    14. With respect to capacity release transactions subject to 
bidding, the Commission found that shippers should be able to nominate 
coincident with the award of capacity. For example, under the existing 
Version 1.4 of the GISB standards, award notification for short-term 
biddable capacity release transactions is made at 5 p.m.\17\ The 
Commission found that replacement shippers should be permitted to 
submit a nomination at the 5 p.m. Intra-Day 2 cycle for that capacity 
award.\18\
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    \17\ 18 CFR 284.12(b)(1)(v) (2001), Capacity Release Related 
Standard 5.3.2 (2001).
    \18\ Colorado Interstate Gas Company, 95 FERC para. 61,321, at 
62,111-12 (2001).
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    15. In Version 1.5, GISB made a number of changes to its timeline 
for capacity release transactions (standard 5.3.2). It reconfigured its 
timeline for short-term biddable releases (less than one year) so that 
posting of bidding will begin at 12 p.m. on a business day with the 
award of capacity made by 3:00 p.m.\19\ The standard then provides that 
``contract issued within one hour of award posting (with a new contract 
number, when applicable); nomination possible beginning at the next 
available nomination cycle for the effective date of the contract. 
(Central Clock Time).'' Thus, under the reconfigured timeline a shipper 
awarded capacity at 3 p.m. can make a nomination at the next available 
nomination cycle (the 5 p.m. Intra-Day 2 Nomination cycle). This 
appears to be the same result obtained under the Commission's 
implementation of Order No. 637.
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    \19\ Biddable releases of one year or more have a three day 
bidding period.
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    16. However, with respect to non-biddable pre-arranged capacity 
release transactions not subject to bidding, the GISB Version 1.5 
standard differs from the implementation process established by the 
Commission. Under the GISB standard, shippers must notify the pipeline 
of a pre-arranged capacity release transaction one-hour prior to the 
nomination deadline. For example, the standard for the Timely 
Nomination states: ``posting of prearranged deals not subject to bid 
are due by 10:30 A.M. on a Business Day; contract issued within one 
hour of award posting (with a new contract number, when applicable); 
nomination possible beginning at the next available nomination cycle 
for the effective date of the contract. (Central Clock Time).'' The 
requirement for one-hour prior notice is not consistent with the 
Commission's implementation of Order No. 637 in which the Commission 
required pipelines to permit notice coincident with the nomination 
deadline (e.g., 11:30 a.m. notice for an 11:30 a.m. nomination).
    17. The Commission requests comment on whether it should adopt the 
one-hour prior notice requirement in GISB standard 5.3.2. Comments 
should discuss the benefits or detriments of adopting the one-hour 
prior notice requirement notwithstanding that pipelines already are 
required to implement scheduling equality without such prior notice.
    18. In addition, the Commission is proposing to eliminate existing 
Sec. 284.12(a) dealing with Electronic Bulletin Boards (EBBs) to clean 
up its regulations. In 1998, in Order No. 587-G, the Commission 
required pipelines to provide all electronic information and to conduct 
electronic transactions using the public Internet.\20\ At that time, 
the Commission retained its regulations governing EBBs to provide for a 
transition period as pipelines began the process of converting from 
EBBs to Internet communication. At this time, the transition to 
Internet communication should be complete and continuation of 
regulations regarding EBB communication, therefore, no longer appears 
necessary.\21\
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    \20\ 18 CFR 284.12(c)(3)(i)(A) (2001).
    \21\ Current Secs. 284.12(c)(3)(ii) and (v) contain similar 
posting requirements for Internet communication as existing 
Sec. 284.12(a) does for EBBs, so retention of Sec. 284.12(a) would 
be duplicative and unnecessary.

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19. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards

    20. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119 (Sec. 11) 
(February 10, 1998) provides that Federal Agencies should publish a 
request for comment in a NOPR when the agency is seeking to issue or 
revise a regulation containing a standard identifying whether a 
voluntary consensus standard or a government-unique standard is being 
proposed. In this NOPR, the Commission is proposing to incorporate by 
reference Version 1.5 (August 18, 2001) of the voluntary consensus 
standards developed by GISB.

21. Information Collection Statement 

    22. The following collections of information contained in this 
proposed rule have been submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review under Section 3507(d) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(d). The Commission solicits 
comments on the Commission's need for this information, whether the 
information will have practical utility, the accuracy of the provided 
burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected, and any suggested methods for 
minimizing respondents' burden, including the use of automated 
information techniques. The following burden estimates include the 
costs for implementing GISB's Version 1.5 standards which incorporate 
the most recent and up-to-date standards governing electronic 
communication including new shipper options such as title transfer 
tracking, as well as standards for imbalance netting and trading and 
uniform procedures for implementation of aspects of Order No. 637. The 
burden estimates are primarily related to start-up for implementing the 
latest version of the standards and will not be on-going costs.

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                                                                     Number of
                 Data collection                     Number of     responses per     Hours per     Total number
                                                    respondents     respondent       response        of hours
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FERC-545........................................              93               1              38           3,534

[[Page 47]]

 
FERC-549C.......................................              93               1           4,526        420,918
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Total annual Hours for Collection
(Reporting and Recordkeeping, (if appropriate) = 424,452

    23. Information Collection Costs: The Commission seeks comments on 
the costs to comply with these requirements. It has projected the 
average annualized cost for all respondents to be the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             FERC-545        FERC-549C
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Annualized Capital/Startup Costs........        $198,857     $23,684,934
Annualized Costs (Operations &                         0               0
 Maintenance)...........................
                                         -------------------------------
    Total Annualized Costs..............         198,857      23,684,934
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    24. OMB regulations \22\ require OMB to approve certain information 
collection requirements imposed by agency rule. The Commission is 
submitting notification of this proposed rule to OMB.
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    \22\ 5 CFR 1320.11.
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    Title: FERC-545, Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non-Formal); 
FERC-549C, Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas 
Pipelines.
    Action: Proposed collections.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0154, 1902-0174.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit, (Interstate natural gas 
pipelines (Not applicable to small business.))
    Frequency of Responses: One-time implementation (business 
procedures, capital/start-up).
    25. Necessity of Information: This proposed rule, if implemented, 
would upgrade the Commission's current business practice and 
communication standards to the latest edition approved by GISB (Version 
1.5). These standards include new shipper options such as title 
transfer tracking, as well as standards for imbalance netting and 
trading and uniform procedures for implementation of aspects of Order 
No. 637. The implementation of these standards are necessary to 
increase the efficiency of the pipeline grid.
    26. The information collection requirements of this proposed rule 
will be reported directly to the industry users. The implementation of 
these data requirements will help the Commission carry out its 
responsibilities under the Natural Gas Act to monitor activities of the 
natural gas industry to ensure its competitiveness and to assure the 
improved efficiency of the industry's operations. The Commission's 
Office of Markets, Tariffs and Rates will use the data in rate 
proceedings to review rate and tariff changes by natural gas companies 
for the transportation of gas, for general industry oversight, and to 
supplement the documentation used during the Commission's audit 
process.
    27. Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the requirements 
pertaining to business practices and electronic communication with 
natural gas interstate pipelines and made a determination that the 
proposed revisions are necessary to establish a more efficient and 
integrated pipeline grid. Requiring such information ensures both a 
common means of communication and common business practices which 
provide participants engaged in transactions with interstate pipelines 
with timely information and uniform business procedures across multiple 
pipelines. These requirements conform to the Commission's plan for 
efficient information collection, communication, and management within 
the natural gas industry. The Commission has assured itself, by means 
of its internal review, that there is specific, objective support for 
the burden estimates associated with the information requirements.
    28. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting 
requirements by contacting the following: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, [Attention: 
Michael Miller, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Phone: (202) 
208-1415, fax: (202) 208-2425 email: [email protected]].
    29. Comments concerning the collection of information(s) and the 
associated burden estimate(s), should be sent to the contact listed 
above and to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20503 [Attention: Desk Officer 
for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, phone: (202) 395-7318, 
fax: (202) 395-7285].

30. Environmental Analysis

    31. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may 
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\23\ The 
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from these 
requirements as not having a significant effect on the human 
environment.\24\ The actions proposed here fall within categorical 
exclusions in the Commission's regulations for rules that are 
clarifying, corrective, or procedural, for information gathering, 
analysis, and dissemination, and for sales, exchange, and 
transportation of natural gas that requires no construction of 
facilities.\25\ Therefore, an environmental assessment is unnecessary 
and has not been prepared in this NOPR.

    \23\ Order No. 486, Regulations Implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act, 52 FR 47897 (Dec. 17, 1987), FERC Stats. & 
Regs. Preambles 1986-1990 para. 30,783 (1987).
    \24\ 18 CFR 380.4.
    \25\ See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii), 380.4(a)(5), 380.4(a)(27).

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32. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    33. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \26\ generally 
requires a description and analysis of final rules that will have 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
The regulations proposed here impose requirements only on interstate 
pipelines, which are not small businesses, and, these requirements are, 
in fact, designed to benefit all customers, including small businesses. 
Accordingly, pursuant to Sec. 605(b) of the RFA, the Commission hereby 
certifies that the regulations proposed herein will not have a 
significant adverse impact on a substantial number of small entities.

    \26\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.

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34. Comment Procedures

    35. The Commission invites interested persons to submit written 
comments on the matters and issues proposed in this notice to be 
adopted, including any related matters or alternative proposals

[[Page 48]]

that commenters may wish to discuss. Comments are due February 1, 2002. 
Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those 
filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing.
    36. For paper filings, the original and 14 copies of such comments 
should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and 
should refer to Docket No. RM96-1-020.
    37. Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be 
prepared in WordPerfect, MS Word, Portable Document Format, or ASCII 
format. To file the document, access the Commission's Website at 
www.ferc.gov and click on ``Make An E-Filing,'' and then follow the 
instructions for each screen. First time users will have to establish a 
user name and password. The Commission will send an automatic 
acknowledgment to the sender's e-mail address upon receipt of comments. 
User assistance for electronic filing is available at 202-208-0258 or 
by e-mail to [email protected]. Comments should not be submitted to 
the e-mail address.
    38. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files 
and will be available for inspection in the Commission's Public 
Reference Room at 888 First Street, N.E., Washington D.C. 20426, during 
regular business hours. Additionally, all comments may be viewed, 
printed, or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's 
Homepage using the RIMS link. User assistance for RIMS is available at 
202-208-2222, or by e-mail to [email protected].

39. Document Availability

    40. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
Internet through FERC's homepage (http://www.ferc.gov) and in FERC's 
Public Reference Room during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Eastern time) at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426.
    41. From FERC's homepage on the Internet, this information is 
available in both the Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS) and the 
Records and Information Management System (RIMS).
    42. CIPS provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by 
the Commission since November 14, 1994.
    43. CIPS can be accessed using the CIPS link or the Documents & 
Filing link. The full text of this document is available on CIPS in 
ASCII and WordPerfect 8.0 format for viewing, printing, and/or 
downloading.
    44. RIMS contains images of documents submitted to and issued by 
the Commission after November 16, 1981. Documents from November 1995 to 
the present can be viewed and printed from FERC's homepage using the 
RIMS link or the Documents & Filing link. Descriptions of documents 
back to November 16, 1981, are also available from RIMS-on-the-Web; 
requests for copies of these and other older documents should be 
submitted to the Public Reference Room.
    45. User assistance is available for RIMS, CIPS, and the Web site 
during normal business hours from our Help line at (202) 208-2222 (e-
mail to [email protected]) or the Public Reference at (202) 208-
1371 (e-mail to [email protected]).
    46. During normal business hours, documents can also be viewed and/
or printed in FERC's Public Reference Room, where RIMS, CIPS, and the 
FERC Web site are available. User assistance is also available.

List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 284

    Continental shelf, Incorporation by reference, Natural gas, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    By direction of the Commission.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to amend 
part 284, Chapter I, Title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows.

PART 284--CERTAIN SALES AND TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS UNDER THE 
NATURAL GAS POLICY ACT OF 1978 AND RELATED AUTHORITIES

    1. The authority citation for part 284 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 717-717w, 3301-3432; 42 U.S.C. 7101-7532; 
43 U.S.C. 1331-1356.

    2. Section 284.12 is amended as follows:


Sec. 284.12  [Amended]

    a. Paragraph (a) is removed and paragraphs (b) and (c) are 
redesignated as paragraphs (a) and (b), respectively.
    b. In newly redesignated paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (ii), (iii), and 
(v), revise all references to ``Version 1.4, August 31, 1999'' to read 
``Version 1.5, August 18, 2001.''
    c. In newly redesignated paragraph (a)(1)(iv), revise all 
references to ``Version 1.4, November 15, 1999'' to read ``Version 1.5, 
August 18, 2001.''

[FR Doc. 01-32004 Filed 12-31-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P