[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 14927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7446]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-115-000]


Mississippi River Transmission Corporation; Notice of Application 
for Construction Authorization

March 22, 2002.
    On March 15, 2002, Mississippi River Transmission Corporation 
(MRT), 1111 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an 
application in Docket No. CP02-115-000 pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA) and part 157 of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission's (Commission) Regulations thereunder, an application for 
any and all construction authority required by MRT to drill, own and 
operate two vertical storage wells, located in the State of Louisiana. 
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 #'' and follow 
the instructions (call (202)208-2222 for assistance).
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Cyril J. Zebot, Vice President, Financial Analysis/Market Development 
Analysis, Mississippi River Transmission Corporation, P. O. Box 4455, 
Houston, Texas 77210, at (713) 207-5163 or Lawrence O. Thomas, 
Director-Rates & Regulatory, at (713) 429-2804.
    Specifically, MRT proposes to construct two vertical storage wells 
in its East Unionville Storage Field located in Lincoln Parish, 
Louisiana for the purpose of maintaining and restoring late season 
deliverability for MRT's customers.\1\ MRT states that this application 
is submitted pursuant to the terms of the Uncontested Stipulation and 
Agreement (Agreement) in Docket No. RP01-292-000, et. al., and TM00-1-
25-000, et. al., approved by the Commission on January 16, 2002. MRT 
states that in accordance with the terms of the Agreement, MRT does not 
request rolled-in rate treatment for the costs associated with the 
construction of the proposed facilities, which will be recorded and 
maintained in a separate account to be excluded from future rate base 
treatment. MRT states that granting this certificate application will 
not impact the transportation/storage rates of MRT's customers. Total 
construction costs are estimated to be approximately $2.3 million.
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    \1\ In addition, MRT plans to construct two 6-inch gas storage 
field flow lines approximately 2,200 feet each in length to connect 
the proposed wells to an existing central meter facility in the East 
Unionville Storage Field. MRT states that the flow lines will be 
constructed and connected pursuant to MRT's blanket certificate 
authorized pursuant to Docket No. CP82-389 (20 FERC para. 62,579).
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    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this abandonment. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this abandonment should, on or 
before April 12, 2002, 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 
abandonment. 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 abandonment 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 abandonment 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 
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 
abandonment will be issued.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-7446 Filed 3-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P