[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17065-17066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8504]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-125-000]


Texas Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Application

April 3, 2002.
    Take notice that on March 27, 2002, Texas Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Texas Gas), 3800 Frederica Street, Owensboro, Kentucky 
42301, filed in Docket No. CP02-125-000, for: (1) An application 
pursuant to section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for authorization 
to abandon by sale to ATP Oil & Gas Corporation (ATP) certain supply 
lateral facilities extending from West Cameron Area Block 237 to West 
Cameron Area Block 250, offshore Louisiana and (2) a request for 
jurisdictional determination that, upon approval of the abandonment by 
sale, such facilities will be gathering facilities, and ATP'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 ATP 
whereby Texas Gas will, upon Commission approval, transfer by sale to 
ATP certain supply lateral facilities consisting of approximately 4.436 
miles of 12-inch diameter pipeline, measurement facilities, and various 
valves and equipment, located in West Cameron Area Block 237 and 
terminating in West Cameron Area Block 250, offshore Louisiana.
    Texas Gas indicates that the proposed abandonment will permit Texas 
Gas to divest itself of a supply lateral, which is remote from, and not 
integrated with, its mainline transmission system, and which was 
constructed to support its former merchant function. Texas Gas avers 
that it no longer requires the subject supply lateral to access gas 
supplies, and that these facilities are not integral to Texas Gas' 
current role as an open-access transporter. Texas Gas asserts that 
abandonment of the subject facilities will enable Texas Gas to 
streamline its transmission operations by eliminating certain operating 
costs associated with maintaining facilities that are not part of Texas 
Gas' contiguous system.
    Texas Gas states that the transfer of the subject supply lateral 
facilities will not adversely affect any of their current customers. 
Texas Gas declares that there are no firm transportation commitments 
involving utilization of those facilities. Texas Gas avers that after 
the transfer, ATP indicates that it will provide non-jurisdictional 
service on a non-discriminatory basis. Texas Gas asserts that 
availability of service through these facilities will not be impaired 
as a result of Texas Gas' transfer of these facilities to ATP.
    Texas Gas states that ATP will pay Texas Gas the sum of $100 for 
Texas Gas' interest (100%) in the facilities. Texas Gas indicates that 
in recognition of the costs associated with any future retirement of 
these facilities by ATP, an agreement provides for Texas Gas to pay ATP 
actual and reasonable costs associated with retirement up to $100,000.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
David N. Roberts, Manager of Certificates and Tariffs, Texas Gas 
Transmission Corporation, P.O. 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 April 24, 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 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 
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

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final Commission order approving or denying a certificate will be 
issued.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-8504 Filed 4-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P