[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35989-35990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12748]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RM93-11-000]


Revisions to Oil Pipeline Regulations Pursuant to the Energy 
Policy Act of 1992; Annual Change in Producer Price Index for Finished 
Goods

May 15, 2002.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of annual change in the producer price index for 
finished goods, minus one percent.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is issuing the index that oil pipelines must 
apply to their July 1, 2001--June 30, 2002 index ceiling levels to 
compute their index ceiling levels for the period July 1, 2002 through 
June 30, 2003, in accordance with 18 CFR 342.3(d). This index, which is 
the percent change (expressed as a decimal) in the annual average 
Producer Price Index for Finished Goods from 2000 to 2001, minus one 
percent, is 0.009565. Oil pipelines must multiply their July 1, 2001--
June 30, 2002 index ceiling levels by 1.009565 to compute their index 
ceiling levels for the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Ulevich, Division of Tariffs and 
Rates Central, Central Group 4, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-0678.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Notice of Annual Change in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods, 
Minus One Percent

May 15, 2002.
    The Commission's regulations include a methodology for oil 
pipelines to change their rates through use of an index system that 
establishes ceiling levels for such rates. The index system as set 
forth at 18 CFR 342.3 is based on the annual change in the Producer 
Price Index for Finished Goods (PPI-FG), minus one percent. The 
regulations provide that each year the Commission will publish an index 
reflecting the final change in the PPI-FG, minus one percent, after the 
final PPI-FG is made available by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 
of each calendar year.
    The annual average PPI-FG index figure for 2000 was 138.0 and the 
annual average PPI-FG index figure for

[[Page 35990]]

2001 was 140.7.\1\ Thus, the percent change (expressed as a decimal) in 
the annual average PPI-FG from 2000 to 2001, minus one percent, is 
0.009565.\2\ Oil pipelines must multiply their July 1, 2001--June 30, 
2002 index ceiling levels by 1.009565 \3\ to compute their index 
ceiling levels for the period July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003, in 
accordance with 18 CFR 342.3(d). For guidance in calculating the 
ceiling levels for each period beginning January 1, 1995,\4\ see 
Explorer Pipeline Company, 71 FERC 61,416 at n.6 (1995).
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    \1\ The final figure for the annual average PPI-FG is published 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in mid-May of each year. This 
figure is publicly available from the Division of Industrial Prices 
and Price Indexes of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at (202) 691-
7705, and is available in print in August in Table 1 of the annual 
data supplement to the BLS publication Producer Price Indexes. The 
PPI data are also available via the Internet. The Internet address 
is [http://www.bls.gov/ppi]. To obtain the BLS data, click on Get 
Detailed Statistics, then click on Commodity Data under the Create 
Customized Tables (one screen) heading. At step 1, scroll all the 
way to the bottom and choose SOP. At step 2, scroll and choose 
SOP3000. At step 3, check the Not Seasonally Adjusted box and then 
click on Get Data at step 4.
    \2\ [140.7-138.0]/138.0 = 0.019565-.01 = 0.009565.
    \3\ 1 + 0.009565 = 1.009565.
    \4\ For a listing of all prior multipliers issued by the 
Commission, see the Commission's website, www.ferc.gov. The table of 
multipliers can be found under the headings ``Oil'' and ``Index''.
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Document Availability

    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission also provides all interested persons 
an opportunity to inspect or copy the contents of this document during 
normal business hours in the Public Reference Room at 888 First Street, 
NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426.
    The Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS) provides access to 
the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission from November 
14, 1994, to the present. CIPS can be accessed via Internet through 
FERC's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) on CIPS in ASCII and WordPerfect 
6.1. User assistance is available at 202-208-2222 or by E-mail to 
[email protected].
    This document is also available through the Commission's Records 
and Information Management System (RIMS), an electronic storage and 
retrieval system 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. RIMS is available in the Public Reference 
Room or remotely via Internet through FERC's Home Page using the RIMS 
link or the Energy Information online icon. User assistance is 
available at 202-208-2222, or by E-mail to [email protected].
    Finally, the complete text on diskette in WordPerfect format may be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contract; American Electronic 
Imaging Company, Inc. American Electronic Imaging Company, Inc., is 
located at 888 First Street, NE., Suite 2A-16, Washington, DC 20426.

Magalie R. Salas
Secretary
[FR Doc. 02-12748 Filed 5-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P