[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38088-38089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13660]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-233-000]


Equitrans, L.P., Carnegie Interstate Pipeline Company; Notice of 
Application

May 24, 2002.
    On May 20, 2002, the affiliated interstate natural gas pipelines, 
Equitrans, L.P. (Equitrans) and Carnegie Interstate Pipeline Company 
(CIPCO), located at 100 and 150 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania 15212-5331, respectively, tendered for filing an 
application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity 
pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for authorization 
permitting Equitrans to acquire and operate by merger CIPCO's gas 
pipeline services and facilities, and for authorization permitting 
CIPCO to abandon such services and facilities, all as more fully 
explained in the application. 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).

[[Page 38089]]

    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Fredrick K. Dalena, Vice President, Administration, Equitrans, L.P., 
100 Allegheny Center Mall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212, at (412) 
395-3270.
    Applicants state that no new construction is proposed in the 
application. Further, Applicants state that upon Commission approval of 
the application, Equitrans proposes to operate the merged facilities 
under the open access provisions of its existing FERC Gas Tariff. 
Applicants state that the merger will be reflected at the net utility 
plant balance of the CIPCO assets to be merged into Equitrans.
    Applicants state that Equitrans' existing customers will experience 
no impact on the settlement rates that are currently in effect. 
Applicants further state that the transportation services performed by 
the merged facilities will continue to be charged the same rate as 
under CIPCO's current FERC Gas Tariff until Equitrans' next general 
section 4 rate proceeding, which is required by settlement to be filed 
in 2003. Accordingly, CIPCO's existing customers also will not 
experience any impact on the currently effective rates.
    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 June 14, 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 the 
application will be issued.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-13660 Filed 5-30-02; 8:45 am]
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