[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59278-59279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23865]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-431-000]


Colorado Interstate Gas Company, RME Petroleum Company, and 
Chevron U.S.A. Inc.; Notice of Joint Petition of Colorado Interstate 
Gas Company, RME Petroleum Company and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. for a 
Declaratory Order Disclaiming Jurisdiction

September 13, 2002.
    Take notice that on August 27, 2002, Colorado Interstate Gas 
Company (CIG), RME Petroleum Company (RME) and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. 
(Chevron) filed, pursuant to Rule 207(a)(2) of the Rules of Practice 
and Procedure of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) 
18 CFR 385.207(a)(2)(2001), a joint petition for a declaratory order in 
Docket No. CP02-431-000, requesting the Commission declare that the 
acquisition by RME and Chevron of CIG's Table Rock Plant and their 
subsequent ownership and operation of these facilities in Sweetwater 
County, Wyoming, would have the primary function of gathering of 
natural gas and thereby be exempt from the Commission's jurisdiction 
pursuant to section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act, all as more fully set 
forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open 
to public inspection. This filing is available for review at the 
Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``FERRIS'' link. 
Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field to access the document. For Assistance, call (202) 502-
8222 or for TTY, (202) 208-1659.
    CIG states that it is currently the owner and operator of the Table 
Rock Plant (a natural gas sweetening plant) and a 1.82 mile, 12-inch 
diameter pipeline lateral connecting the plant to CIG's 22-inch Wyoming 
mainline. These facilities were constructed by CIG in 1976 and placed 
into operation on December 19, 1977 to connect, process, and market 
supplies of sour gas produced out of the deeper Madison and Weber 
formations underlying acreage previously committed to CIG in the Table 
Rock Area of southern Wyoming. CIG states that RME and Chevron own and 
operate the sour gas wells upstream of the Table Rock Plant.
    According to CIG, based upon their natural gas production plans, 
RME and Chevron believe that expansion of the treating plant will be 
required in the near future, but the parties have been unable to agree 
upon any economic arrangement that would permit CIG to expand the plant 
to the capacity RME and Chevron will be needing. Accordingly, RME and 
Chevron have determined that it is in their best interest to own and 
operate the Table Rock Plant and related facilities and CIG has 
determined that it no longer needs to own and operate this facility. 
Consequently, CIG states that it has elected to sell the Table Rock 
Plant and related facilities, and that RME and Chevron have elected to 
purchase the plant and related facilities.
    Specifically, CIG will sell to RME and Chevron all of CIG's rights, 
title, and interests in the Table Rock Plant and related facilities. 
Following the sale, CIG has stated that RME and Chevron will operate 
the wells, gathering facilities and the sour gas plant as an integrated 
production system, matching well development programs with gathering 
system and plant modifications to enhance the production of natural gas 
from the reserves.
    It is stated by CIG that as a condition to the closing of the 
proposed transaction among the parties, CIG will be required to abandon 
the Table Rock Plant and related facilities under its blanket 
authorization in Docket No. CP83-21. CIG states that since there are no 
producers of sour gas upstream of the plant other than RME and Chevron, 
and since RME and Chevron are not otherwise engaged in the ownership 
and operation of facilities in interstate commerce subject to 
Commission jurisdiction, a declaratory order is requested disclaiming 
jurisdiction over RME's and Chevron's joint ownership and operation of 
the facilities purchased from CIG.
    Any questions regarding this joint petition should be directed to 
Robert T. Tomlinson, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Colorado Interstate 
Gas Company, P. O. Box 1087, Colorado Springs, CO 80944, at (719) 520-
3788 or fax (719) 520-4697 or Mark R. Haskell or Christie L. Richart, 
Brunenkant & Haskell, LLP, 805 15th Street, N.W., Suite 1101, 
Washington, DC 20005, at (202) 408-0700 or fax (202) 408-5959.
    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 October 4, 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.
    Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically 
via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings. 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

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the Commission's review process, a final Commission order approving or 
denying a certificate will be issued.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-23865 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P