[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64108-64109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26386]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-3-000]


El Paso Natural Gas Company; Notice of Application

October 10, 2002.
    Take notice that on October 3, 2002, El Paso Natural Gas Company 
(El Paso), Post Office Box 1087, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80944, 
filed in Docket No. CP03-1-000, an application, pursuant to Section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Part 157 of the Commission's 
Regulations for a certificate of public convenience and necessity 
authorizing the construction, ownership and operation of certain 
natural gas compression facilities and appurtenances in Arizona, New 
Mexico, and Texas, referred to as the Line 2000 Power-up Project, all 
as more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection.
    El Paso proposes to construct, own and operate compression stations 
at nine new or existing mainline compressor stations on its 
transmission system to add a total transportation capacity of 320,000 
Mcf of natural gas per day. Specifically, El Paso proposes to install 
compression facilities with a total of 151,600 horsepower on Line 2000 
at the existing Casa Grande, Lordsburg, Florida, El Paso, and Cornudas 
Compressor Stations, and new facilities near milepost (MP) 609 in 
Cochise County, Arizona (the Cimarron Station), at the former Tom Mix 
Oil Pump Station located near MP 530 in Pinal County, Arizona, at the 
former Black River Oil Pump Station located near MP 946 in Culberson 
County, Texas, and at a new site at approximately MP 1101 in Winkler 
County, Texas (the Wink Compressor Station). It is explained that the 
additional capacity would enable El Paso to transport gas from the 
eastern portion of its system--the Keystone and Waha Pools--to the 
southern and western portions and would enhance flexibility on the 
system. El Paso will use the new compression to further integrate its 
south mainline systems and increase flexibility.
    It is explained that the project was proposed in response to issues 
raised by various parties in four separate proceedings regarding 
capacity allocation as a result of changed circumstances on El Paso's 
system.\1\ El Paso states that the Commission's order on May 31, 2002, 
in Docket No. RP00-336-002 established a set of procedures and 
deadlines to effectuate two principle changes in service on El Paso's 
system: the conversion of firm FT-1 Full Requirements (FR) service to 
contract demand (CD) service with specified volumetric entitlements; 
and the conversion of system-wide receipt point rights to quantified 
rights and specific receipt points or at supply pools. El Paso states 
that in a subsequent September 20, 2002 order, the Commission 
encouraged it to construct the power-up facilities and has directed El 
Paso to include the capacity from the Line 2000 Power-up Project in its 
initial allocation of capacity to converting FR shippers. According to 
El Paso, however, the Commission, in the September 20 order extended 
the effective date for the reallocation of capacity to May 1, 2003, 
assuming that the Power-up facilities would be up and running by the 
summer of 2003.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Docket Nos. RP00-139-000, RP00-336-000, RP01-484-000, and 
RP01-486-000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    However, El Paso states that it will take approximately 24 months 
to bring the Line 2000 Power-up project into service.
    El Paso contends that the in-service date for the facilities is 
dependent upon the timing of certificate approvals, the receipt of air 
quality permits, and the delivery of the compression equipment.

[[Page 64109]]

Thus, El Paso states that the project will be constructed on a phased 
construction and in-service schedule, adding increments of 120,000 Mcf 
per day by February 2004, 100,000 Mcf per day by April 2004, and 
100,000 Mcf per day by April 2005.
    El Paso specifically requests a certificate order from the 
Commission which provides that (1) these facilities are needed and in 
the public interest in light of the changed circumstances on El Paso's 
system, (2) the expansion of its capacity by way of the Power-up 
Project is prudent, and (3) El Paso will be allowed to include the 
costs associated with such facilities in the rates resulting from the 
next rate case in which El Paso's costs and revenues are reviewed.
    El Paso states that it will not assess the FR shippers the 
reservation charges attributable directly to the Power-up facilities 
until the next rate case examining its costs and revenues. El Paso 
asserts that it will assess usage and fuel charges based on the 
location of the receipts and deliveries for service provided through 
these facilities prior to that time, pursuant to the provisions of El 
Paso's FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume No. 1-A. It is stated 
that the project meets the criteria of the Commission's 1999 Policy 
Statement for construction of new facilities, with benefits outweighing 
any adverse effects. El Paso estimates the total capital cost for the 
project at $173,287,900.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Robert T. Tomlinson, Director, Regulatory Affairs, at (719) 520-3788, 
El Paso Gas Transmission Company, Post Office Box 1087, Colorado 
Springs, Colorado 80944.
    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 31, 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 385.211 and 385.214) 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. Comments and protests may be filed electronically via the 
internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm. The 
Commission strongly encourages parties to file interventions 
electronically.
    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 environmental documents, and will be able to participate in 
meetings associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties. However, Commenters will not receive copies of all 
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission, and will 
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final 
order to a Federal court.
    The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally, 
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
    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 ion 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 to 
file comments or to intervene as early in the process as possible.
    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 a 
certificate will be issued.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-26386 Filed 10-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P