[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64356-64357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26490]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-142-001]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Petition To 
Amend

October 11, 2002.
    Take notice that on October 4, 2002, Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Columbia), 12801 Fair Lakes Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia 
22030-0146, filed in Docket No. CP02-142-001, a petition to amend the 
application filed April 5, 2002, in Docket No. CP02-142-000, requesting 
a certificate pursuant to sections 7(b) and (c) of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA) and Part 157 of the Commission's Regulations for abandonment 
authorization and a certificate of public convenience and necessity 
authorizing the construction and operation of certain natural gas 
transmission facilities in Pennsylvania and Maryland to provide firm 
transportation service (FTS) under Part 284 of the Commission's 
Regulations for Rock Springs Generation, LLC (Rock Springs) and CED 
Rock Springs, Inc. (CEDRS) (together, ``Customer''), all as more fully 
set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and 
open to public inspection.
    Columbia proposes to revise its previously approved and requested 
proposals in Docket Nos. CP01-260-000, CP01-439-000 and CP02-142-000 
because of changing needs and customer circumstances, as discussed in a 
public meeting at the Commission held September 4, 2002. It is stated 
that the customer for which facilities were authorized in Docket No. 
CP01-260-000 exercised its option to terminate its contract. That 
authorization included a proposal to abandon the existing compressor at 
the Downingtown compressor station in Pennsylvania and to construct and 
operate additional compression at the compressor station. It is stated 
that the proposal in Docket No. CP02-142-001 requires the additional 
compression; therefore, because those facilities were not installed, 
Columbia requests authorization in the instant docket to include 
abandonment of the existing compressor and construction of a new 6,000 
horsepower compressor at Downingtown. Columbia has filed a separate 
application with proposed revisions to its Delaware Valley Energy 
Expansion Project in Docket No.CP01-439-003.
    In Docket No. CP02-142-001, Columbia proposes to abandon 8.8 miles 
of 10-inch pipeline in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and to construct 
and operate 8.8 miles of 24-inch pipeline (replacement of Line 1896), 
and to abandon 0.3 mile of 14-inch pipeline and to construct and 
operate 0.3 mile of 24-inch pipeline in Chester County (replacement of 
Line 1556), both as previously authorized in Docket No. CP01-439-000. 
It is stated that Columbia will use the expanded mainline capacity to 
transport up to 270,000 Dekatherms (dt) per day of natural gas to the 
Customer's power plant to be located in Rock Springs, Cecil County, 
Maryland, in order to serve the fuel requirements of the power plant 
and to serve future electric demand requirements. Columbia states that 
it has signed contracts with Rock Springs and CEDRS to transport gas 
for a term of 20 years, delivering 135,000 dt of gas per day to each. 
It is asserted that the replacement of the line will enhance 
reliability and flexibility for Columbia's existing customers through 
the creation of additional capacity during off-peak periods. Columbia 
states that it will make deliveries to the Customer using the existing 
Rock Springs Meter Station which was constructed by Columbia under the 
automatic provisions of its blanket certificate and paid for by the 
Customer.
    Columbia estimates the cost of the project at $29,214,400 and 
requests rolled-in rate treatment for the cost, asserting that the 
project satisfies the requirements of the Commission's Pricing Policy 
Statement for new construction. Columbia requests that a certificate be 
issued by December 18, 2002, in order to begin service by April 1, 
2003.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Fredric J. George, Senior Attorney, at (304) 357-2359, Columbia Gas 
Transmission Company, PO Box 1273, Charleston, West Virginia 25325-
1273.
    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 November 1, 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 intervenors to file 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

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

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-26490 Filed 10-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P