[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 15442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7582]



[[Page 15442]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-65-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Application

March 24, 2003.
    Take notice that on March 14, 2003, Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Columbia), 1700 MacCorkle Avenue, SE., Charleston, West 
Virginia 25314, filed in Docket No. CP03-65-000, pursuant to section 
7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), for permission and approval to 
abandon by sale to Columbia Natural Resources, Inc., a Texas 
corporation, certain natural gas pipeline facilities located in West 
Virginia, and the service provided through such facilities. In 
addition, Columbia requests that the Commission find the abandoned 
facilities to be gathering, and therefore exempt from the Commission's 
jurisdiction, 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 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, contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659.
    The facilities proposed for abandonment by sale is Columbia's 
Stafford Compressor Station. The Stafford Compressor Station consists 
of one 360 horsepower Ajax DPC compressor unit and appurtenances and is 
located in Mingo County, West Virginia. Columbia states that the 
facilities, constructed in the early 1980's as field gas compression, 
currently compress local production to pipeline pressure for delivery 
into Columbia's mainline system. However, Columbia states that the 
facilities are no longer an integral part of its transmission system 
and that the long-term needs of its customers will be best served 
through a divestiture of the facilities. Columbia does not propose the 
abandonment of any services as a result of the facility abandonment. 
Columbia proposes to relocate its existing receipt point from the 
suction side of the compressor station to an existing interconnection 
located on the discharge side of the station. Columbia notes that the 
facilities will be sold for their depreciated book cost at the time of 
closing, estimated to be $347,495.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to 
Fredric J. George, Senior Attorney, Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation, P.O. Box 1273, Charleston, West Virginia 22030-0146 at 
(304) 357-2359.
    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 the comment date stated below 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 in the proceeding with the Commission 
and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party. 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 Commissions' 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. The 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.
    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. 
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings.
    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.
    Comment Date: April 14, 2003.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-7582 Filed 3-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P