[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 150 (Tuesday, August 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46175-46176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19831]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

 [Docket Nos. CP03-338-000, CP03-339-000 and CP03-340-000]


Panther Interstate Pipeline Energy, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

July 29, 2003.
    Take notice that on July 18, 2003, Panther Interstate Pipeline 
Energy, L.L.C. (Panther Interstate), 14405 Walters Road, Houston, Texas 
770141337, filed in Docket Nos. CP03-338-000, CP03-339-000, and CP03-
340-000, an application pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas 
Act, as amended (NGA), and Subpart A of part 157 and part 284 of the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) Regulations 
thereunder, for certificates of public convenience and necessity 
authorizing Panther Interstate to acquire and operate certain 
facilities in on and off-shore Texas from the Natural Gas Pipeline 
Company of America (Natural), all as more fully set forth in the 
application which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection. Panther Interstate states that Natural is simultaneously 
filing a related application requesting, in Docket No. CP03-337-000, 
authorization to abandon, by sale, the subject facilities. This filing, 
as well as the Natural filing are 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 last three digits in the docket number field to access the 
document. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll-free at (866)208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202)502-8659.
    Panther Interstate states that pursuant to a purchase and sale 
agreement between Natural and Prism and Panther dated December 21, 
2001, as amended on March 20, 2003, May 22, 2003, and June 26, 2003 
(``PSA Agreement''), Natural has agreed to sell and Panther Interstate 
has agreed to acquire both the jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional 
facilities for $400,000 plus additional consideration. Upon receipt of 
the requisite acquisition authority and the blanket certificates sought 
in the present application, Panther Interstate states that it will:
    [sbull] Acquire and operate 22 miles of 16inch diameter offshore 
and related onshore pipeline and appurtenances originating at, but not 
including a sub-sea tap assembly in High Island Block 48, offshore, 
Texas, and terminating onshore near a connection with Natural's 30inch 
Louisiana Mainline No. 1 in Jefferson County, Texas (i.e., a portion of 
what is known as Natural's High Island Block 71A Lateral), a dual 8inch 
meter and appurtenances located onshore at Natural's Booster Station 
No. 344 property in Jefferson County, Texas (``BS 344'') and a 12inch 
sub-sea tap located in High Island Block 11;
    [sbull] Acquire and operate 3.12 miles of 20inch onshore pipeline 
(known as Natural's Sabine Pass Lateral) and appurtenances originating 
near Natural's BS 344 in Jefferson County, Texas and terminating near a 
connection with Natural's 30inch Louisiana Mainline No. 2 in Jefferson 
County, Texas and a dual 12inch meter and appurtenances located at BS 
344;
    [sbull] Undertake selfimplementing interstate transportation of 
natural gas under part 284, Subpart G, of the Commission's Regulations; 
and
    [sbull] Engage in any of the activities specified in Subpart F, 
part 157, of the Commission's Regulations.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to 
Philip D. Gettig, Prism Gas Systems, Inc., 2350 Airport Freeway, Suite 
200, Bedford, Texas, at (817)684-0158 Ext. 225, Luis M. Guzman, Panther 
Pipeline, Ltd., 14405 Walters Road, Suite 960, Houston, Texas, 77014 at 
(832)-552-3600, or Douglas F. John, John & Hengerer, 1200 17th Street, 
NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC, 20036-3013 at (202)429-8801.
    Panther Interstate states that by the Commission's order issued 
September 20, 2002, in Docket No. CP0281000 (September 20th Order), 
Natural was authorized to a abandon a portion of the facilities in the 
High Island Area, offshore Texas by sale to Prism Gas Systems, Inc. and 
Panther Pipeline, Ltd. (Prism/Panther), two existing non-jurisdictional 
gathering companies, which facilities the Commission found to be non-
jurisdictional gathering facilities (non-jurisdictional facilities). 
However, Panther Interstate states, the Commission also found in the 
September 20th Order that a portion of the facilities that Natural had 
sought to abandon by sale to Prism/Panther in the High Island Area and 
onshore in Jefferson County, Texas were jurisdictional gas transmission 
facilities (jurisdictional facilities), and the Commission did not 
grant Natural authority to abandon these facilities. Therefore, Prism/
Panther have set up a subsidiary, Panther Interstate, to be an 
interstate pipeline natural gas company subject to the jurisdiction of 
the Commission, to acquire, own and operate the jurisdictional 
facilities. Panther Interstate notes that it will also acquire and 
operate the facilities Natural was authorized to abandon, which were 
found to be non-jurisdictional by the September 20th Order. Panther 
Interstate states that by a separate related application (CP03-337-
000), being filed simultaneously, Natural is seeking abandonment 
authority to sell the jurisdictional facilities to Panther Interstate.
    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

[[Page 46176]]

the party or parties directly involved in the protest.
    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.

    August 19, 2003.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-19831 Filed 8-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P