[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 3580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-103]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[ Docket No. PL04-3-000]


Natural Gas Interchangeability; Notice of Public Conference

January 15, 2004.
    1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a 
conference on February 18, 2004, to engage industry members and the 
public in a dialogue about policy issues arising from natural gas 
interchangeability.\1\ On October 14, 2003, the Commission held a 
technical conference on the findings and recommendations contained in 
the National Petroleum Council's report: Balancing Natural Gas Policy--
Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy.\2\ The Summary Report 
recommended that the natural gas interchangeability standards be 
updated: ``FERC and DOE should champion the new standards effort to 
allow a broader range of LNG [liquefied natural gas] imports. This 
should be conducted with participation from LDCs [local distribution 
companies], LNG purchasers, process gas users, and original equipment 
manufacturers (OEMs).'' \3\ In addition, the Commission has dealt with 
gas quality and interchangeability issues in several recent cases, and 
others are pending.\4\ These cases will not be the subject of the 
technical conference nor will discussion of them be entertained, due to 
ex parte considerations. Nevertheless, as a result of the NPC 
recommendation and concerns about gas interchangeability raised in 
pending proceedings, it is clear that the Commission needs more 
information in order to evaluate what role, if any, it should prepare 
to take to address the impacts of natural gas interchangeability on the 
nation's energy consumers and the companies regulated by the 
Commission.
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    \1\ As used by the gas industry, ``interchangeability'' means 
the extent to which a substitute gas can replace gas normally used 
by a customer without unduly interfering with the operation of the 
customer's natural gas equipment. See Cove Point LNG Limited 
Partnership, 97 FERC ] 61,043 (2001) at 61,197.
    \2\ The National Petroleum Council is an oil and natural gas 
advisory committee to the Secretary of Energy.
    \3\ National Petroleum Council, Balancing Natural Gas Policy: 
Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy, Volume I, Summary of 
Findings and Recommendations, September 2003, p. 64.
    \4\ See Toca Producers v. Southern Natural Gas Company, 104 FERC 
] 61,300 (2003), and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, 104 
FERC ] 61,322 (2003).
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    2. An agenda detailing the matters to be addressed and identifying 
speakers will be issued in the near future. In addition to direct 
presentations, the Commission will provide an open forum that will give 
all interested individuals an opportunity to respond to the 
presentations or present other views on the issues discussed.
    3. The conference will be held on February 18, 2004, at FERC, 888 
First Street, NE., in Washington, DC beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the 
Commission Meeting Room. The public is invited to attend. For further 
information about the conference, please call or e-mail Andrea Hilliard 
(202-502-8288; [email protected]) or Ed Murrell (202-502-8703; 
[email protected]).
    4. The Capitol Connection offers the opportunity for remote 
listening and viewing of the conference. It is available for a fee, 
live over the Internet, via C-Band Satellite. Persons interested in 
receiving the broadcast, or who need information on making arrangements 
should contact David Reininger or Julia Morelli at the Capitol 
Connection (703-993-3100) as soon as possible or visit the Capitol 
Connection Web site at http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu and click 
on ``FERC.''

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-103 Filed 01-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P