[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66374-66375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6038]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. RM01-10-000 and EY06-4-000]


Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers; Enbridge Inc. 
and Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.; Notice Granting Waiver of 
Recordkeeping Requirements

October 24, 2005.
    On October 18, 2005, Enbridge Inc. and Enbridge Energy Partners, 
L.P. (collectively, Enbridge), on behalf of certain of their respective 
Offshore Pipelines,\1\ filed to seek a temporary emergency waiver of 
section 358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations and for any other 
waivers necessary for Enbridge to proceed with the restoration work on 
its Offshore Pipelines. Enbridge requests that the waivers begin 
October 7, 2005 and continue until the earlier of the end of the gas 
day on March 31, 2006 (the last day of the 2005-2006 winter heating 
season) or the date on which the throughput expected for the particular 
pipeline is fully restored. Effective on the date of this notice, the 
Commission will grant each of the Enbridge Offshore Pipelines a waiver 
of the otherwise applicable requirements of section 358.4(a)(2) to 
record a log of emergency-related deviations from the Standards of 
Conduct and to post these deviations on their Web sites; this extension 
will expire individually for each pipeline on the earlier of when that 
pipeline has completed its hurricane-related repairs and is ready to 
return to service, or January 13, 2006.
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    \1\ Enbridge is filing on behalf of Enbridge Offshore Pipelines 
(UTOS) L.L.C. Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. is filing on behalf of 
Garden Banks Gas Pipeline, LLC, Mississippi Canyon Gas Pipeline, 
LLC, Nautilus Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and Stingray Pipeline 
Company, L.L.C. (collectively, Offshore Pipelines).
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    Enbridge explains that, in the area impacted by Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita, the Offshore Pipelines are either off-line entirely or are 
continuing to experience throughput that is substantially lower than 
the throughput projected for these pipelines prior to the 
hurricanes.\2\ Enbridge explains further, that, as a result of the 
substantial damage caused to the energy infrastructure in the Gulf 
Coast area, the Offshore Pipelines are suffering emergencies affecting 
their systems' reliability. Enbridge states that it is necessary for 
the Offshore Pipeline employees who are assisting in the restoration 
efforts to communicate with other Enbridge employees and with third-
party employees about the status of the restoration efforts and to 
coordinate joint operations and repair work, without regard to their 
designation under the Standards of Conduct. Enbridge states that the 
requirement to log each individual deviation would be burdensome and 
would complicate the Offshore Pipelines' restoration efforts. Enbridge 
notes that its waiver is limited to those employees involved in the 
ongoing restoration efforts and the communications required in 
connection with that effort. Enbridge states that the affected 
employees will observe the no-conduit requirement in the Standards of 
Conduct.
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    \2\ Enbridge states that the Offshore Pipelines are currently 
experiencing approximately 1,315,000 Dth/d in decreased throughput 
due to hurricane-related damage along the Gulf Coast and in the Gulf 
of Mexico.
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    Due to the emergency conditions in Louisiana and Texas created by 
Hurricane Rita, on September 23, 2005, the Commission issued a notice 
that, among other things, allowed affected transmission providers to 
delay, until October 7, 2005, compliance with the requirement of 
section 358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations, 18 CFR 358.4(a)(2) 
(2005), to report to the Commission and post on the OASIS or Internet 
Web site, as applicable, each emergency that resulted in any deviation 
from the Standards of Conduct.\3\ Due to the extreme nature of the 
emergency, the Commission also waived, until October 7, 2005, the 
requirements to record and retain a record of each deviation of the 
Standards of Conduct.\4\ The notice added that the Commission would 
consider extending the waiver if it continued to be needed after 
October 7, 2005. The Commission had previously granted similar waivers 
due to Hurricane Katrina.\5\
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    \3\ Notice Granting Extension of Time To Comply With Posting and 
Other Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 
Docket Nos. EY05-20-000, et al. (September 23, 2005).
    \4\ Id.
    \5\ Notice Granting Extension of Time To Comply With Posting and 
Other Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 
Docket Nos. EY05-14-000, et al. (August 31, 2005); Notice Waiving 
Record Keeping Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission 
Providers, Docket Nos. EY05-14-001, et al. (September 7, 2005).

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[[Page 66375]]

    Based on available information regarding the expected restoration 
dates for Enbridge's pipeline operations, the Commission grants 
Enbridge a waiver of the recording and posting requirements of section 
358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations under these emergency 
circumstances effective on the date of this notice until the earlier of 
January 13, 2006, or the date on which each individual offshore 
pipeline's hurricane-related repairs are completed and that pipeline is 
ready to return to service, without prejudice to Enbridge requesting a 
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further extension, if necessary.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E5-6038 Filed 11-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P