[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27592-27593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11013]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP14-225-000]


Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation; Notice of Application

    Take notice that on April 23, 2014, Minnesota Energy Resources 
Corporation (MERC), 2665 145th Street West, Rosemount, Minnesota 55068, 
filed an application pursuant to section 7(f) of the Natural Gas Act 
for a service area determination. MERC also requests: (1) A finding 
that MERC continues to qualify as a local distribution company (LDC) 
for purposes of section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 
(NGPA); and (2) a waiver of the Commission's accounting and reporting 
requirements and other regulatory requirements ordinarily applicable to 
natural gas companies under the NGA and NGPA, all as more fully set 
forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open 
to public inspection.
    The filing may also be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov 
using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last 
three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, contact FERC at [email protected] or call toll-
free, (866) 208-3676 or TTY, (202) 502-8659.
    Specifically, MERC requests to own facilities located in Iowa. The 
request arises from an agreement between MERC and Interstate Power & 
Light Company (IPL). MERC proposes to take service from IPL near the 
Iowa/Minnesota border and receive gas on the Iowa side. MERC will then 
transport the gas, on its own facilities, to Minnesota. MERC will own 
50 to 70 feet of pipeline in Iowa under the proposed transaction. MERC 
will serve no customers in Iowa. The purpose of owning facilities in 
Iowa is to bring gas to Minnesota to serve MERC's customers in 
Minnesota. MERC's application is related to IPL's application for a 
limited jurisdiction blanket certificate of public convenience and 
necessity filed in Docket No. CP14-232-000.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to M. 
Gavin McCarty, Associate General Counsel, Integrys Energy Group, Inc., 
130 East Randolph Street Chicago, Illinois 60601 or call (312) 240-
4470, or by fax (312) 240-4219.
    Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission's rules, 18 CFR 157.9, 
within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will either: 
Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the 
Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other 
milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of 
the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this 
proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's public record for 
this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and state agencies of 
the timing for the completion of all necessary reviews, and the 
subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations within 90 days 
of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's FEIS or EA.
    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 7 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

[[Page 27593]]

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 commentors 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 commentors will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentors 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 Commission's final order.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ``eFiling'' link 
at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and 5 copies of the protest or intervention to the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 28, 2014.

    Dated: May 7, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-11013 Filed 5-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P