[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9697-9698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04413]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 157

[Docket No. RM81-19-000]


Natural Gas Pipelines; Project Cost and Annual Limits

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authority delegated by the Commission's 
regulations, the Director of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP) 
computes and publishes the project cost and annual limits for natural 
gas pipelines blanket construction certificates for each calendar year.

DATES: This final rule is effective March 7, 2018 and establishes cost 
limits applicable from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard W. Fole, Chief, Certificates 
Branch 1, Division of Pipeline Certificates, (202) 502-8955.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 157.208(d) of the Commission's 
Regulations provides for project cost limits applicable to 
construction, acquisition, operation and miscellaneous rearrangement of 
facilities (Table I) authorized under the blanket certificate procedure 
(Order No. 234, 19 FERC ] 61,216). Section 157.215(a) specifies the 
calendar year dollar limit which may be expended on underground storage 
testing and development (Table II) authorized under the blanket 
certificate. Section 157.208(d) requires that the ``limits specified in 
Tables I and II shall be adjusted each calendar year to reflect the 
'GDP implicit price deflator' published by the Department of Commerce 
for the previous calendar year.''
    Pursuant to Sec.  375.308(x)(1) of the Commission's Regulations, 
the authority for the publication of such cost limits, as adjusted for 
inflation, is delegated to the Director of the Office of Energy 
Projects. The cost limits for calendar year 2018, as published in Table 
I of Sec.  157.208(d) and Table II of 157.215(a), are hereby issued.

Effective Date

    This final rule is effective March 7, 2018. The provisions of 5 
U.S.C. 804 regarding Congressional review of Final Rules does not apply 
to the Final Rule because the rule concerns agency procedure and 
practice and will not substantially affect the rights or obligations of 
non-agency parties. The Final Rule merely updates amounts published in 
the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the Department of Commerce's 
latest annual determination of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 
implicit price deflator, a mathematical updating required by the 
Commission's existing regulations.

List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 157

    Administrative practice and procedure, Natural gas, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Issued: February 27, 2018.
Terry L. Turpin,
Director, Office of Energy Projects.

    Accordingly, 18 CFR part 157 is amended as follows:

PART 157--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 157 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 717-717w, 3301-3432; 42 U.S.C. 7101-7352.


0
2. Table I in Sec.  157.208(d) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  157.208  Construction, acquisition, operation, replacement, and 
miscellaneous rearrangement of facilities.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *

                           Table I to Part 157
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Limit
                                         -------------------------------
                  Year                      Auto. proj.    Prior notice
                                            cost limit      proj. cost
                                             (Col. 1)     limit (Col. 2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982....................................      $4,200,000     $12,000,000
1983....................................       4,500,000      12,800,000
1984....................................       4,700,000      13,300,000
1985....................................       4,900,000      13,800,000
1986....................................       5,100,000      14,300,000
1987....................................       5,200,000      14,700,000
1988....................................       5,400,000      15,100,000
1989....................................       5,600,000      15,600,000
1990....................................       5,800,000      16,000,000
1991....................................       6,000,000      16,700,000
1992....................................       6,200,000      17,300,000
1993....................................       6,400,000      17,700,000
1994....................................       6,600,000      18,100,000
1995....................................       6,700,000      18,400,000
1996....................................       6,900,000      18,800,000
1997....................................       7,000,000      19,200,000
1998....................................       7,100,000      19,600,000
1999....................................       7,200,000      19,800,000
2000....................................       7,300,000      20,200,000
2001....................................       7,400,000      20,600,000
2002....................................       7,500,000      21,000,000
2003....................................       7,600,000      21,200,000
2004....................................       7,800,000      21,600,000
2005....................................       8,000,000      22,000,000
2006....................................       9,600,000      27,400,000
2007....................................       9,900,000      28,200,000
2008....................................      10,200,000      29,000,000
2009....................................      10,400,000      29,600,000
2010....................................      10,500,000      29,900,000
2011....................................      10,600,000      30,200,000
2012....................................      10,800,000      30,800,000
2013....................................      11,000,000      31,400,000
2014....................................      11,200,000      31,900,000
2015....................................      11,400,000      32,400,000
2016....................................      11,600,000      32,800,000
2017....................................      11,800,000      33,200,000
2018....................................      12,000,000      33,800,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *

0
3. Table II in Sec.  157.215(a)(5) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  157.215  Underground storage testing and development.

    (a) * * *
    (5) * * *

                          Table II to Part 157
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Year                                 Limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982....................................................      $2,700,000
1983....................................................       2,900,000
1984....................................................       3,000,000
1985....................................................       3,100,000
1986....................................................       3,200,000
1987....................................................       3,300,000
1988....................................................       3,400,000
1989....................................................       3,500,000
1990....................................................       3,600,000
1991....................................................       3,800,000
1992....................................................       3,900,000
1993....................................................       4,000,000
1994....................................................       4,100,000
1995....................................................       4,200,000
1996....................................................       4,300,000

[[Page 9698]]

 
1997....................................................       4,400,000
1998....................................................       4,500,000
1999....................................................       4,550,000
2000....................................................       4,650,000
2001....................................................       4,750,000
2002....................................................       4,850,000
2003....................................................       4,900,000
2004....................................................       5,000,000
2005....................................................       5,100,000
2006....................................................       5,250,000
2007....................................................       5,400,000
2008....................................................       5,550,000
2009....................................................       5,600,000
2010....................................................       5,700,000
2011....................................................       5,750,000
2012....................................................       5,850,000
2013....................................................       6,000,000
2014....................................................       6,100,000
2015....................................................       6,200,000
2016....................................................       6,300,000
2017....................................................       6,400,000
2018....................................................       6,500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[FR Doc. 2018-04413 Filed 3-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P