[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16683-16685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04726]



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 Rules and Regulations
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
 having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
 to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
 under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 47 / Friday, March 8, 2024 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 16683]]



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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 8, 2024, and establishes cost 
limits applicable from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Green; Chief, Certificates 
Branch 2; Division of Pipeline Certificates; (202) 502-8755.

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 1 to paragraph (d)) authorized under the blanket 
certificate procedure (Order No. 234, 19 FERC ] 61,216, 47 FR 24266). 
Section 157.215(a) specifies the calendar year dollar limit which may 
be expended on underground storage testing and development (table 1 to 
paragraph (a)(5)) authorized under the blanket certificate. Section 
157.208(d) requires that the ``limits specified in table 1 to this 
paragraph (d) and table 1 to Sec.  157.215(a)(5) 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 2024, as published in table 
1 to paragraph (d) of Sec.  157.208 and table 1 to paragraph (a)(5) of 
Sec.  157.215, are hereby issued.

Effective Date

    This final rule is effective March 8, 2024. 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 28, 2024.
Terry L. Turpin,
Director, Office of Energy Projects.

    Accordingly, 18 CFR part 157 is amended as follows:

PART 157--APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND 
NECESSITY AND FOR ORDERS PERMITTING AND APPROVING ABANDONMENT UNDER 
SECTION 7 OF THE NATURAL GAS ACT

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. In Sec.  157.208:
0
a. Amend paragraph (a) by removing ``Table I, under'' and ``Table I'' 
and add in their places ``table 1 to'' and ``table 1 to paragraph 
(d)'', respectively.
0
b. Amend paragraph (b) by removing ``Table I, but'' and ``Table I'' 
adding ``table 1 to paragraph (d) of this section, but'' and ``table 1 
to paragraph (d)'' in their places, respectively.
0
c. Amend paragraph (d) by:
0
i. In the introductory text, removing ``Tables I and II'' and adding 
``table 1 to this paragraph (d) and table 1 to Sec.  157.215(a)(5)'' in 
its place.
0
ii. Revising the table.
0
d. Amend paragraphs (f)(1) and (g) by removing ``Table I'' and adding 
``table 1 to paragraph (d)'' in its place.
    The revision reads as follows:


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

* * * * *
    (d) * * *

                        Table 1 to Paragraph (d)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Limit
                                   -------------------------------------
               Year                                       Prior notice
                                    Auto. proj.  cost   proj. cost limit
                                      limit (col. 1)        (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

[[Page 16684]]

 
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
2019..............................         12,300,000         34,600,000
2020..............................         12,500,000         35,200,000
2021..............................         12,600,000         35,600,000
2022..............................         13,100,000         37,100,000
2023..............................         14,000,000         39,700,000
2024..............................         14,500,000         41,100,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *


Sec.  157.209  [Amended]

0
3. In Sec.  157.209, amend paragraph (a) by removing ``Table I, under 
Sec.  157.208(d) of this chapter'' and adding ``table 1 to Sec.  
157.208(d)'' in its place.


Sec.  157.210  [Amended]

0
4. In Sec.  157.210, remove ``Table I of'' and add ``table 1 to'' in 
its place.


Sec.  157.212  [Amended]

0
5. In Sec.  157.212, remove ``Table I in'' and add ``table 1 to'' in 
its place.


Sec.  157.213  [Amended]

0
6. In Sec.  157.213, amend paragraphs (a) and (b) by removing ``Table I 
in'' and add ``table 1 to'' in its place.

0
7. In Sec.  157.215, amend paragraph (a)(5) by:
0
a. Removing ``Table II'' from the introductory text and adding ``table 
1 to this paragraph (a)(5)'' in its place.
0
b. Revising table 1.
    The revision reads as follows:


Sec.  157.215  Underground storage testing and development.

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

                       Table 1 to Paragraph (a)(5)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          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
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
2019....................................................       6,600,000
2020....................................................       6,700,000
2021....................................................       6,800,000

[[Page 16685]]

 
2022....................................................       7,100,000
2023....................................................       7,600,000
2024....................................................       7,900,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2024-04726 Filed 3-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P