Title 18—Conservation of Power and Water Resources--Volume 1
PART 348—OIL PIPELINE APPLICATIONS FOR MARKET POWER DETERMINATIONS
§ 348.1   Content of application for a market power determination.
(a) If, under § 342.4(b) of this chapter, a carrier seeks to establish that it lacks significant market power in the market in which it proposes to charge market-based rates, it must file and provide an application for such a determination. An application must include a statement of position and the information required by paragraph (c) of this section.
(b) The carrier's statement of position required by paragraph (a) of this section must include an executive summary of its statement of position and a statement of material facts in addition to its complete statement of position. The statement of material facts must include citation to the supporting statements, exhibits, affidavits, and prepared testimony.
(c) The carrier must include with its application the following information:
(1) Statement A—geographic market. This statement must describe the geographic markets in which the carrier seeks to establish that it lacks significant market power. The carrier must include the origin market and the destination market related to the service for which it proposes to charge market-based rates. The statement must explain why the carrier's method for selecting the geographic markets is appropriate.
(2) Statement B—product market. This statement must identify the product market or markets for which the carrier seeks to establish that it lacks significant market power. The statement must explain why the particular product definition is appropriate.
(3) Statement C—the carrier's facilities and services. This statement must describe the carrier's own facilities and services in the relevant markets identified in statements A and B in paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this section. The statement must include all pertinent data about the pipeline's facilities and services.
(4) Statement D—competitive alternatives. This statement must describe available transportation alternatives in competition with the carrier in the relevant markets and other competition constraining the carrier's rates in those markets. To the extent available, the statement must include all pertinent data about transportation alternatives and other constraining competition.
(5) Statement E—potential competition. This statement must describe potential competition in the relevant markets. To the extent available, the statement must include data about the potential competitors, including their costs, and their distance in miles from the carrier's terminals and major consuming markets.
(6) Statement F—maps. This statement must consist of maps showing the carrier's principal transportation facilities, the points at which service is rendered under its tariff, the direction of flow of each line, the location of each of its terminals, the location of each of its major consuming markets, and the location of the alternatives to the carrier, including their distance in miles from the carrier's terminals and major consuming markets. The statement must include a general system map and maps by geographic markets. The information required by this statement may be on separate pages.
(7) Statement G—market power measures. This statement must set forth the calculation of the market concentration of the relevant markets using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. The statement must also set forth the carrier's market share based on receipts in its origin markets and deliveries in its destination markets, if the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index is not based on those factors. The statement must also set forth the calculation of other market power measures relied on by the carrier. The statement must include complete particulars about the carrier's calculations.
(8) Statement H—other factors. This statement must describe any other factors that bear on the issue of whether the carrier lacks significant market power in the relevant markets. The description must explain why those other factors are pertinent.
(9) Statement I—prepared testimony. This statement must include the proposed testimony in support of the application and will serve as the carrier's case-in-chief, if the Commission sets the application for hearing. The proposed witness must subscribe to the testimony and swear that all statements of fact contained in the proposed testimony are true and correct to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief.
§ 348.2   Procedures.
(a) All filings under this part must be made electronically pursuant to the requirements of §§ 341.1 and 341.2 of this chapter. A carrier seeking privileged treatment for all or any part of its filing must submit a request for privileged treatment in accordance with § 388.112 of this chapter.
(b) A carrier must provide a copy of its letter of transmittal and its proposed form of protective agreement to each shipper and subscriber on or before the day the material is transmitted to the Commission for filing.
(c) A letter of transmittal must describe the market-based rate filing, including an identification of each rate that would be market-based, and the pertinent tariffs, state if a waiver is being requested and specify the statute, section, subsection, regulation, policy or order requested to be waived. Letters of transmittal must be certified pursuant to § 341.1(b) of this chapter.
(d) An interested person must make a written request to the carrier for a copy of the carrier's complete application within 20 days after the filing of the application. The request must include an executed copy of the protective agreement. Any objection to the proposed form of protective agreement must be filed under § 385.212 of this chapter.
(e) A carrier must provide a copy of the complete application to the requesting person within seven days after receipt of the written request and an executed copy of the protective agreement.
(f) A carrier must provide copies as required by paragraphs (b) and (e) of this section by first-class mail or by other means of transmission agreed upon in writing.
(g) Any intervention or protest to the application must be filed within 60 days after the filing of the application and must be filed pursuant to §§ 343.2 (a) and (b) of this chapter. A protest must also be telefaxed if required by § 343.3(a) of this chapter.
(h) A protest filed against an application for a market power determination must set forth in detail the grounds for opposing the carrier's application, including responding to its position and information and, if desired, presenting information pursuant to § 348.1(c).
(i) After expiration of the date for filing protests, the Commission will issue an order in which it will summarily rule on the application or, if appropriate, establish additional procedures and the scope of the investigation.