124 FERC ¶ 61,248 

 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION 

18 CFR Part 284 

[Docket No. RM96-1-029] 

Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines 

(September 18, 2008) 

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to amend its 

regulations governing standards for business practices of interstate natural gas pipelines 

to incorporate by reference the most recent version of the standards, Version 1.8, adopted 

by the Wholesale Gas Quadrant of the North American Energy Standards Board 

(NAESB) and to make other minor corrections. These standards can be obtained from 

NAESB at 1301 Fannin, Suite 2350, Houston, TX 77002, 713-356-0060, 

http://www.naesb.org. 

DATES: Comments are due [insert date 45 days after publication in the FEDERAL 

REGISTER]. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number by any of the 

following methods: 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 2 - 

• Agency Web Site: http://www.ferc.gov. Documents created electronically using 

word processing software should be filed in native applications or print-to-PDF 

format and not in a scanned format. 

• Mail/Hand Delivery: Commenters unable to file comments electronically must 

mail or hand deliver an original and 14 copies of their comments to: Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, 

N.E., Washington, DC 20426. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gary D. Cohen 

Office of the General Counsel 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

888 First Street, N.E. 

Washington, DC 20426 

202-502-8321 

William W. Lohrman 

Office of Energy Market Regulation 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

888 First Street, N.E. 

Washington, DC 20426 

202-502-8070 

Kay I. Morice 

Office of Energy Market Regulation 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

888 First Street, N.E. 

Washington, DC 20426 

202-502-6507 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
124 FERC ¶ 61,248 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION 

Standards for Business Practices of Docket No. RM96-1-029 

 Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING 

(September 18, 2008) 

1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to amend 

§ 284.12 of its regulations (which prescribes standards for pipeline business operations 

and communications)1

 to incorporate by reference the most recent version, Version 1.8, 

of the consensus standards adopted by the Wholesale Gas Quadrant (WGQ) of the North 

American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) (Version 1.8 Standards). In addition, the 

Commission proposes to amend § 284.12(b) of its regulations to make minor corrections. 

I. Background

2. Since 1996, in the Order No. 587 series,2

 the Commission has adopted regulations 

to standardize the business practices and communication methodologies of interstate 

pipelines in order to create a more integrated and efficient pipeline grid. In this series of 

orders, the Commission incorporated by reference consensus standards developed by the 

WGQ (formerly the Gas Industry Standards Board or GISB), a private consensus 

 1

 18 CFR 284.12. 

2 Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines, Order No. 

587, 61 FR 39,053 (July 26, 1996), FERC Statutes and Regulations, Regulations 

Preambles July 1996-December 2000 ¶ 31,038 (July 17, 1996). 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 2 - 

standards developer composed of members from all segments of the natural gas industry. 

The WGQ is an accredited standards organization under the auspices of the American 

National Standards Institute (ANSI). NAESB’s stated mission is to “take the lead in 

developing and implementing standards across the industry to simplify and expand 

electronic communication, and to streamline business practices. The vision of NAESB is 

a seamless North American marketplace for energy, as recognized by its customers, the 

business community, industry participants and regulatory bodies.” 3

3. On September 14, 2007, NAESB submitted a report to the Commission stating 

that it had adopted a new version of its standards, Version 1.8, dated September 30, 

2006.4

 NAESB reports that the Version 1.8 Standards include a new set of standards for 

“Internet Electronic Transport” that is applicable to the retail gas and electric markets as 

well as the wholesale gas market, changes to the Electronic Delivery Mechanism (EDM) 

Related Standards, an additional standard related to reporting on gas quality, and 

maintenance changes to the Nomination Related Standards and Flowing Gas Related 

 3

 NAESB WGQ Working Paper on Internet Electronic Transport at 6, dated 

Mar. 3, 2004. 

4

 Some of the standards subsequently were corrected and these minor corrections 

were applied to the Version 1.8 Capacity Release Related Standards on Dec.r 13, 2006. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 3 - 

Standards.5

 NAESB also reports that the Version 1.8 standards include several standards 

already adopted by the Commission, including gas-electric coordination standards to 

support communications between pipelines and gas-fired generators, 6

 gas quality 

reporting standards to support reporting of gas quality specifications and reporting of the 

underlying assumptions and methodologies, and business practice standards to support 

implementation of Order No. 2004 on Standards of Conduct. 7

 5

 The NAESB WGQ adopted Internet Electronic Transport Related Standards, 

Version 1.8, on Sep. 30, 2006. The EDM Standards require pipelines to conduct certain 

standardized business transactions across the Internet according to certain prescribed 

protocols. In this NOPR, the Commission proposes to make these standards mandatory 

for interstate natural gas pipelines. We are not proposing to make these standards 

mandatory for retail transactions. 

6 Standards for Business Practices for Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines; Standards 

for Business Practices for Public Utilities, Order No. 698, 72 FR 38,757 (July 16, 2007), 

FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations Preambles ¶ 31,251 (June 25, 2007); Order No. 698-

A, order granting clarification and denying reh’g, 121 FERC ¶ 61,264 (2007). 

7

 Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, Order No. 2004, 68 FR 69,134 

(Dec. 11, 2003), FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations Preambles ¶ 31,155 (Nov. 25, 2003); 

Order No. 2004-A, order on reh’g, 69 FR 23,562 (Apr. 29, 2004), FERC Stats. & Regs., 

Regulations Preambles ¶ 31,161 (Apr. 16, 2004); Order No. 2004-B, order on reh’g, 

69 FR 48,371 (Aug. 10, 2004), FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations and Preambles 

¶ 31,166 (Aug. 2, 2004); Order No. 2004-C, order on reh’g, 70 FR 284 (Jan. 4, 2005), 

FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations Preambles ¶ 31,172 (Dec. 21, 2004); Order No. 2004-

D, order on clarification and reh’g, 110 FERC ¶ 61,320 (2005). 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 4 - 

II. Discussion

4. The Commission proposes to incorporate by reference in its regulations Version 

1.8 of the NAESB WGQ's consensus standards,8

 with two exceptions.9 Adoption of 

Version 1.8 will continue the process of updating and improving NAESB’s business 

practice standards for the wholesale gas market. The new Internet Electronic Transport 

Related Standards will help create a more seamless electronic marketplace by providing 

consistent electronic protocols across the wholesale gas, as well as the retail gas and retail 

electric markets. The standards also include a new standard for gas quality reporting 

 8

 In its Version 1.8 Standards, the WEQ made the following changes to its Version 

1.7 standards: 

• It revised Principles 1.1.9, 4.1.2, 4.1.6, and 4.1.7, Definitions 2.2.4, 4.2.1, 

4.2.11, 4.2.12, 4.2.13, and 4.2.20, Standards 1.3.54, 1.3.60, 1.3.61, 1.3.63, 

2.3.21, 2.3.35, 2.3.51, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.5, 4.3.16, 4.3.18, 4.3.22, 4.3.23, and 

4.3.25, and Datasets 1.4.1 through 1.4.7, 2.4.1 through 2.4.4, 2.4.7, 2.4.8, 

3.4.1, 5.4.1 through 5.4.3, 5.4.5, 5.4.7 through 5.4.11, 5.4.13, 5.4.14, 

5.4.15, and 5.4.18 through 5.4.22. 

• It added Principles 0.1.3, 4.1.40, and 10.1.1 through 10.1.9, Definitions 

0.2.1, 0.2.2, 0.2.3, and 10.2.1 through 10.2.38, Standards 0.3.11 through 

0.3.15, 2.3.65, 4.3.89 through 4.3.93, and 10.3.1 through 10.3.25, and Data 

Sets 0.4.1, 2.4.17, 2.4.18, and 5.4.23. 

• It deleted Principles 4.1.9 and 4.1.25, and Standards 4.3.6, 4.3.19, 4.3.21, 

and 4.3.63. 

• It deleted the following standards from the EDM Related Standards and 

moved them to the Internet Electronic Transport Related Standards: 

Standards 4.3.7 through 4.3.15, 4.3.37, 4.3.64, 4.3.70, 4.3.71, and 4.3.88. 

9

 The Commission is continuing its past practice and is not proposing to 

incorporate by reference Standards 4.3.4 and 10.3.2., because they are inconsistent with 

the Commission’s record retention requirement in 18 CFR 284.12(b)(3)(v). 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 5 - 

(Standard 4.3.93) that will provide the industry with important information about how 

pipelines determine gas quality. Standard 4.3.93 requires that the pipelines post on their 

web sites specific information on how the pipelines determine gas quality, including the 

industry standard (or other methodology, as applicable) that the pipeline uses for the 

following: procedures used for obtaining natural gas samples, analytical test method(s), 

and calculation method(s), in conjunction with any physical constant(s) and underlying 

assumption(s). The revisions to the Nomination Related Standards and Flowing Gas 

Related Standards are designed to ensure that these standards reflect current market 

practices.10

5. The NAESB WGQ approved the Version 1.8 Standards under NAESB's consensus 

procedures.11 As the Commission found in Order No. 587, adoption of consensus 

standards is appropriate because the consensus process helps ensure the reasonableness of 

the standards by requiring that the standards draw support from a broad spectrum of 

industry participants representing all segments of the industry. Moreover, since the 

industry itself has to conduct business under these standards, the Commission's 

 10 In addition, the Commission proposes to amend § 284.12(b) to make two minor 

corrections. First, we propose to correct the reference to the “Gas Industry Standards 

Board” to refer to the “North American Energy Standards Board Wholesale Gas 

Quadrant.” Second, we propose to correct the reference to the paragraph incorporating 

the NAESB standards by reference from paragraph (b)(1) to paragraph (a)(1). 

11This process first requires a super-majority vote of 17 out of 25 members of the 

WGQ's Executive Committee with support from at least two members from each of the 

five industry segments – Distributors, End Users, Pipelines, Producers, and Services 

(including marketers and computer service providers). For final approval, 67 percent of 

the WGQ's general membership voting must ratify the standards. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 6 - 

regulations should reflect those standards that have the widest possible support. In 

section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 

(NTT&AA), Congress affirmatively requires federal agencies to use technical standards 

developed by voluntary consensus standards organizations, like NAESB, as means to 

carry out policy objectives or activities.12

6. The Commission proposes that natural gas pipelines be required to implement the 

Version 1.8 Standards on the first day of the month three months after a final rule is 

issued. Based on past practice, we are proposing this implementation schedule in order to 

give the natural gas pipelines subject to these standards adequate time to prepare for these 

changes. In addition, the Commission proposes that pipelines be required to file tariff 

sheets to reflect the changed standards two months before the implementation date. 

7. In Order No. 712,13 the Commission recently revised various aspects of the 

Commission’s capacity release standards, revisions which bear upon the current NAESB 

standards in Version 1.8. We appreciate NAESB’s quick action in already starting the 

process of revising its standards.14 Creating standardized procedures applicable to asset 

manager agreements (AMAs), releases related to state retail unbundling initiatives, and 

 12Pub L. No. 104-113, section 12(d), 110 Stat. 775 (1996), 15 U.S.C. 272 note 

(1997). 

13 Promotion of a More Efficient Capacity Release Market, Order No. 712, 73 FR 

37058 (June 30, 2008), FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations Preambles ¶ 31,271 (June 19, 

2008). 

14 See Minutes of July 1, 2008 Meeting of the WGQ Business Practice 

Subcommittee, http://naesb.org/pdf3/wgq_bps_712_070108fm.doc. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 7 - 

the other changes adopted in that rule will help to make conducting and reporting these 

processes more efficient. Order No. 712 requires that the pipelines add additional 

information to their Internet websites. As part of NAESB’s reexamination of its posting 

standard (Standard 5.4.20), NAESB should seek to make sure that its revisions result in a 

consistent system of reporting capacity release information relative to capacity recall 

conditions, AMAs, state unbundling releases, storage, and other categories of releases, so 

that the Commission and the public easily will be able to identify the releases in each 

category and any terms and conditions applicable to those releases.15

III. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards

8. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119 (section 11) (February 10, 

1998) provides that federal agencies should publish a request for comment in a NOPR 

when the agency is seeking to issue or revise a regulation proposing to adopt a voluntary 

consensus standard or a government-unique standard. In this NOPR, the Commission is 

proposing to incorporate by reference voluntary consensus standards developed by the 

WGQ. 

IV. Information Collection Statement 

9. The following collections of information contained in this proposed rule have been 

submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under section 

 15 The current standard, for example, does not separately require a specific posting 

of whether capacity is subject to recall, apparently leaving this information to be included 

in Special Terms and Miscellaneous Notes. Given the additional types of information 

that must now be posted, NAESB needs to consider whether including all this 

information in Special Terms and Miscellaneous Notes is still appropriate. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 8 - 

3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(d). The Commission 

solicits comments on the Commission's need for this information, whether the 

information will have practical utility, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and any 

suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the use of automated 

information techniques. The “public protection” provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 require each agency to display a currently valid control number and inform 

respondents that a response is not required unless the information collection displays a 

valid OMB control number on each information collection or provides a justification as 

to why the information collection number cannot be displayed. In the case of information 

collections published in regulations, the control number is to be published in the Federal 

Register. The following burden estimate includes the costs to implement the Version 1.8 

Standards, which incorporate the most recent and up-to-date standards governing 

business practices of and electronic communication with interstate natural gas pipelines. 

The burden estimates are primarily related to start-up to implement the latest version of 

the standards and will not result in on-going costs. 

Data Collection No. of 

Respondents 

No. of Responses 

Per Respondent 

Hours Per 

Response 

Total No. of 

Hours 

FERC-54516 168 1 10 1,680 

FERC-549C17 126 1 1,181 148,806 

 16 Data collection FERC-545 covers rate change filings made by natural gas 

pipelines, including tariff changes. (OMB Control No. 1902-0154) 

17 Data collection FERC-549C covers Standards for Business Practices of 

Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines. (OMB Control No. 1902-0174) 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 9 - 

Total Annual Hours for Collection 

(Reporting and Recordkeeping, (if appropriate)) = 150,486

10. Information Collection Costs: The Commission seeks comments on the costs to 

comply with these requirements. It has projected the average annualized cost for all 

respondents to be the following: 

FERC-545 FERC-549C 

Annualized Capital/Startup Costs $211,680 $12,743,010 

Annualized Costs (Operations & Maintenance) $ 0 $ 0 

Total Annualized Costs $211,680 $12,743,010 

 Total Cost for all Respondents = $12,954,690 

11. OMB regulations18 require OMB to approve certain information collection 

requirements imposed by agency rule. The Commission is submitting notification of this 

proposed rule to OMB. 

Title: FERC-545, Gas Pipeline Rates: Rates Change (Non-Formal); 

FERC-549C, Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines. 

Action: Proposed collections. 

OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0154, 1902-0174. 

Respondents: Business or other for profit, (Interstate natural gas pipelines (Not 

applicable to small business)). 

Frequency of Responses: One-time implementation (business procedures, capital/startup). 

 185 CFR 1320.11. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 10 - 

Necessity of Information: This proposed rule, if implemented, would upgrade the 

Commission's current business practice and communication standards to the latest edition 

approved by the NAESB WGQ (i.e., the Version 1.8 Standards). The implementation of 

these standards is necessary to increase the efficiency of the pipeline grid, make 

pipelines’ electronic communications more secure, and is consistent with the mandate 

that agencies provide for electronic disclosure of information.19 Requiring such 

information ensures both a common means of communication and common business 

practices that provide participants engaged in transactions with interstate pipelines with 

timely information and uniform business procedures across multiple pipelines. 

12. The information collection requirements of this proposed rule will be reported 

directly to the industry users. The implementation of these data requirements will help 

the Commission carry out its responsibilities under the Natural Gas Act to monitor 

activities of the natural gas industry to ensure its competitiveness and to assure the 

improved efficiency of the industry's operations. The Commission's Office of Energy 

Market Regulation will use the data in rate proceedings to review rate and tariff changes 

by natural gas companies for the transportation of gas, for general industry oversight, and 

to supplement the documentation used during the Commission's audit process. 

13. Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the requirements pertaining to 

business practices and electronic communication with interstate natural gas pipelines and 

made a determination that the proposed revisions are necessary to establish a more 

 1944 U.S.C. 3504 note, Pub. L. 105-277, 1701, 112 Stat. 2681-749 (1998). 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 11 - 

efficient and integrated pipeline grid. These requirements conform to the Commission's 

plan for efficient information collection, communication, and management within the 

natural gas industry. The Commission has assured itself, by means of its internal review, 

that there is specific, objective support for the burden estimates associated with the 

information requirements. 

14. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting requirements by 

contacting the following: 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

888 First Street, N.E. 

Washington, DC 20426 

[Attention: Michael Miller, Office of the Executive Director, 

Phone: (202)502-8415, fax: (202)273-0873 

e-mail: michael.miller@ferc.gov] 

15. Comments concerning the collection of information(s) and the associated burden 

estimate(s), should be sent to the contact listed above and to the Office of Management 

and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503 

[Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, phone: 

(202)395-7345, fax: (202)395-7285]. 

V. Environmental Analysis

16. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental Assessment or an 

Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may have a significant adverse effect 

on the human environment.20 The Commission has categorically excluded certain 

 20Order No. 486, Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969, 52 FR 47,897 (Dec. 17, 1987), FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations Preambles 

(continued) 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 12 - 

actions from these requirements as not having a significant effect on the human 

environment.21 The actions proposed here fall within categorical exclusions in the

Commission's regulations for rules that are clarifying, corrective, or procedural, fo

information gathering, analysis, and dissemination, and for sales, exchange, and 

transportation of natural gas that requires no construction of facilities.

r 

n 

f this 

22 Therefore, a

environmental assessment is unnecessary and has not been prepared as part o

NOPR. 

VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification 

17. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA)23 generally requires a descriptio

and analysis of final rules that will have significant economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. In drafting a rule an agency is required to: (1) assess the effect

that its regulation will have on small entities; (2) analyze effective alternatives t

minimize a regulation’s impact; and (3) make the analysis available for public 

n 

hat may 

comment.24 In its NOPR, the agency must either include an initial regulatory flexibility 

 

1986-1990 ¶ 30,783 (Dec. 10, 1987). 

2118 CFR 380.4. 

22 See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii), 380.4(a)(5), 380.4(a)(27). 

24 5 U.S.C. 601-604. 

23 5 U.S.C. 601-612. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 13 - 

analysis (Initial RFA)25 or certify that the proposed rule will not have a “significant 

impact on a substantial number of small entities.”26

18. The regulations proposed here impose requirements only on interstate pipelines, 

the majority of which are not small businesses. In this regard, we note that, under the 

industry standards used for the RFA, a natural gas pipeline company qualifies as a “small 

entity” if it had annual receipts of $6.5 million or less.27 Most companies regulated by 

the Commission do not fall within the RFA’s definition of a small entity. Approximately 

168 entities would be potential respondents subject to data collection FERC-545 

reporting requirements; of those, about 126 natural gas companies (including storage) 

would also be subject to data collection FERC 549-C reporting requirements. Nearly all 

of these entities are large entities. For the year 2007 (the most recent year for which 

information is available), only four companies not affiliated with larger companies had 

annual revenues of less than $6.5 million, which is about three percent of the total 

universe of potential respondents. Moreover, these requirements are designed to benefit 

all customers, including small businesses. As noted above, adoption of consensus 

 25 5 U.S.C. 603(a). 

26 5 U.S.C. 605(b). 

27 5 U.S.C. §601(3), citing section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. § 623. 

Section 3 of the SBA defines a “small business concern” as a business which is 

independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation. 

The Small Business Size Standards component of the North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS) defines a small natural gas pipeline company as one that 

transports natural gas and whose annual receipts (total income plus cost of goods sold) 

did not exceed $6.5 million for the previous year. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 14 - 

standards helps ensure the reasonable of the standards by requiring that the standards 

draw support from a broad spectrum of industry participants representing all segments of 

the industry. Because of that representation and the fact that industry conducts business 

under these standards, the Commission’s regulations should reflect those standards that 

have the widest possible support. 

19. Accordingly, pursuant to § 605(b) of the RFA, the Commission hereby certifies 

that the regulations proposed herein will not have a significant adverse impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

VII. Comment Procedures

20. The Commission invites interested persons to submit written comments on the 

matters and issues proposed for incorporation by reference in this NOPR, including any 

related matters or alternative proposals that commenters may wish to discuss. Comments 

are due [insert date 45 days from publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER]. 

Comments must refer to Docket No. RM96-1-029, and must include the commenter’s 

name, the organization they represent, if applicable, and their address. Comments may 

be filed either in electronic or paper format. 

21. Comments may be filed electronically via the eFiling link on the Commission's 

web site at http://www.ferc.gov. The Commission accepts most standard word 

processing formats and commenters may attach additional files with supporting 

information in certain other file formats. Commenters filing electronically do not need to 

make a paper filing. Commenters that are not able to file comments electronically must 

send an original and 14 copies of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 15 - 

Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 

20426. For paper filings, the original and 14 copies of such comments should be 

submitted to the Secretary of the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426. 

22. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files and may be viewed, 

printed, or downloaded remotely, as described in the Document Availability section 

below. Commenters on this proposal are not required to serve copies of their comments 

on other commenters. 

VIII. Document Availability

23. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register, the 

Commission provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the 

contents of this document via the Internet through FERC's Home Page 

(http://www.ferc.gov) and in FERC's Public Reference Room during normal business 

hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A, 

Washington, DC 20426. 

24. From FERC's Home Page on the Internet, this information is available in eLibrary. 

The full text of this document is available in eLibrary both in PDF and Microsoft Word 

format for viewing, printing, and/or downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, 

type the docket number, excluding the last three digits of this document in the docket 

number field. 

25. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the FERC’s website during the 

Commission’s normal business hours. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support by 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 16 - 

e-mail at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or by telephone at 202-502-6652 (toll-free at 

(866)208-3676) or for TTY, contact (202)502-8659. 

List of subjects in 18 CFR part 284

Continental shelf, Incorporation by reference, Natural gas, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

 By direction of the Commission. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 17 - 

 In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to amend part 284, 

Chapter I, Title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows: 

Part 284 -- Certain Sales and Transportation of Natural Gas under the Natural Gas 

Policy Act of 1978 and Related Authorities 

1. The authority citation for part 284 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 717-717w, 3301-3432; 42 U.S.C. 7101-7352; 43 U.S.C. 1331-1356. 

2. Section 284.12 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (vi), adding 

paragraph (a)(1)(vii), and revising the introductory text of paragraph (b) to read as 

follows: 

 (a) * * * 

 (1) * * * 

 (i) Additional Standards (General Standards, Creditworthiness Standards, and 

Gas/Electric Operational Communications Standards) (Version 1.8, September 30, 2006); 

 (ii) Nominations Related Standards (Version 1.8, September 30, 2006); 

 (iii) Flowing Gas Related Standards (Version 1.8, September 30, 2006); 

 (iv) Invoicing Related Standards (Version 1.8, September 30, 2006); 

 (v) Quadrant Electronic Delivery Mechanism Related Standards (Version 1.8, 

September 30, 2006) with the exception of Standard 4.3.4; 

 (vi) Capacity Release Related Standards (Version 1.8, September 30, 2006 (with 

minor corrections applied December 13, 2006); and 

 (vii) Internet Electronic Transport Related Standards (Version 1.8, September 30, 

2006) with the exception of Standard 10.3.2. 
Docket No. RM96-1-029 - 18 - 

* * * * * 

 (b) Business practices and electronic communication requirements. An interstate 

pipeline that transports gas under subparts B or G of this part must comply with the 

following requirements. The regulations in this paragraph adopt the abbreviations and 

definitions contained in the North American Energy Standards Board Wholesale Gas 

Quadrant standards incorporated by reference in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. 

* * * * *