Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 1997 / Notices 43715

Affected Public: State, local or Tribal

Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.

Reporting Burden and Recordkeeping: Responses: 57.

Burden Hours: 9,635.

Abstract: The CCD Survey collects

data annually from state education

agencies about student enrollments,

graduation, dropout; education staff;

school and agency characteristics; and

revenues and expenditures for public

elementary and secondary education.

The Department will use this

information to provide an official listing

of public elementary and secondary

schools and education agencies in the

United States; and provide basic

information and descriptive statistics on

public elementary and secondary

schools and schooling, including school

finance.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Title: Federal Direct Stafford/Ford

Loan and Federal Direct Unsubsidized

Stafford/Ford Loan Promissory Note and

Disclosure.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping

Hour Burden:

Responses: 2,600,000.

Burden Hours: 433,160.

Abstract: This form is the means by

which a Federal Direct Stafford/Ford

and/or Federal Direct Unsubsidized

Stafford/Ford Loan borrower promises

to repay his or her loan.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Title: Federal Direct PLUS Loan

Application and Promissory Note. Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping

Hour Burden:

Responses: 210,000.

Burden Hours: 105,000.

Abstract: This form is the means by

which a Federal Direct PLUS Loan

borrower promises to repay his or her

loan.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Title: Addendum to Federal Direct

PLUS Loan Promissory Note Endorser. Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping

Hour Burden:

Responses: 52,500.

Burden Hours: 26,250.

Abstract: This form is the means by

which an endorser for a Federal Direct

PLUS Loan borrower with an adverse

credit history applies for and promises

to repay the Federal Direct PLUS loan

if the borrower does not pay it.

[FR Doc. 97–21597 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Technology Center;

Notice of Intent to Issue a Program

Research and Development

Announcement (PRDA)

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE),

Federal Energy Technology Center

(FETC).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the

intent to issue a PRDA No. DE–RA26–

98FT35008 entitled ‘‘Global Climate

Change—Novel Concepts for

Management of Greenhouse Gases.’’ The

PRDA will solicit the submission of

innovative, ‘‘pathbreaking’’ concepts to

sequester and recycle greenhouse gases,

and bring those concepts to a stage of

technical development sufficient to

prove validity on an engineering scale.

Specifically, the objective of the

procurement is the development of

novel, less costly concepts to sequester

and recycle greenhouse gases which

include ways to reuse, or store

greenhouse gases or their conversion

products.

DATES: Requests for information

concerning the solicitation should be

submitted in writing at the address in

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section, by facsimile at 304/285–4683,

or by E-mail to

raymond.jarr@fetc.doe.gov. Telephone

requests for the solicitation package will

not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Acquisition and Assistance

Division, U.S. Department of Energy,

Federal Energy Technology Center, P.O.

Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507–0880.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Raymond R. Jarr, Contracting Officer,

U.S. Department of Energy, Federal

Energy Technology Center, P.O. Box

880, Morgantown, WV 26507–0880;

Telephone (304) 285–4088.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

concepts can include chemical or

biological conversion methods, as well

as, physical storage. The greenhouse

gases of interest are CO2, CH4, and N2O

associated with the production and use

of fossil fuels. Science-based, less costly

concepts are sought which are broadly

applicable and potentially able to

reduce emissions well below those

resulting from increased efficiency of

fossil-fuel use. In addition, fundamental

work prior to development of

pathbreaking technologies is acceptable.

Sequestration is a very broad term

which encompasses a variety of ways to

recycle or store the gas, or the carbon

from the gases, in a form that will

remain stable for centuries. Recycling

refers to the ability to reuse carbon

contained in fossil fuels or in the

atmosphere and thus, avoid the further

combustion of fossil fuels.

Awards resulting from the solicitation

will be divided into three Phases. Phase

I involves a technical and preliminary

economic assessment of proposed

concept; Phase II involves laboratoryand bench-scale development of the

proposed technology; and Phase III

involves pilot or larger scale testing to

bring the technology to an engineering

scale. An industrial company will be

required to perform at least 30 percent

of the effort in Phase III. Offerors are

encouraged to seek additional sources of

funding for any or all phases. Multiple

awards are expected for Phase I with a

competitive down selection process

occurring at the completion of Phases I

and II.

The solicitation will be available

upon written request to FETC or on the

Internet at http://www.fetc.doe.gov/

business/solicita.html. Those

prospective offerors who obtain a copy

of the solicitation through the Internet

should check the location frequently for

any solicitation amendments. Those

prospective offerors who request in

writing a copy of the solicitation will

receive an electronic version of the

solicitation on diskette in a WordPerfect

6.1 format. Solicitations will not be

distributed in paper form. Requests for

information concerning the solicitation

should be submitted in writing at the

address in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section, by facsimile at

304/285–4683, or by E-mail to

raymond.jarr@fetc.doe.gov. All requests

should reference the PRDA solicitation

number and title, and should include a

point-of-contact at the requestor’s

location. Telephone requests for the

solicitation package will not be

accepted. The solicitation will be

available on or about September 1, 1997.

The exact date and time for the

submission of proposals will be

indicated in the solicitation. However,

at least a sixty day response time is

currently planned. It is DOE’s desire to

encourage the widest participation

including the involvement of small

business concerns, and small

disadvantaged business concerns. As a

consequence, Phase I of this

procurement is a partial set-aside.

Subsequent down selections at the end

of Phases I and II will not include

partial set-aside preferences. In

accordance with FAR 52.232–18,

‘‘Availability of Funds,’’ funds are not

presently available for this procurement.

The Government’s obligation under this

contract is contingent upon the
43716 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 1997 / Notices

1 18 C.F.R. § 284.224 (1996).

2 15 U.S.C. 717c (a), (b) (1994).

3 15 U.S.C.A. § 3371(a)(2) (1994).

4 18 C.F.R. §§ 284.9(b), 284.123(a), 284.123(e)

(1996).

5 15 U.S.C. 717c, 717d, 717o, 3371, 3411 (1994).

6See AOG’s March 22, 1995 filing in Docket No.

PR95–4–000, AOG’s most recent rate case before the

Commission.

7 Id.

8FERC Stats. & Regs. (Regulations Preambles

1977–1981) ¶ 30,118 (1980).

9Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation, 33 FERC

¶ 61,197 (1995).

10 15 U.S.C. § 3371(a)(2) (1994).

11When AOG received its Order No. 63 blanket

certificate, the Commission regulated AOG as a

‘‘natural gas company’’ pursuant to the NGA. As

such, AOG had received certificates under NGA

section 7 for constructing and operating facilities

within this Commission’s jurisdiction. In 1989, the

Commission held that the Uniform Regulatory

Jurisdiction Act of 1988 transferred exclusive

jurisdiction over AOG’s transportation of gas to

ultimate consumers from the Commission to the

Arkansas Public Service Commission and the

Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Arkansas

Oklahoma Gas Corporation, 48 FERC ¶ 61,338

(1989). As a result, except for the blanket certificate,

the Commission vacated all NGA section 7

certificates it had previously issued to AOG,

effective October 6, 1988. Nonetheless, AOG

remains subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction to

the extent necessary to enforce the terms and

conditions of the blanket certificate. Id.

12AOG’s May 9, 1995 filing in Docket No. PR95–

4–000, Answer to Item (2), p. 2 of 2.

13This requirement applies to AOG’s

transportation by virtue of section 284.224(e)(1) of

the Commission’s regulations.

14 18 C.F.R. § 284.123(e).

15 18 C.F.R. § 1b.18, 19 (1996). These rules permit

a person to submit a memorandum setting forth its

position on matters relevant to an investigation.

availability of appropriated funds from

which payment for contract purposes

can be made.

Dated: August 8, 1997.

Randolph L. Kesling,

Supervisory Contract Specialist, Acquisition

and Assistance Division.

[FR Doc. 97–21659 Filed 8–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. IN97–3–000]

Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation;

Order Instituting Proceeding

Issued August 8, 1997.

Before Commissioners: James J. Hoecker,

Chairman; Vicky A. Bailey, William L.

Massey, and Donald F. Santa, Jr.

Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation

(AOG) is a local natural gas distribution

company in the Fort Smith, Arkansas

area. It provides interruptible

transportation (IT) of natural gas in

interstate commerce subject to a blanket

certificate issued under section 284.224

of the Commission’s regulations.1 In a

complaint to the Enforcement Task

Force, a potential shipper stated that

AOG’s IT service agreements contain a

‘‘sales provision’’ requiring the shipper

to sell gas to AOG when AOG

determines that the gas is needed to

protect AOG’s sales to its local

customers. The sales provision in AOG’s

IT agreements may violate sections 4 (a)

and 4(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA),2

section 311 (a)(2) of the Natural Gas

Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA),3 and

sections 284.9(b)(1), 284.123(a) and

284.123(e) of the Commission’s

regulations relating to transportation

under the blanket certificate.4

This order establishes a proceeding

pursuant to NGA sections 4, 5 and 16

and NGPA sections 211 and 501.5 We

are requiring AOG to sow why it has not

violated NGA sections 4(a) and 4(b),

NGPA section 311(a)(2), or sections

284.9(b)(1), 284.123(a) and 284.123(e) of

the Commission’s regulations. We are

also directing AOG to respond to data

and document requests that relate to

AOG’s blanket certificate transportation.

I. Background

AOG makes direct sales to 60,000

residential and industrial customers in

four Oklahoma and five Arkansas

counties surrounding Fort Smith.6 AOG

obtains system supply from more than

450 local production input points

scattered throughout its system.7

AOG received its Order No. 63 8

blanket certificate from the Commission

on November 13, 1985.9 In particular,

this certificate permits AOG to transport

gas in interstate commerce under the

same conditions as apply to

transportation by intrastate pipelines

under section 311(a)(2) of the Natural

Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA).10 These

conditions are set forth in Part 284,

Subpart C of the Commission’s

regulations. Section 284.224(e)(1) of the

regulations provides that, as relevant

here, any transportation transaction

under an Order No. 63 blanket

certificate is subject to the Subpart C

terms and conditions and reporting

requirements.11 In 1994, AOG

transported 8,334,725 MMBtu pursuant

to its Order No. 63 authority, as

compared to 13,698,875 MMBtu that

AOG distributed to retail customers.12

In discussions with the Task Force,

AOG stated that its IT agreements under

its blanket certificate contain the

following ‘‘sales provision’’ or a similar

provision:

Shipper agrees to sell to Transporter gas

from the wells listed in the Exhibit ‘‘A’’, on

a best efforts basis, when, in Transporter’s

judgment, the purchase of such gas is

necessary to protect the continuity of gas

service to Transporter’s gas purchasing

customers. Such a right to purchase from

Shipper shall be up to the volumes sufficient

for Transporter to cease curtailment. Any

volumes in excess of those required to enable

Transporter to meet its customers [sic] needs

which Shipper can deliver to Transporter

and which Transporter can transport will

thereupon be transported pursuant to other

provisions of the gas transportation

agreement. Transporter will first balance gas

deliveries and redeliveries and if Transporter

is unable to balance them it will purchase the

gas at the greater of the W.A.COG [sic] as

filed with the Arkansas Public Service

Commission for AOG system purchases or

the ‘‘net back’’ price plus Transporter’s

transportation attributable to Purchaser’s

contract. (Use average W.A.COG for

preceding twelve months.) Transporter

further has the right to purchase

transportation gas not currently flowing.

These pricing provisions can be changed by

mutual consent between the parties. This

pricing provision is also subject to other

pricing provisions set forth in any gas

purchase contracts between Shipper and

Transporter. Transporter’s right to purchase

gas hereunder shall be in effect as to any well

listed in Exhibit ‘‘A’’ so long as this

agreement is in effect.

Pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 284.123(e),

AOG was required to file an operating

statement concerning its transportation

under the blanket certificate.13 The

statement must ‘‘describe [ ] how the

pipeline will engage in these

transportation arrangements, including

operating conditions, such as, quality

standards and financial viability of the

shipper.’’ 14 On March 22, 1988, AOG

filed an amended operating statement

with the Commission that does not refer

to the sales provision.

On June 23, 1997, AOG submitted a

‘‘Statement of Position and Offer of

Settlement’’ (statement), pursuant to

Rules 1b.18 and 1b.19 of the

Commission’s Rules Relating to

Investigations.15 AOG requests

confidential treatment for the statement.

The statement (apart from the offer of

settlement) is a legal argument that does

not contain proprietary or otherwise

privileged information that would be

protected from disclosure under the

Freedom of Information Act. AOG has

not provided any reason why its legal

analysis should not be made public.

Therefore, the Commission grants

AOG’s request for confidential treatment

for the offer of settlement and otherwise

denies its request for confidential

treatment of the remainder of the

statement. The Commission addresses