Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 1997 / Notices 67853

list, will receive copies of

environmental documents and will be

able to participate in meetings

associated with the Commission’s

environmental review process.

Commenters will not be required to

serve copies of filed documents on all

other parties. However, commenters

will not receive copies of all documents

filed by other parties or issued by the

Commission and will not have the right

to seek rehearing or appeal the

Commission’s final order to a federal

court.

The Commission will consider all

comments and concerns equally,

whether filed by commenters or those

requesting intervenor status.

Take further notice that, pursuant to

the authority contained in and subject to

the jurisdiction conferred upon the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas

Act and the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure, a hearing will

be held without further notice before the

Commission or its designee on this

application if no motion to intervene is

filed within the time required herein, if

the Commission on its own review of

the matter finds that a grant of the

certificate is required by the public

convenience and necessity. If a motion

for leave to intervene is timely filed, or

if the Commission on its own motion

believes that a formal hearing is

required, further notice of such hearing

will be duly given.

Under the procedure herein provided

for, unless otherwise advised, it will be

unnecessary for Northern to appear or

be represented at the hearing.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–33834 Filed 12–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP98–136–000]

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line

Corporation; Notice of Application

December 22, 1997.

Take notice that on December 16,

1997, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line

Corporation (Transco), P.O. Box 1396,

Houston, Texas 77252, filed in Docket

No. CP98–136–000 a request pursuant to

Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act for

approval to abandon a firm

transportation service provided for

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company

(BG&E) under Transco’s Rate Schedule

FT, all as more fully set forth in the

request which is on file with the

Commission and open to public

inspection.

Transco states that it currently

delivers 3,881 Dekatherms of natural gas

to BG&E on a firm basis pursuant to

Transco’s blanket certificate authorized

under Part 284(G) of the Commission’s

Regulations. Transco asserts that it seeks

abandonment authorization for the

service described above because the

subject FT service for BG&E was

previously converted from firm sales

service to firm transportation service

under Transco’s Rate Schedule FT

pursuant to Transco’s revised

Stipulation and Agreement in Docket

Nos. RP88–68, et al., and that settlement

provides that pre-granted abandonment

shall not apply to such conversions. It

is indicated that by letter dated July 17,

1997, BG&E provided notice to Transco

that BG&E was electing to terminate the

service agreement effective as of the end

of the primary term of the agreement,

February 2, 1998. It is further asserted

that one shipper, The Municipal Gas

Authority of Georgia, submitted a

binding nomination for all of such

capacity for a primary term of 25 years

in an open season that extended from

October 21 through November 20, 1997.

Any person desiring to be heard or to

make protest with reference to said

application should on or before January

5, 1998, file with the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20426, a petition to intervene or a

protest in accordance with the

requirements of the Commission’s Rules

of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR

385.214 or 385.211) and the regulations

under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR

157.10). All protests filed with the

Commission will be considered by it in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken but will not serve to make the

protestants parties to the proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

to the proceeding or to participate as a

party in any hearing therein must file a

petition to intervene in accordance with

the Commission’s Rules.

Take further notice that, pursuant to

the authority contained in and subject to

the jurisdiction conferred upon the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas

Act and the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure, a hearing will

be held without further notice before the

Commission on this application if no

petition to intervene is filed within the

time required herein, and if the

Commission on its own review of the

matter finds that the application is

required by the public convenience and

necessity. If a petition for leave to

intervene is timely filed, or if the

Commission on its own motion believes

that a formal hearing is required, further

notice of such hearing will be duly

given.

Under the procedure herein provided

for, unless otherwise advised, it will be

unnecessary for Transco to appear or be

represented at the hearing.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–33835 Filed 12–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket Nos. CP98–131–000, CP98–133–

000, CP98–134–000, and CP98–135–000]

Vector Pipeline L.P.; Notice of

Applications for Certificates of Public

Convenience and Necessity, and for a

Presidential Permit and Section 3

Authorization

December 22, 1997.

Take notice that on December 15,

1997, Vector Pipeline L.P. (Vector), 2900

421–7th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta,

Canada T2P 4K9, filed applications

pursuant to Sections 3 and 7(c) of the

Natural Gas Act (NGA). In Docket No.

CP98–131–000, Vector seeks a

Presidential Permit and Section 3

authorization pursuant to Part 153 of the

Commission’s Regulations. In Docket

No. CP98–133–000, Vector seeks a

certificate of public convenience and

necessity to construct and operate

natural gas pipeline facilities under Part

157, Subpart E of the Commission’s

Regulations. In Docket No. CP98–134–

000, Vector seeks a blanket certificate

pursuant to 18 CFR Part 284, Subpart G

of the Commission’s Regulations for

self-implementing transportation

authority. Finally, in Docket No. CP98–

135–000, Vector seeks a blanket

certificate for certain blanket

construction and operation

authorization under 18 CFR Part 157,

Subpart F of the Commission’s

Regulations. Vector’s proposal is more

fully set forth in the applications which

are on file with the Commission and

open to public inspection.

Vector is a limited partnership

organized under the laws of the State of

Delaware. The managing general partner

is Vector Pipeline Inc. At present, the

only limited partner of Vector is IPL

Vector (USA). Vector states that other

entities are considering joining the

partnership and that vector will

supplement its application if this

occurs.
67854 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 1997 / Notices

1 Vector is contracting with Michigan

Consolidated Gas Company (MichCon) to lease the

Belle River Pipeline that runs between Milford and

Belle River Mills, Michigan. The lease is for an

initial twenty year term, subject to five year

renewals and/or an option for Vector to purchase

the line if MichCon elects to cancel the lease.

MichCon will operate the Belle River Pipeline at the

direction of Vector pursuant to the terms of an

operating agreement and the rules and regulations

of the Commission.

In Docket No. CP98–133–000, Vector

proposes to construct and operate 269.6

miles of 42-inch pipeline and lease and

operate 58.8 miles of 36-inch pipeline.1

The system will extend from Joliet,

Illinois to the U.S.-Canada border near

St. Clair, Michigan. In addition, Vector

proposes to construct and operate two

30,000 horsepower compressor stations,

five meter/regulating stations, and other

appurtenant facilities. Vector states that

the estimated cost of the proposed

facilities is $447 million (including

AFUDC and line pack) and will be

project financed. Vector states that the

capacity of the proposed pipeline is 1.01

MMDth per day. Vector states that it has

conducted an open season and has a

significant portion of the proposed

pipeline’s capacity subscribed. Even

though Vector has filed under the

optional certificate procedures of 18

CFR Part 157, Subpart E, Vector states

that it will file voluntarily a summary of

the market results, when available.

Vector proposes to provide firm and

interruptible service under Rate

Schedules FT–1 and IT–1, respectively.

Vector states that it has offered both

negotiated and recourse rates during the

open season. Vector states that it offered

a negotiated rate structure in which

rates would be set by the formula and

under which shippers would agree to

not contest certain elements of the cost

of service and Vector would agree to not

change those elements for the length of

the primary term and any extension

under firm service agreements. In

addition, Vector states that the

negotiated rate under ten-year

agreements will be 15 percent higher

than the rate under fifteen-year

agreements. The firm negotiated rate,

under a fifteen-year agreement and

stated on a 100 percent load factor basis,

is estimated to be $0.221 per Dth. In

addition, Vector intends to cap this rate

over the initial fifteen-year term at

$0.237 per Dth.

Vector’s proposed recourse rates

utilize different cost-of-service

components and would allow shippers

to take any position with regard to the

appropriate cost of service and level of

recourse rates. The firm recourse rate in

the first year of service, stated on a 100

percent load factor basis, is estimated to

be $0.313 per Dth. Both the firm

negotiated rate and the firm recourse

rate are designed using the straight

fixed-variable methodology and a total

capacity of 1.01 MMDth per day. Vector

states that the interruptible rate has

been derived using the 100 percent load

factor-equivalent firm transportation

rate.

Vector has included a pro forma FERC

Gas Tariff which, Vector asserts,

complies with the Commission’s

policies established in Order Nos. 636,

et seq. Vector states that it has made

every effort to conform its pro forma

tariff to the currently applicable GISB

standards. Vector does request a waiver

of section 154.109(c) of the

Commission’s regulations so that it may

omit the statement of discount policy

from its tariff. Vector states that this

discount policy has no applicability to

Vector.

Vector also is seeking NGA Section 3

authority and a Presidential Permit to

construct, own, operate, and maintain

approximately 3100 feet of 42-inch

pipeline located under the riverbed of

the St. Clair River at the U.S.-Canada

boundary. Vector will connect with

Vector Pipeline Limited partnership, its

Canadian affiliate, at the boundary.

Vector requests a preliminary

determination on non-environmental

issues by June 1998, and final certificate

authorization by January 1999. Vector

states that this will allow construction

to be completed by its proposed inservice date of November 1, 1999.

Any person desiring to be heard or

making any protest with reference to

said application should on or before

January 12, 1998, file with the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888

First Street, NE, Washington, D.C.

20426, a motion to intervene or a protest

in accordance with the requirements of

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and

Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211)

and the Regulations under the Natural

Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). All protests

filed with the Commission will be

considered by it in determining the

appropriate action to be taken but will

not serve to make the protestants parties

to the proceeding. The Commission’s

rules require that protestors provide

copies of their protests to the party or

person to whom the protests are

directed. Any person wishing to become

a party to a proceeding or to participate

as a party in any hearing therein must

file a motion to intervene in accordance

with the Commission’s Rules.

A person obtaining intervenor status

will be placed on the service list

maintained by the Secretary of the

Commission and will receive copies of

all documents issued by the

Commission, filed by the applicant, or

filed by all other intervenors. An

intervenor can file for rehearing of any

Commission order and can petition for

court review of any such order.

However, an intervenor must serve

copies of comments or any other filing

it makes with the Commission to every

other intervenor in the proceeding, as

well as filing an original and 14 copies

with the Commission.

However, a person does not have to

intervene in order to have comments on

any aspect of the proposal considered

by the Commission. Instead, a person

may submit two copies of such

comments to the Secretary of the

Commission. Commenters who are

concerned about environmental or

pipeline routing issues will be placed

on the Commission’s environmental

mailing list, will receive copies of

environmental documents and will be

able to participate in meetings

associated with the Commission’s

environmental review process.

Commenters will not be required to

serve copies of filed documents on all

other parties. However, commenters

will not receive copies of all documents

filed by other parties or issued by the

Commission, and will not have the right

to seek rehearing or appeal the

Commission’s final order to a Federal

court.

The Commission will consider all

comments and concerns equally,

whether filed by commenters or those

requesting intervenor status.

Take further notice that, pursuant to

the authority contained in and subject to

the jurisdiction conferred upon the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

by Sections 3, 7 and 15 of the NGA and

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and

Procedure, a hearing will be held

without further notice before the

Commission or its designee on these

applications if no motion to intervene is

filed within the time required herein, if

the Commission on its own review of

the matter finds that a grant of the

certificate is required by the public

convenience and necessity. If a motion

for leave to intervene is timely filed, or

if the Commission on its own motion

believes that a formal hearing is

required, further notice of such hearing

will be duly given.

Under the procedure herein provided

for, unless otherwise advise, it will be

unnecessary for Vector to appear or be

represented at the hearing.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–33833 Filed 12–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M