[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 208 (Thursday, October 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64210-64211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27487]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-4-000]


Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

October 20, 2000.
    Take notice that on October 10, 2000, Maritimes & Northeast 
Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes & Northeast), 1284 Soldiers Field Road, 
Boston, Massachusetts 02135, filed in Docket No. CP01-4-000 an 
application pursuant to the provisions on section 7 of the Natural Gas 
Act for a certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing 
the construction and operation of pipeline facilities for the 
transportation of natural gas, all as more fully set forth in the 
application which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection. This filing may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
    Specifically, Maritimes & Northeast seeks to construct and operate: 
(1) Approximately 24 miles of 30-inch pipeline and approximately one 
mile of 24-inch pipeline from a connection with the existing Maritimes 
& Northeast system near Methuen, Massachusetts to an interconnection 
near Beverly, Massachusetts with the proposed facilities of Algonquin 
Gas Transmission Company's (Algonquin); (2) a meter station in Methuen; 
(3) a meter station in Beverly; and (4) other appurtenant facilities. 
Maritimes & Northeast states that the proposed facilities will be 
capable of providing approximately 360,000 dekatherms per day of firm 
transportation service at an estimated cost of $133,995,000. Maritimes 
& Northeast proposes to place the facilities in service on November 1, 
2002.
    Maritimes & Northeast proposes to provide firm and interruptible 
transportation service on the new facilities pursuant to its existing 
rate schedules on file with the Commission and the general terms and 
conditions of its FERC Gas Tariff. Maritimes & Northeast adds that 
rates for service to

[[Page 64211]]

firm customers are capped at $0.715 per dekatherm on a 100 percent load 
factor basis for the first five years following the in-service date of 
the existing mainline. Maritimes & Northeast states that it will add 
the new Beverly delivery point with Algonquin as an additional primary 
delivery point in each firm customer's transportation agreement. 
Maritimes & Northeast asserts that this new delivery point will give 
its existing customers greater access to Northeastern markets and new 
operating flexibility and will also increase the reliability of 
service.
    Maritimes & Northeast states that because of the benefits to 
existing customers along with the five-year rate cap, its proposal 
satisfies the Certificates Policy Statement's (Policy Statement) 
threshold requirement that existing customers of a pipeline not 
subsidize a project.\1\ Maritimes & Northeast states that it does not 
seek to roll in the cost of the new facilities at this time, but may 
seek to do so in the future. Maritimes & Northeast avers that it has 
made significant efforts to minimize any adverse impacts in accordance 
with the Policy Statement. Further, Maritimes & Northeast asserts that 
its proposal provides significant benefits to its firm shippers and to 
the public, including: satisfying demand that is not currently being 
served by the existing pipeline grid; eliminating bottlenecks in the 
northeastern U.S. pipeline grid; providing direct access to a new 
source of supply for markets behind the Maritimes & Northeast and 
Algonquin systems; lowering natural gas costs by providing upstream 
pipeline alternatives; increasing reliability to the local distribution 
company and electric generation markets; and advancing clean air 
objectives.
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    \1\ See, 88 FERC para. 61,227 (1999), clarification 90 FERC 
para. 61,128 (2000), further clarification 92 FERC para. 61,094 
(2000).
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    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to 
Joseph F. McHugh, Director, Regulatory Affairs, M&N Management Company, 
1284 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02135 at 617-560-1518.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before November 13, 2000, 
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street 
NE., Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene or protest in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) and the regulations under 
the NGA (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 in any proceeding must file a motion 
to intervene in accordance with the Commission's rules. Beginning 
November 1, 2000, comments and protests may be filed electronically via 
the internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the 
instructions on the Commission's web site at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.
    Any 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.
    A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit original and two 
copies of such comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters 
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 Commission by 
sections 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 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 the proposal 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 provide for, unless otherwise advised, it will 
be unnecessary for Maritimes & Northeast to appear or to be represented 
at the hearing.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-27487 Filed 10-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M