Document ID: FERC-2015-0152-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Rule
Title: Natural Gas Pipelines: Project Cost and Annual Limits
Posted Date: 2015-02-10T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7302-7303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02653]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 157

[Docket No. RM81-19-000]

Natural Gas Pipelines; Project Cost and Annual Limits

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authority delegated, the Director of the 
Office of Energy Projects (OEP) computes and publishes the project cost 
and annual limits for natural gas pipelines blanket construction 
certificates for each calendar year.

DATES: This final rule is effective February 10, 2015 and establishes 
cost limits applicable from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela J. Boudreau, Chief, 
Certificates Branch 2, Division of Pipeline Certificates, (202) 502-
6854.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 157.208(d) of the Commission's 
Regulations provides for project cost limits applicable to 
construction, acquisition, operation and miscellaneous rearrangement of 
facilities (Table I) authorized under the blanket certificate procedure 
(Order No. 234, 19 FERC ] 61,216). Section 157.215(a) specifies the 
calendar year dollar limit which may be expended on underground storage 
testing and development (Table II) authorized under the blanket 
certificate. Section 157.208(d) requires that the ``limits specified in 
Tables I and II shall be adjusted each calendar year to reflect the 
`GDP implicit price deflator' published by the Department of Commerce 
for the previous calendar year.''
    Pursuant to Sec.  375.308(x)(1) of the Commission's Regulations, 
the authority for the publication of such cost limits, as adjusted for 
inflation, is delegated to the Director of the Office of Energy 
Projects. The cost limits for calendar year 2015, as published in Table 
I of Sec.  157.208(d) and Table II of Sec.  157.215(a), are hereby 
issued.

Effective Date

    This final rule is effective February 10, 2015. The provisions of 5 
U.S.C. 804 regarding Congressional review of Final Rules does not apply 
to the Final Rule because the rule concerns agency procedure and 
practice and will not substantially affect the rights or obligations of 
non-agency parties. The Final Rule merely updates amounts published in 
the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the Department of Commerce's 
latest annual determination of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 
implicit price deflator, a mathematical updating required by the 
Commission's existing regulations.

List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 157

    Administrative practice and procedure, Natural Gas, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

Jeff C. Wright,
Director, Office of Energy Projects.
    Accordingly, 18 CFR part 157 is amended as follows:

PART 157--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for Part 157 continues to read as follows:

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

0
2. Table I in Sec.  157.208(d) is revised to read as follows:

Sec.  157.208  Construction, acquisition, operation, replacement, and 
miscellaneous rearrangement of facilities.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *

                                 Table I
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Limit
                                   -------------------------------------
               Year                                       Prior notice
                                    Auto. proj.  cost   proj. cost limit
                                     limit  (Col. 1)        (Col. 2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982..............................         $4,200,000        $12,000,000
1983..............................          4,500,000         12,800,000
1984..............................          4,700,000         13,300,000
1985..............................          4,900,000         13,800,000
1986..............................          5,100,000         14,300,000
1987..............................          5,200,000         14,700,000
1988..............................          5,400,000         15,100,000

[[Page 7303]]

 
1989..............................          5,600,000         15,600,000
1990..............................          5,800,000         16,000,000
1991..............................          6,000,000         16,700,000
1992..............................          6,200,000         17,300,000
1993..............................          6,400,000         17,700,000
1994..............................          6,600,000         18,100,000
1995..............................          6,700,000         18,400,000
1996..............................          6,900,000         18,800,000
1997..............................          7,000,000         19,200,000
1998..............................          7,100,000         19,600,000
1999..............................          7,200,000         19,800,000
2000..............................          7,300,000         20,200,000
2001..............................          7,400,000         20,600,000
2002..............................          7,500,000         21,000,000
2003..............................          7,600,000         21,200,000
2004..............................          7,800,000         21,600,000
2005..............................          8,000,000         22,000,000
2006..............................          9,600,000         27,400,000
2007..............................          9,900,000         28,200,000
2008..............................         10,200,000         29,000,000
2009..............................         10,400,000         29,600,000
2010..............................         10,500,000         29,900,000
2011..............................         10,600,000         30,200,000
2012..............................         10,800,000         30,800,000
2013..............................         11,000,000         31,400,000
2014..............................         11,200,000         31,900,000
2015..............................         11,400,000         32,400,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *

0
3. Table II in Sec.  157.215(a)(5) is revised to read as follows:

Sec.  157.215  Underground storage testing and development.

    (a) * * *
    (5) * * *

                                Table II
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Year                                Limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982.................................................         $2,700,000
1983.................................................          2,900,000
1984.................................................          3,000,000
1985.................................................          3,100,000
1986.................................................          3,200,000
1987.................................................          3,300,000
1988.................................................          3,400,000
1989.................................................          3,500,000
1990.................................................          3,600,000
1991.................................................          3,800,000
1992.................................................          3,900,000
1993.................................................          4,000,000
1994.................................................          4,100,000
1995.................................................          4,200,000
1996.................................................          4,300,000
1997.................................................          4,400,000
1998.................................................          4,500,000
1999.................................................          4,550,000
2000.................................................          4,650,000
2001.................................................          4,750,000
2002.................................................          4,850,000
2003.................................................          4,900,000
2004.................................................          5,000,000
2005.................................................          5,100,000
2006.................................................          5,250,000
2007.................................................          5,400,000
2008.................................................          5,550,000
2009.................................................          5,600,000
2010.................................................          5,700,000
2011.................................................          5,750,000
2012.................................................          5,850,000
2013.................................................          6,000,000
2014.................................................          6,100,000
2015.................................................          6,200,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[FR Doc. 2015-02653 Filed 2-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P