Opinion ID: 184925
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Tesoro's Standing

Text: 33 In addition to the arguments raised jointly with Exxon, Tesoro raises numerous additional challenges to FERC's decision. However, before we address the arguments raised by Tesoro in its individual brief, we must consider as a threshold matter whether Tesoro has standing to petition us for review. Intervenors argue that Tesoro lacks standing because it is no longer a shipper on the TAPS system and therefore no longer has a legally cognizable stake in the outcome. As a result, they argue, the case is moot as to it and issues raised only by Tesoro are not properly before us.Intervenors also argue that because Tesoro passed its Quality Bank costs through to its shippers, it was not aggrieved by the orders under review. 34 Tesoro counters that it has standing as a competitor of MAPCO, one of the shippers on the TAPS system, which is subsidized by TAPS because its stream is overvalued. We have held that even non-shippers and competitors may be within the ICA's zone of interest. See OXY, 64 F.3d at 697.Tesoro also notes that it currently purchases ANS crude from one supplier and hopes to acquire more from another. Tesoro Reply Brief at 19 n.10. 35 The Intervenors are correct that only aggrieved parties may seek judicial review of a final FERC order issued under the ICA. See 28 U.S.C. S 2344; OXY, 64 F.3d at 696; Shell Oil Co. v. FERC, 47 F.3d 1186, 1200 (D.C. Cir. 1995). We use traditional standing principles to determine if a party is indeed aggrieved. See OXY, 64 F.3d at 696; Water Transp. Ass'n v. ICC, 819 F.2d 1189, 1193 (D.C. Cir. 1987). To be aggrieved, Tesoro must have suffered an injury in fact traceable to FERC's action, a decision in its favor must be capable of redressing that injury, and its interest must be within the zone of interests protected by the statute. Tesoro has shown that it would suffer competitive injury if other shippers were advantaged by unfair Quality Bank valuations, a decision on our part altering those valuations would redress that injury, and the ICA permits a very broad range of parties to complain to FERC about pipeline operations. The ICA permits the Commission to respond to complaints about anything done or omitted to be done by any common carrier subject to the statute lodged by, inter alia, [a]ny person, firm, corporation, company, or association. 49 U.S.C.app. S 13(1). Tesoro has standing to challenge the decision here.