[Federal Register: January 26, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 16)]
[Notices]
[Page 3580]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ja04-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[ Docket No. PL04-3-000]
Natural Gas Interchangeability; Notice of Public Conference
January 15, 2004.
1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a
conference on February 18, 2004, to engage industry members and the
public in a dialogue about policy issues arising from natural gas
interchangeability.\1\ On October 14, 2003, the Commission held a
technical conference on the findings and recommendations contained in
the National Petroleum Council's report: Balancing Natural Gas Policy--
Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy.\2\ The Summary Report
recommended that the natural gas interchangeability standards be
updated: ``FERC and DOE should champion the new standards effort to
allow a broader range of LNG [liquefied natural gas] imports. This
should be conducted with participation from LDCs [local distribution
companies], LNG purchasers, process gas users, and original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs).'' \3\ In addition, the Commission has dealt with
gas quality and interchangeability issues in several recent cases, and
others are pending.\4\ These cases will not be the subject of the
technical conference nor will discussion of them be entertained, due to
ex parte considerations. Nevertheless, as a result of the NPC
recommendation and concerns about gas interchangeability raised in
pending proceedings, it is clear that the Commission needs more
information in order to evaluate what role, if any, it should prepare
to take to address the impacts of natural gas interchangeability on the
nation's energy consumers and the companies regulated by the
Commission.
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\1\ As used by the gas industry, ``interchangeability'' means
the extent to which a substitute gas can replace gas normally used
by a customer without unduly interfering with the operation of the
customer's natural gas equipment. See Cove Point LNG Limited
Partnership, 97 FERC ] 61,043 (2001) at 61,197.
\2\ The National Petroleum Council is an oil and natural gas
advisory committee to the Secretary of Energy.
\3\ National Petroleum Council, Balancing Natural Gas Policy:
Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy, Volume I, Summary of
Findings and Recommendations, September 2003, p. 64.
\4\ See Toca Producers v. Southern Natural Gas Company, 104 FERC
] 61,300 (2003), and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, 104
FERC ] 61,322 (2003).
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2. An agenda detailing the matters to be addressed and identifying
speakers will be issued in the near future. In addition to direct
presentations, the Commission will provide an open forum that will give
all interested individuals an opportunity to respond to the
presentations or present other views on the issues discussed.
3. The conference will be held on February 18, 2004, at FERC, 888
First Street, NE., in Washington, DC beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the
Commission Meeting Room. The public is invited to attend. For further
information about the conference, please call or e-mail Andrea Hilliard
(202-502-8288; andrea.hilliard@ferc.gov) or Ed Murrell (202-502-8703;
ed.murrell@ferc.gov).
4. The Capitol Connection offers the opportunity for remote
listening and viewing of the conference. It is available for a fee,
live over the Internet, via C-Band Satellite. Persons interested in
receiving the broadcast, or who need information on making arrangements
should contact David Reininger or Julia Morelli at the Capitol
Connection (703-993-3100) as soon as possible or visit the Capitol
Connection Web site at http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu and click
on ``FERC.''
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-103 Filed 01-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P