[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 54 (Thursday, March 19, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15713-15714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05339]



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 Rules and Regulations
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
 having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
 to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
 under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 54 / Thursday, March 19, 2020 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 15713]]



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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authority delegated by the Commission's 
regulations, 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 March 19, 2020 and establishes cost 
limits applicable from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard W. Foley, Chief, Certificates 
Branch 1 Division of Pipeline Certificates, (202) 502-8955.

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 2020, 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 March 19, 2020. 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.

    Issued: March 10, 2020.
Terry L. Turpin,
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. In Sec.  157.208(d), Table I is amended by adding an entry for 
``2020'' at the end of the table to read as follows:


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

* * * * *
    (d) * * *

                           Table I to Part 157
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Limit
                                   -------------------------------------
               Year                                       Prior notice
                                    Auto. proj.  cost   proj. cost limit
                                      limit (Col.1)         (Col.2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                              * * * * * * *
2020..............................        $12,500,000        $35,200,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  157.215(a)(5), Table II is amended by adding an entry for 
``2020'' at the end of the table to read as follows:


Sec.  157.215  Underground storage testing and development.

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

[[Page 15714]]



                          Table II to Part 157
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Year                                Limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
2020.................................................         $6,700,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2020-05339 Filed 3-18-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


