97-4399. Gas Research Institute; Notice of Public Conference

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8227-8228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4399]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. RP97-149-000]


Gas Research Institute; Notice of Public Conference

February 18, 1997.
    Take notice that on March 21, 1997, the members of the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public conference to discuss 
the future funding of research and development (R&D) in the natural gas 
industry. Specifically, the members of the Commission are interested in 
a public policy discussion of the appropriate role

[[Page 8228]]

of the Gas Research Institute (GRI) in funding R&D.
    The conference will be divided into four parts. The first part will 
consist of a presentation by GRI describing its current program, 
including the various sources of funding for the program.
    The second part will consist of a panel focusing on whether GRI's 
current program is appropriate. As a threshold matter, the panel should 
address the question of what is the appropriate role of joint research 
and development in today's market environment. The Commission seeks 
input on (1) whether the program should stay at its current funding 
level; (2) whether it should be increased and, if so, to what level; or 
(3) whether it should be decreased to a core program and, if so, what 
should be included.
    The third and fourth parts of the conference will address the 
matters contained in GRI's January 24, 1997, motion for an expedited 
technical conference. In that filing GRI proposed a two stage technical 
conference. GRI said:
    GRI proposes that the first stage of the requested technical 
conference be devoted to the following questions: Whether there is an 
equitable mechanism under FERC auspices that in today's regulatory 
environment would fund a core gas industry/GRI cooperative R&D program 
with widely dispersed benefits that are not subject to capture by a 
single party? And, if so, what would be the fundamental attributes of 
such a long-term funding mechanism and the appropriate scope and design 
of such a core R&D program?
    GRI further proposes that the second stage of the technical 
conference be devoted to the following question: Whether the currently 
pending proposal is appropriate for use in transitioning to a long-term 
funding mechanism or as a basis for developing a long-term funding 
mechanism?
    During this portion of the conference, the Commission seeks input 
on whether the proposed GRI funding mechanism requires captive 
customers to shoulder more than their fair share of R&D funding and is 
thereby unduly discriminatory.
    The conference will be convened at 9:30 a.m. at the offices of the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., 
Washington, D.C. The Commission will issue a supplemental notice that 
will further describe the structure of the conference.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-4399 Filed 2-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M