2019-05336. Natural Gas Pipelines; Project Cost and Annual Limits

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of 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 21, 2019 and establishes cost limits applicable from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard W. Foley, Chief, Certificates Branch 1, Division of Pipeline Certificates, [phone].

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 § 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 2019, as published in Table I of § 157.208(d) and Table II of 157.215(a), are hereby issued.

Effective Date

This final rule is effective March 21, 2019. 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 14, 2019

Terry L. Turpin,

Director, Office of Energy Projects.

Accordingly, 18 CFR part 157 is amended as follows:

PART 157—[AMENDED]

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.

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

§ 157.208

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

* * * * *

(d) * * *

Table I to Part 157

Year	Limit
	Auto. proj. cost limit (Col. 1)	Prior notice proj. cost limit (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
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
2016	11,600,000	32,800,000
2017	11,800,000	33,200,000
2018	12,000,000	33,800,000
2019	12,300,000	34,600,000

* * * * *

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

§ 157.215

Underground storage testing and development.

(a) * * *

(5) * * *

Table II to Part 157

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
2016	6,300,000
2017	6,400,000
2018	6,500,000
2019	6,600,000

* * * * *