Four major gas associations last week urged FERC to reconsider”as soon as possible” an April rule requiring interstate pipelinesto conduct electronic communication using only electronic datainterchange (EDI) over the Internet by June 1, 1999.

Until the Commission acts on rehearing, which it assured thetrade groups in June it will do, the natural gas industry remainscommitted to converting from electronic bulletin boards (EBBS) tothe EDI format by the 1999 deadline, the associations told ChairmanJames Hoecker in a letter. It was signed by the presidents of theAmerican Gas Association, the Interstate Natural Gas Association ofAmerica, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and theNatural Gas Supply Association.

“The industry is seriously concerned about the deadline, giventhe time commitment necessary to create standards to comply withthe final rule. As you well know, the industry is also committedduring this period to resolving the Year 2000 compliance concerns.Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the Commission issueits order on rehearing in the near future,” they wrote.

Susan Parker

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