FERC last week proposed a rulemaking that would update theexisting consensus standards of the Gas Industry Standards Board(GISB) with respect to confirmation practices, standardization ofinformation on pipeline Internet web sites and electronic datasets[RM96-1-011].

In a contemporaneous action, it also issued a order that setsApril 1, 1999 as the deadline for pipelines to show they havecomplied with FERC regulations requiring them to enter intooperational balancing agreements (OBAs) with interconnectinginterstate and intrastate pipelines on their systems. Pipes mustfile a statement on that date confirming their compliance with theregulations [RM96-1-012].

Further, FERC said that if the standards-setting board completesits work on the standards for imbalance trading by the end of theyear, as is expected, it plans to implement them prior to the 1999heating season.

The “principal change” in the notice of proposed rulemaking(NOPR) was designed to bring about greater standardization inposting information on pipe web sites, a FERC staff member said.The other proposed changes are “very technical” and “notparticularly controversial,” he noted. FERC has proposed that therevisions be implemented “on the first of the month occurring 90days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register.”

Susan Parker

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