Coastal’s ANR Pipeline Co. said yesterday that its proposedexpansion, the Wisconsin 2000 project, received a favorableenvironmental assessment from the FERC staff. Joe Martucci, aspokesman for the company said the project is on track and expectsfinal FERC approval early in 2000.

ANR’s Wisconsin 2000 expansion project would increase thecompany’s transmission capacity by up to 194 MMcf/d between the ANRJoliet Hub and its Wisconsin market area. The targeted in- servicedate for the $37.5 million project, which was filed with FERC onMarch 8, is November 2000.

“This positive environmental assessment lends further momentumto our ongoing efforts to provide Wisconsin and northern Illinoisnatural gas customers with additional transportation capacity inthe most economical and environmentally sound manner possible,”said Jeffrey A. Connelly, ANR CEO.

Although the project received optimistic environmental reports,it has also met with strong opposition from several Wisconsinproducers and utilities, who have questioned if ANR hasdemonstrated adequate market support (see Daily GPI, April 14). Ofthe capacity available, only 94 MMcf/d has been contracted.Although not opposed to the expansion, the utilities have filed atFERC to put ANR at risk for any costs that might result fromunder-utilization of capacity.

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