FERC has warned it may dismiss Questar Pipeline’s applicationfor its Southern Trails Pipeline project into California if”serious deficiencies” with the filing aren’t corrected by the endof the month.

Kevin P. Madden, director of FERC’s Office of PipelineRegulation, said he would recommend this action if Questar fails tosubmit outstanding information on “elements of the project” within20 days of his letter to the Salt Lake City, UT-based pipelinecompany. The letter was filed at the Commission on Aug. 3.

“…I cannot recommend scheduling a preliminary determination orfinal Commission action in this proceeding until this matter isresolved,” he wrote to Lowell F. Gill, vice president and generalmanager of Questar Southern Trails Pipeline Co. Questar is “workingon responding to [FERC’s] questions now,” and expects to forwardthe data to the Commission by Aug. 18 – ahead of schedule, saidcompany spokesman Chad Jones.

Madden noted that Questar initially had assured his staff itwould submit the information – cultural resource surveys, erosioncontrol and revegetation plans and identify additional landrequirements — by April. Based on that commitment, FERC staff wentahead and noticed Questar’s Southern Trails’ application on March16.

But the deadline has long since passed and glaring deficienciesstill remain. “…[W]e cannot continue to process Questar SouthernTrails Pipeline Co.’s…..application,” he said. “While we arecommitted to the review and processing of certificate applicationsin a timely fashion, it’s clear that our limited resources shouldbe focused on complete applications.”

Questar is seeking to have the 700-mile formerly Arco oilpipeline converted to natural gas. Southern Trails, which wouldhave a capacity of 120-130 MMcf/d, would extend from thenorthwestern part of New Mexico’s Paradox Basin into Long Beach,CA, where it plans to compete directly with Southern California Gas(SoCalGas) for generation and industrial gas customers [CP99-163].

The Southern Trails gas line, as envisioned by Questar, wouldserve as the last leg of a planned three-part delivery chain (withQuestar and TransColorado Gas Transmission as the other legs) thatwould bring cheaper Rocky Mountain gas supplies into the southernCalifornia market. TransColorado is a 50-50 partnership betweenQuestar and KN Energy.

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