Fight

Where the Minerals Management Service has so far failed inobtaining more gas royalties through changes in its valuationmethods, the Justice Department hopes to succeed through thecourts, producers say.

Kinder Morgan Inc. said it has filed a “motion to dismiss” inColorado Federal District Court and will defend itself against acomplaint filed Dec. 20 by the Justice Department on behalf of theEnvironmental Protection Agency. The complaint alleges KMIsubsidiary Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) failed toobtain all necessary air quality permits when constructing theAkron Compressor Station in Weld County, CO, more than 20 yearsago. It requests penalties up to the statutory maximums of $25,000per day of violation prior to January 30, 1997 and $27,500 for eachday of violation after January 31, 1997.

BP Amoco and Atlantic Richfield Co. (Arco) say they will fightthe Federal Trade Commission in court for their right to merge.Wednesday the FTC said it would seek a preliminary injunction infederal District Court to block the merger.

The Southwest-Oneok merger may be cancelled, but spurned suitorSouthern Union is still proceeding with plans to sue Southwest andothers, the company said yesterday.

Midcoast Interstate Transmission and two groups oflandowners-environmentalists last week lost their year-long battlein court to overturn the FERC orders awarding a certificate toSouthern Natural Gas to build and operate a competing pipelineextension into northern Alabama.

Midcoast Interstate Transmission and two groups oflandowners/environmentalists have lost their year-long battle incourt to overturn FERC orders awarding a certificate to SouthernNatural Gas to build and operate an extension into northernAlabama.

TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. has opened a second front in itsfight to stop, before it starts, a revenue hemorrhage seen on thehorizon as a result of new competition in natural gastransportation.

As polluting utilities were preparing to fight a broadEnvironmental Protection Agency emissions-reduction edict issuedlast week, they were hit with an appeals court decision upholdingan earlier EPA order on the same subject — nitrogen oxides (NOx)emissions.

As polluting utilities were preparing to fight a broadEnvironmental Protection Agency emissions-reduction edict issuedlast week, they were hit with an appeals court decision upholdingan earlier EPA order on the same subject – nitrogen oxide (NOx)emissions.