Transferring Certain Enforcement Hotline Matters to the Dispute Resolution Service

The Commission is revising its regulations to substitute the Commission's Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) for the Commission's Enforcement Hotline as the contact for handling dispute-related calls pertaining to the construction and operation of jurisdictional infrastructure projects, effective May 1, 2010. Currently, the Commission's regulations require that natural gas pipeline companies provide contact information for the Enforcement Hotline when providing notice to affected landowners on a blanket certificate project under the Natural Gas Act. In practice, the Enforcement Hotline also attempts to resolve disputes between individuals and natural gas pipeline companies on all certificated construction projects under the Natural Gas Act. The Enforcement Hotline also receives calls pertaining to hydroelectric projects regulated under the Federal Power Act. The Commission is implementing this Final Rule because the Office of Enforcement's priorities currently are to focus on matters involving: fraud and market manipulation; serious violations of the reliability standards; anticompetitive conduct; and conduct that threatens the transparency of regulated markets.\1\ By transferring the responsibility of dispute-related calls pertaining to the construction and operation of jurisdictional infrastructure projects to DRS, with its expertise in conflict resolution, and allowing the Office of Enforcement to focus on its priorities, the Commission will ensure an efficient allocation of its resources that will better serve the public interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------