Show pipe line application wins ampro approval val mountain fuel supply co won authority from the utah public service commission wednesday of last week to construct a 10 million dollar mile line linking its it system to a natural gas field in uintah county rates will not be affected THE PROJECT will be undertaken der taken with utah natural gas co a subsidiary of el paso natural gas co approval was given in the face of many protests from coal region and coal industry groups they charged that an extension of the gas supply system would 1 DEPLETE A fuel in less abundant supply than coal 2 further depress the economy and the labor market in carbon county 3 RESULTS IN unfair corn com petition the complaint was that homeowners use natural gas because of its convent ence but they are charged rates which make it possible for natural gas to be sold at dump rates to large indus trial users and this the series of protests stated pirates business from the coal operators interests protests were in wilting A miscue had resulted in their not attending the two day public hearing earlier this month the order mentioned the coal industry plight noting that coal may be advantageously used as a boiler fuel which was the indus arys view I 1 BUT THE also sald baad that mountain fuel Is obligated to find and acquire new supplies to assure a 4 continued supply for its customers doing that involves lq 1 BUILDING a 20 inch line from the area of the ute trail field in uintah county to the waning clear creek field in carbon county with mountain fuel Fu eland I 1 and utah natural to share in the ultimate 10 million dollar cost 2 purchase by tor for of a one half interest from utah natural of the existing 18 inch line from clear creek to orem 3 RELATED BELATED arrangements for purchase of gas prodoc tion properties and for operation of the entire uintah orem line by mountain states which put utah natural out of business as a public utility the report was signed by chairman hal S bennett and donald hacking backing member the third member jesse R S budge concurred in the result but said no evidence had been bee n submitted ed to support the comments relating to coal THE ACTION considered obliquely a related matter utah gas pipelines corp had earlier filed an application to serve copper co with natural gas mrs officials had said if that request were approved would lose its largest customer and would therefore have to boost its residential rates by 11 per cent AFTER THE mrs hearing closed utah gas withdrew its application but served notice it intended to the move was described as necessary to get an advancement of tho the hearing date the order did not mention that proposal except to comment on the declaration of the needed rate increase it should go off its system OH THAT point the report stated that it did riot not accept the Jn increase crease theory as inevitable no rate change Is included or considered to be a potential result 0 of f the plan approved last week |