Case No. RF272-93532

September 5, 2002

DECISION AND ORDER

OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Applications for Refund

Names of Petitioners:J.C. Robinson Seed Co., et al.

Dates of Filings: July 2, 1992, et al.

Case Numbers: RF272-93532, et al.

This Decision and Order considers and ultimately grants nine Applications for Refund, releasing a total of $76,819 in the Subpart V crude oil refund proceeding. The names of the nine applicants are set forth in the Appendix to this Decision and Order. Each applicant purchased refined petroleum products during the period August 19, 1973 through January 27, 1981 and each has requested a refund from crude oil monies available for disbursement by the Office of Hearings and Appeals of the Department of Energy pursuant to the Statement of Modified Restitutionary Policy In Crude Oil Cases, 51 Fed. Reg. 27899 (August 4, 1986). Each applicant relies on the presumption of injury for end-users as the basis for its refund claim. Under this presumption, OHA will presume applicants were injured if they were end-users of petroleum products and were not covered by the DOE or its predecessors’ price controls. City of Columbus, Georgia, 16 DOE ¶ 85,550 (1987).

We have reviewed the information submitted by all nine applicants and determined that each was an end- user of eligible petroleum products. Each of the applicants listed in the Appendix derived its purchase volume claim by consulting actual records or by using reasonable estimation techniques. (1) 1/ After considering each Application carefully, we have concluded that refunds are warranted for the purchase volumes and in the amounts set forth in the Appendix attached to the Decision. 2/(2) The total volume for which refunds are approved in this Decision is 48,010,793 gallons and the sum of the refunds granted is $ 76,819.

The final deadline for the crude oil proceeding was June 30, 1995. It is the current policy of the DOE to pay eligible crude oil refund claimants at the rate of $0.0016 per gallon. We will decide, as we near the resolution of the remaining open claims, whether any further payment is appropriate.

It Is Therefore Ordered That:

(1) The Applications for Refund filed by the claimants listed in the Appendix to this Decision and Order for all available crude oil overcharge funds are hereby approved as set forth in Paragraph (2) below.

(2) The Director of Special Accounts and Payroll, Office of Departmental Accounting and Financial Systems Development, Office of the Controller, of the Department of Energy shall take appropriate action to disburse the refund amounts set forth in the Appendix to this Decision and Order from the DOE deposit fund escrow account maintained at the Department of the Treasury denominated Crude Tracking-Claimants IV, Account No. 999DOE010Z, to the applicants or their representatives. Refund checks totaling $76,819 shall be sent to the applicants or their representatives at the addresses indicated in the Appendix to this Decision and Order.

(3) To facilitate the payment of any future refunds, the applicants shall notify the Office of Hearings and Appeals in the event that there is a change in its address, or if an address correction is necessary. Such notification shall be sent to:

Office of Hearings and Appeals

HG-1/L’Enfant Plaza Building

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20585-1615

(4)The determinations made in this Decision and Order are based upon the presumed validity of the statements and documentary material submitted by the applicants. This Decision and Order may be revoked or modified at any time upon a determination that the basis underlying the refund applications is incorrect.

(5) This is a final Order of the Department of Energy.

George B. Breznay

Director

Office of Hearings and Appeals

Date: September 5, 2002

(1)Some of the applications under consideration were submitted by private filing services. The purchase volume for J.C. Robinson Seed Co., Case No. RF272-93532, was reduced to account for refunds previously granted to the firm for its purchases of gasoline and diesel fuel.

(2)Interested parties were given an opportunity to submit comments regarding individual crude oil refund applications.

RASID APPNAME CONTACT ADDRESS CITY/STATE VOLUME REFUND
RF272-93532 J.C. ROBINSON SEED CO.   C/O BRIAN H. HOPPES PO BOX A WATERLOO, NE 68069 364,315 $583
RF272-95768 LA FERIA CO-OP GIN OR ENERGY REFUNDS, INC. C/O STEVE LIEVENS 31 SMALL LANE HARDIN, KY 42048 3,442,944 $5,509
RF272-95805 ALLEGANY COUNTY OR PETROLEUM FUNDS, INC. C/O JERRY L. FRANTZ PO BOX 1380 PARIS, TN 38242-9986 2,706,597 $4,331
RF272-95809 BAYLOR COUNTY OR PETROLEUM FUNDS, INC. C/O PAT COKER PO BOX 1380 PARIS, TN 38242-9986 462,559 $740
RF272-95853 STOREY COUNTY   C/O MARGARET LOWTHER B ST., PO BOX D VIRGINIA CITY, NV 89440 3,023,001 $4,837
RF272-95865 DIXIE COUNTY SCHOOL DIST.   C/O MARY WERNER PO BOX 5060 CROSS CITY, FL 32628 762,883 $1,221
RF272-95876 HIGHLAND COUNTY OR PETROLEUM FUNDS, INC. C/O DEAN OTWORTH PO BOX 1380 PARIS, TN 38242-9986 3,462,218 $5,540
RF272-96332 M.S.D. DECATUR TOWNSHIP OR PETROLEUM FUNDS, INC. C/O DEBBIE BLESSING PO BOX 1380 PARIS, TN 38242-9986 847,857 $1,357
RR272-00133 EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO. C/O WILLIAM L. WALTON & ASSOCIATES C/O DAVID L. REED 10501 WILSHIRE BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA 90024 32,938,419 $52,701
             
Totals: 9       48,010,793 $76,819