§717p Joint boards

Summary

The Commission can send any matter it handles to a smaller board made up of one or more people from each State that is or will be affected. Those boards have the same power, duties, and responsibilities as a Commission member when holding hearings. The Commission names the board members from people nominated by each State’s commission, or by the Governor if there is no State commission. Each affected State gets the same number of seats unless it gives that up. The Commission can reject a nominee and ask for a new one, pay members’ expenses, and cancel a board referral for good reason. The Commission may work with State commissions on gas rates and related business matters and can hold joint hearings under its rules. It can use help, records, and facilities from State commissions. The Commission will share reports and information with States and, when it won’t hurt its own work, may loan expert witnesses if the State repays their pay and travel. That repayment goes back into the same government fund that paid for the expert.