Announced Actions for June 26, 1998

Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received an application for approval of a transaction from the following. The FTC is seeking public comments on the application for 30 days, until July 28, 1998.

• Shell Oil Company has petitioned the FTC for approval to divest its interest in Plantation Pipe Line Company to Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. The proposed divestiture is required under the terms of a final consent order with Shell and Texaco, Inc. that requires the companies to divest a package of assets to settle FTC charges that their proposed joint venture would violate federal antitrust laws. (See news releases dated December 19, 1997; April 22, 1998; June 11, 1998; Docket No. C-3803. Staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, 202-326-2526.)

Commission action regarding petitions to modify FTC rules:

Following a public comment period, the FTC has ruled on separate petitions from DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems and BASF Corporation to change its Textile Labeling Rules to include generic names and definitions for new fibers manufactured by the companies. The Commission voted to establish two new generic fiber names and definitions for "melamine," a fiber for which BASF has registered the trade name "Basofil;" and "fluoropolymer," a fiber that DuPont designates by the registered name "Teflon." The Commission vote to approve each petition was 4-0. A notice of the final rule will appear shortly in the Federal Register. (See news release dated January 6, 1998; Matter Nos: P974227 (DuPont); P974228 (BASF); Staff contact is James G. Mills, 202-326-3035.)

An FTC complaint has been amended in the following case to name additional defendants:

The FTC has sought to amend a complaint in its action against Davison & Associates. The original complaint was filed as part of "Project Mousetrap," a law enforcement effort targeting fraudulent invention promotion schemes. The amended complaint, which names Gordon Davison and Barbara Miele, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The court must approve the filing of an amended complaint any time after the defendants have answered the original complaint. The Commission vote to file an amended complaint was 5-0. (See news release dated July 23, 1997; Civil Action No. 97-1278(W.D. Pa.); Staff contact is Steven W. Balster, 216-263-3401.)

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357); TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.