It is believed that the statutory provisions of sections 209 and 17, respectively, of the Federal Power and Natural Gas Acts, for the reference of a proceeding to a board constituted as therein provided, were designed for use in unusual cases, and as a means of relief to the Commission when it might find itself unable to hear and determine cases before it, in the usual course, without undue delay.

Whenever the Commission, either upon its own motion or upon the suggestion of a State commission or at the request of any interested party, determines that it is desirable to refer a matter arising in the administration either of the Natural Gas Act or Part II of the Federal Power Act, to a board to be composed of a member or members from the State or States affected or to be affected by such matter, the procedure will be as follows: The Commission will send a request to each interested State commission to nominate a specified number of members to serve on such board. Whenever more than one State is involved, the representation of each State concerned shall be equal, unless one or more of the States affected chooses to waive such right of equal representation. The Commission will specify the functions to be performed by such board in each instance. When the member or members of any board have been nominated and appointed in accordance with the provisions of either section 209 of the Federal Power Act or section 17 of the Natural Gas Act, the Commission will issue an order referring the particular matter to such board, and such order will fix the time and place of hearing, define the “force and effect” which an action of the board will have, the manner in which the proceedings will be conducted, and specify the allowances to be made for the expense of the members of the board. As far as applicable, the rules of practice and procedure as from time to time adopted or prescribed by the Commission will govern such board. The board will have authority to adjourn the hearing from day to day, subpoena witnesses, rule on the relevancy, competency, and materiality of evidence, and will, after hearing all interested parties, submit its report to the Commission.