The manual is intended to be one of the first places industry participants can turn for quick answers about FERC's rules as well as for more detailed explanations and guides to additional research. The manual covers the following topics: a brief history of FERC's natural gas regulation; services of pipelines and storage companies; rules relating to shippers or storage customers; obtaining capacity from pipelines directly as well as from other pipeline shippers; regulation of sellers of natural gas and a description of natural gas markets; local distribution companies as transportation and storage providers; rules about market manipulation; enforcement; preparing compliance plans; and other substantive aspects of FERC regulations affecting local distribution companies.