Review of Market Monitoring Policies; Second Notice of Technical Conference, 12173-12174 [E7-4713]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Notices
representative of the applicant specified
in the particular application.
Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–4717 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. AD07–8–000]
Review of Market Monitoring Policies;
Second Notice of Technical
Conference
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES
March 9, 2007.
On January 25, 2007, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) announced that a
conference will be held to review the
Commission’s general policies regarding
market monitoring, on April 5, 2007, at
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426 in the
Commission Meeting Room. The
Commission had announced its intent to
hold this conference in PJM
Interconnection, LLC., order on reh’g,
117 FERC ¶ 61,263 (2006).
The Commission is making one
change in the schedule with this notice,
viz., to change the beginning of the
conference from 9:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
(EDT).
All interested persons are invited to
attend. There is no registration fee to
attend.
Proactive oversight of the activities of
regulated entities is a relatively recent
development in the history of the
Commission’s utility regulation, one
largely driven by the Commission’s
efforts to make greater use of market
forces to discipline the activities of
regulated entities. A significant aspect
of this oversight effort has been the
development of market monitoring units
(MMUs) in the Commission-regulated
Independent System Operators (ISOs)
and Regional Transmission
Organizations (RTOs), along with the
establishment of independent market
monitors (IMMs) of certain vertically
integrated utilities as a condition of
approving those utilities’ mergers or
acquisition of assets. In addition, almost
five years ago, the Commission
dedicated staff members, now located in
the Office of Enforcement’s Division of
Energy Market Oversight (DEMO), to
monitor natural gas and electricity
markets. In that capacity, DEMO staff
works closely with the MMUs and
IMMs.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:20 Mar 14, 2007
Jkt 211001
In the technical conference, the
Commission would like to explore the
effectiveness of MMUs and IMMs both
in performing market oversight and in
serving a variety of interested
stakeholders. The Commission does not
intend to evaluate any individual MMU
or IMM or to discuss issues in any
pending proceeding. Rather, the
Commission would like to focus on the
concepts and principles involved in
market monitoring and the relationship
between the market monitors and the
Commission market monitoring staff,
informed by the experience of the
industry since the inception of market
monitoring. Of course, the Commission
does not go into this conference with a
blank slate. To the contrary, the
Commission has spoken on many
occasions on the role of market monitors
in generic and case-specific
proceedings. The Commission also
issued a policy statement in May 2005.
See Policy Statement on Market
Monitoring Unit, 111 FERC ¶ 61,267
(2005) (and citations therein).
Accordingly, rather than hearing about
what it has done, the Commission
would like to hear about what it should
do to improve its market monitoring
program.
With these thoughts in mind, the
technical conference will be made up of
two panels, each examining the role and
effectiveness of market monitors from
their respective perspectives, especially
as that relates to market monitoring in
the RTOs and ISOs. The panelists may
discuss the IMMs as well as the MMUs.
After time reserved for initial
statements by the Members of the
Commission starting at 9 a.m., the first
panel (9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.) will
consist of individuals who have
participated in, written about, or are
otherwise informed about the
development of the concept and
function of market monitoring. Members
of this panel will be asked to answer the
following questions:
1. What is the Commission’s market
monitoring role in the context of
ensuring the competitiveness of
wholesale electricity markets?
2. How do MMUs (as a concept or
function) generally serve or facilitate
that role?
3. What changes, if any, in the current
structure of MMUs could enhance their
ability to assist the Commission in its
market monitoring role?
4. Are there other industries that are
subject to comparable monitoring
activities, and, if so, how are these
activities structured?
The next panel will be held in three
parts (10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., 12 noon
to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.) and will
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12173
consist of representatives from the
MMUs, the ISOs or RTOs, and the
various Stakeholders (including market
participants, state regulators, and
consumers), respectively. Members of
these panels will be asked to answer the
following questions:
1. MMUs’ Role With Respect to FERC:
• What are the key functions of the
role that MMUs have performed?
• Should these functions be changed
or improved?
• What changes, if any, in the current
structure of MMUs would allow them to
more effectively assist the Commission
in performing its market oversight
activities?
2. MMUs’ Role with Respect to ISOs/
RTOs:
• What are the key functions of the
role that MMUs have performed with
respect to the operations of the ISOs/
RTOs, including the operation of the
transmission grid and Day 1 or Day 2
energy markets?
• Should these functions be changed
or improved?
• What changes, if any, in the current
structure of MMUs would allow them to
more effectively assist ISOs/RTOs?
3. MMUs’ Role with Respect to the
various Stakeholders:
• What are the key functions of the
role that MMUs have performed with
respect to stakeholders?
• Should these functions be changed
or improved?
• What changes, if any, in the current
structure of MMUs would allow them to
more effectively assist stakeholders?
Anyone interested in serving on one
of these panels should contact Saida
Shaalan at 202–502–8278 or by e-mail at
Saida.Shaalan@ferc.gov on or before
March 22, 2007. Please be advised,
however, that the Commission may not
be able to accommodate everyone who
asks to be a panelist. Persons interested
in serving on panels are therefore
encouraged to coordinate their positions
and choose a single panel
representative. The Commission will
issue a subsequent notice naming the
panelists and providing further
guidance on the format for
presentations, which will be limited in
time (probably five minutes) to provide
sufficient opportunity for discussion.
As stated in the first notice issued
January 25, 2007, a free webcast of this
event will be available through
www.ferc.gov. Anyone with Internet
access who desires to view this event
can do so by accessing www.ferc.gov’s
Calendar of Events and locating this
event in the Calendar. The event will
contain a link to its webcast. The
Capitol Connection provides technical
support for the Web casts and offers
E:\FR\FM\15MRN1.SGM
15MRN1
12174
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Notices
access to the meeting via phone bridge
for a fee. If you have any questions, visit
https://www.CapitolConnection.org or
contact Danelle Perkowski or David
Reininger at 703–993–3100.
Transcripts of the meeting will be
available immediately for a fee from Ace
Reporting Company (202–347–3700 or
1–800–336–6646). They will be
available for free on the Commission’s
eLibrary system and on the events
calendar approximately one week after
the meeting.
FERC conferences and meetings are
accessible under section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For
accessibility accommodations please
send an e-mail to accessibility@ferc.gov
or call toll free (866) 208–3372 (voice)
or 202–502–8659 (TTY), or send a fax to
202–208–2106 with the required
accommodations.
Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–4713 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Notice of Membership of Performance
Review Board for Senior Executives
(PRB)
March 9, 2007.
The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission hereby provides notice of
the membership of its Performance
Review Board (PRB) for the
Commission’s Senior Executive Service
(SES) members. The function of this
board is to make recommendations
relating to the performance of senior
executives in the Commission. This
action is undertaken in accordance with
Title 5, U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The
Commission’s PRB will remove the
following member: Daniel L. Larcamp.
Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–4715 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–8288–2]
Proposed Consent Decree Clean Air
Act Citizen Suit
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
AGENCY:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:20 Mar 14, 2007
Jkt 211001
Notice of proposed consent
decree; request for public comment.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: In accordance with section
113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended
(‘‘Act’’), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is
hereby given of a proposed consent
decree, to address a lawsuit filed by the
Sierra Club: Sierra Club v. The United
States Environmental Protection
Agency, No. CV 06–00663 BB(LFG)
(District of New Mexico). On or about
July 26, 2006, Sierra Club filed a
complaint alleging that EPA had failed
to perform a non-discretionary duty and
had unreasonably delayed publication
of a final rule, known as a Federal
Implementation Plan (‘‘FIP’’), regulating
air emissions from the Four Corners
Power Plant (‘‘FCPP’’). Under the terms
of the proposed consent decree, a
deadline of April 30, 2007, is
established for EPA to take final action
on the FIP proposed by EPA on
September 12, 2006.
DATES: Written comments on the
proposed consent decree must be
received by April 16, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID number EPA–
HQ7–OGC–2007–0194, online at https://
www.regulations.gov (EPA’s preferred
method); by e-mail to
oei.docket@epa.gov; mailed to EPA
Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460–0001; or by
hand delivery or courier to EPA Docket
Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington,
DC, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. Comments on a disk or CD–
ROM should be formatted in Word or
ASCII file, avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of encryption,
and may be mailed to the mailing
address above. Please provide a separate
copy of your comments to the person
identified in the For Further
Information Contact section of this
notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard H. Vetter, c/o Cheryl Graham
Air and Radiation Law Office (2344A),
Office of General Counsel, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460; telephone: (919) 541–2127;
fax number (919) 541–4991; email
address: vetter.rick@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Additional Information About the
Proposed Consent Decree
The proposed consent decree would
resolve the suit filed by Sierra Club
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
alleging that EPA had a nondiscretionary duty and had
unreasonably delayed finalizing a FIP
regulating air emissions from FCPP.
The background to Sierra Club’s
Complaint is that EPA had proposed a
FIP in 1999 for FCPP, see 64 FR 48731
(September 8, 1999), but by 2006 had
not taken final action on the 1999
proposed FIP. Shortly after 1999, FCPP
began negotiations with EPA, Navajo
Nation EPA, the National Park Service
and several environmental groups (not
including Sierra Club). Between 2003
and 2005, FCPP tested changes to its
SO2 control devices that increased the
overall control efficiency of these
control devices.
EPA proposed a new FIP for FCPP on
September 12, 2006 that, among other
things, reflected the increase in
efficiency of the SO2 control devices at
the facility. 71 FR 53631. The proposed
consent decree provides that on or
before April 30, 2007, EPA will take
final action on the FIP we proposed on
September 12, 2006.
On December 14, 2006, the parties
filed with the Court a notice of lodging
of the proposed consent decree. The
notice informed the Court of the decree
but noted that the decree was not ready
for entry as it is subject to the
requirements of section 113(g) of the
Clean Air Act.
For a period of thirty (30) days
following the date of publication of this
notice, the Agency will receive written
comments relating to the proposed
consent decree from persons who were
not named as parties to the litigation in
question. EPA or the Department of
Justice may withdraw or withhold
consent to the proposed consent decree
if the comments disclose facts or
considerations that indicate that such
consent is inappropriate, improper,
inadequate, or inconsistent with the
requirements of the Act. Unless EPA or
the Department of Justice determines,
based on any comment which may be
submitted, that consent to the consent
decree should be withdrawn, the terms
of the decree will be affirmed.
II. Additional Information About
Commenting on the Proposed Consent
Decree
A. How Can I Get a Copy of the Consent
Decree?
The official public docket for this
action (identified by Docket ID No.
EPA7–HQ–OGC–2007–0194) contains a
copy of the proposed consent decree.
The official public docket is available
for public viewing at the Office of
Environmental Information (OEI) Docket
in the EPA Docket Center, EPA West,
E:\FR\FM\15MRN1.SGM
15MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 50 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12173-12174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4713]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. AD07-8-000]
Review of Market Monitoring Policies; Second Notice of Technical
Conference
March 9, 2007.
On January 25, 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) announced that a conference will be held to review the
Commission's general policies regarding market monitoring, on April 5,
2007, at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street,
NE., Washington, DC 20426 in the Commission Meeting Room. The
Commission had announced its intent to hold this conference in PJM
Interconnection, LLC., order on reh'g, 117 FERC ] 61,263 (2006).
The Commission is making one change in the schedule with this
notice, viz., to change the beginning of the conference from 9:30 a.m.
to 9 a.m. (EDT).
All interested persons are invited to attend. There is no
registration fee to attend.
Proactive oversight of the activities of regulated entities is a
relatively recent development in the history of the Commission's
utility regulation, one largely driven by the Commission's efforts to
make greater use of market forces to discipline the activities of
regulated entities. A significant aspect of this oversight effort has
been the development of market monitoring units (MMUs) in the
Commission-regulated Independent System Operators (ISOs) and Regional
Transmission Organizations (RTOs), along with the establishment of
independent market monitors (IMMs) of certain vertically integrated
utilities as a condition of approving those utilities' mergers or
acquisition of assets. In addition, almost five years ago, the
Commission dedicated staff members, now located in the Office of
Enforcement's Division of Energy Market Oversight (DEMO), to monitor
natural gas and electricity markets. In that capacity, DEMO staff works
closely with the MMUs and IMMs.
In the technical conference, the Commission would like to explore
the effectiveness of MMUs and IMMs both in performing market oversight
and in serving a variety of interested stakeholders. The Commission
does not intend to evaluate any individual MMU or IMM or to discuss
issues in any pending proceeding. Rather, the Commission would like to
focus on the concepts and principles involved in market monitoring and
the relationship between the market monitors and the Commission market
monitoring staff, informed by the experience of the industry since the
inception of market monitoring. Of course, the Commission does not go
into this conference with a blank slate. To the contrary, the
Commission has spoken on many occasions on the role of market monitors
in generic and case-specific proceedings. The Commission also issued a
policy statement in May 2005. See Policy Statement on Market Monitoring
Unit, 111 FERC ] 61,267 (2005) (and citations therein). Accordingly,
rather than hearing about what it has done, the Commission would like
to hear about what it should do to improve its market monitoring
program.
With these thoughts in mind, the technical conference will be made
up of two panels, each examining the role and effectiveness of market
monitors from their respective perspectives, especially as that relates
to market monitoring in the RTOs and ISOs. The panelists may discuss
the IMMs as well as the MMUs.
After time reserved for initial statements by the Members of the
Commission starting at 9 a.m., the first panel (9:30 a.m. until 10:30
a.m.) will consist of individuals who have participated in, written
about, or are otherwise informed about the development of the concept
and function of market monitoring. Members of this panel will be asked
to answer the following questions:
1. What is the Commission's market monitoring role in the context
of ensuring the competitiveness of wholesale electricity markets?
2. How do MMUs (as a concept or function) generally serve or
facilitate that role?
3. What changes, if any, in the current structure of MMUs could
enhance their ability to assist the Commission in its market monitoring
role?
4. Are there other industries that are subject to comparable
monitoring activities, and, if so, how are these activities structured?
The next panel will be held in three parts (10:45 a.m. to 11:45
a.m., 12 noon to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.) and will consist of
representatives from the MMUs, the ISOs or RTOs, and the various
Stakeholders (including market participants, state regulators, and
consumers), respectively. Members of these panels will be asked to
answer the following questions:
1. MMUs' Role With Respect to FERC:
What are the key functions of the role that MMUs have
performed?
Should these functions be changed or improved?
What changes, if any, in the current structure of MMUs
would allow them to more effectively assist the Commission in
performing its market oversight activities?
2. MMUs' Role with Respect to ISOs/RTOs:
What are the key functions of the role that MMUs have
performed with respect to the operations of the ISOs/RTOs, including
the operation of the transmission grid and Day 1 or Day 2 energy
markets?
Should these functions be changed or improved?
What changes, if any, in the current structure of MMUs
would allow them to more effectively assist ISOs/RTOs?
3. MMUs' Role with Respect to the various Stakeholders:
What are the key functions of the role that MMUs have
performed with respect to stakeholders?
Should these functions be changed or improved?
What changes, if any, in the current structure of MMUs
would allow them to more effectively assist stakeholders?
Anyone interested in serving on one of these panels should contact
Saida Shaalan at 202-502-8278 or by e-mail at Saida.Shaalan@ferc.gov on
or before March 22, 2007. Please be advised, however, that the
Commission may not be able to accommodate everyone who asks to be a
panelist. Persons interested in serving on panels are therefore
encouraged to coordinate their positions and choose a single panel
representative. The Commission will issue a subsequent notice naming
the panelists and providing further guidance on the format for
presentations, which will be limited in time (probably five minutes) to
provide sufficient opportunity for discussion.
As stated in the first notice issued January 25, 2007, a free
webcast of this event will be available through www.ferc.gov. Anyone
with Internet access who desires to view this event can do so by
accessing www.ferc.gov's Calendar of Events and locating this event in
the Calendar. The event will contain a link to its webcast. The Capitol
Connection provides technical support for the Web casts and offers
[[Page 12174]]
access to the meeting via phone bridge for a fee. If you have any
questions, visit https://www.CapitolConnection.org or contact Danelle
Perkowski or David Reininger at 703-993-3100.
Transcripts of the meeting will be available immediately for a fee
from Ace Reporting Company (202-347-3700 or 1-800-336-6646). They will
be available for free on the Commission's eLibrary system and on the
events calendar approximately one week after the meeting.
FERC conferences and meetings are accessible under section 508 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations please
send an e-mail to accessibility@ferc.gov or call toll free (866) 208-
3372 (voice) or 202-502-8659 (TTY), or send a fax to 202-208-2106 with
the required accommodations.
Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-4713 Filed 3-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
