Notice of Intent To Accept Proposals, Select One Lessee, and Contract for Hydroelectric Power Development at the Granby Dam Outlet, a Feature of the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) Project, Colorado, 22128-22130 [2011-9540]
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22128
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 20, 2011 / Notices
(44 U.S.C. 4321), HUD will request
approval from the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) to collect data under
the reporting requirements that PHAs
are not currently providing.
VII. Environmental Impact
This notice involves the
establishment of a small area FMR
demonstration project, which does not
constitute a development decision
affecting the physical condition of
specific project areas or building sites.
Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(6),
this notice is categorically excluded
from environmental review under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
Dated: April 7, 2011.
Raphael W. Bostic,
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development
and Research.
[FR Doc. 2011–9501 Filed 4–19–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Intent To Accept Proposals,
Select One Lessee, and Contract for
Hydroelectric Power Development at
the Granby Dam Outlet, a Feature of
the Colorado-Big Thompson (C–BT)
Project, Colorado
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
Promoting responsible
development of renewable energy and
moving the Nation toward a clean
energy future is a top priority of the
Department of the Interior. The
Department signed a Memorandum of
Understanding in March 2010 intended
to focus on opportunities for
development of environmentally
sustainable hydropower at existing
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)
facilities. The Department, acting
through Reclamation, will consider
proposals for non-Federal development
of hydroelectric power at Granby Dam
Outlet of the C–BT, Colorado.
Reclamation is considering such
hydroelectric power development under
a lease of power privilege. No Federal
funds will be available for such
hydroelectric power development. The
Department will prioritize projects that
appropriately balance increased energy
generation with consideration of
environmental impacts. The Western
Area Power Administration (Western)
would have the first opportunity to
purchase and/or market the power that
would be generated by such
development under a lease of power
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SUMMARY:
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privilege. The C–BT is a Reclamation
project. This Notice presents
background information, proposal
content guidelines, information
concerning selection of one or more
non-Federal entities to develop
hydroelectric power at Granby Dam
Outlet, and power purchasing and/or
marketing considerations. Interested
entities are invited to submit a proposal
on this project.
DATES: A written proposal and seven
copies must be submitted on or before
1 p.m. (MDT), on August 19, 2011. A
proposal will be considered timely only
if it is received in the office of the Lease
of Power Privilege Coordinator by or
before 1 p.m. (MDT) on the designated
date. Interested entities are cautioned
that delayed delivery to this office due
to failures or misunderstandings of the
entity and/or of mail, overnight, or
courier services will not excuse lateness
and, accordingly, are advised to provide
sufficient time for delivery. Late
proposals will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Written proposals and
seven copies should be sent to Mr.
George Gliko, Lease of Power Privilege
Coordinator (GP–2200), Bureau of
Reclamation, Great Plains Regional
Office (GP–2200), P.O. Box 36900,
Billings, MT 59107–6900.
Information related to Western’s
purchasing and/or marketing the power
may be obtained at Western Area Power
Administration, Rocky Mountain
Region, Attn: Dave Neumayer, Power
Marketing Manager, 5555 East
Crossroads Blvd., Loveland, Colorado
80538, Telephone: (970) 461–7322.
Information related to the operation
and maintenance of Granby Dam and
Reservoir may be obtained at Northern
Colorado Water Conservancy District,
220 Water Avenue, Berthoud, Colorado
80513, Telephone: (970) 532–7700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
George Gliko at (406) 247–7651.
Reclamation will be available to meet
with interested entities only upon
written request to the Lease of Power
Privilege Coordinator at the above
address. Reclamation reserves the right
to schedule a single meeting and/or visit
to address at one time, the questions of
all entities that have submitted
questions or requested site visits.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The C–BT,
located in central Colorado, was
authorized for construction, including
hydroelectric power, by the Department
of the Interior Appropriations Act, 1938
(1938 Act), Public Law 75–249, 50 Stat.
564 (August 9, 1937). Specifically, the
1938 Act appropriates funds for the
Project’s ‘‘construction in accordance
with the plan described in Senate
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Document No. 80, Seventy-fifth
Congress, First Session * * * ’’ 50 Stat.
595. As part of the C–BT, the United
States constructed Granby Dam. The
Northern Colorado Water Conservancy
District (District), under its contracts
with the United States, has certain
operation, maintenance, replacement,
and repayment responsibilities and
obligations concerning the C–BT, which
includes such responsibility for Granby
Dam and Reservoir. Reclamation
recently released its Hydropower
Resource Assessment (March 2011),
which estimated that hydropower at
Granby Dam is economically feasible to
develop (benefit-cost ratio 1.16,
including green incentives), and that
there is a potential capacity of 484 kW.
The Assessment may be viewed in its
entirety at https://www.usbr.gov/power/.
Reclamation is considering
hydroelectric power development at
Granby Dam Outlet through a lease of
power privilege. A lease of power
privilege is a congressionally authorized
alternative to Federal hydroelectric
power development. A lease of power
privilege grants to a non-Federal entity
the right to utilize C–BT for non-Federal
electric power generation and sale,
consistent with project purposes. Leases
of power privilege have terms not to
exceed 40 years. The general authority
for lease of power privilege under
Reclamation law includes, among
others, the Town Sites and Power
Development Act of 1906 (43 U.S.C.
522) and the Reclamation Project Act of
1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c)) (1939 Act).
Reclamation will be the lead Federal
agency for ensuring compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of any lease of power privilege
considered in response to this Notice.
Leases of power privilege may be issued
only when Reclamation, upon
completion of the NEPA process,
determines that the affected
hydroelectric power sites are
environmentally acceptable. Any lease
of power privilege at Granby Dam Outlet
must accommodate existing contractual
commitments related to operation and
maintenance of such existing facilities,
and must meet the requirements of
applicable law.
Western would have the first
opportunity to purchase and/or market
the power that would be generated
under any lease of power privilege.
Under this process, Western would
either purchase and market the power as
Loveland Area Power power or market
the power independently by first
offering it to preference entities and
secondly to non-preference entities.
All costs incurred by the United
States related to development and
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 20, 2011 / Notices
operation and maintenance under a
lease of power privilege, including but
not limited to NEPA compliance,
development of the lease of power
privilege, design reviews, construction
oversight, and any other associated
documents, would be the expense of the
lessee.
Proposal Content Guidelines:
Interested parties should submit one or
more proposals explaining in as precise
detail as is practicable how the
hydropower potential at each site would
be developed. Factors which proposals
should consider and address include,
but are not limited to, the following:
1. Provide all information relevant to
the qualifications of the proposing
entity to plan and implement such a
project, including, but not limited to,
information about preference status,
type of organization, length of time in
business, experience in funding, design
and construction of similar projects,
industry rating(s) that indicate financial
soundness and/or technical and
managerial capability, experience of key
management personnel, history of any
reorganizations or mergers with other
companies, safety record, and any other
information that demonstrates the
interested entity’s organizational,
technical and financial ability to
perform all aspects of the work. Include
a discussion of past experience in
operating and maintaining similar
facilities and provide references as
appropriate. The term preference entity,
as applied to a lease of power privilege,
means an entity qualifying for
preference under Section 9(c) of the
1939 Act, as a municipality, public
corporation or agency, or cooperative or
other nonprofit organization financed in
whole or in part by loans made pursuant
to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936,
as amended.
2. Provide geographical locations and
describe principal structures and other
important features of the proposed
development including roads and
transmission lines. Estimate and
describe installed capacity and the
capacity of the power facilities under
dry, average, and wet hydrological
conditions. Also describe seasonal or
annual generation patterns. Include
estimates of the amount of electrical
energy that would be produced from
each facility for each month of average,
dry and wet water years. If capacity and
energy can be delivered to another
location, either by the proposing entity
or by potential wheeling agents, specify
where capacity and energy can be
delivered. Include concepts for power
sales and contractual arrangements,
involved parties and the proposed
approach to wheeling if required.
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3. Indicate title arrangements and the
ability to acquire title to or the right to
occupy and use lands necessary for the
proposed development, including such
additional lands as may be required
during construction.
4. Identify water rights applicable to
the operation of the proposed
development, the holder of such rights,
and how these rights would be acquired
or perfected.
5. Discuss any studies necessary to
adequately define impacts on the C–BT
and the environment required by the
development. Describe any significant
environmental issues associated with
the development and the proposing
entity’s approach for gathering relevant
data and resolving such issues to protect
and enhance the quality of the
environment. Explain any proposed use
of the hydropower development for
conservation and utilization of the
available water resources in the public
interest.
6. Describe anticipated contractual
arrangements with the entity or entities
having operation and maintenance
responsibility for the C–BT feature(s)
that are proposed for utilization in the
hydropower development under
consideration. Define how the
hydropower development would
operate in harmony with the C–BT, not
impact C–BT operations, existing
applicable contracts related to operation
and maintenance of C–BT feature(s) that
are proposed for utilization in the
hydropower development under
consideration, and any other applicable
water-related contracts.
7. Identify the organizational structure
planned for the long-term operation and
maintenance of any proposed
hydropower development.
8. Provide a management plan to
accomplish such activities as planning,
NEPA compliance, lease of power
privilege development, design,
construction, facility testing, and start of
hydropower production. Prepare
schedules of these activities as
applicable. Describe what studies are
necessary to accomplish the
hydroelectric power development and
how the studies would be implemented.
9. Estimate development cost. This
cost should include all investment costs
such as the cost of studies to determine
feasibility, NEPA compliance, design,
construction, associated bonding and
financing as well as the amortized
annual cost of the investment; also, the
annual operation, maintenance, and
replacement expense for the
hydropower development; lease
payments to the United States; and
expenses that may be associated with
the C–BT. If there are additional
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22129
transmission or wheeling expenses
associated with the development of the
hydropower development, these should
be included. Identify proposed methods
of financing and hydropower
development. An economic analysis
should be presented that compares the
present worth of all benefits and costs
of the hydropower development.
Selection of Lessee: Reclamation will
evaluate proposals received in response
to this published notice.
Reclamation will give more favorable
consideration to proposals that (1) are
well-adapted to developing, conserving,
and utilizing the water and natural
resources, (2) clearly demonstrate that
the offeror is qualified to develop the
hydropower facility and provide for
long-term operation and maintenance,
and (3) develop the hydropower
potential economically. Credit will be
given to those proposals that
demonstrate development of power in
an environmentally-friendly manner.
While all developments will be required
to perform NEPA analysis, proposals
should include information as to how
the proposer will minimize
environmental impact during
construction, maintenance and
operation. Proposers should also
include design characteristics and
methods that will be used to minimize
environmental impacts and improve the
environmental attributes of the facility.
Any work the developer is proposing to
do to enhance the ecosystem should
also be explained in the proposal. A
proposal will be deemed unacceptable if
it is inconsistent with C–BT purposes,
as determined by Reclamation.
Reclamation will give preference to
those entities that qualify as preference
entities (as defined under Proposal
Content Guidelines, item 1.) provided
that their proposal is at least as welladapted to developing, conserving, and
utilizing the water and natural resources
as other submitted proposals and that
the preference entity is well qualified.
Preference entities would be allowed 90
days to improve their proposals, if
necessary, to be made at least equal to
a proposal that may have been
submitted by a non-preference entity.
Power Purchasing and/or Marketing
Considerations: Western would have the
first opportunity to purchase and/or
market the power that would be
generated by the project under a lease of
power privilege. Western will consult
with Reclamation on such power
purchasing and/or marketing
considerations.
In the event Western elects to not
purchase and/or market the power
generated by the hydropower
development or such a decision cannot
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22130
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 20, 2011 / Notices
be made prior to execution of the lease
of power privilege, the lessee would be
responsible for marketing the power
generated by the project with priority
given to preference entities as heretofore
defined in Proposal Content Guidelines,
item 1.).
Notice and Time Period to Enter Into
Lease of Power Privilege: Reclamation
will notify, in writing, all entities
submitting proposals of Reclamation’s
decision regarding selection of the
potential lessee. The selected potential
lessee will have 2 years from the date
of such notification to enter into a lease
of power privilege for the site or sites
identified in the proposal. Such leases
of power privilege will state whether
and how Western will be involved in
purchasing and/or marketing the power.
Any excessive delay resulting from
compliance with the provisions of
Federal environment laws or
administrative review by a Federal
agency, pertaining to the project, may
extend the 2 year time period for a
period equal to that of the delay. This
period may only be extended by mutual,
written consent of the potential lessee
and the United States.
Dated: April 14, 2011.
Michael J. Ryan,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2011–9540 Filed 4–19–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
Wildland Fire Executive Council
Meeting Schedule
Office of the Secretary, Interior.
Notice of Meetings.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the
requirements of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the
U.S. Department of the Interior, Office
of the Secretary, Wildland Fire
Executive Council (WFEC) will meet as
indicated below.
DATES: The next meeting will be held on
Friday May 6, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 12
noon.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held
from 10 a.m. to 12 noon Eastern Time
in the McArdle Room (First Floor
Conference Room) in the Yates Federal
Building, USDA Forest Service
Headquarters, 1400 Independence Ave.,
SW., Washington, DC 20250.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy
Johnson, Designated Federal Officer,
300 E Mallard Drive, Suite 170, Boise,
Idaho 83706; telephone (208) 334–1550;
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SUMMARY:
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fax (208) 334–1549; or e-mail
Roy_Johnson@ios.doi.gov.
The WFEC
is established as a discretionary
advisory committee under the
authorities of the Secretary of the
Interior and Secretary of Agriculture, in
furtherance of 43 U.S.C. 1457 and
provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Act
of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a–742j), the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the
National Wildlife Refuge System
improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee), and the National Forest
Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C.
1600 et seq.) and in accordance with the
provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C.
App. 2. The Secretary of the Interior and
Secretary of Agriculture certify that the
formation of the WFEC is necessary and
is in the public interest.
The purpose of the WFEC is to
provide advice on coordinated nationallevel wildland fire policy and to provide
leadership, direction, and program
oversight in support of the Wildland
Fire Leadership Council. Questions
related to the WFEC should be directed
to Roy Johnson (Designated Federal
Officer) at Roy_Johnson@ios.doi.gov or
(208) 334–1550 or 300 E. Mallard Drive,
Suite 170, Boise, Idaho 83706–6648.
Meeting Agenda: The meeting agenda
will be: (1) Welcome and introduction
of Council members; (2) Overview of
prior meeting and action tracking; (3)
Members’ round robin to share
information and identify key issues to
be addressed; (4) Wildland Fire
Management Cohesive Strategy; (5)
Wildland Fire Issues; (6) Council
Members’ review and discussion of subcommittee activities; (7) Future Council
activities; and (8) Public comments and
closing remarks. Participation is open to
the public.
Public Input: All WFEC meetings are
open to the public. Members of the
public who wish to participate must
notify Shari Shetler at
Shari_Shetler@ios.doi.gov no later than
the third Friday of the month preceding
the meeting. Those who are not
committee members and wish to present
oral statements or obtain information
should contact Shari Shetler via e-mail
no later than the third Friday preceding
the meeting. Depending on the number
of persons wishing to comment and
time available, the time for individual
oral comments may be limited.
Questions about the agenda or written
comments may be e-mailed or submitted
by U.S. Mail to: Department of the
Interior, Office of the Secretary, Office
of Wildland Fire, Attention: Shari
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Shetler, 300 E. Mallard Drive, Suite 170,
Boise, Idaho 83706–6648. WFEC
requests that written comments be
received by the third Friday of the
month preceeding the scheduled
meeting. Attendance is open to the
public, but limited space is available.
Persons with a disability requiring
special services, such as an interpreter
for the hearing impaired, should contact
Ms. Shetler at (202) 527–0133 at least
seven calendar days prior to the
meeting.
Dated: April 15, 2011.
Roy Johnson,
Designated Federal Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–9632 Filed 4–19–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–J4–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Regulation and Enforcement
[Docket No. BOEM–2011–0005]
Commercial Leasing for Wind Power
on the Outer Continental Shelf
Offshore New Jersey—Call for
Information and Nominations
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and
Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior.
ACTION: Call for Information and
Nominations for Commercial Leasing for
Wind Power on the Outer Continental
Shelf Offshore New Jersey.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and
Enforcement (BOEMRE) invites the
submission of nominations for one or
more commercial leases for the
construction of a wind energy project(s)
on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
offshore New Jersey. Although this
announcement is not itself a leasing
announcement, the area described
herein may be subject to future leasing,
and BOEMRE will use the response to
this Call for Information and
Nominations (Call) to gauge specific
interest in acquiring commercial wind
lease(s) in some or all of the area, and
to determine whether competitive
interest exists in any particular area as
required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties
wishing to submit a nomination in
response to this Call should submit
detailed and specific information as
described below in the section entitled,
‘‘Required Nomination Information.’’
This announcement also requests that
interested and affected parties comment
and provide information about site
conditions, resources, and multiple uses
within the area identified in this notice
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22128-22130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9540]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Intent To Accept Proposals, Select One Lessee, and
Contract for Hydroelectric Power Development at the Granby Dam Outlet,
a Feature of the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) Project, Colorado
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Promoting responsible development of renewable energy and
moving the Nation toward a clean energy future is a top priority of the
Department of the Interior. The Department signed a Memorandum of
Understanding in March 2010 intended to focus on opportunities for
development of environmentally sustainable hydropower at existing
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) facilities. The Department, acting
through Reclamation, will consider proposals for non-Federal
development of hydroelectric power at Granby Dam Outlet of the C-BT,
Colorado. Reclamation is considering such hydroelectric power
development under a lease of power privilege. No Federal funds will be
available for such hydroelectric power development. The Department will
prioritize projects that appropriately balance increased energy
generation with consideration of environmental impacts. The Western
Area Power Administration (Western) would have the first opportunity to
purchase and/or market the power that would be generated by such
development under a lease of power privilege. The C-BT is a Reclamation
project. This Notice presents background information, proposal content
guidelines, information concerning selection of one or more non-Federal
entities to develop hydroelectric power at Granby Dam Outlet, and power
purchasing and/or marketing considerations. Interested entities are
invited to submit a proposal on this project.
DATES: A written proposal and seven copies must be submitted on or
before 1 p.m. (MDT), on August 19, 2011. A proposal will be considered
timely only if it is received in the office of the Lease of Power
Privilege Coordinator by or before 1 p.m. (MDT) on the designated date.
Interested entities are cautioned that delayed delivery to this office
due to failures or misunderstandings of the entity and/or of mail,
overnight, or courier services will not excuse lateness and,
accordingly, are advised to provide sufficient time for delivery. Late
proposals will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Written proposals and seven copies should be sent to Mr.
George Gliko, Lease of Power Privilege Coordinator (GP-2200), Bureau of
Reclamation, Great Plains Regional Office (GP-2200), P.O. Box 36900,
Billings, MT 59107-6900.
Information related to Western's purchasing and/or marketing the
power may be obtained at Western Area Power Administration, Rocky
Mountain Region, Attn: Dave Neumayer, Power Marketing Manager, 5555
East Crossroads Blvd., Loveland, Colorado 80538, Telephone: (970) 461-
7322.
Information related to the operation and maintenance of Granby Dam
and Reservoir may be obtained at Northern Colorado Water Conservancy
District, 220 Water Avenue, Berthoud, Colorado 80513, Telephone: (970)
532-7700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. George Gliko at (406) 247-7651.
Reclamation will be available to meet with interested entities only
upon written request to the Lease of Power Privilege Coordinator at the
above address. Reclamation reserves the right to schedule a single
meeting and/or visit to address at one time, the questions of all
entities that have submitted questions or requested site visits.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The C-BT, located in central Colorado, was
authorized for construction, including hydroelectric power, by the
Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, 1938 (1938 Act), Public
Law 75-249, 50 Stat. 564 (August 9, 1937). Specifically, the 1938 Act
appropriates funds for the Project's ``construction in accordance with
the plan described in Senate Document No. 80, Seventy-fifth Congress,
First Session * * * '' 50 Stat. 595. As part of the C-BT, the United
States constructed Granby Dam. The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy
District (District), under its contracts with the United States, has
certain operation, maintenance, replacement, and repayment
responsibilities and obligations concerning the C-BT, which includes
such responsibility for Granby Dam and Reservoir. Reclamation recently
released its Hydropower Resource Assessment (March 2011), which
estimated that hydropower at Granby Dam is economically feasible to
develop (benefit-cost ratio 1.16, including green incentives), and that
there is a potential capacity of 484 kW. The Assessment may be viewed
in its entirety at https://www.usbr.gov/power/.
Reclamation is considering hydroelectric power development at
Granby Dam Outlet through a lease of power privilege. A lease of power
privilege is a congressionally authorized alternative to Federal
hydroelectric power development. A lease of power privilege grants to a
non-Federal entity the right to utilize C-BT for non-Federal electric
power generation and sale, consistent with project purposes. Leases of
power privilege have terms not to exceed 40 years. The general
authority for lease of power privilege under Reclamation law includes,
among others, the Town Sites and Power Development Act of 1906 (43
U.S.C. 522) and the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c))
(1939 Act). Reclamation will be the lead Federal agency for ensuring
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of any
lease of power privilege considered in response to this Notice. Leases
of power privilege may be issued only when Reclamation, upon completion
of the NEPA process, determines that the affected hydroelectric power
sites are environmentally acceptable. Any lease of power privilege at
Granby Dam Outlet must accommodate existing contractual commitments
related to operation and maintenance of such existing facilities, and
must meet the requirements of applicable law.
Western would have the first opportunity to purchase and/or market
the power that would be generated under any lease of power privilege.
Under this process, Western would either purchase and market the power
as Loveland Area Power power or market the power independently by first
offering it to preference entities and secondly to non-preference
entities.
All costs incurred by the United States related to development and
[[Page 22129]]
operation and maintenance under a lease of power privilege, including
but not limited to NEPA compliance, development of the lease of power
privilege, design reviews, construction oversight, and any other
associated documents, would be the expense of the lessee.
Proposal Content Guidelines: Interested parties should submit one
or more proposals explaining in as precise detail as is practicable how
the hydropower potential at each site would be developed. Factors which
proposals should consider and address include, but are not limited to,
the following:
1. Provide all information relevant to the qualifications of the
proposing entity to plan and implement such a project, including, but
not limited to, information about preference status, type of
organization, length of time in business, experience in funding, design
and construction of similar projects, industry rating(s) that indicate
financial soundness and/or technical and managerial capability,
experience of key management personnel, history of any reorganizations
or mergers with other companies, safety record, and any other
information that demonstrates the interested entity's organizational,
technical and financial ability to perform all aspects of the work.
Include a discussion of past experience in operating and maintaining
similar facilities and provide references as appropriate. The term
preference entity, as applied to a lease of power privilege, means an
entity qualifying for preference under Section 9(c) of the 1939 Act, as
a municipality, public corporation or agency, or cooperative or other
nonprofit organization financed in whole or in part by loans made
pursuant to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended.
2. Provide geographical locations and describe principal structures
and other important features of the proposed development including
roads and transmission lines. Estimate and describe installed capacity
and the capacity of the power facilities under dry, average, and wet
hydrological conditions. Also describe seasonal or annual generation
patterns. Include estimates of the amount of electrical energy that
would be produced from each facility for each month of average, dry and
wet water years. If capacity and energy can be delivered to another
location, either by the proposing entity or by potential wheeling
agents, specify where capacity and energy can be delivered. Include
concepts for power sales and contractual arrangements, involved parties
and the proposed approach to wheeling if required.
3. Indicate title arrangements and the ability to acquire title to
or the right to occupy and use lands necessary for the proposed
development, including such additional lands as may be required during
construction.
4. Identify water rights applicable to the operation of the
proposed development, the holder of such rights, and how these rights
would be acquired or perfected.
5. Discuss any studies necessary to adequately define impacts on
the C-BT and the environment required by the development. Describe any
significant environmental issues associated with the development and
the proposing entity's approach for gathering relevant data and
resolving such issues to protect and enhance the quality of the
environment. Explain any proposed use of the hydropower development for
conservation and utilization of the available water resources in the
public interest.
6. Describe anticipated contractual arrangements with the entity or
entities having operation and maintenance responsibility for the C-BT
feature(s) that are proposed for utilization in the hydropower
development under consideration. Define how the hydropower development
would operate in harmony with the C-BT, not impact C-BT operations,
existing applicable contracts related to operation and maintenance of
C-BT feature(s) that are proposed for utilization in the hydropower
development under consideration, and any other applicable water-related
contracts.
7. Identify the organizational structure planned for the long-term
operation and maintenance of any proposed hydropower development.
8. Provide a management plan to accomplish such activities as
planning, NEPA compliance, lease of power privilege development,
design, construction, facility testing, and start of hydropower
production. Prepare schedules of these activities as applicable.
Describe what studies are necessary to accomplish the hydroelectric
power development and how the studies would be implemented.
9. Estimate development cost. This cost should include all
investment costs such as the cost of studies to determine feasibility,
NEPA compliance, design, construction, associated bonding and financing
as well as the amortized annual cost of the investment; also, the
annual operation, maintenance, and replacement expense for the
hydropower development; lease payments to the United States; and
expenses that may be associated with the C-BT. If there are additional
transmission or wheeling expenses associated with the development of
the hydropower development, these should be included. Identify proposed
methods of financing and hydropower development. An economic analysis
should be presented that compares the present worth of all benefits and
costs of the hydropower development.
Selection of Lessee: Reclamation will evaluate proposals received
in response to this published notice.
Reclamation will give more favorable consideration to proposals
that (1) are well-adapted to developing, conserving, and utilizing the
water and natural resources, (2) clearly demonstrate that the offeror
is qualified to develop the hydropower facility and provide for long-
term operation and maintenance, and (3) develop the hydropower
potential economically. Credit will be given to those proposals that
demonstrate development of power in an environmentally-friendly manner.
While all developments will be required to perform NEPA analysis,
proposals should include information as to how the proposer will
minimize environmental impact during construction, maintenance and
operation. Proposers should also include design characteristics and
methods that will be used to minimize environmental impacts and improve
the environmental attributes of the facility. Any work the developer is
proposing to do to enhance the ecosystem should also be explained in
the proposal. A proposal will be deemed unacceptable if it is
inconsistent with C-BT purposes, as determined by Reclamation.
Reclamation will give preference to those entities that qualify as
preference entities (as defined under Proposal Content Guidelines, item
1.) provided that their proposal is at least as well-adapted to
developing, conserving, and utilizing the water and natural resources
as other submitted proposals and that the preference entity is well
qualified. Preference entities would be allowed 90 days to improve
their proposals, if necessary, to be made at least equal to a proposal
that may have been submitted by a non-preference entity.
Power Purchasing and/or Marketing Considerations: Western would
have the first opportunity to purchase and/or market the power that
would be generated by the project under a lease of power privilege.
Western will consult with Reclamation on such power purchasing and/or
marketing considerations.
In the event Western elects to not purchase and/or market the power
generated by the hydropower development or such a decision cannot
[[Page 22130]]
be made prior to execution of the lease of power privilege, the lessee
would be responsible for marketing the power generated by the project
with priority given to preference entities as heretofore defined in
Proposal Content Guidelines, item 1.).
Notice and Time Period to Enter Into Lease of Power Privilege:
Reclamation will notify, in writing, all entities submitting proposals
of Reclamation's decision regarding selection of the potential lessee.
The selected potential lessee will have 2 years from the date of such
notification to enter into a lease of power privilege for the site or
sites identified in the proposal. Such leases of power privilege will
state whether and how Western will be involved in purchasing and/or
marketing the power. Any excessive delay resulting from compliance with
the provisions of Federal environment laws or administrative review by
a Federal agency, pertaining to the project, may extend the 2 year time
period for a period equal to that of the delay. This period may only be
extended by mutual, written consent of the potential lessee and the
United States.
Dated: April 14, 2011.
Michael J. Ryan,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-9540 Filed 4-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P
