Boulder Canyon Project, 19881-19883 [2021-07702]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 71 / Thursday, April 15, 2021 / Notices
product design, but when attached to
infant products, warnings are useful,
because they can serve to remind
caregivers of the safety warnings while
caregivers are using the products.
A third commenter requested that the
information provided in the survey
clearly distinguish between products
intended for overnight and unattended
sleep, and those designed for other
activities, including napping. CPSC
agrees this distinction will help clarify
the question for caregivers. Accordingly,
CPSC has revised the following question
in the survey: ‘‘Which of the following
product(s) do you use to put your infant
to sleep’’ into two separate questions:
(1) Which of the following products do
you use to put your infant to sleep
overnight?; and (2) Which of the
following products do you use to put
your infant in for supervised use,
including napping? In addition, CPSC
has changed the references throughout
the survey from: ‘‘Warnings on Infant
Sleep Products,’’ to: ‘‘Warnings on
Infant Products,’’ to cover warning
labels that might be intended for
overnight and unattended sleep, as well
as infant products designed for other
activities.
This commenter also stated that
asking responders a question about
whether they ‘‘like’’ or ‘‘dislike’’ a
warning label is inappropriate, and they
suggested that it is more appropriate to
ask about effectiveness of warning
labels. CPSC agrees that seeking a
response on the ‘‘likeability’’ of the
warning label may not elicit a
meaningful response. Accordingly, this
question has been deleted from the
survey. A copy of the proposed survey,
‘‘Revised Supporting Statement’’ titled
Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Warning Label Comprehension and
Interpretation by Consumers for
Children’s Sleep Environments, is
available at: www.regulations.gov under
Docket No. CPSC–2020–0027,
Supporting and Related Material.
Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2021–07707 Filed 4–14–21; 8:45 am]
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BILLING CODE 6355–01–P
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Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 3273–024]
Chittenden Falls Hydropower, Inc.;
Notice of Waiver Period for Water
Quality Certification Application
On March 24, 2021, Chittenden Falls
Hydropower, Inc. notified the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission that on
March 8, 2021, it submitted a pre-filing
meeting request, pursuant to 40 CFR
121.4, together with an application for
a Clean Water Act section 401(a)(1)
water quality certification to the New
York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (New York
DEC), in conjunction with the above
captioned project. Pursuant to 40 CFR
121.6, we hereby notify New York DEC
of the following:
Date of Receipt of the Certification
Request: April 7, 2021.1
Reasonable Period of Time to Act on
the Certification Request: One year.
Date Waiver Occurs for Failure to Act:
April 7, 2022.
If New York DEC fails or refuses to act
on the water quality certification request
by the above waiver date, then the
agency certifying authority is deemed
waived pursuant to section 401(a)(1) of
the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C.
1341(a)(1).
Dated: April 8, 2021.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021–07684 Filed 4–14–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Boulder Canyon Project
Western Area Power
Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed fiscal year
2022 Boulder Canyon Project base
charge and rates for electric service.
AGENCY:
1 40 CFR 121.4(a) requires that a project
proponent request a meeting with the state
certifying authority to discuss the project at least 30
days prior to submitting a certification request.
Here, Chittenden Falls Hydropower, Inc. submitted
its request for a pre-filing meeting on March 8,
2021, which was the same date it submitted its
section 401 application to New York DEC. To
account for the 30-day period associated with the
pre-filing meeting request and to render the
certification request compliant with 40 CFR
121.5(b), the date of receipt of the certification
request is 30 days after the pre-filing meeting was
requested, i.e., April 7, 2021.
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The Desert Southwest Region
(DSW) of the Western Area Power
Administration (WAPA) is proposing an
adjustment to the base charge and rates
for fiscal year (FY) 2022 Boulder
Canyon Project (BCP) electric service
under Rate Schedule BCP–F10. The
proposal would increase the base charge
9 percent from $65.4 million in FY 2021
to $71.3 million in FY 2022. The change
is primarily the result of an increase in
Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation)
replacement costs, an increase in
WAPA’s operations and maintenance
expenses and replacement costs, and a
decrease in prior year carryover funds
from FY 2021. The proposed base
charge and rates would go into effect on
October 1, 2021 and remain in effect
through September 30, 2022.
Publication of this Federal Register
notice will initiate the public process.
DATES: The consultation and comment
period begins today and will end July
14, 2021. DSW will present a detailed
explanation of the proposed FY 2022
base charge and rates at a public
information forum that will be held on
May 17, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time. DSW will
also host a public comment forum that
will be held on June 14, 2021, from 10
a.m. to 12 p.m. Mountain Standard
Time. DSW will conduct both the public
information forum and the public
comment forum via Webex. Instructions
for participating in the forums will be
posted on DSW’s website at least 14
days prior to the public information and
comment forums at https://
www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/
Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx. DSW
will accept written comments any time
during the consultation and comment
period.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Mr. Jack D. Murray, Acting Regional
Manager, Desert Southwest Region,
Western Area Power Administration,
P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, Arizona 85005–
6457, or dswpwrmrk@wapa.gov. DSW
will post information concerning the
rate process and written comments
received on its website at https://
www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/
Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Tina Ramsey, Rates Manager, Desert
Southwest Region, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 6457,
Phoenix, Arizona 85005–6457, (602)
605–2565, or dswpwrmrk@wapa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Hoover
Dam,1 authorized by the Boulder
SUMMARY:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
PO 00000
19881
1 Hoover Dam was known as Boulder Dam from
1933 to 1947, but was renamed Hoover Dam by an
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Continued
15APN1
19882
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 71 / Thursday, April 15, 2021 / Notices
Canyon Project Act of 1928, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 617 et seq.), sits on the
Colorado River along the ArizonaNevada border. The Hoover Dam power
plant has 19 generating units (two for
plant use) and an installed capacity of
2,078.8 megawatts (4,800 kilowatts for
plant use). In collaboration with
Reclamation, WAPA markets and
delivers hydropower from the Hoover
Dam power plant through high-voltage
transmission lines and substations to
Arizona, Southern California, and
Southern Nevada.
The rate-setting methodology for BCP
calculates an annual base charge rather
than a unit rate for Hoover Dam
hydropower. The base charge recovers
an annual revenue requirement that
includes projected costs of investment
repayment, interest, operations,
maintenance, replacements, payments
to States, and Hoover Dam visitor
services. Non-power revenue
projections such as water sales, Hoover
Dam visitor revenue, ancillary services,
and late fees help offset these projected
costs. Hoover power customers are
billed a percentage of the base charge in
proportion to their power allocation. A
unit rate is calculated for comparative
purposes but is not used to determine
the charge for service.
On June 6, 2018, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC)
confirmed and approved Rate Schedule
BCP–F10 for a 5 year period ending
September 30, 2022.2 Rate Schedule
BCP–F10 and the BCP Electric Service
Contract require WAPA to determine
the annual base charge and rates for the
next fiscal year before October 1 of each
year. The FY 2021 BCP base charge and
rates expire on September 30, 2021.
COMPARISON OF BASE CHARGE AND RATES
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Base Charge ($) ..............................................................................................
Composite Rate (mills/kWh) ............................................................................
Energy Rate (mills/kWh) ..................................................................................
Capacity Rate ($/kW-Mo) ................................................................................
FY 2021
FY 2022
Amount
change
$65,443,462
18.10
9.05
$1.69
$71,315,922
19.72
9.86
$1.84
$5,872,460
1.62
0.81
0.15
Reclamation’s FY 2022 budget is
increasing $3.6 million to $83.7 million,
a 4.4 percent increase from FY 2021.
While operations and maintenance costs
are decreasing $3.3 million compared to
FY 2021, replacement costs are
increasing $5.3 million due to the
inclusion of projects that were deferred
in FY 2020 and FY 2021 due to the
COVID–19 pandemic as well as the
addition of projects that are beginning
in FY 2022. These projects include 480volt switchgear replacement, water
plant and wastewater plant controls
replacement, wastewater treatment
facility replacement, escalator
replacement, additional tail bay stop log
installation, central section HVAC
replacement, Cisco optical networking
services upgrade, and N7 unit oil system
replacement. Visitor services costs also
are increasing by $1.5 million in FY
2022, primarily due to a $1 million
reallocation of expenses from
administrative and general expenses in
operations and maintenance to visitor
services expenses. Higher labor
projections in salaries, overtime,
overhead, and benefits also contribute to
the visitor services increase.
WAPA’s FY 2022 budget is increasing
$762,000 to $9.2 million, a 9.1 percent
increase from FY 2021. A $247,000
increase in WAPA’s replacement budget
for communication equipment, as well
as higher operations and maintenance
expenses of $520,000, account for this
increase. The increase in operations and
maintenance expenses is primarily due
to the Hoover-Mead transmission line
lease costs, which were not budgeted in
FY 2021; an updated distribution of
labor costs resulting from the closure of
the Navajo Generating Station near Page,
Arizona; and higher labor projections
for salaries, overtime, overhead, and
benefits in power operations. The
increase in replacements and operations
and maintenance costs is offset by a
modest decrease in facility expenses
and post-retirement benefits.
The cost increase for both
Reclamation and WAPA is offset by a
$2.1 million increase in non-power
revenue projections due to the added
commercial use authorization for roadbased tours. Prior year carryover is
estimated to be $684,000, a $3.6 million
decrease from FY 2021.
The composite and energy rates are
both increasing 9 percent from FY 2021.
The composite and energy rates use a
forecasted energy value. The capacity
rate is increasing 8.9 percent from FY
2021 due to the increase in the base
charge. Forecasted energy and capacity
values may be updated when
determining the final base charge if
hydrological conditions change.
This proposed rate adjustment, which
would be effective October 1, 2021, is
preliminary and subject to change based
on modifications to forecasts before
publication of the final base charge and
rates.
April 30, 1947 joint resolution of Congress. See Act
of April 30, 1947, H.J. Res. 140, ch. 46, 61 Stat. 56–
57.
2 Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedule
on a Final Basis, FERC Docket No. EF18–1–000, 163
FERC ¶ 62,154 (2018).
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Percent
change
9.0
9.0
9.0
8.9
Legal Authority
This action constitutes a major rate
adjustment as defined by 10 CFR
903.2(e). Pursuant to 10 CFR 903.15 and
10 CFR 903.16, DSW will hold public
information and public comment
forums for this rate adjustment. DSW
will review and consider all timely
public comments at the conclusion of
the consultation and comment period
and make adjustments to the proposal as
appropriate.
WAPA is establishing rates for BCP
electric service in accordance with
section 302 of the Department of Energy
(DOE) Organization Act (42 U.S.C.
7152). This provision transferred to, and
vested in, the Secretary of Energy
certain functions of the Secretary of the
Interior, along with the power marketing
functions of Reclamation. Those
functions include actions that
specifically apply to the BCP.
The BCP Electric Service Contract
states that for years other than the first
year and each fifth year thereafter, when
the rate schedule is approved by the
Deputy Secretary on a provisional basis
and by FERC on a final basis,
adjustments to the base charge ‘‘shall be
effective upon approval by the Deputy
Secretary of Energy.’’ Under the DOE
Organization Act, the Secretary of
Energy holds plenary authority over
DOE affairs with respect to the Power
Marketing Administrations, and the
Secretary of Energy may therefore
exercise the Deputy Secretary’s
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 71 / Thursday, April 15, 2021 / Notices
Determination Under Executive Order
12866
WAPA has an exemption from
centralized regulatory review under
Executive Order 12866; accordingly, no
clearance of this notice by the Office of
Management and Budget is required.
contractual authority in this context. By
Delegation Order No. S1–DEL–S4–2021,
effective February 25, 2021, the Acting
Secretary of Energy delegated to the
Under Secretary for Science (and
Energy) the authority vested in the
Secretary with respect to WAPA. By
Redelegation Order No. 00–002.10E,
effective February 14, 2020, the Under
Secretary of Energy (to whom such
authority was delegated by the Secretary
of Energy in Delegation Order No. 00–
002.00S from January 15, 2020 until that
delegation was rescinded on February
25, 2021) redelegated to the Assistant
Secretary for Electricity the same
authority with respect to WAPA. By
Redelegation Order No. 00–002.10–5,
effective July 8, 2020, the Assistant
Secretary for Electricity redelegated to
WAPA’s Administrator the same
authority with respect to WAPA.
However, based upon the governing
terms of the existing BCP Electric
Service Contract, the Assistant Secretary
for Electricity will approve the FY 2022
base charge and rates for BCP electric
service. This rate action is issued under
the Redelegation Orders and DOE’s
procedures for public participation in
rate adjustments set forth at 10 CFR
parts 903 and 904.3 The delegations and
redelegations not affirmatively
rescinded remain valid.
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 12,
2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
Availability of Information
[FR Doc. 2021–07702 Filed 4–14–21; 8:45 am]
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of
Energy was signed on March 26, 2021,
by Tracey A. LeBeau, Administrator
(Interim), Western Area Power
Administration, pursuant to delegated
authority from the Secretary of Energy.
That document with the original
signature and date is maintained by
DOE. For administrative purposes only,
and in compliance with requirements of
the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register
Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in
electronic format for publication, as an
official document of the Department of
Energy. This administrative process in
no way alters the legal effect of this
document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
All studies, comments, letters,
memoranda, and other documents DSW
initiates or uses to develop the proposed
base charge and rates are available for
inspection and copying at the Desert
Southwest Customer Service Regional
Office, Western Area Power
Administration located at 615 South
43rd Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85009.
Many of these documents and
supporting information are also
available on WAPA’s website at https://
www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/
Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx.
Ratemaking Procedure Requirements
Environmental Compliance
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WAPA is in the process of
determining whether an environmental
assessment or an environmental impact
statement should be prepared or if this
action can be categorically excluded
from those requirements.4
3 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347
(Feb. 21, 2019).
4 In compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.,
the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508),
and DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures and
Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021).
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2021–0240 FRL–10022–34–
OAR]
Technical Documentation for the
Temperature Binning Framework
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of document availability
and request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-day
public comment period for the draft
document titled, ‘‘Technical
Documentation for the Temperature
Binning Framework’’ (EPA 430–R–21–
004). This document provides technical
documentation of a framework for
analyzing the sector-specific impacts of
climate change under different levels of
warming. This approach serves as an
alternative or complement to traditional
scenario-based approaches in order to
improve communication of results,
comparability between studies, and
flexibility to facilitate scenario analysis.
The draft technical documentation will
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
19883
also be subject to external peer review.
Prior to finalizing the draft document,
EPA intends to carefully consider all
comments received from the public and
from external peer reviewers. This draft
document is not final as described in
EPA’s information quality guidelines
and does not represent and should not
be construed to represent Agency policy
or views. The draft document is
available via the internet on EPA’s web
page at https://www.epa.gov/cira/
temperature-binning-framework.
DATES: To ensure your comments are
considered for the final version of the
document, please submit your
comments by May 17, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2021–0240, to the Federal Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments
cannot be edited or withdrawn. Do not
submit electronically any information
you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI). EPA may
publish any comment received to its
public docket, submitted to the Federal
Portal, or sent via email. For additional
submission methods, the full EPA
public comment policy, information
about CBI, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jeremy Martinich, Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Air and
Radiation, Office of Atmospheric
Programs, Climate Change Division,
(202) 343–9871, cira@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Characterizing the future risks of
climate change is a key goal of climate
impacts analysis. Temperature binning
provides a framework for analyzing
sector-specific impacts by degree of
warming as an alternative or
complement to traditional scenariobased approaches. This framework aims
to improve communication of results,
comparability between studies,
flexibility to facilitate scenario analysis,
and evaluation of important sources of
uncertainty. This technical
documentation describes the design,
structure, and scientific basis of this
framework, including how impact
modeling projections for a number of
sectors have been built into the
framework. Designing analyses with
relational temperature-impact functions
for a given sector can improve
comparability between analyses, yield
results in a framework that is more
intuitive for communications purposes,
and be used to inform capabilities to
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 71 (Thursday, April 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19881-19883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07702]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Boulder Canyon Project
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed fiscal year 2022 Boulder Canyon Project base
charge and rates for electric service.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Desert Southwest Region (DSW) of the Western Area Power
Administration (WAPA) is proposing an adjustment to the base charge and
rates for fiscal year (FY) 2022 Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) electric
service under Rate Schedule BCP-F10. The proposal would increase the
base charge 9 percent from $65.4 million in FY 2021 to $71.3 million in
FY 2022. The change is primarily the result of an increase in Bureau of
Reclamation's (Reclamation) replacement costs, an increase in WAPA's
operations and maintenance expenses and replacement costs, and a
decrease in prior year carryover funds from FY 2021. The proposed base
charge and rates would go into effect on October 1, 2021 and remain in
effect through September 30, 2022. Publication of this Federal Register
notice will initiate the public process.
DATES: The consultation and comment period begins today and will end
July 14, 2021. DSW will present a detailed explanation of the proposed
FY 2022 base charge and rates at a public information forum that will
be held on May 17, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mountain Standard
Time. DSW will also host a public comment forum that will be held on
June 14, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. DSW will
conduct both the public information forum and the public comment forum
via Webex. Instructions for participating in the forums will be posted
on DSW's website at least 14 days prior to the public information and
comment forums at https://www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx. DSW will accept written comments any time during the
consultation and comment period.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mr. Jack D. Murray, Acting Regional
Manager, Desert Southwest Region, Western Area Power Administration,
P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, or [email protected]. DSW
will post information concerning the rate process and written comments
received on its website at https://www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tina Ramsey, Rates Manager, Desert
Southwest Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457,
Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, (602) 605-2565, or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Hoover Dam,\1\ authorized by the Boulder
[[Page 19882]]
Canyon Project Act of 1928, as amended (43 U.S.C. 617 et seq.), sits on
the Colorado River along the Arizona-Nevada border. The Hoover Dam
power plant has 19 generating units (two for plant use) and an
installed capacity of 2,078.8 megawatts (4,800 kilowatts for plant
use). In collaboration with Reclamation, WAPA markets and delivers
hydropower from the Hoover Dam power plant through high-voltage
transmission lines and substations to Arizona, Southern California, and
Southern Nevada.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Hoover Dam was known as Boulder Dam from 1933 to 1947, but
was renamed Hoover Dam by an April 30, 1947 joint resolution of
Congress. See Act of April 30, 1947, H.J. Res. 140, ch. 46, 61 Stat.
56-57.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The rate-setting methodology for BCP calculates an annual base
charge rather than a unit rate for Hoover Dam hydropower. The base
charge recovers an annual revenue requirement that includes projected
costs of investment repayment, interest, operations, maintenance,
replacements, payments to States, and Hoover Dam visitor services. Non-
power revenue projections such as water sales, Hoover Dam visitor
revenue, ancillary services, and late fees help offset these projected
costs. Hoover power customers are billed a percentage of the base
charge in proportion to their power allocation. A unit rate is
calculated for comparative purposes but is not used to determine the
charge for service.
On June 6, 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
confirmed and approved Rate Schedule BCP-F10 for a 5 year period ending
September 30, 2022.\2\ Rate Schedule BCP-F10 and the BCP Electric
Service Contract require WAPA to determine the annual base charge and
rates for the next fiscal year before October 1 of each year. The FY
2021 BCP base charge and rates expire on September 30, 2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedule on a Final
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF18-1-000, 163 FERC ] 62,154 (2018).
Comparison of Base Charge and Rates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent
FY 2021 FY 2022 Amount change change
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base Charge ($)................................. $65,443,462 $71,315,922 $5,872,460 9.0
Composite Rate (mills/kWh)...................... 18.10 19.72 1.62 9.0
Energy Rate (mills/kWh)......................... 9.05 9.86 0.81 9.0
Capacity Rate ($/kW-Mo)......................... $1.69 $1.84 0.15 8.9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reclamation's FY 2022 budget is increasing $3.6 million to $83.7
million, a 4.4 percent increase from FY 2021. While operations and
maintenance costs are decreasing $3.3 million compared to FY 2021,
replacement costs are increasing $5.3 million due to the inclusion of
projects that were deferred in FY 2020 and FY 2021 due to the COVID-19
pandemic as well as the addition of projects that are beginning in FY
2022. These projects include 480-volt switchgear replacement, water
plant and wastewater plant controls replacement, wastewater treatment
facility replacement, escalator replacement, additional tail bay stop
log installation, central section HVAC replacement, Cisco optical
networking services upgrade, and N7 unit oil system replacement.
Visitor services costs also are increasing by $1.5 million in FY 2022,
primarily due to a $1 million reallocation of expenses from
administrative and general expenses in operations and maintenance to
visitor services expenses. Higher labor projections in salaries,
overtime, overhead, and benefits also contribute to the visitor
services increase.
WAPA's FY 2022 budget is increasing $762,000 to $9.2 million, a 9.1
percent increase from FY 2021. A $247,000 increase in WAPA's
replacement budget for communication equipment, as well as higher
operations and maintenance expenses of $520,000, account for this
increase. The increase in operations and maintenance expenses is
primarily due to the Hoover-Mead transmission line lease costs, which
were not budgeted in FY 2021; an updated distribution of labor costs
resulting from the closure of the Navajo Generating Station near Page,
Arizona; and higher labor projections for salaries, overtime, overhead,
and benefits in power operations. The increase in replacements and
operations and maintenance costs is offset by a modest decrease in
facility expenses and post-retirement benefits.
The cost increase for both Reclamation and WAPA is offset by a $2.1
million increase in non-power revenue projections due to the added
commercial use authorization for road-based tours. Prior year carryover
is estimated to be $684,000, a $3.6 million decrease from FY 2021.
The composite and energy rates are both increasing 9 percent from
FY 2021. The composite and energy rates use a forecasted energy value.
The capacity rate is increasing 8.9 percent from FY 2021 due to the
increase in the base charge. Forecasted energy and capacity values may
be updated when determining the final base charge if hydrological
conditions change.
This proposed rate adjustment, which would be effective October 1,
2021, is preliminary and subject to change based on modifications to
forecasts before publication of the final base charge and rates.
Legal Authority
This action constitutes a major rate adjustment as defined by 10
CFR 903.2(e). Pursuant to 10 CFR 903.15 and 10 CFR 903.16, DSW will
hold public information and public comment forums for this rate
adjustment. DSW will review and consider all timely public comments at
the conclusion of the consultation and comment period and make
adjustments to the proposal as appropriate.
WAPA is establishing rates for BCP electric service in accordance
with section 302 of the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7152). This provision transferred to, and vested in, the
Secretary of Energy certain functions of the Secretary of the Interior,
along with the power marketing functions of Reclamation. Those
functions include actions that specifically apply to the BCP.
The BCP Electric Service Contract states that for years other than
the first year and each fifth year thereafter, when the rate schedule
is approved by the Deputy Secretary on a provisional basis and by FERC
on a final basis, adjustments to the base charge ``shall be effective
upon approval by the Deputy Secretary of Energy.'' Under the DOE
Organization Act, the Secretary of Energy holds plenary authority over
DOE affairs with respect to the Power Marketing Administrations, and
the Secretary of Energy may therefore exercise the Deputy Secretary's
[[Page 19883]]
contractual authority in this context. By Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-
S4-2021, effective February 25, 2021, the Acting Secretary of Energy
delegated to the Under Secretary for Science (and Energy) the authority
vested in the Secretary with respect to WAPA. By Redelegation Order No.
00-002.10E, effective February 14, 2020, the Under Secretary of Energy
(to whom such authority was delegated by the Secretary of Energy in
Delegation Order No. 00-002.00S from January 15, 2020 until that
delegation was rescinded on February 25, 2021) redelegated to the
Assistant Secretary for Electricity the same authority with respect to
WAPA. By Redelegation Order No. 00-002.10-5, effective July 8, 2020,
the Assistant Secretary for Electricity redelegated to WAPA's
Administrator the same authority with respect to WAPA. However, based
upon the governing terms of the existing BCP Electric Service Contract,
the Assistant Secretary for Electricity will approve the FY 2022 base
charge and rates for BCP electric service. This rate action is issued
under the Redelegation Orders and DOE's procedures for public
participation in rate adjustments set forth at 10 CFR parts 903 and
904.\3\ The delegations and redelegations not affirmatively rescinded
remain valid.
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\3\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
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Availability of Information
All studies, comments, letters, memoranda, and other documents DSW
initiates or uses to develop the proposed base charge and rates are
available for inspection and copying at the Desert Southwest Customer
Service Regional Office, Western Area Power Administration located at
615 South 43rd Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85009. Many of these documents
and supporting information are also available on WAPA's website at
https://www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/Pages/boulder-canyon-rates.aspx.
Ratemaking Procedure Requirements
Environmental Compliance
WAPA is in the process of determining whether an environmental
assessment or an environmental impact statement should be prepared or
if this action can be categorically excluded from those
requirements.\4\
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\4\ In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508),
and DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part
1021).
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Determination Under Executive Order 12866
WAPA has an exemption from centralized regulatory review under
Executive Order 12866; accordingly, no clearance of this notice by the
Office of Management and Budget is required.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on March 26,
2021, by Tracey A. LeBeau, Administrator (Interim), Western Area Power
Administration, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of
Energy. That document with the original signature and date is
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 12, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-07702 Filed 4-14-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
