Application To Rescind Presidential Permit; Application for Presidential Permit; Versant Power, 21713-21714 [2021-08501]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 77 / Friday, April 23, 2021 / Notices party to this proceeding must file a motion to intervene at the address provided above in accordance with Rule 214 of FERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two (2) copies of each comment or motion to intervene should be filed with DOE on or before the date listed above. Comments and other filings concerning this application should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. PP– 12–1. Additional copies are to be provided directly to Philip C. Smith, Corporate Counsel, Versant Power, P.O. Box 932, Bangor, ME 04401–0932, philip.smith@versantpower.com and Bonnie A. Suchman, Suchman Law LLC, 8104 Paisley Place, Potomac, Maryland 20854, bonnie@ suchmanlawllc.com. Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must find that the proposed action is consistent with the public interest. In making that determination, DOE will consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., granting the Presidential permit or amendment, with any conditions and limitations, or denying the permit), evaluate the project’s impact on electric reliability by ascertaining whether the proposed project would adversely affect the operation of the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and contingency conditions, and weigh any other factors that DOE may also consider relevant to the public interest. DOE also must obtain the favorable recommendation of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense before taking final action on a Presidential permit application. This application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at https:// energy.gov/oe/services/electricitypolicy-coordination-andimplementation/internationalelectricity-regulatio-2. Upon reaching the home page, select ‘‘Pending Applications.’’ Signed in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2021. Christopher Lawrence, Management and Program Analyst, Energy Resilience Division, Office of Electricity. [FR Doc. 2021–08498 Filed 4–22–21; 8:45 am] khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [OE Docket No. PP–89–3] Application To Rescind Presidential Permit; Application for Presidential Permit; Versant Power Office of Electricity, Department of Energy. AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:15 Apr 22, 2021 Jkt 253001 ACTION: Notice of application. Versant Power (formerly Emera Maine, legacy of Maine Public Service Company and Bangor HydroElectric Company) has filed an application to effect a voluntary transfer of Presidential Permit No. PP–89–2 to its name, via the Department of Energy’s (DOE) rescission and simultaneous reissuance of the permit. Versant Power owns the facilities authorized for crossborder electric power transmission by Presidential Permit No. PP–89–2. The named permittee is Bangor HydroElectric Company (Bangor Hydro), which became Emera Maine following a corporate merger on January 1, 2014, but without a concurrent change to the name on the permit. As a result of another corporate transaction in March 2020, Emera Maine’s parent company came under new ownership; Emera Maine was required to change its name and became Versant Power. The application therefore requests that DOE rescind Presidential Permit No. PP–89– 2 and simultaneously issue a permit, in Versant Power’s name, covering the same international transmission facilities. DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before May 24, 2021. ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to intervene should be addressed to Christopher Lawrence, Christopher.Lawrence@hq.doe.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) at 202–586–5260 or by email to Christopher.Lawrence@hq.doe.gov, or Christopher Drake (Attorney-Adviser) at 202–586–2919 or by email to Christopher.Drake@hq.doe.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of facilities at the international border of the United States for the transmission of electric energy between the United States and a foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 10485, as amended by E.O. 12038. On October 7, 2020, Versant Power filed an application with the Office of Electricity of the Department of Energy (DOE), as required by regulations at 10 CFR 205.320 et seq., requesting that DOE rescind and reissue Presidential Permit No. PP–89–2 to reflect Versant Power’s ownership of the permitted facilities. The facilities authorized by Presidential Permit No. PP–89–2, as amended, include one 345-kilovolt alternating current electric transmission line originating at a substation (now SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 21713 owned by Versant Power) and extending to the U.S. international border with Canada near Baileyville, Maine. DOE regulations at 10 CFR 205.323 prohibit the voluntary transfer or assignment of a Presidential permit absent an application for a new permit. On January 22, 1996, DOE issued Presidential Permit No. PP–89, authorizing Bangor Hydro to construct, operate, maintain, and connect the facilities described above. The permit was amended on December 30, 2005, and again on December 18, 2009. On November 29, 2012, Maine Public Service Company (Maine Public) and Bangor Hydro submitted a filing with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) requesting approval of a merger between Maine Public and Bangor Hydro, both of which were indirect subsidiaries of Emera Incorporated. On March 19, 2013, Bangor Hydro and Maine Public filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act, seeking authorization for the merger of Bangor Hydro and Maine Public. On July 18, 2013, FERC issued an order authorizing the proposed merger. On December 17, 2013, the MPUC conditionally approved the corporate merger of Bangor Hydro and Maine Public. Emera Maine became the surviving corporation following the merger of Bangor Hydro and Maine Public on January 1, 2014. Following the merger, Emera Maine remained an indirect subsidiary of Emera Incorporated. On December 30, 2013, prior to the merger of Maine Public and Bangor Hydro, the two companies jointly filed with the Department an application to rescind PP–89 and to reissue that permit in the name of Emera Maine. Maine Public and Bangor Hydro requested that the issuance of the permit be made effective upon the merger of the companies, which occurred on January 1, 2014. That application was noticed in the Federal Register on April 22, 2014. However, the Department has taken no action on the application, and Presidential Permit PP–89 remains in Bangor Hydro’s name. On March 24, 2020, ENMAX Corporation (ENMAX) indirectly acquired from Emera Inc. all interests in BHE Holdings Inc. (BHE Holdings), a Delaware corporation and the parent company of Emera Maine. More specifically, under the terms of the sale, Emera Inc.’s equity interests in BHE Holdings were sold to 3456 Inc., a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of ENMAX. As a result, ENMAX now indirectly controls 100 percent of BHE Holdings. BHE Holdings was the direct E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM 23APN1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 21714 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 77 / Friday, April 23, 2021 / Notices and sole parent company of Emera Maine. Under the terms of the sale, Emera Maine was required to change its name. Thus, Emera Maine announced in May 2020 that it had been renamed Versant Power. As a result of this change, Versant is requesting that the Presidential permit issued to Bangor Hydro be transferred, via rescission and reissuance, to Versant Power. Procedural Matters: Any person may comment on this application by filing such comment at the address provided above. Any person seeking to become a party to this proceeding must file a motion to intervene at the address provided above in accordance with Rule 214 of FERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two (2) copies of each comment or motion to intervene should be filed with DOE on or before the date listed above. Comments and other filings concerning this application should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. PP– 89–3. Additional copies are to be provided directly to Philip C. Smith, Corporate Counsel, Versant Power, P.O. Box 932, Bangor, ME 04401–0932, philip.smith@versantpower.com and Bonnie A. Suchman, Suchman Law LLC, 8104 Paisley Place, Potomac, Maryland 20854, bonnie@ suchmanlawllc.com. Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must find that the proposed action is consistent with the public interest. In making that determination, DOE will consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., granting the Presidential permit or amendment, with any conditions and limitations, or denying the permit), evaluate the project’s impact on electric reliability by ascertaining whether the proposed project would adversely affect the operation of the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and contingency conditions, and weigh any other factors that DOE may also consider relevant to the public interest. DOE also must obtain the favorable recommendation of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense before taking final action on a Presidential permit application. This application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at https:// energy.gov/oe/services/electricitypolicy-coordination-andimplementation/internationalelectricity-regulatio-2. Upon reaching the home page, select ‘‘Pending Applications.’’ VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:15 Apr 22, 2021 Jkt 253001 Signed in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2021. Christopher Lawrence, Management and Program Analyst, Energy Resilience Division, Office of Electricity. Dated: April 19, 2021. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–08522 Filed 4–22–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P [FR Doc. 2021–08501 Filed 4–22–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. AD20–14–000] Carbon Pricing in Organized Wholesale Electricity Markets Combined Notice of Filings Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural Gas Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: Docket Numbers: RP21–739–000. Applicants: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America. Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Amendment to a Negotiated Rate Agreement—Mercuria Energy to be effective 4/17/2021. Filed Date: 4/16/21. Accession Number: 20210416–5000. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/28/21. Docket Numbers: RP21–740–000. Applicants: Centra Pipelines Minnesota Inc. Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Updated Shipper Index June 2021 to be effective 6/1/2021. Filed Date: 4/16/21. Accession Number: 20210416–5089. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/28/21. Docket Numbers: RP21–741–000. Applicants: DCP South Central Texas LLC. Description: Petition for Limited Waiver of Capacity Release Regulations, et al. of DCP South Central Texas LLC. Filed Date: 4/16/21. Accession Number: 20210416–5312. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/28/21. The filings are accessible in the Commission’s eLibrary system (https:// elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/fercgen search.asp) by querying the docket number. Any person desiring to intervene or protest in any of the above proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission’s Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. Protests may be considered, but intervention is necessary to become a party to the proceeding. eFiling is encouraged. More detailed information relating to filing requirements, interventions, protests, service, and qualifying facilities filings can be found at: https://www.ferc.gov/ docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For other information, call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of policy statement. AGENCY: The Commission is issuing this Policy Statement to clarify how it will approach filings under section 205 of the Federal Power Act that seek to incorporate a state-determined carbon price in organized wholesale electricity markets. DATES: This Policy Statement is effective April 15, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Miller (Technical Information) Office of Energy Market Regulation, (202) 502–6016, john.miller@ferc.gov Adam Pan (Legal Information) Office of the General Counsel, (202) 502–6023, adam.pan@ferc.gov Alan Rukin (Legal Information) Office of the General Counsel, (202) 502–8502, alan.rukin@ferc.gov SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. On September 30, 2020, the Commission convened a technical conference on state-determined carbon pricing in organized wholesale electricity markets operated by regional transmission organizations and independent system operators (RTO/ ISO) (Carbon Pricing Technical Conference). As discussed further below, the record in this proceeding identified numerous potential benefits of incorporating a carbon price set by one or more states into RTO/ISO markets.1 On October 15, 2020, the Commission issued a Proposed Policy Statement, and sought comments on whether the information and considerations discussed in the Proposed Policy Statement are appropriate for the Commission to take into account or whether the SUMMARY: 1 Panelists that participated in the Carbon Pricing Technical Conference were invited to submit for the record before the conference their choice of testimony in the form of prepared opening remarks, detailed written comments, or both. Any submitted panelist testimony was posted to eLibrary in this docket on October 5, 2020, and a transcript of the conference was posted on October 30, 2020. E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM 23APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 77 (Friday, April 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21713-21714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08501]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. PP-89-3]


Application To Rescind Presidential Permit; Application for 
Presidential Permit; Versant Power

AGENCY: Office of Electricity, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Versant Power (formerly Emera Maine, legacy of Maine Public 
Service Company and Bangor Hydro-Electric Company) has filed an 
application to effect a voluntary transfer of Presidential Permit No. 
PP-89-2 to its name, via the Department of Energy's (DOE) rescission 
and simultaneous reissuance of the permit. Versant Power owns the 
facilities authorized for cross-border electric power transmission by 
Presidential Permit No. PP-89-2. The named permittee is Bangor Hydro-
Electric Company (Bangor Hydro), which became Emera Maine following a 
corporate merger on January 1, 2014, but without a concurrent change to 
the name on the permit. As a result of another corporate transaction in 
March 2020, Emera Maine's parent company came under new ownership; 
Emera Maine was required to change its name and became Versant Power. 
The application therefore requests that DOE rescind Presidential Permit 
No. PP-89-2 and simultaneously issue a permit, in Versant Power's name, 
covering the same international transmission facilities.

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before May 24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to intervene should be addressed to 
Christopher Lawrence, [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 
at 202-586-5260 or by email to [email protected], or 
Christopher Drake (Attorney-Adviser) at 202-586-2919 or by email to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The construction, operation, maintenance, 
and connection of facilities at the international border of the United 
States for the transmission of electric energy between the United 
States and a foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a 
Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 10485, as 
amended by E.O. 12038.
    On October 7, 2020, Versant Power filed an application with the 
Office of Electricity of the Department of Energy (DOE), as required by 
regulations at 10 CFR 205.320 et seq., requesting that DOE rescind and 
reissue Presidential Permit No. PP-89-2 to reflect Versant Power's 
ownership of the permitted facilities. The facilities authorized by 
Presidential Permit No. PP-89-2, as amended, include one 345-kilovolt 
alternating current electric transmission line originating at a 
substation (now owned by Versant Power) and extending to the U.S. 
international border with Canada near Baileyville, Maine. DOE 
regulations at 10 CFR 205.323 prohibit the voluntary transfer or 
assignment of a Presidential permit absent an application for a new 
permit.
    On January 22, 1996, DOE issued Presidential Permit No. PP-89, 
authorizing Bangor Hydro to construct, operate, maintain, and connect 
the facilities described above. The permit was amended on December 30, 
2005, and again on December 18, 2009. On November 29, 2012, Maine 
Public Service Company (Maine Public) and Bangor Hydro submitted a 
filing with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) requesting 
approval of a merger between Maine Public and Bangor Hydro, both of 
which were indirect subsidiaries of Emera Incorporated. On March 19, 
2013, Bangor Hydro and Maine Public filed an application with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), under Section 203 of the 
Federal Power Act, seeking authorization for the merger of Bangor Hydro 
and Maine Public. On July 18, 2013, FERC issued an order authorizing 
the proposed merger. On December 17, 2013, the MPUC conditionally 
approved the corporate merger of Bangor Hydro and Maine Public. Emera 
Maine became the surviving corporation following the merger of Bangor 
Hydro and Maine Public on January 1, 2014. Following the merger, Emera 
Maine remained an indirect subsidiary of Emera Incorporated.
    On December 30, 2013, prior to the merger of Maine Public and 
Bangor Hydro, the two companies jointly filed with the Department an 
application to rescind PP-89 and to reissue that permit in the name of 
Emera Maine. Maine Public and Bangor Hydro requested that the issuance 
of the permit be made effective upon the merger of the companies, which 
occurred on January 1, 2014. That application was noticed in the 
Federal Register on April 22, 2014. However, the Department has taken 
no action on the application, and Presidential Permit PP-89 remains in 
Bangor Hydro's name.
    On March 24, 2020, ENMAX Corporation (ENMAX) indirectly acquired 
from Emera Inc. all interests in BHE Holdings Inc. (BHE Holdings), a 
Delaware corporation and the parent company of Emera Maine. More 
specifically, under the terms of the sale, Emera Inc.'s equity 
interests in BHE Holdings were sold to 3456 Inc., a wholly-owned 
indirect subsidiary of ENMAX. As a result, ENMAX now indirectly 
controls 100 percent of BHE Holdings. BHE Holdings was the direct

[[Page 21714]]

and sole parent company of Emera Maine. Under the terms of the sale, 
Emera Maine was required to change its name. Thus, Emera Maine 
announced in May 2020 that it had been renamed Versant Power. As a 
result of this change, Versant is requesting that the Presidential 
permit issued to Bangor Hydro be transferred, via rescission and 
reissuance, to Versant Power.
    Procedural Matters: Any person may comment on this application by 
filing such comment at the address provided above. Any person seeking 
to become a party to this proceeding must file a motion to intervene at 
the address provided above in accordance with Rule 214 of FERC's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two (2) copies of each 
comment or motion to intervene should be filed with DOE on or before 
the date listed above.
    Comments and other filings concerning this application should be 
clearly marked with OE Docket No. PP-89-3. Additional copies are to be 
provided directly to Philip C. Smith, Corporate Counsel, Versant Power, 
P.O. Box 932, Bangor, ME 04401-0932, [email protected] and 
Bonnie A. Suchman, Suchman Law LLC, 8104 Paisley Place, Potomac, 
Maryland 20854, [email protected].
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must 
find that the proposed action is consistent with the public interest. 
In making that determination, DOE will consider the environmental 
impacts of the proposed action (i.e., granting the Presidential permit 
or amendment, with any conditions and limitations, or denying the 
permit), evaluate the project's impact on electric reliability by 
ascertaining whether the proposed project would adversely affect the 
operation of the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and 
contingency conditions, and weigh any other factors that DOE may also 
consider relevant to the public interest. DOE also must obtain the 
favorable recommendation of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
Defense before taking final action on a Presidential permit 
application.
    This application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at 
https://energy.gov/oe/services/electricity-policy-coordination-and-implementation/international-electricity-regulatio-2. Upon reaching the 
home page, select ``Pending Applications.''

    Signed in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2021.
Christopher Lawrence,
Management and Program Analyst, Energy Resilience Division, Office of 
Electricity.
[FR Doc. 2021-08501 Filed 4-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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