Minor Construction Threshold Increase, 9141 [2024-02712]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 28 / Friday, February 9, 2024 / Notices
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information it will collect; and (d) EIA
can minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, such as automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
This information collection request
contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1905–0213;
(2) Information Collection Request
Title: Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities
Survey;
(3) Type of Request: Three-year
extension without change;
(4) Purpose: The mining of
cryptocurrency is an energy-intensive
activity that requires substantial
amounts of electricity. Several
cryptocurrencies, most notably Bitcoin,
use a proof of work approach that
requires cryptocurrency miners to
validate blocks of transactions by
solving complex cryptographic puzzles
that require significant computational
power. Commercial mining facilities
typically operate thousands of
computers that work to add blocks of
virtual currency transactions to a
distributed ledger called a blockchain.
The computational equipment must be
cooled, which further increases the
associated electricity consumption.
Given its high rate of consumption,
companies, organizations and
government agencies engaged in the
electricity business require detailed
information about how much electrical
energy is being consumed by
cryptocurrency miners and where it is
occurring. The U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA) has engaged in a
rigorous evaluation of U.S.
cryptocurrency mining activity using
publicly available information. EIA
estimates cryptocurrency mining
activity demands as much as 2.3% of
U.S. electricity consumption.
Furthermore, there is evidence that this
electricity consumption is growing
rapidly. The combined effects of
increased cryptocurrency mining and
stressed electricity systems create
heightened uncertainty in electric
power markets, which could contribute
to public harm during an unexpected
event.
On January 26, 2024, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) granted
approval under the emergency approval
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA) for EIA to immediately begin
collecting monthly information that will
inform the public on the impact of
recent increases in U.S. commercial
cryptocurrency mining activity on both
the supply and demand side of the
electric power system. The
Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:20 Feb 08, 2024
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Survey, Form EIA–862, uses facilitylevel reporting to provide a baseline
snapshot of the cryptocurrency mining
companies in the sample and their
energy use, quantify the rate of change
in cryptocurrency mining activity
among the companies and their
facilities, identify electricity sources
supplying U.S. cryptocurrency mining
activity, and identify regions in the U.S.
with concentrated cryptocurrency
mining activity.
Due to the need to begin collecting
this information right away, EIA was
unable to allow for the time periods
normally required for clearance under
the PRA. The approval granted by OMB
is through July 31, 2024. This approval
allows EIA to conduct the
Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities
Survey for up to 6 months. EIA now
seeks to extend clearance for the survey
for an additional three years.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of
Respondents: 82;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of
Total Responses: 984;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of
Burden Hours: 492;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The cost of
the burden hours is estimated to be
$42,981 (492 burden hours times $87.36
per hour). EIA estimates that
respondents will have no additional
costs associated with the surveys other
than the burden hours and maintenance
of the information as part of the normal
course of business.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S. C. 772(b)
and 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on February 5,
2024.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods and
Research, U. S. Energy Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024–02727 Filed 2–8–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security
Administration
Minor Construction Threshold Increase
National Nuclear Security
Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice is being issued
under the authority the Atomic Energy
Defense Act as amended by the James
M. Inhofe National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
The Department is adjusting the minor
construction threshold to account for
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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9141
inflation. The threshold is being
increased from $30 million to $34
million.
The new minor construction
threshold is effective on February 9,
2024.
DATES:
Mr.
Thomas Wilson, Office of Infrastructure,
National Nuclear Security
Administration, Department of Energy.
Telephone: (301) 903–2173, or email:
Thomas.Wilson@nnsa.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Background
The James M. Inhofe National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
provides the Department of Energy’s
National Nuclear Security
Administration (DOE/NNSA)
Administrator with pilot authority to
adjust the minor construction threshold
to account for inflation at any point
until December 1, 2025. Under this
authority, the Administrator must
submit a report to the congressional
defense committees describing the
method used to calculate the
adjustment, wait a period of 30 days,
and then publish the adjusted threshold
to the Federal Register before it can take
effect.
NNSA submitted the required report
to the congressional defense committees
on January 9, 2024. The 30-day waiting
period ended on February 8, 2024. The
publication of this notice implements
the new minor construction threshold of
$34 million.
Signing Authority
This document of Department of
Energy was signed February 5, 2024, by
Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear
Security and Administrator, NNSA,
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 February 6,
2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024–02712 Filed 2–8–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 9141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02712]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Minor Construction Threshold Increase
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice is being issued under the authority the Atomic
Energy Defense Act as amended by the James M. Inhofe National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The Department is adjusting the
minor construction threshold to account for inflation. The threshold is
being increased from $30 million to $34 million.
DATES: The new minor construction threshold is effective on February 9,
2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Thomas Wilson, Office of
Infrastructure, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of
Energy. Telephone: (301) 903-2173, or email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2023 provides the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security
Administration (DOE/NNSA) Administrator with pilot authority to adjust
the minor construction threshold to account for inflation at any point
until December 1, 2025. Under this authority, the Administrator must
submit a report to the congressional defense committees describing the
method used to calculate the adjustment, wait a period of 30 days, and
then publish the adjusted threshold to the Federal Register before it
can take effect.
NNSA submitted the required report to the congressional defense
committees on January 9, 2024. The 30-day waiting period ended on
February 8, 2024. The publication of this notice implements the new
minor construction threshold of $34 million.
Signing Authority
This document of Department of Energy was signed February 5, 2024,
by Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and Administrator,
NNSA, 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 February 6, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-02712 Filed 2-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
