Department of Energy – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725S); Comment Request; Extension
In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection FERC-725S (Emergency Preparedness and Operations (EOP) Reliability Standards) and submitting the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below.
Request for Information Related to High Energy Physics and Space-Based Astrophysics
The Office of High Energy Physics (HEP) in the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Astrophysics Division (APD) and Biological and Physical Sciences Division (BPS) in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) invite interested parties to provide information on topics that provide mutually beneficial collaborative activities that can further scientific advances in specific, focused areas in the fields of high energy physics and space-based astrophysics aligned with the science goals of the program offices. This information will inform the program offices (HEP, APD, and BPS) on potential partnerships and collaborative activities that may be pursued. As additional opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration between the Parties continue to emerge, RFIs for subsequent topics may be released. Individuals or collaborations are welcome to respond.
Managing Transmission Line Ratings
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to reform both the pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff and the Commission's regulations under the Federal Power Act to improve the accuracy and transparency of transmission line ratings. Specifically, the proposal would require: Transmission providers to implement ambient-adjusted ratings on the transmission lines over which they provide transmission service; Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs) to establish and implement the systems and procedures necessary to allow transmission owners to electronically update transmission line ratings at least hourly; and transmission owners to share transmission line ratings and transmission line rating methodologies with their respective transmission provider(s) and, in RTOs/ISOs, with their respective market monitor(s).
High-Level Radioactive Waste Interpretation Limited Change to DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual and Administrative Change to DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management
The Department of Energy (Department or DOE) announces the availability of a limited change to DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, to formally incorporate the Department's interpretation of the statutory definition of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). In support of that effort, DOE made an administrative change to DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. The HLW interpretation was described in the Supplemental Notice Concerning U.S. Department of Energy Interpretation of High-Level Radioactive Waste, published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2019 (Supplemental Notice). The revised Manual includes DOE's interpretation of the statutory term HLW as defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA).
Draft Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of Savannah River Site Contaminated Process Equipment
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its intent to prepare a draft environmental assessment (EA) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to dispose of contaminated process equipment from the Savannah River Site (SRS) at a commercial low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facility located outside of South Carolina licensed by either the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an Agreement State. This effort will analyze capabilities for alternative disposal options through the use of existing, licensed, off-site commercial disposal facilities. The SRS contaminated process equipment would be characterized, stabilized as appropriate, and packaged, and if the waste acceptance criteria and performance objectives of a specific disposal facility are met, DOE could consider whether to dispose of the waste as LLW under the Department's interpretation of the statutory term ``high-level radioactive waste'' (HLW) as defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), and Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA). As a result of this NEPA process, DOE may consider what actions, if any, are needed and appropriate to implement any decision to dispose of the SRS contaminated process equipment as LLW.
Energy Conservation Program: Establishment of New Product Classes for Residential Clothes Washers and Consumer Clothes Dryers; Correction
On December 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') published a final rule establishing separate product classes for top- loading consumer clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers that offer cycle times for a normal cycle of less than 30 minutes, and for front- loading residential clothes washers that offer cycle times for a normal cycle of less than 45 minutes. This correction responds to specific comments submitted by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (``PG&E''), San Diego Gas and Electric (``SDG&E''), and Southern California Edison (``SCE'') in response to DOE's notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR''), which were inadvertently omitted from the final rule. DOE has considered the comments and determined that in most instances, these comments raise issues substantially similar to those raised by other commenters that DOE previously considered and addressed in the final rule. To the extent these comments raise issues not explicitly addressed in the preamble of the final rule, DOE determined that the comments submitted by PG&E, SDG&E, and SCE do not alter any of the conclusions reached in support of the final rule and would not have resulted in an outcome different than as set forth in the final rule.
Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Small Electric Motors
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (``EPCA''), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including small electric motors (``SEMs''). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') to periodically determine whether more-stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant conservation of energy. In this final determination, DOE has determined that more stringent SEMs standards would not be cost effective, and thus has determined that standards for SEMs should not be amended.
Inflation Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties
The Department of Energy (``DOE'') publishes this final rule to adjust DOE's civil monetary penalties (``CMPs'') for inflation as mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as further amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (collectively referred to herein as ``the Act''). This rule adjusts CMPs within the jurisdiction of DOE to the maximum amount required by the Act.
