Department of Energy March 4, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi- autonomous agency within the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the availability of the Final Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Y-12 National Security Complex (Final Y-12 SWEIS, DOE/EIS-0387). The Final Y-12 SWEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of ongoing and future operations and activities at Y-12, including alternatives for changes to site infrastructure and levels of operation (using production capacity as the key metric for comparison), and addresses public comments received on the Draft SWEIS and the Wetlands Assessment related to the proposed Haul Road extension corridor. Five alternatives are analyzed: No Action Alternative (maintain the status quo); Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Alternative; Upgrade-in-Place Alternative; Capability-sized UPF Alternative; and the No Net Production/Capability-sized UPF Alternative. DOE NNSA has prepared the Final Y-12 SWEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that implement the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and DOE regulations implementing NEPA (10 CFR part 1021). NNSA's Preferred Alternative for Y-12, as identified in the Draft and Final SWEIS, is the Capability-sized UPF Alternative.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (DOE/EIS-0465), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations, and the DOE NEPA implementing procedures, to assess the potential environmental impacts of its proposed action of issuing a Federal loan guarantee to Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI). Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) and Delmarva Power & Light Company (Delmarva), both subsidiaries of PHI, submitted an application to DOE under the Federal loan guarantee program pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) to support construction of Phase II of the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP) transmission line project. PHI proposes to develop Phase II of the MAPP project, an approximately 100-mile electric transmission line from the Chalk Point Substation in Prince George's County, Maryland, to the Indian River Substation in Sussex County, Delaware, using a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system. The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the issuance of a DOE Loan Guarantee for PHI's proposed MAPP project and the range of reasonable alternatives. The purposes of this Notice of Intent are to inform the public about DOE's proposed action, invite public participation in the EIS process, announce plans for public scoping meetings, and solicit public comments for consideration in establishing the scope and content of the EIS. DOE hereby provides notice of a proposed action located in part in a floodplain and that DOE will include a floodplain assessment in the EIS. DOE invites those agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise to be cooperating agencies.

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006), (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information collection described below.

Western Area Power Administration (Western), Upper Great Plains Region, a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking comments on this proposed 2021 Power Marketing Initiative (2021 PMI). Western's Firm Electric Service (FES) contracts associated with the current marketing plan will expire on December 31, 2020. This proposed 2021 PMI provides the basis for marketing the long- term firm hydroelectric resources of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin ProgramEastern Division (P-SMBPED) beyond the year 2020. The 2021 PMI proposes to extend the current marketing plan, with amendments, to key marketing plan principles. This Federal Register notice initiates Western's public process for the proposed 2021 PMI and requests public comments. Western will prepare and publish the final 2021 PMI in the Federal Register after all public comments on the proposed 2021 PMI are considered.