Department of Energy April 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its decision to issue loan guarantees under Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 05) to Solar Partners I, LLC; Solar Partners II, LLC; and Solar Partners VIII, LLC (Solar Partners) for construction and start-up of Units 1, 2, and 3 of the 370 megawatt (MW) Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) on 3,471.36 acres, all of which are managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in San Bernardino County, California. The environmental impacts of the construction and operation of this project were analyzed in the Proposed California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, San Bernardino County, California (75 FR 47592; 08/ 06/10) (Final EIS), prepared by the BLM Needles Field Office with DOE as a cooperating agency. DOE was consulted during the preparation of the EIS and provided comments, which BLM incorporated. DOE determined that the project analyzed in the Final EIS was substantially the same as the project that would be covered by the DOE loan guarantees, and a notice of DOE's adoption of the Final EIS as DOE/EIS-0416 was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register on October 22, 2010 (75 FR 65320).

On January 4, 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (January 2010 NOPR) to establish new test procedures for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers (WICF or walk- ins). On September 9, 2010, DOE issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (September 2010 SNOPR) to propose changes to the test procedures that it proposed in the NOPR. Those proposed rulemakings serve as the basis for today's action. DOE is issuing a final rule that establishes new test procedures for measuring the energy efficiency of certain walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer components including panels, doors, and refrigeration systems. These test procedures will be mandatory for product testing to demonstrate compliance with energy standards that DOE is establishing in a separate, but concurrent rulemaking, and for representations starting 180 days after publication. This final rule incorporates by reference industry test procedures that, along with calculations established in the rule, can be used to measure the energy consumption or performance characteristics of certain components of walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. Additionally, the final rule clarifies the definitions of ``Display door,'' ``Display panel,'' ``Door,'' ``Envelope,'' ``K- factor,'' ``Panel,'' ``Refrigerated,'' ``Refrigeration system,'' ``U- factor,'' ``Automatic door opener/closer,'' ``Core region,'' ``Edge region,'' ``Surface area,'' ``Rating condition,'' and ``Percent time off'' as applicable to walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.

DC Energy Texas, LLC (DCE Texas) has requested authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Mexico pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) issued Order No. 717-A to address requests for rehearing and make clearer the Standards of Conduct as implemented by Order No. 717. The Commission issued Order No. 717-B to address expedited requests for rehearing and clarification concerning paragraph 80 of Order No. 717-A and whether an employee who is not making business decisions about contract non-price terms and conditions is considered a ``marketing function employee.'' Order No. 717-C addressed requests for rehearing and clarification concerning Order No. 717-A. This order addresses an additional request for rehearing and clarification concerning Order No. 717-C.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing revisions to its regulations governing interstate natural gas pipelines to prohibit multiple affiliates of the same entity from bidding in an open season for pipeline capacity in which the pipeline may allocate capacity on a pro rata basis, unless each affiliate has an independent business reason for submitting a bid. The Commission is also proposing that if more than one affiliate of the same entity participates in such an open season, then none of those affiliates may release any capacity obtained in that open season pursuant to a pro rata allocation to any affiliate, or otherwise allow any affiliate to obtain the use of the allowed capacity.

Cargill Power Markets, LLC (CPM) has applied for authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Mexico pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.