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

The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is hereby granting a limited waiver of the Buy American requirements of section 1605 of the Recovery Act under the authority of Section 1605(b)(1) (public interest waiver), with respect to section 1605 of the Recovery Act of 2009 (the Buy American provision) for the Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (GTR) landfill gas to energy project, funded in part under a sub-award (AR060-GT11-0111-0001) from the Mississippi State Energy Office, recipient of EECBG Award EE0000763.

The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), intends to extend for three years, an information collection request with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and DOE's NEPA implementing procedures (10 CFR Part 1021) to assess the potential environmental impacts of DOE's proposed action: providing approximately $1 billion in Federal funding (most of it appropriated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ``ARRA'') for the FutureGen 2.0 program. DOE has prepared this Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform interested parties of the pending EIS and to invite public comments on the proposed action, including: (1) The range of environmental issues, (2) the alternatives to be analyzed, and (3) the impacts to be considered in the EIS. The NOI also provides notice in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022 (DOE's regulations for compliance with floodplain and wetland review requirements) that the proposed project may involve potential impacts to floodplains and wetlands. The FutureGen 2.0 program would provide financial assistance for the repowering of an existing electricity generator with clean coal technologies integrated with a pipeline that would transport carbon dioxide (CO2) to a sequestration site where it would be injected and stored in a deep geologic formation. DOE entered into separate cooperative agreements with Ameren Energy Resources (Ameren) and with the FutureGen Alliance (the Alliance) that define DOE's proposed action. This program consists of an Oxy-Combustion Large Scale Test undertaken by Ameren at its Meredosia Power Station in west central Illinois and a Pipeline and CO2 Storage Reservoir undertaken by the Alliance. In addition, the Alliance would construct and operate facilities for research, training, and visitors in the vicinity of the sequestration site. The Alliance has identified its preferred sequestration site in Morgan County, Illinois, and two alternative sites, one in Christian County, Illinois and one in Douglas County, Illinois. The program would provide performance and emissions data as well as establish operating and maintenance experience that would facilitate future large-scale commercial deployment of these technologies. DOE would provide technical and programmatic guidance to Ameren and the Alliance and oversee activities for compliance with the terms of the cooperative agreements. DOE is responsible for NEPA compliance activities. DOE encourages government agencies, private-sector organizations, and the general public to participate in the FutureGen 2.0 program through the NEPA process. DOE will consult with interested Native American Tribes and Federal, state, regional and local agencies during preparation of the EIS. Further, DOE invites agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise to participate as cooperating agencies in the preparation of this EIS.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Oak Ridge Reservation. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver from LG Electronics, Inc. (LG). The petition for waiver (hereafter ``petition'') requests a waiver from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure applicable to commercial package air-source and water-source central air conditioners and heat pumps. The petition is specific to the variable capacity Multi V SYNC II and Multi V Water II (commercial) multi-split heat pump models specified in LG's petition. Through this document, DOE: (1) Solicits comments, data, and information with respect to the LG petition; and (2) announces the grant of an interim waiver to LG from the existing DOE test procedure for the subject commercial multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Nevada. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This action is to temporarily extend the existing NITS formula rates for the Parker-Davis Project (P-DP), and the Pacific Northwest/ Pacific Southwest Intertie Project (Intertie) and Ancillary Services Rates for Western Area Lower Colorado (WALC) Balancing Authority through September 30, 2013. The existing NITS and Ancillary Services formula rates expire on June 30, 2011.