Department of Energy November 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance, a proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection will be used to report the progress of participants in the DOE Better Buildings programs, including the Better Buildings Challenge, Better Buildings, Better Plants program, and the Better Buildings Alliance. These voluntary programs are intended to drive greater energy efficiency in the commercial and industrial marketplace to create cost savings and jobs. This will be accomplished by highlighting the ways participants overcome market barriers and persistent obstacles with replicable, marketplace solutions. These programs will showcase real solutions and partner with industry leaders to better understand policy and technical opportunities. Since the published 60-Day Notice and request for comments on April 11, 2013, Vol. 78, No. 70, page 21602, there are noted changes to the following supplemental information items: (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses are reduced from 3,178 to 2,333; (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours are reduced from 5,077 to 4,651.89; and (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden is reduced from$194,926 to $183,610.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing notice of request for public comment on its draft test plan for the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project (CDP). The test plan will guide the Department's activities, research, and development throughout the execution of the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project. The draft test plan places its focus on ``why'' the project is being performed and ``what'' the Department plans to accomplish with the CDP. The details on ``how'' the test plan will be executed will be added when Dominion Virginia Power, who is part of the Electric Power research Institute (EPRI) team, submits a License Amendment Request for the existing North Anna Generating Station Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The License Amendment Request will be submitted to the NRC in the future. The public will be provided an opportunity to provide comments to the NRC on the CDP test plan at that time. The DOE's Office of Used Nuclear Fuel Disposition Research and Development has coordinated this effort in collaboration with its contractor EPRI and several DOE national laboratories. The DOE is seeking public stakeholder comment to ensure CDP resources are invested wisely to achieve measurable improvements in our Nation's data on High Burnup Casks.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to amend the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) to make changes to conform to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This proposed revision will also update, clarify and streamline text in certain DOE intellectual property and technology transfer clauses in order to benefit from several years of experience under the existing clauses, and, where necessary, make these DOE clauses consistent with recent changes to the FAR.

Western is proposing new formula rates to participate in WestConnect's PA. The proposed formula rates under Rate Schedule WC-8 would become effective June 1, 2014, and remain in effect through May 30, 2019. Western, along with other WestConnect participants (Participants), has participated in the WestConnect Pricing Experiment (Experiment) since its inception in June 2009. On June 28, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order (143 FERC ] 61,291) conditionally accepting the PA and regional tariffs. FERC ordered that the Participants in the filing submit separate compliance filings. Western has determined that no changes are necessary to Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) because Western will continue to offer this transmission service under the existing Tariff Schedule 8. For Western to implement the permanent arrangement, however, Western needs to adopt new formula rates. Publication of this Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed formula rates.