Department of Energy April 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 USC 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the requirements and burden \1\ of the information collections described below. Please note that this is the first time FERC has issued a consolidated notice involving otherwise unrelated information collections.

This notice announces a meeting of the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

The Isotope Program of the Office of Science of the Department of Energy (Department or DOE) currently produces and distributes the radioisotope germanium-68 (Ge-68). There are two primary uses of the Ge-68: In the manufacture of calibration sources for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners used for diagnostic medical imaging; and in the manufacture of germanium-68/gallium-68 (Ge-68/Ga-68) generators, which provide Ga-68 as a positron source in radiopharmaceuticals used in PET imaging. The Department published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2013, a Notice of Inquiry and Request for Comment on its consideration of withdrawal from commercial production of Ge-68. The Department received numerous comments in response to this Notice of Inquiry, evaluated substantial information provided by one private domestic company seeking the Department's withdrawal, and assessed other information in reaching its conclusion. The Department has determined that Ge-68 is reasonably available from the commercial sector for use in the manufacture of calibration sources but not for use in Ge-68/Ga-68 generators. This Notice of Intent provides the public with notice and seeks any public comment on the Department's intent to withdraw from the production and distribution of Ge-68 used in the manufacture of calibration sources, while maintaining its current position in the production and distribution of Ge-68 for Ge-68/Ga-68 generators. The Department intends to ramp down its sales of Ge-68 to calibration source fabricators and such sales will end completely April 30, 2014. After that date, the Department's customers will be required to sign an end-use statement that the Ge-68 will be used in the fabrication of Ge- 68/Ga-68 generators.

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 Western Area Power Administration (Western) hereby announces its revised Transmission Infrastructure Program (the Program or TIP) and its request for new project proposals. The Program implements Section 402 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) for the purpose of constructing, financing, facilitating, planning, operating, maintaining, or studying construction of new or upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities with at least one terminus within Western's service territory, to deliver or facilitate the delivery of power generated by renewable energy resources constructed, or reasonably expected to be constructed, after the date the Recovery Act was enacted. Through the publication of this Federal Register notice (FRN or final notice) Western is finalizing revisions to this Program effective and seeks new project proposals from developers and other parties interested in obtaining financing for eligible projects. This final notice adopts and reaffirms the principles that the Program is separate and distinct from Western's power marketing functions, and each eligible project must stand on its own for repayment purposes.

In light of the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Pub. L. 113-76), funds were not made available in FY 2014 to the Department of Energy (DOE) for reimbursement for cleanup work performed by licensees at eligible uranium and thorium processing sites in accordance with Title X of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-486). However, licensees may submit their claims for cleanup work with the understanding that DOE may be able to perform audits/financial review on the claims but cannot provide licensees with reimbursements. If licensees do not submit claims in FY 2014, they can do so the following year. In order to keep an accurate account of claims, DOE will continue to provide an annual status report or report letter on reimbursements to licensees of eligible uranium and thorium processing sites. If licensees submit claims in FY 2014, those licensees are not required to resubmit those same claims in later years.

This notice contains corrections to the order (RM01-8-000, et al) which was published in the Federal Register of Friday, March 14, 2014 (79 FR 14369). This order updated the EQR Data Dictionary to indicate how market participants should enter information in certain fields of the new EQR system so that the new system's validation process will more readily accept filings. These updates to the EQR Data Dictionary enable the implementation of the Commission's revised EQR filing process. This order also updated the EQR Data Dictionary's list of Balancing Authority names and abbreviations to reflect changes in the official source of such data.