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

The Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration (Southwestern), has prepared Current and Revised 2014 Power Repayment Studies for the Robert D. Willis project which show the need for an increase in annual revenues to meet cost recovery criteria. Such increased revenues are needed primarily to cover the costs associated with increased investments and replacements in the hydroelectric generating facilities and increased operations and maintenance costs. The Administrator of Southwestern has developed a proposed Robert D. Willis Rate Schedule, which is supported by power repayment studies, to recover the required revenues. The Revised 2014 Power Repayment Study indicates that the proposed Rate Schedule would increase annual revenues approximately 10.2 percent from $1,072,332 to $1,181,496 effective January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2018.\1\

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2.

This notice announces an open meeting of the Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories (Commission). The Commission was created pursuant section 319 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Public Law No. 113-76, and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. This notice is provided in accordance with the Act.

This notice announces a meeting of the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC). 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 Department of Energy (Department or DOE) Isotope Program, within the Office of Science, 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 a Notice of Inquiry and Request for comment in the Federal Register, on March 8, 2013, concerning 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 available information. The Department 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. The Department published a Notice of Intent and Request for comment in the Federal Register, on April 9, 2014, to provide the public with notice and seek 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. Three comments in response to this Notice of Intent were received and assessed by the Department to conclude the evaluation process with this Record of Decision. The Department's decision is to: (1) Withdraw from sales of Ge-68 for the purpose of fabricating calibration sources, while maintaining production capability in the event circumstances change; (2) maintain its current position in the production and distribution of Ge-68 for use in the manufacture of Ge- 68/Ga-68 generators; and (3) require the Department's Ge-68 customers to sign an end-use statement that the Ge-68 will be used only in the fabrication of Ge-68/Ga-68 generators.