Department of Energy June 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Paducah. 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.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on February 9, 2015, by Venture Global Calcasieu Pass, LLC (Calcasieu Pass), requesting long-term, multi-contract authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced from domestic sources in a volume equivalent to approximately 132.8 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas (0.36 Bcf/day). Calcasieu Pass seeks authorization to export the LNG by vessel from the proposed Venture Global Calcasieu Pass Project, a natural gas liquefaction and LNG export terminal to be located on the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Cameron Parish, Louisiana (Project). Calcasieu Pass requests authorization to export this LNG to any country with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA countries).\1\ Calcasieu Pass states that the requested export volume (132.8 Bcf/yr) is incremental and therefore additive to the volume of LNG requested for export in its two non-FTA export applications currently pending in DOE/FE Docket Nos. 13-69-LNG and 14-88-LNG (originally filed by Venture Global).\2\ In the current Application, Calcasieu Pass requests the authorization for a 25-year term to commence on the earlier of the date of first export or seven years from the date the authorization is granted. Calcasieu Pass seeks to export this LNG on its own behalf and as agent for other entities who hold title to the LNG at the time of export. The Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in Calcasieu Pass's Application, posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/06/f23/15_25_lng.pdf.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the ``Great Northern Transmission Line Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement'' (DOE/EIS-0499) for public review and comment. DOE is also announcing eight public hearings to receive comments on the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of DOE's proposed Federal action of issuing a Presidential permit to the Applicant: Minnesota Power, a regulated utility division of ALLETE, Inc., to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a new electric transmission line across the U.S./Canada border in northern Minnesota. It also addresses the potential human and environmental impacts of the project, and possible mitigation measures, including route, alignment, and site alternatives required for a transmission line route permit from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission under the Minnesota Power Plant Siting Act. The EIS was jointly prepared by DOE with the Minnesota Department of CommerceEnvironmental Energy Review and Analysis (MN DOC-EERA) acting as state co-lead in order to avoid duplication, and to comply with the environmental review requirements under both federal and state regulations. Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the St. Paul District Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Twin Cities Ecology Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are cooperating agencies in preparing the GNTL Project EIS.

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982 required that DOE enter into Standard Contracts with all generators or owners of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste of domestic origin. EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years, Form NWPA-830G, ``Appendix G-Standard Remittance Advice for Payment of Fees (including Annex A to Appendix G),'' with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Form NWPA-830G is part of the Standard Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High-Level Radioactive Waste. Generators and owners of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste of domestic origin paid fees into the nuclear waste fund based on net electricity generated and sold as defined in the Standard Contract. In November 2013, a federal appeals court ruled that DOE must cease collection of the Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Fee. DOE determined that, effective May 16, 2014, the fee is reduced from 1.0 Mil per kilowatt- hour ($1 per megawatt-hour) to 0.0 Mil per kilowatt-hour ($0 per megawatt-hour), ultimately reducing to zero the quarterly collection of fees from domestic generators of nuclear electricity. However, through its Office of the General Counsel, DOE has directed EIA to continue activities associated with the collection and verification of net electricity generation data and estimation of the spent nuclear fuel disposal fees that would otherwise accrue from this generation. 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.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Northern New Mexico. 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.

The Commission proposes to approve revisions to the Transmission Operations and Interconnection Reliability Operations and Coordination Reliability Standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which the Commission has certified as the Electric Reliability Organization responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory Reliability Standards.

In this Final Rule, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending Rule 508 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure to eliminate the requirement that participants in Commission trial-type evidentiary hearings must provide paper copies of all exhibits introduced as evidence. The Final Rule will facilitate a shift toward electronic hearing procedures which should improve the efficiency and administrative convenience of the Commission hearing process, reduce the burden and expense associated with paper exhibits, and facilitate the compilation and transmittal of the hearing record to the Commission in electronic format.

BPA is seeking comments on a proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance of a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. BPA collects information from landowners or other members of the public who accept treated wood utility transmission poles. These poles are removed from the transmission system when they are no longer of use to BPA. The information collected will document and facilitate transfer of the poles, which minimizes BPA's environmental liability. At the time of information collection, BPA also provides the recipients with consumer information regarding treated wood and use restrictions required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

BPA is seeking comments on a proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance of a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. BPA proposes to collect information on lost, stolen, or damaged badges that control access to BPA facilities. The information collected will help BPA control access to BPA facilities and track identification badges issued under the authority of BPA's Personnel Security office.