Department of Energy August 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, is proposing to amend an information collection request with the Office of Management and Budget by adding an additional collection to an ICR that already includes two previously approved collections. The two previously approved collections address DOE's Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) Scorecard, and the National Clean Fleets Partnership. The proposed new collection is entitled ``Ride and Drive Surveys for PEV Showcases''. DOE's Clean Cities initiative has developed a three-part voluntary ride-and-drive survey to assist its coalitions and stakeholders in assessing the level of interest, understanding, and acceptance of PEVs and alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) by the purchasing public. The principal objective of the Survey is to provide DOE and stakeholders with an objective assessment and estimate of how ready the purchasing public is for PEVs, and to help DOE's Clean Cities coalitions prepare for the successful deployment of these vehicles. DOE intends the surveys to be completed by individuals who are participating in one of many ride-and-drive events. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of DOE, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of DOE'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 an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee under Section 9008(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that agencies publish these notices in the Federal Register to allow for public participation. This notice announces the meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee.

On July 19, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a request for information (RFI) seeking comment on certain issues related to DOE's preparation for a potential new Secretarial Determination covering continued transfers of uranium for cleanup services at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant and for down- blending of highly-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium. The RFI established an August 18, 2016 deadline for the submission of written comments. DOE is extending the comment period to September 19, 2016.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its decision in Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC (Lake Charles LNG Export), DOE/FE Docket No. 13-04-LNG,\1\ to issue DOE/FE Order No. 3868 granting final long-term, multi contract authorization for Lake Charles LNG Export to engage in export of domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Lake Charles Terminal located in Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (Terminal), in a volume equivalent to 730 Bcf/yr of natural gas for a term of 20 years. Lake Charles LNG Export is seeking to export LNG from the Terminal to countries with which the United States has not entered into a free trade agreement (FTA) that requires national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA countries). Order No. 3868 is issued under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) \2\ and 10 CFR part 590 of the DOE regulations.\3\ DOE participated as a cooperating agency with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) \4\ analyzing the potential environmental impacts resulting from modification of the existing facilities at the Terminal.