Department of Energy October 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Department of Energy Organization Act (DOE Act), the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) is proposing a rule for final action by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC). The Secretary is proposing the Commission exercise its authority under the Federal Power Act (FPA) to establish just and reasonable rates for wholesale electricity sales. Under the proposal, the Commission will impose rules on Commission-approved independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) to ensure that certain reliability and resilience attributes of electric generation resources are fully valued. The Secretary is directing the Commission to take final action on this proposal within 60 days of publication of this proposed rule in the Federal Register or, in the alternative, to issue the rule as an interim final rule immediately, with provision for later modifications after consideration of public comments. The Secretary further directs that any final rule adopting this proposal take effect within 30 days of publication of such final rule in the Federal Register and proposes that each ISO and RTO subject to the rule shall submit a compliance filing within 15 days of the effective date of such final rule.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), BPA intends to prepare an EIS to determine whether to fund the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation's proposal to upgrade facilities at the Klickitat Hatchery. The hatchery produces spring and fall Chinook salmon and coho salmon, and is funded by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Mitchell Act. It is operated jointly by the Yakama Nation and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The hatchery is located in Klickitat County on property owned by WDFW, about seven miles east of Glenwood, Washington. The hatchery was built in 1954 and most of the facilities have not been renovated since then. The one-time upgrades would include improving surface and groundwater water intakes, discharge piping, and pumps; rebuilding the pollution abatement system; updating sections of the hatchery building; and adding rearing tanks, a storage building, and possibly staff residences. The proposed upgrades would update old facilities and would facilitate increased production of spring Chinook by the Yakama Nation. BPA is not proposing to fund fish production or to take over any Mitchell Act funding for the hatchery. NMFS will be a cooperating agency on the EIS. In accordance with U.S. Department of Energy floodplain and wetland regulations, BPA will analyze impacts to floodplains and wetlands as well as measures to avoid or minimize potential effects to these resources. The assessment will be included in the EIS. With this Notice of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about potential environmental impacts that should be considered as an EIS is prepared. In addition, BPA is also providing notice of cancellation of DOE/ EIS-0424 Klickitat Hatchery Complex Program. Based on public comments on the 2011 draft DOE/EIS-0424, as well as changes in agencies' funding of various activities described in the EIS, BPA is canceling that environmental review process and will focus on the proposed Klickitat Hatchery Upgrades EIS.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, App. 2, and the Code of Federal Regulations, and following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee's (BESAC) charter will be renewed for a two-year period. The Committee will provide advice and recommendations to the Office of Science on the Basic Energy Sciences program. Additionally, the renewal of the BESAC has been determined to be essential to conduct business of the Department of Energy and to be in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed upon the Department of Energy, by law and agreement. The Committee will continue to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the rules and regulations in implementation of that Act.

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), an agency within the Department of Energy (DOE), submitted an extension to an existing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, comment, and approval, as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The ICR seeks a 3-year extension for WAPA's Applicant Profile Data form (APD), OMB Control No. 1910-5136. The ICR described below identifies the request, including the anticipated public burden. The ICR is necessary for the proper performance of WAPA's functions. WAPA markets a limited amount of Federal hydropower. Due to the high demand for WAPA's power, WAPA needs the ability to collect information under the ICR in order to evaluate who may receive an allocation of Federal power pursuant to specific marketing plans. This APD public process only determines the information WAPA will collect in its ICR. The actual allocation of Federal power will be conducted through a separate marketing plan process outside the scope of this APD process.

The information collection requests a three-year extension of Form EIA-914 Monthly Crude Oil and Lease Condensate, and Natural Gas Production Report, OMB Control Number 1905-0205. This survey collects monthly state level data by well operator on crude oil and natural gas production within the United States. These data are used by EIA to estimate state, regional, and U.S. crude oil and natural gas production.