Department of Energy May 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission adopts a more accurate title of ``Withdrawal of pleadings (Rule 216),'' for Rule 216 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Commission also clarifies the text of the Rule.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on March 6, 2018, by Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P. and FLNG Liquefaction 4, LLC (collectively, FLEX4). The Application requests long-term, multi- contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to 262.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year (0.72 Bcf per day) of natural gas. FLEX4 seeks to export this LNG from the proposed Train 4 Project, to be constructed at the Freeport LNG Terminal on Quintana Island near Freeport, Texas. FLEX4 states that its affiliates (Freeport LNG Development, L.P., FLNG Liquefaction, LLC, FLNG Liquefaction 2, LLC, and FLNG Liquefaction 3, LLC) are currently constructing a liquefaction and export facility at the Terminal with three previously-authorized liquefaction trains. FLEX4 requests authorization to export the LNG to any country with which the United States has not entered into 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). FLEX4 seeks to export this LNG on its own behalf and as agent for other entities who hold title to the natural gas at the time of export. FLEX4 requests the authorization for a 20-year term to commence on the earlier of the date of first commercial export from the Train 4 Project, or seven years from the issuance of the requested authorization. FLEX4 filed the Application under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in FLEX4's Application, posted on the DOE/FE website at: https://www.energy.gov/ sites/prod/files/2018/04/f50/18-26-LNG_T4_0.pdf. Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and written comments are invited.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve Reliability Standard TPL-007-2 (Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic Disturbance Events). The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization, submitted proposed Reliability Standard TPL-007-2 for Commission approval. Geomagnetic disturbance events (GMDs) occur when the sun ejects charged particles that interact with and cause changes in the earth's magnetic fields. Proposed Reliability Standard TPL-007-2 modifies currently-effective Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 by requiring applicable entities to: Conduct supplemental GMD vulnerability assessments and thermal impact assessments; obtain geomagnetically induced current and magnetometer data; and meet certain deadlines for the development and completion of tasks in corrective action plans. In addition, the Commission proposes to direct NERC to develop and submit modifications to the Reliability Standard to require applicable entities to develop and implement corrective action plans to mitigate supplemental GMD event vulnerabilities.

Matador Power Marketing, Inc. (Matador or Applicant) has applied for authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to the Federal Power Act.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance, a proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection, titled the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Commercialization Survey will satisfy the program requirements of the Small Business Act, including requirements established in the SBIR program reauthorization legislation. DOE will collect the survey data via web-enabled software and provide it to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to maintain information about the DOE SBIR/STTR awards issued through the two programs. This data will be provided by DOE based on information collected from SBIR/STTR awardees. This data will be used by DOE, SBA, and Congress to assess the commercial impact of these two programs. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, please advise the DOE Desk Officer at OMB of your intention to make a submission as soon as possible. The Desk Officer may be telephoned at 202-395-1254 or emailed at james.n.tyree@omb.eop.gov.

This is an amendment to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Record of Decision for the Final Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement for the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington (DOE/EIS-0391, December 2012) (TC&WM EIS). From 1974 to 1985, cesium and strontium were recovered from high-level radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site, packed in corrosion-resistant capsules, and placed in storage under water at Hanford's Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF). The TC&WM EIS evaluated storage, treatment, and final disposition of these capsules and their contents. This amended Record of Decision (ROD) announces DOE's decision to move the capsules from wet storage at WESF to a new dry storage facility.