Department of Energy October 30, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) published under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and DOE's NEPA implementing regulations. This Amended ROD supports DOE's decision to amend the existing Presidential permit issued to Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC (ESJ), to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a double-circuit, 230,000-volt (230-kV) electric transmission line (ESJ Tie Line) across the U.S.-Mexico border in eastern San Diego County, California.

The Administrator has adopted the attached Final Power Marketing Policy for the Jim Woodruff System Project. The policy will be effective thirty days after publication in the Federal Register. The policy was developed in accordance with Southeastern's Procedure for Public Participation in the Formulation of Marketing Policy published July 6, 1978, pursuant to a notice of intent to formulate a power marketing policy published in the Federal Register of August 5, 2022, and a proposed policy published in the Federal Register of April 7, 2023. A public comment forum was held via a virtual web based meeting on June 8, 2023. Comments were due on or before June 23, 2023. Twelve comments were received relative to the proposed policy. The Administrator appointed a Staff Committee to prepare a Staff Evaluation of all oral and written comments and responses received by Southeastern and to make appropriate recommendations. The Staff Evaluation was completed on Sept 5, 2023. Following the Staff Evaluation, the Administrator decided to adopt the policy as modified.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) amends its regulations concerning requests for Commission records available in the Public Reference Room and from the Commission's website. Specifically, the Commission's regulations are revised to remove references to the physical Public Reference Room at the Commission's headquarters, as the Commission no longer has a physical Public Reference Room. The revised regulations will direct the public to access the records that were formerly available in the Commission's physical Public Reference Room, which was located at the Commission's headquarters, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, through the Commission's website. Other Commission regulations are being amended to reflect this change to provide consistency by directing the public to the Commission's website for records and/or assistance in obtaining Commission records.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) issues this final rule to revise its regulations governing liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities subject to sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) by removing outdated references for seismic hazard evaluations and seismic design criteria for LNG facilities. In their place, the Commission codifies its existing practice of evaluating seismic and other natural hazards and design criteria for jurisdictional LNG facilities. These revisions are intended to reduce confusion about applicable technical requirements and clarify the information required in applications filed before the Commission to ensure the public is protected from potential catastrophic impacts caused by natural hazards from design through the operation of the LNG facilities.