[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31445-31446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12667]


      

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 111 / Thursday, June 10, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 31445]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RM99-2-000]


Regional Transmission Organizations; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Regional Transmission Organizations 
Rulemaking, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meeting

May 14, 1999.
    To further the policies and goals of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that 
will consider the environmental impacts of the proposed rulemaking on 
Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). The proposed rule was issued 
by the Commission on May 13, 1999, and appears elsewhere in this issue 
of the Federal Register. The Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All comments received 
will be considered during the preparation of the EA. A comment period 
will be allotted for public review of the EA.
    Scoping comments are due on or before June 14, 1999; the public 
scoping meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on July 8, 1999 in the 
Commission Meeting Room, 888 First Street, NE, Room 2C, Washington, 
D.C. 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Action

    In Order Nos. 888 and 889, the Commission established the 
foundation necessary to develop competitive bulk power markets in the 
United States: Non-discriminatory open access transmission services by 
public utilities and stranded cost recovery rules that would provide a 
fair transition to competitive markets. Order Nos. 888 and 889 were not 
intended to address all problems that might arise in the development of 
competitive power markets. Indeed, since the issuance of Order Nos. 888 
and 889, the industry has undergone changes. Trade in bulk power 
markets has continued to increase significantly and the Nation's 
transmission grid is being used more heavily and in new ways.
    After almost three years of experience with implementation of Order 
Nos. 888 and 889, there remain transmission-related impediments to a 
competitive wholesale electric market. In an effort to ensure that 
electricity consumers realize the full benefits that competition can 
bring to wholesale markets, the Commission has issued a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, the objective of which is to encourage all 
transmission facilities in the Nation, including transmission 
facilities owned or controlled by non-public utility entities, to form 
appropriate regional transmission institutions in a timely manner.
    Accordingly, as set forth in detail in the Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, the Commission proposes the following:
     Minimum characteristics and functions that an RTO must 
satisfy. Industry participants will retain flexibility in structuring 
RTOs that satisfy the standards.
     An ``open architecture'' policy regarding RTOs, whereby 
all RTO proposals must allow the RTO and its members the flexibility to 
improve their organizations in terms of structure, operations, market 
support and geographic scope to meet market needs. In turn, the 
Commission will provide the regulatory flexibility to accommodate such 
improvement.
     Guidance on flexible transmission ratemaking that may be 
proposed by RTOs, including ratemaking treatments that will address 
congestion pricing and performance based regulation. The Commission 
will consider on a case-by-case basis incentive pricing that may be 
appropriate for transmission facilities under RTO control.
     A plan for encouraging formation of RTOs across the Nation 
that includes: (1) A collaborative process to take place in the spring 
of 2000 for all stakeholders to actively work toward the voluntary 
development of specific RTOs; and (2) filing requirements whereby all 
public utilities that own, operate or control interstate transmission 
facilities must file with the Commission by October 15, 2000 a proposal 
for an RTO with the standards adopted in the final rule, or a 
description of reasons that it has not filed such a proposal. Each 
proposed RTO must plan to be operational by December 15, 2001.

Public Participation

    The public is invited to provide comments that will assist us in 
conducting an accurate and thorough analysis of the potential 
environmental impacts of the proposed rule. Comments should address 
environmental issues, including any potential environmental effects of 
the proposed rule, alternatives to the proposed rule, and measures to 
avoid or lessen environmental impacts (if any). The more specific the 
comments, the more useful they will be. Please carefully follow these 
instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time and 
properly recorded:
     Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, D.C. 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Jim 
Turnure, Office of Economic Policy, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Room 64-09, Washington, D.C. 20426.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before June 14, 1999.
    In addition to filing paper copies, the Commission encourages the 
filing of comments either on computer diskettes or via Internet e-mail. 
Comments may be filed in the following formats: WordPerfect 6.1 or 
lower version, MS Word Office 97 or lower version, or ASCII format.
    For diskette filing, include the following information on the 
diskette label: Docket No. RM99-2-000; the name of the filing entity; 
the software and version used to create the file; and the name and 
telephone number of a contact person.
    For Internet E-Mail submittal, comments should be submitted to 
``[email protected]'' in the following format. On the subject 
line, specify Docket No. RM99-2-000. In the body of the E-Mail message, 
include the name of the filing entity; the software and version used to 
create the file, and the name and telephone number of the contact 
person. Attach the comments to the E-Mail in one of the formats 
specified above. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgment 
to the sender's E-Mail address upon receipt.
    Questions on electronic filings should be directed to Brooks Carter 
at 202-501-8145, e-mail address: Brooks. [email protected].
    Commenters should take note that, until the Commission amends its 
rules and regulations, the paper copy of the filing remains the 
official copy of the document submitted. Therefore, any discrepancies 
between the paper filing and the electronic filing or the diskette will 
be resolve by reference to the paper filing.
    All written comments will be placed in the Commission's public 
files and will be available for inspection in the Commission's Public 
Reference room at 888 First Street, N.E., Washington D.C. 20426, during 
regular business hours. Additionally, comments may be viewed, printed, 
or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's Homepage using 
the RIMS submitted in electronic format all available on CIPS. User

[[Page 31446]]

assistance is available at 202-208-2222, or by E-Mail to 
[email protected].
    In addition to asking for written comments, we invite any 
interested parties to attend our public scoping meeting that will be 
held on July 8, 1999. The meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the 
Commission Meeting Room, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2C, Washington, 
D.C. 20426. The purpose of the public meeting is to provide interested 
parties another opportunity to offer comments on the proposed rule.
    A copy of the EA will be made available for review and comment to 
all interested parties. A 30-day comment period will be provided for 
reviewing the EA. The Commission will consider all comments on the EA 
in developing the final rule.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-12667 Filed 6-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M