[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16389-16390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7582]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Record of Decision for the Energy Planning and Management 
Program; Integrated Resource Planning Approval Criteria

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Record of Decision

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western) completed a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), DOE/EIS-0182, on its Energy 
Planning and Management Program (EPAMP); and a Supplement Analysis, 
DOE/EIS-0182-SA-1, on the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) program. 
Western is publishing this Record of Decision (ROD) to adopt revisions 
to its current regulations that require customers to prepare IRPs (10 
CFR part 905). These revisions allow customers more alternatives in 
meeting the IRP requirements.

DATES: This ROD is effective March 28, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Simmons Buntin, Energy Services 
Specialist, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, 
Lakewood, CO 80228-8213, telephone (720) 962-7419, fax (720) 962-7427, 
e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 114 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 
(EPAct), Public Law 102-486, requires integrated resource planning by 
Western's customers. Western implemented EPAct through completion of 
the EPAMP in October 1995. The EPAMP was published in the Code of 
Federal Regulations at 10 CFR part 905. The EPAMP was addressed in a 
final EIS that was distributed to the public on June 27, 1995. The 
Environmental Protection Agency notice of availability was published on 
July 21, 1995 (60 FR 37640). The final EIS addressed requirements for 
full IRPs and other planning options for small customers. Western 
issued its ROD for EPAMP on September 21, 1995 (60 FR 53181), selecting 
the preferred alternative as described in the final EIS. Essential 
elements of Western's preferred alternative required IRPs for many of 
Western's long-term customers, and a Small Customer Plan option for 
those customers with total energy sales or usage of 25 gigawatthours 
(GWh) or less, which are not members of either a joint action agency or 
a generation and transmission cooperative with power supply 
responsibility, and which have limited economic, managerial, and

[[Page 16390]]

resource capabilities. Other alternatives considered are addressed in 
Western's September 21, 1995, ROD on EPAMP.
    Following EPAct requirements, Western's Administrator initiated a 
public process to review Western's IRP regulations on November 17, 1999 
(64 FR 62604). The Administrator is authorized to revise Western's 
criteria for approving IRPs ``to reflect changes, if any, in 
technology, needs, or other developments.''
    In response to this public process, Western proposed revised IRP 
Criteria, revisions to the Small Customer Plan, and two new options 
that will be promulgated with the new regulation. Western is adopting 
an approach that features customer choice and flexibility, and reflects 
the transition of the electric utility industry. Customers can choose 
to continue preparing IRPs, or can adopt approaches that are emerging 
in lieu of IRP requirements. These new approaches include compliance 
with a defined level of investment in demand-side management and/or 
renewable energy, including compliance with a public benefits program, 
or compliance with mandated energy efficiency and/or renewable energy 
activities and related reporting requirements. The revisions were not 
addressed in the EIS for EPAMP. It was unclear whether or not to 
prepare an EIS supplement for the revisions, so Western prepared a 
Supplement Analysis (DOE/EIS-0182-SA-1) addressing the changes pursuant 
to 10 CFR part 1021.314. Based on the Supplement Analysis, Western 
determined that no further National Environmental Policy Act 
documentation is required for the revisions to the IRP regulations. 
Therefore, Western has decided to promulgate new IRP regulations. The 
Supplement Analysis is available upon request.
    No Mitigation Action Plan will be prepared for the new IRP 
regulations, as the proposal involves no construction, and no 
mitigation was identified as necessary to implement the new 
regulations.

    Dated: March 13, 2000.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-7582 Filed 3-27-00; 8:45 am]
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