[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 60 (Monday, March 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16247-16248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-6915]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Post-2005 Resource Pool, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--
Eastern Division

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed allocation.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), Upper Great 
Plains Customer Service Region, a Federal power marketing agency of the 
Department of Energy, announces the Post-2005 Resource Pool Proposed 
Allocation of Power. The Energy Planning and Management Program 
(Program) provides for project-specific resource pools and power 
allocations from these pools to new preference customers and/or other 
appropriate purposes as determined by Western. Western, under the 
Program, is proposing allocations from a Federal power resource pool of 
the long-term marketable resource of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin 
Program--Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) that will become available 
January 1, 2006. Western will prepare and publish the Final Allocation 
of Power in the Federal Register after all public comments have been 
considered.

DATES: Entities interested in commenting on the proposed allocations of 
power must submit written comments to Western's Upper Great Plains 
Customer Service Regional Office at the address below. Western must 
receive written and/or electronic comments by 4 p.m., MDT, on June 28, 
2004. Entities are encouraged to use certified mail, e-mail, or fax for 
delivery of comments. Western will accept comments received via regular 
mail through the United States Postal Service if postmarked at least 3 
days before June 28, 2004, and received no later than July 2, 2004. 
Western reserves the right to not consider any comments that are not 
received by the prescribed dates and times. Western will hold public 
information forums and public comment forums (immediately following the 
information forums) on the proposed allocation of power.
    The public information and comment forum dates and times are:
    1. April 27, 2004, 2 p.m., Billings, Montana.
    2. April 28, 2004, 1 p.m., Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments regarding these proposed allocations 
of Western power to Robert J. Harris, Regional Manager, Upper Great 
Plains Customer Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, 2900 
4th Avenue North, Billings, MT, 59107-1266. Comments on the proposed 
allocations may also be faxed to (406) 247-7408 or e-mailed to 
[email protected].
    The public information and comment forum locations are:
    1. Billings--Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney 
Lane, Billings, Montana.
    2. Sioux Falls--Best Western Ramkota Hotel, 3200 West Maple Street, 
Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[[Page 16248]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon R. Horst, Public Utilities 
Specialist, Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region, Western Area 
Power Administration, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59107-1266, 
telephone (406) 247-7444, e-mail [email protected].
    All documents developed or retained by Western in developing this 
Post-2005 Resource Pool will be available for inspection and copying at 
the Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region in Billings, Montana. 
Public comments will be available for viewing at http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/contracts/post2005/comments.htm after the close of the comment 
period.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 4, 2003, Western published the 
proposed procedures and call for applications in the Federal Register. 
Western held public information and comment forums on April 8-10, 2003, 
to accept oral and written comments on the proposed procedures and call 
for applications. Applications for power were accepted at Western's 
Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region until close of business on 
June 2, 2003. On December 2, 2003, Western published the final 
procedures in the Federal Register. The proposed allocations of power 
published here are the result of those applications received during the 
call for applications. Applications received were subjected to the 
Final Post-2005 Resource Pool Allocation Procedures.

I. Proposed Allocation of Power

    Western received 14 applications for the Post-2005 Resource Pool. 
Review of the applications indicated that 11 of the 14 applicants did 
not qualify under the Final Post-2005 Resource Pool Allocation 
Procedures. The proposed allocations of power for new customers were 
calculated using the Final Post-2005 Resource Pool Allocation 
Procedures. The proposed summer allocations are 24.84413 percent of 
total summer load; the proposed winter allocations are 35.98853 percent 
of total winter load as defined in the Post-1985 Marketing Plan 
criteria, under the Final Post-2005 Resource Pool Allocation 
Procedures. The proposed allocations of power for new eligible 
customers and the loads these allocations are based upon are as 
follows:

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                                                                                     Proposed post-2005  power
                                                    2002 Summer     2002 Winter             allocation
                  New customers                     season load     season load  -------------------------------
                                                     kilowatts       kilowatts        Summer          Winter
                                                                                     kilowatts       kilowatts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of Auburn, IA..............................             515             409             128             147
City of Pocahontas, IA..........................           4,236           2,980           1,052           1,072
Montana State University--Bozeman, MT...........           8,506           8,536           2,113           3,072
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed allocations of power for new customers listed in the 
table above are based on the P-SMBP--ED marketable resource available 
at this time. If the P-SMBP--ED marketable resource is adjusted in the 
future, the proposed allocations of power may be adjusted accordingly. 
Entities interested in commenting on the proposed allocations of power 
must submit comments to Western's Upper Great Plains Customer Service 
Regional Office as described earlier. Western will respond to the 
comments received on the proposed allocations of power and publish its 
final allocations after the end of the public comment period. Western 
will then begin negotiating new customer contracts.

II. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., 
requires Federal agencies to perform a regulatory flexibility analysis 
if a final rule is likely to have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities and there is a legal requirement 
to issue a general notice of proposed rulemaking. Western has 
determined this action does not require a regulatory flexibility 
analysis since it is a rulemaking of particular applicability relating 
to rates or services.

III. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    Western determined this rule is exempt from congressional 
notification requirements under 5 U.S.C. 801 because the action is a 
rulemaking to approve or prescribe rates or services and involves 
matters of agency procedure.

IV. Determination Under Executive Order 12866

    Western has an exemption from centralized regulatory review under 
Executive Order 12866; so this notice requires no clearance by the 
Office of Management and Budget.

    Dated: March 17, 2004.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-6915 Filed 3-26-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P