[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36084-36085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1417]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD04-9-000]


Billing Procedures for Annual Charges for the Costs of Other 
Federal Agencies for Administering Part I of the Federal Power Act; 
Notice of Technical Conference

June 18, 2004.
    1. In an order issued on June 18, 2004, the Commission acted on 
matters remanded to it by the court in City of Tacoma, WA, et al. v. 
FERC, 331 F.3d 106 (D.C. Cir. 2003). The court concluded that the 
Commission is required to determine the reasonableness of costs 
incurred by other Federal agencies (OFAs) related to the participation 
of those agencies in the Commission's proceedings under Federal Power 
Act (FPA) Part I \1\ when those agencies seek to include such costs in 
the administrative annual charges licensees must pay to reimburse the 
United States for the cost of administering Part I.\2\ The court also 
remanded to the Commission issues regarding the eligibility of specific 
types of OFA costs for reimbursement, and issues regarding the 
availability of refunds for certain charges.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 794-823b.
    \2\ The OFAs are the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of 
Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park 
Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (all in the 
Department of the Interior); the Corps of Engineers (in the 
Department of the Army); the U.S. Forest Service (in the Department 
of Agriculture); and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (in the Department of Commerce).
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    2. The June 18 order determined which OFA costs are eligible to be 
included in administrative annual charges. It also established 
procedures for Commission review of future OFA cost submittals and 
those currently under appeal. Finally, it introduced a new form for 
such cost submittals and announced that a technical conference would be 
held for the purpose of finalizing the proposed form, so that it can be 
used in the Commission's consideration of OFA cost submittals on appeal 
and prospectively. The form was attached to the order and is posted on 
the Commission's Web site.\3\
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    \3\ http://www.ferc.gov/.
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    3. The Comission will hold a technical conference on the new form 
for submittal of OFA Part I-related costs. The purpose of the 
conference will be for OFAs and licensees to obtain any needed 
clarification regarding the format and content requirements of the 
form, and to make any

[[Page 36085]]

recommendations for improvement of the form in that regard. The 
conference will not consider any issues pertaining to requests for 
rehearing of the June 18 Order.
    4. The Conference will be held on July 1, 2004, in Hearing Room 6 
at the Commission's headquarters at 888 First Street, NE., Washington, 
DC. The conference will begin at 9 a.m. (e.s.t). An agenda may be 
viewed on the Commission's website by June 25, 2004.
    5. The technical conference will also be transcribed. Those 
interested in obtaining a copy of the transcript immediately for a fee 
should contact the Ace-Federal Reporters, Inc., at 202-347-3700, or 1-
800-336-6646. Two weeks after the post-forum meeting, the transcript 
will be available for free on the Commission's e-library system. Anyone 
without access to the Commission's website or who has questions about 
the technical conference should contact Anton Porter at 202-502-8728, 
e-mail at [email protected].

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-1417 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P