[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 82 (Friday, April 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22372-22373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8579]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division 
Proposed Project Use Power Rate

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern 
and Western divisions, Project Use Power Rate Adjustment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is proposing a rate 
adjustment (proposed rate) for Project Use Power for the Pick-Sloan 
Missouri Basin Program (P-SMBP), Eastern and Western Division. The 
proposed rate for Project Use Power is to recover all annual operating, 
maintenance, and replacement expenses. The analysis of the proposed 
Project Use Rate is included in a booklet available upon request. The 
proposed rate for Project Use Power will become effective August 1, 
2005.
    This notice provides the opportunity for public comment. After 
review of comments received, Reclamation will consider them, revise the 
rates if necessary, and recommend a proposed rate for approval to the 
Secretary of the Interior's Office.

DATES: The comment period will begin with publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. To be assured consideration, please submit 
comments on or before June 6, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Kerry McCalman, GP-2020, 
Power O&M Administrator, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 36900, 
Billings, MT 59107-6900.
    All booklets, studies, comments, letters, memoranda, and other 
documents made or kept by Reclamation for the purpose of developing the 
proposed rate for Project Use Power will be made available for 
inspection and copying at the Great Plains Regional Office, located at 
316

[[Page 22373]]

North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59107-6900.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry McCalman, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Great Plains Regional Office, at (406) 247-7705 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Rate Adjustment

    Power rates for the P-SMBP are established pursuant to the 
Reclamation Act of 1902 (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.), as amended and 
supplemented by subsequent enactments, particularly section 9(c) of the 
Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c)) and the Flood 
Control Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 887).
    Beginning August 1, 2005, Reclamation proposes to:
    (a) Increase the energy charge from 10.76 mills/kWh to 12.55 mills/
kWh.
    (b) The monthly demand charge will remain at zero.
    The Project Use Power rate will be reviewed each time Western Area 
Power Administration (Western) adjusts the P-SMBP Firm power rate. 
Western will conduct the necessary studies and use the methodology 
identified in this rate proposal to determine a new rate.
    The existing rate schedule MRB-P11 placed into effect on March 22, 
2002, will be replaced by rate schedule MRB-P12. The new rate schedule 
will include a penalty for exceeding the contract rate of delivery 
(CROD). Energy usage in excess of the CROD will be billed at a rate 10 
times the project use power rate. This will be calculated on a prorated 
basis. The customer will also be billed for any increased capacity and 
transmission charges incurred as a result of exceeding the CROD.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and Reclamation's Regulations (10 
CFR part 1021), Reclamation has determined that this action is 
categorically excluded from the preparation of an Environmental 
Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public 
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There 
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's 
identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to 
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: March 15, 2005.
Donald E. Moomaw,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 05-8579 Filed 4-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P