[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16298-16299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4711]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability


Public Scoping Meeting on Study of Energy Rights-of-Way on Tribal 
Lands

AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, 
Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Request for Public 
Comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Department of Energy 
(``DOE'') and Department of the Interior (``DOI'') (collectively 
referred to as the ``Departments'') intend to jointly hold a three-day 
public scoping meeting in connection with the Department's ongoing 
study of energy rights-of-way on tribal land pursuant to section 1813 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Through these meetings, the 
Departments invite the public to provide additional oral or written 
comments about how to proceed with the implementation of section 1813.

DATES: A three-day meeting will be held April 18, 19 and 20, 2006, at 
the Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street, Denver Colorado, 80202; Tel. 
(303) 486-4402. We have reserved a block of rooms at the hotel for the 
meeting on a first-come first-served basis. Please inform the hotel 
that you are attending the ``Energy Policy Act--Section 1813 Meeting.'' 
If you are representing a 638 Tribe, you can request the government 
rate, which we have obtained for some of the rooms in the reserved 
block. All written comments should be submitted to the contacts below 
before May 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments by regular mail to Attention: 
Section 1813 ROW Study, Office of Indian Energy and Economic 
Development, 1849 C St., NW., Mail Stop 2749-MIB, Washington, DC, 20240 
or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Darryl Francois, Office of Indian 
Energy and Economic Development, 1849 C St., NW., Mail Stop 2749-MIB, 
Washington, DC, 20240. He can also be reached by telephone at (202) 
219-0740 or by electronic mail at [email protected]. Please 
contact Mr. David Meyer via mail at, Department of Energy, Office of 
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, 1000 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20585, via phone at (202) 586-3118, or via 
electronic mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1813 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 
requires the Secretaries of the Departments of the Interior and Energy 
to jointly conduct a study of energy rights-of-way on tribal land. 
Specifically, section 1813 requires the Departments submit to Congress 
a report on the findings of the study, including:
    (1) An analysis of historic rates of compensation paid for energy 
rights-of-way on tribal land;
    (2) recommendations for appropriate standards and procedures for 
determining fair and appropriate compensation to Indian tribes for 
grants, expansions, and renewals for energy rights-of-way on tribal 
land;

[[Page 16299]]

    (3) an assessment of the tribal self-determination and sovereignty 
interests implicated by applications for the grant, expansion, or 
renewal of energy rights-of-way on tribal land; and
    (4) an analysis of relevant national energy transportation policies 
relating to grants, expansions, and renewals of energy rights-of-way on 
tribal land.
    At the April meetings, the Departments seek the public's input on 
the types of information related to the historic rates of compensation 
paid for energy rights-of-way on tribal land that are important for the 
Departments to consider in the study. While the Departments are making 
good progress in this regard, we continue to seek factual information 
from the public to support specific case studies that members of the 
public regard as relevant to one or more elements of the study.
    The overall purpose of the April meeting is to advance the dialogue 
that took place at the scoping meetings in Denver, March 7-8, 2006, and 
provide an additional opportunity for the public to supply oral and/or 
written comments about each of the four elements of the study. The 
April meetings will also provide an opportunity for the Departments to 
present preliminary progress made with respect to each of the study 
elements.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 27, 2006.
Kevin M. Kolevar,
Director, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. 
Department of Energy.
 [FR Doc. E6-4711 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P