[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 136 (Monday, July 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40503-40506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11234]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Parker-Davis Project--Post-2008 Resource Pool

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Allocation.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal 
power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the 
Parker-Davis Project (P-DP) Post-2008 Resource Pool Proposed Allocation 
of Power (Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation), developed under the 
requirements of the Energy Planning and Management Program (EPAMP). 
EPAMP provides for establishing project-specific resource pools and 
power allocations from these pools to new preference customers.
    Western's call for applications was published in the October 1, 
2004, Federal Register. Applications received by January 30, 2005, were 
considered for the Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation. Western 
will prepare and publish the Final Allocation of Power in the Federal 
Register after all public comments have been considered.

DATES: The comment period on the Resource Pool Proposed Power 
Allocation will begin today and end September 15, 2006. Western must 
receive all comments by the end of the comment period. Western will 
hold public information and public comment forums on the Resource Pool 
Proposed Power Allocation. The public information forum dates and times 
are:
    1. August 29, 2006, 1 p.m. MST, Phoenix, AZ.
    2. August 31, 2006, 1 p.m. PDT, Ontario, CA.

    The public comment forum dates and times are:
    1. September 12, 2006, 1 p.m. MST, Phoenix, AZ.
    2. September 14, 2006, 1 p.m. PDT, Ontario, CA.

ADDRESSES: Information regarding the Proposed Power Allocation, 
including comments, letters, and other supporting documents, is 
available for public inspection and copying at the Desert Southwest 
Regional Office, Western Area Power Administration, 615 South 43rd 
Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009. Public comments and related information may 
be viewed at http://www.wapa.gov/dsw/pwrmkt. The public information and 
comment forum locations are:
    1. Phoenix--Western Area Power Administration, Desert Southwest 
Regional Office, 615 South 43rd Avenue, Phoenix, AZ.
    2. Ontario--Doubletree Hotel Ontario Airport, 222 North Vineyard 
Ave., Ontario, CA.
    As access to Western facilities is controlled, any U.S. citizen 
wishing to attend any meeting held at Western must present an official 
form of picture identification, such as a U.S. driver's license, U.S. 
passport, U.S. Government ID, or U.S. Military ID, at the time of the 
meeting. Foreign nationals should contact Western at least 45 days in 
advance of the meeting to obtain the necessary form to be admitted to 
Western's offices.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian Young, Remarketing Program 
Manager, Desert Southwest Regional Office, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457, (602) 605-2594, 
e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western published a notice of Final 
Allocation Procedures in the December 16, 2005 Federal Register (70 FR 
74805), to implement Subpart C--Power Marketing Initiative (PMI) of 
EPAMP's Final Rule, 10 CFR part 905 (60 FR 54151). EPAMP, developed in 
part to implement Section 114 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, became 
effective on November 20, 1995. EPAMP calls for planning and efficient 
electric energy use by Western's long-term firm power customers and 
provides a framework for extending Western's firm power resource 
commitments. One aspect of EPAMP is to establish project-specific power 
resource pools when existing resource commitments expire and to 
allocate power from these pools to eligible preference customers. 
Existing resource commitments for the P-DP expire on September 30, 
2008. Western published its decision to apply the EPAMP PMI to the P-DP 
in the Federal Register on May 5, 2003 (68 FR 23709). This decision 
created a resource pool of approximately 17 megawatts (MW) of summer 
season capacity and 13 MW of winter season capacity, based on estimates 
of current P-DP hydroelectric resource availability, for allocation to 
eligible preference customers for 20 years beginning October 1, 2008. 
The resource pool includes 0.869 MW of summer season withdrawable 
capacity and 0.619 MW of winter season withdrawable capacity. The 
associated energy will be a maximum of 3,441 kilowatthours per kilowatt 
(kWh/kW) in the summer season and 1,703 kWh/kW in the winter season, 
based on current marketing plan criteria.
    The Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation was determined from the 
applications received during the call for applications (69 FR 58900) 
under the guidelines of the Final Allocation Procedures, the current P-
DP Marketing Plan (49 FR 50582, 52 FR 7014, and 52 FR 28333), and 
EPAMP. Western seeks

[[Page 40504]]

comments relevant to the proposed allocations during this comment 
period.

Proposed Power Allocation

    Western received 79 applications for the Post-2008 Resource Pool. 
Of those, three applicants did not meet the general eligibility 
requirements. The Final Allocation Criteria provide that firm power 
would be allocated to qualified applicants in the following order of 
priority:
    1. Preference entities in the P-DP marketing area that do not have 
a contract with Western for Federal power resources or are not a member 
of a parent entity that has a contract with Western for Federal power 
resources.
    2. Preference entities in the P-DP marketing area that have a 
contract with Western for Federal power resources or are a member of a 
parent entity that has a contract with Western for Federal power 
resources.
    3. Preference entities in adjacent Federal marketing areas that do 
not have a contract with Western for Federal power resources or are not 
a member of a parent entity that has a contract with Western for 
Federal power resources.
    Western received one application from a preference entity that has 
a contract with Western and is located in an adjacent marketing area. 
As a result, it does not qualify under any of the priority groups. 
Western did not receive any applications from entities in the third 
priority of consideration. Western received 41 applications from 
entities in second priority of consideration and 34 applications from 
entities that are in the first priority of consideration. In addition, 
one application identified load for Indian irrigation pumping on Indian 
lands adjacent to the Colorado River for which priority consideration 
is required.
    The Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation was made by considering 
the 75 qualified applicants in light of the following factors: (1) 
Priority consideration for Indian irrigation pumping on certain Indian 
lands adjacent to the Colorado River in the lower basin; (2) widespread 
use of Federal resources; (3) magnitude of direct or indirect benefits 
from Federal resources; and (4) load. Western proposes to allocate 
power to 12 applicants in the first priority of consideration and one 
applicant for irrigation pumping on Indian lands. The proposed 
allocation amounts are a minimum of 1 MW in accordance with the Final 
Allocation Procedures.
    The proposed allocations are:
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[[Page 40505]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JY06.010

Regulatory Procedure Requirements

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    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 that this action does not require a regulatory flexibility 
analysis since it is a rulemaking of particular applicability involving 
rates or services applicable to public property.

Environmental Compliance

    Western completed an environmental impact statement on EPAMP, under 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Record of 
Decision was published in 60 FR 53181, October 12, 1995. Western's NEPA 
review assured all environmental effects related to these actions have 
been analyzed.

[[Page 40506]]

Determination Under Executive Order 12866

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

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

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

    Dated: July 6, 2006.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-11234 Filed 7-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-C