[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20332-20333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7753]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. PP-22-4]


Application To Amend Presidential Permit; British Columbia 
Transmission Corporation

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

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) has applied 
for an amendment of a Presidential permit to construct, operate, and 
maintain an electric transmission line across the U.S. international 
border.

DATES: Comments, protests, or requests to intervene must be submitted 
on or before May 24, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
Reliability (OE-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jerry Pell (Program Office) at 
202-586-3362, or by e-mail to [email protected], or Michael T. 
Skinker (Program Attorney) at 202-586-2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The construction, operation, maintenance, 
and connection of facilities at the international border of the United 
States for the transmission of electric energy between the United 
States and a foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a 
Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 10485, as 
amended by EO 12038.
    On March 26, 2007, BCTC, a Canadian corporation, filed an 
application with the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
Reliability (OE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) to amend 
Presidential Permit PP-22 which authorized the construction, operation, 
and maintenance of ten, single-conductor 132-kV submarine cables which 
cross the U.S. international border twice in the Strait of Georgia. The 
international transmission facilities covered by Presidential Permit 
PP-22 do not connect to any U.S. electrical facility, but rather 
connect the mainland of British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, and Vancouver 
Island, passing through approximately 7.5 miles of U.S. territorial 
waters in the Strait of Georgia. BCTC proposes to replace the three 
southernmost cables with three new submarine cables which would operate 
at 230-kV.
    BCTC is the successor to the British Columbia Hydro and Power 
Authority, which in turn is the successor to the British Columbia 
Electric Company Limited, the original holder of PP-22. BCTC requests 
that if DOE grants its request to amend PP-22 the amended permit be 
issued to BCTC.
    Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to become a party to this 
proceeding or to be heard by filing comments or protests to this 
application should file a petition to intervene, comment or protest at 
the address provided above in accordance with Sec.  385.211 or 385.214 
of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of Practice 
and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each 
petition and protest should be filed with DOE on or before the date 
listed above.

[[Page 20333]]

    Additional copies of such petitions to intervene or protest also 
should be filed directly with Mr. Bruce Barrett, Vice President, Major 
Projects, British Columbia Transmission Corp., Suite 110, Four Bentall 
Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street, P.O. Box 49260, Vancouver, B.C. V7X 1V5, 
Canada.
    Before a Presidential permit may be granted or amended, DOE must 
determine that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the 
reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. In addition, DOE 
must consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., 
granting the Presidential permit, with any conditions and limitations, 
or denying the permit) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969. DOE also must obtain the concurrences of the Secretary of 
State and the Secretary of Defense before taking final action on a 
Presidential permit application.
    Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above. In 
addition, the application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically 
at http://www.oe.energy.gov/permitting/electricity_imports_exports.htm. Upon reaching the home page, select ``Pending 
Applications.''

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 16, 2007.
Anthony J. Como,
Director, Siting and Permitting, Office of Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. E7-7753 Filed 4-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P