[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 9391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4610]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Western Area Power Administration

Notice of Availability of Request for Interest

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Request for Interest.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a power 
marketing administration within the U.S. Department of Energy, 
announces the availability of a Request for Interest (RFI). Western is 
seeking interest from any entity or entities interested in identifying 
a proposed transmission project, primarily in Western's service area, 
and/or desiring to participate with Western and possibly others by 
constructing, financing, owning, operating or maintaining transmission 
facilities or acquiring transmission rights or entering into long-term 
transmission service agreements on that project.

DATES: To be assured consideration, all Statements of Interest should 
be received by Western April 3, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to obtain a 
copy of this RFI, please contact Transmission Infrastructure Program, 
Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-
8213, e-mail [email protected]. The RFI is also available on Western's Web 
site at http://www.wapa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western markets and transmits wholesale 
hydroelectric power, generated at Federal dams across the western 
United States. This power is sold to customers in accordance with 
Federal Law. Western's transmission system was developed to deliver the 
Federal hydropower to those customers. Western owns and operates an 
integrated 17,000 circuit mile, high-voltage transmission system across 
15 western states and a 1.3 million square-mile service area. Western's 
service area encompasses all of the following states: Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South 
Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming: as well as parts of Iowa, Kansas, Montana, 
Minnesota, and Texas. Today, Western makes capacity on its transmission 
system, excess to that needed to serve its preference customers, 
available through the policies and procedures outlined in its Open 
Access Transmission Tariff.
    This RFI is being issued under authority granted to Western in the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Section 
402 of the Recovery Act gives Western authority to construct, finance, 
facilitate, plan, operate, maintain or study construction of new or 
upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities with 
at least one terminus within the area served by Western and for 
delivering or facilitating the delivery of power generated by renewable 
energy resources constructed or reasonably expected to be constructed. 
The law provides borrowing authority to facilitate Western's 
participation, and further specifies that Western, in the course of 
selecting potential projects to be funded under this section, shall 
seek requests for interest from entities interested in identifying 
potential projects. This FRN fulfills that requirement.

Environmental Compliance

    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and the DOE 
NEPA Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021), Western 
has determined that this action is categorically excluded from further 
NEPA analysis. Future actions under this authority will undergo 
appropriate NEPA analysis.

    Dated: February 20, 2009.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-4610 Filed 3-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P