[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37702-37703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18073]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Post-2010 Resource Pool, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--
Eastern Division

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed allocation.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western), Upper Great 
Plains Region, a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of 
Energy (DOE), hereby announces the Post-2010 Resource Pool Proposed 
Allocation of Power. The Energy Planning and Management Program 
(Program) provides for project-specific resource pools and allocating 
power from these pools to new preference customers and other 
appropriate purposes as determined by Western. Western, in accordance 
with the Program, is proposing an allocation of Federal power from the 
Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) 
beginning January 1, 2011. Western intends to use power previously 
returned to Western for this proposed allocation. Western will prepare 
and publish the Final Allocation of Power in the Federal Register after 
all public comments on the proposed allocation have been considered.

DATES: Entities interested in commenting on the proposed allocation of 
power must submit written comments to Western's Upper Great Plains 
Regional Office. Western must receive written and/or electronic 
comments by 4 p.m., MDT, on September 28, 2009. Western reserves the 
right to not consider any comments that are received after the 
prescribed date and time.
    Western will hold a public information forum and a public comment 
forum (immediately following the information forum) on the proposed 
allocation of power. The public information and public comment forums 
will be held on September 17, 2009, at 9 a.m., CDT, in Sioux Falls, 
South Dakota.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments regarding this proposed allocation 
of Western power to Robert J. Harris, Regional Manager, Upper Great 
Plains Region, Western Area Power Administration, 2900 4th Avenue 
North, Billings, MT 59101-1266. Comments on the proposed allocation may 
also be faxed to (406) 247-7408 or e-mailed to [email protected].
    The public information and comment forums will be held at the 
Holiday Inn, 100 West 8th Street, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John A. Pankratz, Public Utilities 
Specialist, Upper Great Plains Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266, 
telephone (406) 247-7392, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Program, (60 FR 
54151, October 20, 1995), Western published the proposed procedures and 
call for applications in the Federal Register on October 15, 2008 (73 
FR 61109). Western held a public information and comment forum on 
November 20, 2008, to accept oral and written comments on the proposed 
procedures and call for applications. Applications for power were 
accepted at Western's Upper Great Plains Regional Office until close of 
business on January 13, 2009. On May 5, 2009, Western published the 
final procedures in the Federal Register (74 FR 20697). The proposed 
allocation of power published here is the result of applications 
received during the call for applications. Applications were subjected 
to the Final Post-2010 Resource Pool Allocation Procedures.
    Past resource pools under the Program were established from 
withdrawals of power from existing customers. Subject to the size of 
the final allocation, Western does not intend to make a withdrawal of 
power from existing customers for the proposed Post-2010 Resource Pool 
allocation. Instead of withdrawal, Western, in accordance with 10 CFR 
905.32(e)(2) of the Program, intends to use power previously placed 
under contract and subsequently returned to Western through termination 
of that contract (Returned Power) for this proposed allocation. The 
amount of Returned Power is sufficient for the proposed allocation; 
therefore, withdrawal from existing customers may not be required. Any 
Returned Power not used to establish the Post-2010 Resource Pool for 
the final allocation will continue to be used to reduce the need to 
acquire firming resources and other uses recognized under the Program.

Availability of Information

    Documents developed or retained by Western in developing this Post-
2010 Resource Pool will be available for inspection and copying at the 
Upper Great Plains Regional Office in Billings, Montana. Written 
comments received on the proposed allocation will be available for 
viewing at http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/Post2010/default.htm after the close 
of the comment period.

Proposed Allocation of Power

    Western received four applications from entities interested in an 
allocation of power from the Post-2010 Resource Pool. Review of the 
applications indicated that three of the four applicants did not 
qualify under the Final Post-2010 Resource Pool Allocation Procedures. 
The proposed allocation of power for the new eligible customer was 
calculated using the Final Post-2010 Resource Pool Allocation 
Procedures. The proposed summer allocation is 24.84413 percent of peak 
summer load; the proposed winter allocation is 35.98853 percent of peak 
winter load as defined in the Post-1985 Marketing Plan criteria, under 
the Final Post-2010 Resource Pool Allocation Procedures. The proposed 
allocation of power for the new eligible customer and the load upon 
which this proposed allocation is based is as follows:

[[Page 37703]]



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                                                                                     Proposed Post-2010  power
                                         2007 Summer Season   2007 Winter Season            allocation
             New customer                    peak load            peak load      -------------------------------
                                            (kilowatts)          (kilowatts)          Summer          Winter
                                                                                    (kilowatts)     (kilowatts)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of New Ulm, MN...................               1,626                1,301             404             468
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    If the P-SMBP-ED marketable resource is adjusted in the future, the 
proposed allocation of power may be adjusted accordingly.
    Entities interested in commenting on the proposed allocation of 
power must submit written comments to Western's Upper Great Plains 
Regional Office as described in the Addresses Section above or provide 
comments at the Public Comment Forum described in the Dates Section 
above. Western will respond to comments received on the proposed 
allocation of power and will publish its notice of final allocation 
following the end of the public comment period.

Post-2010 Resource Pool Procedures Requirements

Environmental Compliance

    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347 (2007)); the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and DOE 
NEPA Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021), Western 
has determined that this action is categorically excluded from further 
NEPA review.

    Dated: July 22, 2009.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-18073 Filed 7-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P