[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66752-66753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27397]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD11-2-000]


Transmission Vegetation Management Practices; Supplemental Notice 
of Technical Conference

October 21, 2010.
    On October 5, 2010 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
announced that a Technical Conference on Transmission Vegetation 
Management Practices would be held on Tuesday, October 26, from 1 p.m. 
to 5 p.m. This staff-led conference will be held in the Commission 
Meeting Room at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. The conference will be open for the 
public to attend and advance registration is not required. Members of 
the Commission may attend the conference.
    Attached is an agenda for this meeting. The conference will be 
Webcast. Anyone with Internet access who desires to listen to this 
event can do so by navigating to http://www.ferc.gov's Calendar of 
Events and locating this event in the Calendar. The event will contain 
a link to the webcast. The Capitol Connection provides technical 
support for webcasts and offers the option of listening to the meeting 
via phone-bridge for a fee. If you have any questions, visit http://www.CapitolConnection.org or call 703-993-3100.
    Commission conferences are accessible under section 508 of the

[[Page 66753]]

Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations, please 
send an e-mail to [email protected] or call toll free 1-866-208-
3372 (voice) or 202-208-1659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with 
the required accommodations.
    For more information about this conference, please contact: Sarah 
McKinley, Office of External Affairs, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-
8368, [email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.

Technical Conference on Transmission Vegetation Management Practices

Docket No. AD11-2-000

October 26, 2010

Agenda

1 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

    The purpose of the conference is to discuss current vegetation 
management programs and practices as required under the Commission-
approved Reliability Standard FAC-003-1--Transmission Vegetation 
Management Program (TVMP).\1\ Reliability Standard FAC-003-1 applies to 
all transmission lines operated at 200 kV and above, and to lower 
voltage lines designated as ``critical to the reliability of the 
electric system in the region.'' \2\
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    \1\ See Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power 
System, Order No. 693, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,242, at P 695-735; 
Order on reh'g, Order No. 693-A, 120 FERC ] 61,053 at P 95-99 
(2007).
    \2\ Reliability Standard FAC-003-1, section A.4.3.
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    Certain landowners and other affected parties have raised concerns 
about changes in vegetation management practices that utilities 
implemented following adoption of FAC-003-1. Because reliability of the 
Bulk-Power System is critical, the Commission is interested in 
obtaining a better understanding of the scope of any changes in 
vegetation management practices since FAC-003-1 was approved as 
mandatory and enforceable, and the extent to which such changes 
resulted from the requirements imposed under FAC-003-1. The Commission 
is also interested in obtaining a better understanding of the range of 
vegetation management practices used by transmission owners, and the 
reasons for selecting a given practice over alternatives.
Panelists (for Both Panels)
David Morrell--Utility Environmental Analyst, New York Public Service 
Commission.
Robert Novembri--Senior Event Investigator, North American Electric 
Reliability Corporation.
Randall H. Miller--Director, Vegetation Management, PacifiCorp.
David E. Schleicher, PE--Vice President--Transmission, PPL Electric 
Utilities.
Derek Vannice--Executive Director, Utility Arborist Association, 
International Society of Arboriculture.
Charles Goodman--Co-Founder, Indiana Tree Alliance.
Mark Gilliland--Chairperson, LORAX Working Group, Greenburgh 
Environmental Forum.
Representative from another State public service commission (invited).

    1:10 p.m. Session 1--This session will explore the requirements and 
impact of mandatory Reliability Standard FAC-003-1.
     What is required by Reliability Standard FAC-003-1? What 
is its purpose? Who must comply and what facilities are subject to it?
     Are there corresponding or conflicting vegetation 
management requirements at the State level? How are such requirements 
developed and to what facilities do they apply?
     What are common methods used for vegetation management, 
and what are the benefits of each method?
     Why do utilities choose one method over another? Cost, 
benefit of one method over another, or for other reasons?
     What's contained in a typical TMVP? Are there different 
types of TVMPs so that a utility might have one for FAC-003-1 
compliance and another for compliance with State/local vegetation 
management requirements? How is a TVMP created, implemented, and 
approved?
     What effect did mandatory Reliability Standard FAC-003-1 
have on vegetation management practices? Was there a change in 
vegetation management practices post-June 18, 2007?
     Questions from Staff.

3 p.m. Break

    3:15 p.m. Session 2--This session will focus on Right of Way (ROW) 
agreements and landowner concerns and possible solutions.
     What provisions are typically contained in a electric 
transmission line ROW agreement (e.g., common provisions, rights and 
obligations of the utility and landowner)? How are these agreements 
developed/negotiated? Who has jurisdiction over them? Who is the 
arbiter of any disputes?
     Concerns raised by landowners regarding ROW maintenance, 
causes of disputes that say the utility blamed FERC for having to clear 
cut the right of way and remove trees that had long been in place.
     Landowner avenues for relief; can a landowner prevent ROW 
maintenance?
     Costs for vegetation management and who bears them? Are 
any such costs recovered in transmission tariffs subject to the 
Commission's jurisdiction? How are they reviewed by State PSC/PUCs?
     What is the impact, if any, of vegetation management 
practices on the siting of new (or upgraded) transmission lines? How 
can this impact be mitigated?
     Questions from Staff.
     Questions from the public.

4:45 Concluding Remarks

[FR Doc. 2010-27397 Filed 10-28-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P