[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46432-46434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18797]



[[Page 46432]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Boulder Canyon Project--Post-2017 Resource Pool

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Allocation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal 
power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the 
Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) Post-2017 Resource Pool Proposed 
Allocation of Power (BCP Proposed Allocation) developed under the 
Conformed Power Marketing Criteria or Regulations for the Boulder 
Canyon Project (2012 Conformed Criteria) published in the Federal 
Register on June 14, 2012, as required by the Hoover Power Allocation 
Act of 2011, and Western's final BCP post-2017 marketing criteria and 
call for applications published in the Federal Register on December 30, 
2013. Applications received by March 31, 2014, were considered for an 
allocation. Western will prepare and publish the Final Allocation of 
Power in the Federal Register after the close of the comment period 
provided for in this Federal Register notice and consideration of all 
submitted public comments.

DATES: Entities interested in commenting on the BCP Proposed Allocation 
may submit written comments using the methods set out in the ADDRESSES 
section. Western will accept written comments received on or before 
September 19, 2014.
    Western will hold three public information forums on the BCP 
Proposed Allocation. The dates for the public information forums are:
    1. August 26, 2014, 1 p.m., PDT, Las Vegas, Nevada.
    2. August 27, 2014, 10 a.m., PDT, Ontario, California.
    3. August 28, 2014, 10 a.m., MST, Tempe, Arizona.
    Following the public information forums, Western will hold three 
public comment forums. The dates for the public comment forums are:
    1. September 16, 2014, 1 p.m., PDT, Las Vegas, Nevada.
    2. September 17, 2014, 10 a.m., PDT, Ontario, California.
    3. September 18, 2014, 10 a.m., MST, Tempe, Arizona.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the BCP Proposed Allocation 
should be sent to: Mr. Ronald E. Moulton, Acting Regional Manager, 
Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457. Comments may 
also be faxed to (602) 605-2490 or emailed to [email protected].
    The public information and public comment forums will be held at: 
The New Las Vegas Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, 
Nevada; DoubleTree Ontario Airport, 222 N. Vineyard, Ontario, 
California; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Phoenix Tempe, 2100 S. Priest 
Drive, Tempe, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mike Simonton, Public Utilities 
Specialist, Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area 
Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457, telephone 
number (602) 605-2675, email [email protected]. Comments received in 
response to this Federal Register notice will be posted to Western's 
Web site at http://www.wapa.gov/dsw/pwrmkt.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BCP was authorized by the Boulder Canyon 
Project Act of 1928 (43 U.S.C. 617) (BCPA). Under Section 5 of the 
BCPA, the Secretary of the Interior marketed the capacity and energy 
from the BCP under electric service contracts effective through May 31, 
1987. In 1977, the power marketing functions of the Secretary of the 
Interior were transferred to Western by Section 302 of the Department 
of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7152) (DOE Act). On December 28, 
1984, Western published the Conformed General Consolidated Criteria or 
Regulations for Boulder City Area Projects (1984 Conformed Criteria) 
(49 FR 50582) to implement applicable provisions of the Hoover Power 
Plant Act of 1984 (43 U.S.C. 619) for the marketing of BCP power 
through September 30, 2017.
    On December 20, 2011, Congress enacted the Hoover Power Allocation 
Act of 2011 (43 U.S.C. 619a) (HPAA), which provides direction and 
guidance in marketing BCP power after the existing contracts expire on 
September 30, 2017. On June 14, 2012, Western published the 2012 
Conformed Criteria (77 FR 35671) to implement applicable provisions of 
the HPAA for the marketing of BCP power from October 1, 2017, through 
September 30, 2067. The 2012 Conformed Criteria formally established a 
resource pool defined as ``Schedule D'' to be allocated to new 
allottees. In accordance with the HPAA, Western allocated portions of 
Schedule D power to the Arizona Power Authority (APA) and the Colorado 
River Commission of Nevada (CRC), as described in the June 14, 2012, 
Federal Register notice. Of the remaining Schedule D power, Western is 
to allocate 11,510 kilowatts (kW) of contingent capacity and associated 
firm energy to new allottees within the State of California, and 69,170 
kW of contingent capacity and associated firm energy to new allottees 
within the Boulder City Area (BCA) marketing area as defined in the 
2012 Conformed Criteria.
    After conducting a public process and in consideration of comments 
received, Western published final marketing criteria (78 FR 79436) and 
made a call for applications on December 30, 2013. Applications from 
those seeking an allocation of Schedule D power from Western were due 
on March 31, 2014. The BCP Proposed Allocation was determined by 
applying the final marketing criteria to the applications received 
during the call for applications. Western seeks comments on the 
proposed allocations during this comment period.

Proposed Power Allocation

    Western received 107 applications for Schedule D power. The final 
marketing criteria provide Native American tribes first consideration 
for an allocation of Schedule D sufficient to provide Federal 
hydropower up to 25 percent of their peak load when considering the 
amount of their load already served by existing Federal power resource 
allocations. Western received 33 applications from Native American 
tribes and 74 applications from non-tribal entities.
    The BCP Proposed Allocation was established by applying the final 
marketing criteria. The 69,170 kW to be marketed in the BCA marketing 
area was distributed first. Application of the first consideration for 
Native American tribes resulted in 28,970 kW of contingent capacity to 
tribes. The remaining 40,200 kW was distributed to eligible applicants 
pro-rata based on peak load while normalizing the percentage of the 
applicants' peak loads served by Federal hydropower. The 11,510 kW to 
be marketed in the State of California was distributed to eligible 
California applicants pro-rata based on peak load while normalizing the 
percentage of the applicants' peak loads served by Federal hydropower 
inclusive of distributions of the 69,170 kW.
    Capacity from the Post-2017 Resource Pool was allocated to eligible 
applicants under the final marketing criteria. Associated energy was 
determined by a pro-rata distribution to the allocated capacity 
consistent with HPAA Schedule D.

[[Page 46433]]

    The BCP Proposed Allocation is as follows:

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Boulder Canyon project                            Proposed post-2017 power allocations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Firm energy (kWh)
                    Allottee                        Contingent   -----------------------------------------------
                                                   capacity (kW)      Summer          Winter           Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians..........           1,449       2,212,925         950,554       3,163,479
Ann Electric Cooperative, Inc...................           1,836       2,803,827       1,201,670       4,005,497
Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians..............             224         341,787         146,814         488,601
Bishop Paiute Tribe.............................             380         580,896         249,522         830,418
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.................           1,001       1,529,415         656,955       2,186.370
California Department of Water Resources........           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe.........................           1,386       2,116,664         909,206       3,025.870
City of Cerritos, California....................           3,000       4,581,918       1,965,197       6,547,115
City of Chandler, AZ Municipal Utilities                     830       1,267,957         544,646       1,812,604
 Department.....................................
City of Corona, California......................           3,000       4,582,103       1,963,423       6,545,526
City of Flagstaff, Arizona......................             214         326,211         140,123         466,334
City of Glendale, Arizona.......................             525         801,670         344,355       1,146,025
City of Globe, Arizona..........................             151         230,255          98,905         329,160
City of Henderson, Nevada.......................             865       1,321,594         567,686       1,889,280
City of Las Vegas, Nevada.......................           1,117       1,705,672         732,665       2,438,337
City of North Las Vegas, Nevada.................             253         386,274         165,923         552,197
City of Payson, Arizona.........................             149         227,025          97,518         324,542
City of Peoria, Arizona.........................             435         664,186         285,299         949,485
City of Phoenix, Arizona........................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
City of Rancho Cucamonga, CA Municipal Utility..           3,000       4,581,920       1,965,183       6,547,103
City of Scottsdale, Arizona.....................           2,755       4,207,817       1,807,453       6,015,270
City of Tempe, AZ Public Works Department.......             257         391,907         168,342         560,249
City of Tucson, Arizona Water Department........           1,501       2,292,297         984,648       3,276,945
City of Victorville, California.................           2,901       4,431,073       1,900,234       6,331,307
Clark County School District....................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Clark County Water Reclamation District.........             741       1,132,024         486,257       1,618,281
College of Southern Nevada......................             446         680,761         292,418         973,179
Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc.........             135         206,289          88,611         294,900
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation....................             338         516,596         221,902         738,497
Gila River Indian Community.....................             838       1,279,092         549,429       1,828,521
Graham County Electric Cooperative, Inc.........             556         848,804         364,601       1,213,405
Hualapai Indian Tribe...........................             381         581,402         249,739         831,142
Imperial Irrigation District....................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians...................             124         189,374          81,345         270,719
Las Vegas Paiute Tribe..........................             592         904,123         388,363       1,292,485
Las Vegas Valley Water District.................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Metropolitan Domestic Water Improvement District             105         159,687          68,593         228,280
Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc................           2,878       4,395,963       1,888,270       6,284,233
Morongo Band of Mission Indians.................           1,098       1,677,459         720,547       2,398,005
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority.................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Navopache Electric Cooperative, Inc.............             610         931,473         400,111       1,331,584
Northern Arizona Irrigation District Power Pool.             306         467,490         200,809         668,298
Pascua Yaqui Tribe..............................             217         330,693         142,048         472,741
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians........           2,000       3,054,583       1,312,085       4,366,668
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.......           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
San Diego County Water Authority................           1,757       2,683,309       1,150,718       3,834,026
San Luis Rey River Indian Water Authority.......           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians..............           2,554       3,901,025       1,675,672       5,576,697
State of Nevada Department of Corrections.......             186         283,682         121,855         405,536
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative,               3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
 Inc............................................
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.........................             119         181,190          77,830         259,020
Tohono O'odham Nation...........................           2,709       4,137,589       1,777,287       5,914,876
Tonto Apache Tribe..............................             195         298,187         128,085         426,273
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians.........           1,657       2,531,217       1,087,275       3,618,493
Trico Electric Cooperative, Inc.................           3,000       4,581,625       1,968,021       6,549,646
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians.......           1,319       2,014,467         865,307       2,879,774
University of Nevada, Las Vegas.................             202         308,732         132,615         441,347
Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.................           1,388       2,120,147         910,702       3,030,849
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................          80,680     123,217,000      52,909,000     176,126,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    After applying the criteria to eligible applications received, the 
following applicants have not been assigned a proposed allocation due 
to the following reasons:

[[Page 46434]]

Amount of Peak Load Already Served by Federal Hydropower
Ak-Chin Indian Community;
Central Arizona Irrigation & Drainage District;
City of Maricopa, Arizona;
City of Mesa, Arizona;
City of Mesquite, Nevada;
City of Needles, California;
City of Page, Arizona Water Utility;
City of Williams, Arizona;
Colorado River Indian Tribes;
Fort Mohave Indian Tribe;
Hohokam Irrigation & Drainage District;
Hyder Valley Irrigation & Water Delivery District;
Maricopa-Standfield Irrigation & Drainage District;
Moapa Band of Paiutes;
Moapa Valley Water District;
Mt. Wheeler Power Inc.;
New Magma Irrigation & Drainage District;
Nye County, Nevada;
Paloma Irrigation & Drainage District;
San Carlos Apache Tribe;
State of Nevada Department of Veterans Sevices;
Town of Fredonia, Arizona;
Town of Gilbert, Arizona;
Virgin Valley Water District;
White Mountain Apache Tribe.
Potential Allocation Does Not Meet 100 kW Minimum
Arizona Rural Irrigation District Pooling Parties;
Avra Water Co-op, Inc.;
Board of Regents, Nevada State College;
City of Sedona, Arizona;
City of Sierra Vista, Arizona;
Desert Research Institute;
Division of Museums & History, Lost City Museum;
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians;
Grover's Hill Irrigation District;
Havasupai Tribe;
Henderson District Public Libraries;
Mohave Valley Irrigation & Dainage District;
State of Nevada Department of Administration;
State of Nevada Department of Employment;
State of Nevada Department of Health & Human Services;
State of Nevada Department of Transportation;
State of Nevada Division of State Parks & Division of Forestry;
State of Nevada, Office of the Military;
Yavapai-Apache Nation.
    Two applicants did not provide sufficient historical load 
information to receive further consideration for an allocation and 
three applicants did not meet the general eligibility requirements. The 
Red Rock Agricultural Improvement and Power District Irrigation Water 
Delivery District of Pinal County, and the Pauma Band of Mission 
Indians failed to submit suitable historical load information for 
consideration in their application. The Silverbell Irrigation and 
Drainage District is a direct allottee of the APA for BCP power and 
therefore is not considered a new allottee eligible for Schedule D. The 
San Carlos Irrigation Project and the Department of Energy National 
Nuclear Security Administration are Federal agencies and are not 
considered eligible under Section 5 of the BCPA.

Regulatory Procedure Requirements

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.

Environmental Compliance

    In accordance with the DOE National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Procedures (10 CFR 1021), Western has determined that 
these actions fit within a class of action B4.1 Contracts, policies, 
and marketing and allocation plans for electric power, in Appendix B to 
Subpart D to Part 1021--Categorical Exclusions Applicable to Specific 
Agency Actions.

    Dated: July 30, 2014.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-18797 Filed 8-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P