[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 124 (Friday, June 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38369-38370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13752]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Re-Opening of Comment Period for Proposed Salt Lake City Area 
Integrated Projects Firm Power Rate and Colorado River Storage Project 
Transmission and Ancillary Services Rates--Rate Order No. WAPA-190

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of re-opening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) announces the re-
opening of the comment period for the proposed Salt Lake City Area 
Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP) firm power rate and Colorado River 
Storage Project (CRSP) transmission and ancillary services formula 
rates under Rate Order No. WAPA-190.

DATES: The comment period will begin June 26, 2020 and end July 10, 
2020. WAPA will not hold any additional public information and public 
comment forums; however, WAPA will accept written comments anytime 
during the comment period.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to be informed about Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) actions concerning the proposed 
rates submitted by WAPA to FERC for approval should be sent to: Mr. 
Steven Johnson, CRSP Manager, Colorado River Storage Project Management 
Center, Western Area Power Administration, 299 South Main Street, Suite 
200, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, (801) 524-6372, or email: 
[email protected] or [email protected]. WAPA will continue to 
post information about the proposed rates and written comments received 
to its website at: https://www.wapa.gov/regions/CRSP/rates/Pages/rates.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Thomas Hackett, Rates Manager, 
Colorado River Storage Project Management Center, Western Area Power 
Administration, (801) 524-5503, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The formal rate action under Rate Order No. 
WAPA-190 began on January 21, 2020, upon publication of the Notice of 
Proposed Rates in the Federal Register.\1\ The 90-day comment period 
under the Notice of Proposed Rates ended April 20, 2020. WAPA is re-
opening the comment period to provide interested parties the additional 
time to review and provide comments related to information about the 
rate proposals that were made available by WAPA during and after the 
original comment period. WAPA will consider any comments received 
between April 20, 2020 and July 10, 2020 to be timely submitted.
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    \1\ 85 FR 3367 (Jan. 21, 2020).
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Legal Authority

    Existing DOE procedures for public participation in power and 
transmission rate adjustments (10 CFR part 903) were published on 
September 18, 1985, and February 21, 2019.\2\
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    \2\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
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    The proposed action is a major rate adjustment, as defined by 10 
CFR 903.2(e). In accordance with 10 CFR 903.15(a) and 10 CFR 903.16(a), 
WAPA held public information and public comment forums for this rate 
adjustment on March 12, 2020. WAPA will review and consider all timely 
public comments at the conclusion of this comment period and make 
amendments or adjustment to the proposals, as appropriate. Proposed

[[Page 38370]]

rates will be forwarded to the Assistant Secretary for Electricity for 
approval on an interim basis.
    WAPA is establishing the SLCA/IP firm power rate and revised CRSP 
transmission and ancillary services formula rates in accordance with 
section 302 of the DOE Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7152). This Act 
transferred to, and vested in, the Secretary of Energy the power 
marketing functions of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior 
and the Bureau of Reclamation under the Reclamation Act of 1902 (ch. 
1093, 32 Stat. 388), as amended and supplemented by subsequent laws, 
particularly section 9(c) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 
U.S.C. 485h(c)); and other acts that specifically apply to the projects 
involved.
    By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00B, effective November 19, 2016, 
the Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) The authority to develop power 
and transmission rates to WAPA's Administrator; (2) the authority to 
confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis 
to the Deputy Secretary of Energy; and (3) the authority to confirm, 
approve, and place into effect on a final basis, or to remand or 
disapprove such rates, to FERC. By Delegation Order No. 00-002.00S, 
effective January 15, 2020, the Secretary of Energy also delegated the 
authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an 
interim basis to the Under Secretary of Energy. By Redelegation Order 
No. 00-002.10E, effective February 14, 2020, the Under Secretary of 
Energy further delegated the authority to confirm, approve, and place 
such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Assistant Secretary 
for Electricity.

Availability of Information

    All brochures, studies, comments, letters, memoranda, or other 
documents that WAPA initiates or uses to develop the proposed rates are 
available, by appointment, for inspection and copying at the Colorado 
River Storage Project Management Center, 299 South Main Street, Suite 
200, Salt Lake City, Utah, Documents and supporting information are 
also available on WAPA's website at https://www.wapa.gov/regions/CRSP/rates/Pages/rates.aspx.

Ratemaking Procedure Requirements

Environmental Compliance

    WAPA has determined that this action is categorically excluded from 
the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental 
impact statement.\3\ A copy of the categorical exclusion determination 
is available on WAPA's website athttps://www.wapa.gov/regions/CRSP/environment/Pages/environment.aspx.
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    \3\ The determination was done in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-
4347; 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).
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Determination Under Executive Order 12866

    WAPA 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.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on June 19, 
2020, by Mark A. Gabriel, Administrator, Western Area Power 
Administration, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of 
Energy. That document, with the original signature and date, is 
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance 
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the 
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to 
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as 
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2020.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-13752 Filed 6-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P