Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 24, 2004 / Notices 68339

Power Administration, One West Third 

Street, Tulsa, OK 74101. 

Administrator’s Certification 

The September 2004 Revised Power 

Repayment Study indicates that the 

increased power rates will repay all 

costs of the Integrated System including 

amortization of the power investment 

consistent with the provisions of 

Department of Energy Order No. RA 

6120.2. In accordance with Delegation 

Order No. 00–037.00, December 6, 2001, 

and Section 5 of the Flood Control Act 

of 1944, the Administrator has 

determined that the proposed System 

rates are consistent with applicable law 

and the lowest possible rates consistent 

with sound business principles. 

Environment 

The environmental impact of the 

proposed System rates was evaluated in 

consideration of DOE’s guidelines for 

implementing the procedural provisions 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act and was determined to fall within 

the class of actions that are categorically 

excluded from the requirements of 

preparing either an Environmental 

Impact Statement or an Environmental 

Assessment. 

Order 

In view of the foregoing and pursuant 

to the authority delegated to me the 

Deputy Secretary of Energy, I hereby 

confirm, approve and place in effect on 

an interim basis, effective January 1, 

2005, the following Southwestern 

Integrated System Rate Schedules, 

which shall remain in effect on an 

interim basis through September 30, 

2008, or until the FERC confirms and 

approves the rates on a final basis.

Dated: November 6, 2004. 

Kyle E. McSlarrow,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 04–26039 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southwestern Power Administration 

Sam Rayburn Dam Power Rate 

Schedules

AGENCY: Southwestern Power 

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of rate order.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Delegation Order 

Nos. 00–037.00, effective December 6, 

2001, and 00–001.00A, effective 

September 17, 2002, the Deputy 

Secretary has approved and placed into 

effect on an interim basis Rate Order No. 

SWPA–52, which increases the power 

rate for the Sam Rayburn Dam Project 

(Rayburn) pursuant to the following 

Sam Rayburn Dam Rate Schedule:

Rate Schedule SRD–04, Wholesale Rates 

for Hydro Power and Energy Sold to Sam 

Rayburn Dam Electric Cooperative, Inc., 

(Contract No. DE–PM75–92SW00215)

The effective period for the rate 

schedule specified in Rate Order No. 

SWPA–52 is January 1, 2005, through 

September 30, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Forrest E. Reeves, Assistant 

Administrator, Office of Corporate 

Operations, Southwestern Power 

Administration, Department of Energy, 

One West Third Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 

74103, (918) 595–6696, 

gene.reeves@swpa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

existing hydroelectric power rate for the 

Rayburn project is $2,013,024 per year. 

The rate was approved on a final basis 

by the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission on January 31, 2003, for the 

period October 1, 2002, through 

September 30, 2006. The 2004 Rayburn 

Power Repayment Studies indicate the 

need for an increase in the annual rate 

of $500,676, or 24.9 percent beginning 

January 1, 2005. 

The Administrator, Southwestern 

Power Administration (Southwestern) 

has followed Title 10, Part 903 Subpart 

A, of the Code of Federal Regulations, 

‘‘Procedures for Public Participation in 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustments and Extensions’’ (Part 903) 

in connection with the proposed rate 

schedule. On July 21, 2004, 

Southwestern published notice in the 

Federal Register, 69 FR 43580, of a 90-

day comment period, together with a 

Public Information Forum and a Public 

Comment Forum, to provide an 

opportunity for customers and other 

interested members of the public to 

review and comment on a proposed rate 

increase for the Rayburn project. Both 

public forums were canceled when no 

one expressed an intention to 

participate. Written comments were 

accepted through October 19, 2004. One 

comment was received from Gillis & 

Angley, Counsellors at Law, on behalf of 

Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency 

and Vinton Public Power Authority, 

(organizations within Sam Rayburn Dam 

Electric Cooperative, Inc.) which stated 

that they had no objection to the 

proposed rate adjustment. 

Information regarding this rate 

proposal, including studies and other 

supporting material, is available for 

public review and comment in the 

offices of Southwestern Power 

Administration, One West Third Street, 

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. 

Following review of Southwestern’s 

proposal within the Department of 

Energy, I approved Rate Order No. 

SWPA–52, on an interim basis, which 

increases the existing Rayburn rate to 

$2,513,700, per year, for the period 

January 1, 2005, through September 30, 

2008.

Dated: November 16, 2004. 

Kyle E. McSlarrow, 

Deputy Secretary.

[Rate Order No. SWPA–52] 

Order Confirming, Approving and 

Placing Increased Power Rate Schedule 

in Effect on an Interim Basis 

Pursuant to Sections 302(a) and 

301(b) of the Department of Energy 

Organization Act, Pub. L. 95–91, the 

functions of the Secretary of the Interior 

and the Federal Power Commission 

under Section 5 of the Flood Control 

Act of 1944, 16 U.S.C. 825s, relating to 

the Southwestern Power Administration 

(Southwestern) were transferred to and 

vested in the Secretary of Energy. By 

Delegation Order No. 0204–108, 

effective December 14, 1983, the 

Secretary of Energy delegated to the 

Administrator of Southwestern the 

authority to develop power and 

transmission rates, delegated to the 

Deputy Secretary of the Department of 

Energy the authority to confirm, 

approve, and place in effect such rates 

on an interim basis and delegated to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

(FERC) the authority to confirm and 

approve on a final basis or to disapprove 

rates developed by the Administrator 

under the delegation. Delegation Order 

No. 0204–108, as amended, was 

rescinded and subsequently replaced by 

Delegation Orders 00–037.00 (December 

6, 2001) and 00–001–00A (September 

17, 2002). The Deputy Secretary issued 

this rate order pursuant to said 

delegations.

Background 

The Sam Rayburn Dam Project 

(Rayburn) is located on the Angelina 

River in the State of Texas in the Neches 

River Basin. Since the beginning of its 

operation in 1965, it has been marketed 

as an isolated project, under contract 

with Sam Rayburn Dam Electric 

Cooperative, Inc. (Contract No. DE–

PM75–92SW00215). 

In the FERC Docket No. EF03–4021–

000, issued January 31, 2003, for the 

period October 1, 2002, through 

September 30, 2006, the FERC 

confirmed and approved the current 

annual Sam Rayburn Dam rate of 

$2,013,024.

68340 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 24, 2004 / Notices 

Discussion 

Southwestern’s 2004 Current Power 

Repayment Study (PRS) indicates that 

the existing annual power rate of 

$2,013,024 does not represent the 

lowest possible rate needed to meet cost 

recovery criteria. The increased revenue 

requirement is due to an increase in the 

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) 

operations and maintenance expense 

estimates. The Revised PRS indicates 

that an increase in annual revenues of 

$500,676 beginning January 1, 2005, is 

sufficient to accomplish repayment of 

the Federal investment in the required 

number of years. Accordingly, 

Southwestern developed a proposed 

rate schedule based on that increased 

revenue requirement. 

Title 10, Part 903, Subpart A of the 

Code of Federal Regulations, 

‘‘Procedures for Public Participation in 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustment,’’ has been followed in 

connection with the proposed rate 

adjustment. More specifically, 

opportunities for public review and 

comment during a 90-day period on the 

proposed Rayburn power rate were 

announced by notice published in the 

Federal Register, July 21, 2004, 69 FR 

43580. A Public Information Forum was 

scheduled to be held July 27, 2004, and 

a Public Comment Forum was 

scheduled to be held August 26, 2004, 

both in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both forums 

were canceled as no one expressed an 

intent to participate. Written comments 

were due by October 19, 2004. 

Southwestern provided the Federal 

Register notice, together with 

supporting data, to the customer and 

interested parties for review and 

comment during the formal period of 

public participation. In addition, prior 

to the formal 90-day public 

participation process, Southwestern 

discussed with the customer 

representatives the preliminary 

information on the proposed rate 

adjustment. Only one formal comment 

was received from Gillis & Angley, 

Counsellors at Law, on behalf of Sam 

Rayburn Municipal Power Agency and 

Vinton Public Power Authority, 

(organizations within Sam Rayburn Dam 

Electric Cooperative, Inc.) which stated 

that they had no objection to the 

proposed rate adjustment. 

Upon conclusion of the comment 

period in October 2004, Southwestern 

finalized the PRS and rate schedule for 

the proposed annual rate of $2,513,700 

which is the lowest possible rate needed 

to satisfy repayment criteria. This rate 

represents an annual increase of 24.9 

percent. 

Availability of Information 

Information regarding this rate 

increase, including studies and other 

supporting material, is available for 

public review and comment in the 

offices of Southwestern Power 

Administration, One West Third Street, 

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. 

Comments and Responses 

Southwestern received one written 

comment in which customer 

representatives expressed no objection 

to the proposed rate adjustment. 

Other Issues 

There were no other issues raised 

during the informal meeting or during 

the formal public participation period. 

Administrator’s Certification 

The 2004 Revised Rayburn PRS 

indicates that the annual power rate of 

$2,513,700 will repay all costs of the 

project, including amortization of the 

power investment consistent with 

provisions of the Department of Energy 

(DOE) Order No. RA 6120.2. In 

accordance with Delegation Order Nos. 

00–037.00 (December 6, 2001) and 00–

001.00A (September 17, 2002), and 

Section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 

1944, the Administrator has determined 

that the proposed Rayburn power rate is 

consistent with applicable law and the 

lowest possible rate consistent with 

sound business principles. 

Environment 

The environmental impact of the rate 

increase proposal was evaluated in 

consideration of DOE’s guidelines for 

implementing the procedural provisions 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act, 10 CFR 1021, and was determined 

to fall within the class of actions that are 

categorically excluded from the 

requirements of preparing either an 

Environmental Impact Statement or an 

Environmental Assessment. 

Order 

In view of the foregoing and pursuant 

to the authority delegated to me, I 

hereby confirm, approve and place in 

effect on an interim basis, for the period 

January 1, 2005, through September 30, 

2008, the annual Sam Rayburn Dam 

Rate of $2,513,700 for the sale of power 

and energy from Sam Rayburn Dam to 

the Sam Rayburn Dam Electric 

Cooperative, Inc., under Contract No. 

DE–PM75–92SW00215, dated October 

7, 1992. This rate shall remain in effect 

on an interim basis through September 

30, 2008, or until the FERC confirms 

and approves the rate on a final basis.

Dated: November 16, 2004.

Kyle E. McSlarrow, 

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 04–26038 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[SFUND–2004–0010; FRL–7840–9] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to OMB for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Application for 

Reimbursement to Local Governments 

for Emergency Response to Hazardous 

Substance Releases Under CERCLA 

Section 123 (Renewal), EPA ICR 

Number 1425.06, OMB Control Number 

2050–0077

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

3501 et seq.), this document announces 

that an Information Collection Request 

(ICR) has been forwarded to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and approval. This is a request 

to renew an existing approved 

collection. This ICR is scheduled to 

expire on 11/30/04. Under OMB 

regulations, the Agency may continue to 

conduct or sponsor the collection of 

information while this submission is 

pending at OMB. This ICR describes the 

nature of the information collection and 

its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be 

submitted on or before December 27, 

2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

referencing docket ID number SFUND–

2004–0010, to (1) EPA online using 

EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email to Superfund.docket@epa.gov, or 

by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

Superfund Docket, Mail Code 5202T, 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 

Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer 

for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa 

Boynton, Office of Emergency 

Management, Mail Code 5204G, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, 

DC 20460; telephone number: 703–603–