Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 24, 2000 / Notices 33541

promoting policies that encourage capital

investment in all types of energy

technologies and that allow competitive

markets to operate as they should.

I recognize that certain of my suggestions,

to some, might fall into the category of ‘‘longterm’’ measures that, even if implemented

immediately, would not help this upcoming

summer. Of course, if the Commission had

adopted such reliability-based measures in

prior years, it would not have realized the

urgency to issue today’s notice. And further

delay merely exacerbates the conditions

identified in the notice. For this reason, I do

not see the advantage of differentiating

between short-term and long-term fixes, or

awaiting the filing of comments on the

subject. Nor do I see any value in convening

a ‘‘public conference’’ on the subject of

reliability initiatives. The Commission held

such a conference in February of 1998, and

has since received numerous comments and

pleadings on the topic.

In short, there’s not need to await further

action by Congress. The Commission already

has all the authority it needs to effect real

reform that will promote reliable and

efficient utility service. And there is no need

to delay to allow for further grandstanding by

industry participants. By this point, after

several summers of experience under

competitive markets, we all know the way to

promote reliability and efficiency—by

encouraging investment and by allowing

competitive markets to operate.

Therefore, I respectfully concur.

Curt L. He ́bert, Jr.,

Commissioner.

[FR Doc. 00–13008 Filed 5–23–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Proposed Rates for Transmission

Service on the Central Arizona Project

115–kV and 230–kV Transmission

Lines

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rates.

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power

Administration’s (Western) Desert

Southwest Customer Service Region

(DSW) is proposing rate methodologies

to calculate the rates for firm point-topoint transmission service, nonfirm

point-to-point transmission service, and

Network Integration Transmission

Service (NITS) on the Central Arizona

Project (CAP) 115–kV and 230–kV

transmission lines. The proposed

calculated rates will provide enough

revenue to pay all annual costs,

including interest expense, and repay

the required investment within the

allowable period. The proposed rate

methodologies are scheduled to go into

effect on October 1, 2000, and will

remain in effect through September 30,

2005. This Federal Register notice

initiates the formal process for these

proposed rate methodologies.

DATES: The consultation and comment

period will begin from the date of

publication of this Federal Register

notice and will end August 22, 2000.

DSW will present a detailed explanation

of the proposed rate methodologies and

will make available a rate brochure at a

public information forum scheduled for

June 16, 2000, beginning at 10 a.m.

MST, at the DSW office. Western will

receive oral and written comments at a

public comment forum on July 17, 2000,

beginning at 10 a.m. MST, also to be

held at the DSW office.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are to be

sent to: Mr. J. Tyler Carlson, Regional

Manager, Desert Southwest Customer

Service Region, Western Area Power

Administration, P.O. Box 6457,

Phoenix, AZ 85005–6457, or by e-mail:

carlson@wapa.gov. Western should

receive written comments by the end of

the consultation and comment period to

be assured consideration. Western’s

DSW office, is located at 615 South 43rd

Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Maher A. Nasir, Rates Team Lead,

Desert Southwest Customer Service

Region, Western Area Power

Administration, P.O. Box 6457,

Phoenix, AZ 85005–6457, telephone

(602) 352–2768, or by e-mail:

nasir@wapa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAP

115–kV and 230–kV transmission lines

have been used almost exclusively to

provide power to the CAP water pumps.

The planned construction of a number

of independent power plants in Arizona

and Nevada creates a potential demand

for use of surplus transmission capacity

on the CAP 115–kV and 230–kV

transmission lines.

The proposed rate methodologies for

point-to-point transmission service and

NITS on the CAP 115–kV and 230–kV

transmission lines are based on a

revenue requirement that recovers the

CAP 115–kV and 230–kV transmission

lines costs for facilities associated with

providing transmission service and the

non-facilities costs allocated to

transmission service. The methodology

for calculating the rates for point-topoint transmission service on the CAP

115–kV and 230–kV transmission lines

is determined by combining the annual

amortization costs with the annual

operations and maintenance costs,

divided by the annual average contract

rate of delivery. Implementing the

proposed rate methodology results in a

firm point-to-point CAP 115BkV and

230–kV transmission line rate of $8.37

per kilowattyear and a nonfirm point-topoint CAP 115–kV and 230–kV

transmission line rate of 0.96 mills/

kWh.

NITS allows a transmission customer

to integrate, plan, economically

dispatch, and regulate its network

resources to serve its native load in a

way comparable to how a transmission

provider uses its own transmission

system to service its native load

customers. The monthly charge

methodology for NITS on the CAP 115–

kV and 230–kV transmission lines is the

product of the transmission customer’s

load-ratio share times one-twelfth of the

annual transmission revenue

requirement. The customer’s load-ratio

share is calculated on a rolling 12-

month basis (12CP). The customer’s

load-ratio share is equal to that

customers’ hourly load coincident with

the CAP 115–kV and 230–kV

transmission lines monthly

transmission system peak divided by

the resultant value of the CAP 115–kV

and 230–kV transmission lines monthly

transmission system peak minus the

CAP 115–kV and 230–kV transmission

lines coincident peak for all firm pointto-point transmission service plus the

CAP 115–kV and 230–kV transmission

lines firm point-to-point transmission

service reservations.

The proposed rate methodologies

include the costs for scheduling, system

control, and dispatch service.

These rate methodologies for

transmission service on the CAP 115–kV

and 230–kV transmission lines are being

set following the Department of Energy

Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7101–7352;

the Reclamation Act of 1902, ch. 1093,

32 Stat. 388, as amended and

supplemented by subsequent

enactments, particularly section 9(c) of

the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, 43

U.S.C. 485h(c); and other acts

specifically applicable to the project

involved.

By Amendment No. 3 to Delegation

Order No. 0204–108, published

November 10, 1993 (58 FR 59716), the

Secretary of Energy delegated (1) the

authority to develop long-term power

and transmission rates on a

nonexclusive basis to the Administrator

of Western; and (2) the authority to

confirm, approve, and place into effect

33542 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 24, 2000 / Notices

on a final basis, to remand, or to

disapprove such rates to the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission. In

Delegation Order No. 0204–172,

effective November 24, 1999, the

Secretary of Energy delegated the

authority to confirm, approve and place

such rates into effect on an interim basis

to the Deputy Secretary.

Existing Department of Energy

procedures for public participation in

power rate adjustments are located at 10

CFR part 903 effective on September 18,

1985 (50 FR 37835). Since the proposed

rates constitute a major rate adjustment

as defined in 10 CFR 903.2, both a

public information forum and a public

comment forum will be held. After

reviewing public comments, Western

will recommend the proposed rate

methodologies be approved on an

interim basis by the Deputy Secretary.

Availability of Information

All brochures, studies, comments,

letters, memorandums, and other

documents made or kept by Western in

developing the proposed rate

methodologies will be made available

for inspection and copying at the DSW

office, located at 615 South 43rd

Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona.

Regulatory Procedural Requirements

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980

(5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.) requires Federal

agencies to perform a regulatory

flexibility analysis if a final rule is likely

to have a significant economic impact

on a substantial number of small entities

and there is a legal requirement to issue

a general notice of proposed

rulemaking. Western has determined

that this action does not require a

regulatory flexibility analysis since it is

a rulemaking that particularly applies to

rates or services applicable to public

property.

Environmental Compliance

In compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.);

Council on Environmental Quality

Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508);

and DOE NEPA Regulations (10 CFR

part 1021), Western has determined that

this action is categorically excluded

from the preparation of an

environmental assessment or an

environmental impact statement.

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.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement

Fairness Act

Western has determined that this rule

is exempt from congressional

notification requirements under 5 U.S.C.

801 because the action is a rulemaking

of particular applicability relating to

rates or services and involves matters of

procedure.

Dated: May 15, 2000.

Michael S. Hacskaylo,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–13087 Filed 5–23–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–00651; FRL–6551–6]

Minimum Risk Pesticides Exempted

Under FIFRA Section 25(b);

Clarification of Issues; Notice of

Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: This notice clarifies several

aspects of the exemption for minimum

risk pesticides by the FIFRA section

25(b) rule, including composition,

labeling, food tolerances, and state

regulation. It is being issued to answer

questions frequently asked of EPA about

such products. Registration (PR) Notice

2000–6, Entitled ‘‘Minimum Risk

Pesticides Exempted under FIFRA

Section 25(b); Clarification of Issues,’’

provides guidance to the registrant

concerning frequently asked questions

regarding section 25(b) and is effective

now but comments will be accepted for

30 days, after which the Agency may

revise the notice.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket

control number OPP–00651, must be

received on or before June 23, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted by mail, electronically, or in

person. Please follow the detailed

instructions for each method as

provided in Unit I.C. of the

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure

proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative

that you identify docket control number

OPP–00651 in the subject line on the

first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brian Steinwand (7511C),

Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel

Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,

NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone

number: (703) 305–7973; fax number:

(703) 308–7026; e-mail address:

steinwand.brian@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does This Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public

in general. Although this action may be

of particular interest to those persons

who are interested in section 25(b)

exempted products. Since other entities

may also be interested, the Agency has

not attempted to describe all the specific

entities that may be affected by this

action. If you have any questions

regarding the information in this notice,

consult the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional

Information, Including Copies of This

Document and Other Related

Documents?

1. Electronically. You may obtain

electronic copies of this document and

the PR Notice from the Office of

Pesticide Programs’ Home Page at http:/

/www.epa.gov/pesticides/. You can also

go directly to the listings from the EPA

Internet Home Page at http://

www.epa.gov/. To access this

document, on the Home Page select

‘‘Laws and Regulations’’ and then look

up the entry for this document under

the ‘‘Federal Register—Environmental

Documents.’’ You can also go directly to

the Federal Register listings at http://

www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.

2. Fax on Demand. You may request

a faxed copy of the PR Notice Entitled

‘‘Minimum Risk Pesticides Exempted

under FIFRA Section 25(b); Clarification

of Issues,’’ by using a faxphone to call

(202) 401–0527 and selecting item 6130.

You may also follow the automated

menu.

3. In person. The Agency has

established an official record for this

action under docket control number

OPP–00651. The official record consists

of the documents specifically referenced

in this action, any public comments

received during an applicable comment

period, and other information related to

this action, including any information

claimed as Confidential Business

Information (CBI). This official record

includes the documents that are

physically located in the docket, as well

as the documents that are referenced in

those documents. The public version of

the official record does not include any

information claimed as CBI. The public

version of the official record, which

includes printed, paper versions of any

electronic comments submitted during

an applicable comment period, is