### 58534 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 184 / Friday, September 21, 2012 / Notices

the 35-month demonstration period of the CO 2 capture and compression system.

The proposed Parish PCCS Project would use an advanced amine-based
CO 2 absorption technology to capture at least 90 percent of the CO 2 from an up to 250–MWe portion of the flue gas exhaust from Unit 8 of NRG’s existing W.A. Parish Plant in Thompsons, Texas. The project would be designed to capture approximately 1.6 million tons of CO 2 per year from the Unit 8 exhaust that the facility would otherwise emit. The proposed CO 2 capture facility would be constructed within NRG’s existing 4,880-acre W.A. Parish Plant in rural Fort Bend County near the small town of Thompsons, Texas. A new natural gas fired cogeneration plant, estimated to be 80 MW in size, would also be constructed on the plant property to produce the auxiliary power and steam needed for operation of the proposed CO 2 capture system.

The captured CO 2 would be compressed and transported via a new, approximately 80-mile long, 12-inch diameter underground pipeline to the existing West Ranch oil field in Jackson County, Texas, where it would be used for EOR and ultimately sequestered in geologic formations from 5,000 to 6,300 feet below ground surface. The proposed CO 2 pipeline route crosses sparsely populated rural and agricultural lands in Fort Bend, Wharton, and Jackson Counties and would be located along or within existing mowed and maintained utility rights-of-way for approximately 85 percent of its length. The West Ranch oil field is located near the town of Vanderbilt, Texas. Existing wells at the West Ranch oil field would be used (i.e., refurbished or deepened, as needed) to the extent practicable for the proposed project. Some new injection wells would be drilled in accordance with underground injection control regulations, and would be installed on existing well pads to the extent practicable.

Consistent with DOE’s requirements under CCPI Round 3, NRG identified the following objectives for the Parish PCCS Project:

• Demonstration of advanced aminebased CO 2 absorption technology;

• Integration of a cogeneration plant into the project to meet the specific power and steam requirements of the
CO 2 capture system;

• Demonstration of EOR with CO 2 sequestration in a nearby oil field; and

• Demonstration of a CO 2 monitoring

program.

DOE prepared this EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 4321 et seq. ) and in compliance with the Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations for NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 1500 through 1508) and DOE’s NEPA implementing procedures (10 CFR part 1021). Projects considered by DOE for possible CCPI funding originate as a private party’s (e.g., electric power industry) application submitted to DOE in response to requirements specified in CCPI funding opportunity announcements. DOE’s decision is to either accept or reject the project as proposed, including the proposed technology and the selected sites. However, DOE may require mitigation measures to reduce a project’s potential impacts. Consequently, DOE’s consideration of reasonable alternatives is limited to the technically acceptable application and the no action-alternative for each selected project.

Under the no-action alternative, DOE would not provide cost-shared funding for the proposed Parish PCCS Project. In the absence of DOE cost-shared funding, NRG could still elect to construct and operate the proposed project. Therefore, the DOE no-action alternative could result in one of two scenarios:

• The proposed Parish PCCS Project would not be built, or

• The proposed Parish PCCS Project would be built by NRG without benefit of DOE cost-shared funding. DOE assumes that if NRG proceeded with project development in the absence of DOE cost-shared funding, the project would include the features, attributes, and impacts as described for the proposed project. However, without DOE participation, it is possible that the project would be canceled. Therefore, for the purposes of analysis in the draft EIS, the DOE no-action alternative is defined as the no-build alternative. This means that the project would not be built and environmental conditions would not change from the current baseline (i.e., no new construction, resource use, or CO 2 capture and storagewould occur). Therefore, under the noaction alternative, the project technologies (i.e., large-scale CO 2 capture and geologic storage) may not be implemented in the near term. Consequently, timely commercialization of these technologies for large-scale, coal-fired electric generation facilities would be postponed and may not be realized. This scenario would not contribute to the CCPI goals to invest inthe demonstration of advanced coalbased power generation technologies that capture the CO 2 emissions and either sequester them or put them to beneficial use.

The draft EIS analyzes the environmental consequences that may result from the proposed action and the no action alternative. Potential impacts identified during the scoping process and analyzed in the draft EIS relate to the following: Air quality and climate; greenhouse gases; geology; physiography and soils; groundwater; surface water; wetlands and floodplains; biological resources; cultural resources; land use and aesthetics; traffic and transportation; noise; materials and waste management; human health and safety; utilities; community services; socioeconomics; and environmental justice. DOE also intends to use the NEPA process and the analyses completed for the draft EIS to satisfy the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and DOE regulations regarding impacts to floodplains and wetlands.

DOE distributed copies of the draft EIS to Members of Congress; Native American tribal governments; federal, state, and local officials; and agencies, organizations, and individuals who may be interested or affected. Copies of the draft EIS are available for review at the George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview Drive, Richmond, TX 77469; the Albert George Branch Library, 9230 Gene Street, Needville, TX 77461; the Wharton County Library, 1920 North Fulton Street, Wharton, TX 77488; and the Jackson County Memorial Library, 411 North Wells Street, Room 121, Edna, TX 77957. The draft EIS will also be available on the Internet at http:// www.netl.doe.gov/publications/others/ nepa/index.html or http://energy.gov/ nepa/nepa-documents.

Issued in Washington, DC, on September
14, 2012. Mark J. Matarrese, Director, Office of Environment, Security, Safety & Health, Office of Fossil Energy.

[FR Doc. 2012–23320 Filed 9–20–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6450–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY**

**Electricity Advisory Committee**

**AGENCY :**  Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Department of Energy.

**ACTION :**  Notice of open meeting.

**SUMMARY :**  This notice announces a meeting of the Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these


### 58535 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 184 / Friday, September 21, 2012 / Notices

meetings be announced in the Federal Register

. **DATES :**  Monday, October 15, 2012, 1:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 8 a.m.–4:20 p.m.

**ADDRESSES :**  Capital Hilton Hotel, 1001 16th Street NW., Washington, DC 20005.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Matthew Rosenbaum, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8G–017, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585; telephone: (202) 586–1060 or by email: matthew.rosenbaum@hq.doe.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Purpose of the Committee: The Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) was established in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. 2, to provide advice to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in implementing the Energy Policy Act of 2005, executing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and modernizing the nation’s electricity delivery infrastructure.

Tentative Agenda: The meeting of the EAC is expected to include discussion of the activities of the Energy Storage Technologies Subcommittee, the Smart Grid Subcommittee, the Transmission Subcommittee, and discussions of EAC Work Force issues and special Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) topics.

October 15, 2012

1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Registration 1:45 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Welcome and

Introductions 2:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m. Update on the

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability’s 2012 Current Programs and Initiatives 2:20 p.m.–2:40 p.m. Transmission

Institutional Issues 2:40 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Grid Tech Team—

Objectives and Status 3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m. EAC Discussion of

Current DOE Programs and Special
Initiatives 3:20 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Break 3:30 p.m.–4:40 p.m. Panel Discussion

on Next Generation Energy Management Systems (EMS) 4:40 p.m.–5:20 p.m. EAC Member

Discussion of Key EMS Issues 5:20 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Wrap up Day One 5:30 p.m. Adjourn Day One of Meeting

October 16, 2012

8:00 a.m.–8:45 a.m. EAC Transmission

Subcommittee 2012–2013 Recommendations and Work Plan 8:45 a.m.–9:30 a.m. EAC Discussion and Decisions on Transmission Subcommittee Recommendations 9:30 a.m.–9:45 a.m. Break 9:45 a.m.–10:30 a.m. EAC Storage

Subcommittee Report to Congress and Work Plan
10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m. Session 1: EAC

Discussion and Decision on Storage Subcommittee Report to Congress 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Special FERC

Topics and Discussion 12:00 p.m.–1:15 p.m. Lunch on Your

Own (Local Restaurants) 1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Key

Developments in the OE Smart Grid Program 1:45 p.m.–2:30 p.m. EAC Smart Grid

Subcommittee Recommendations and Work Plan 2:30 p.m.–3:15 p.m. EAC Discussion

and Decisions on Smart Grid 2012 Subcommittee Recommendations 3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. EAC Work Force 3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. EAC Discussion of

Work Force Issues 4:00 p.m.–4:15 p.m. Public Comments

(Must register to comment at time of check-in) 4:15 p.m.–4:20 p.m. Wrap Up of

Meeting 4:20 p.m. Adjourn

The meeting agenda may change to accommodate EAC business. For EAC agenda updates, see the EAC Web site

at: http://www.oe.energy.gov/eac.htm.

Public Participation: The EAC welcomes the attendance of the public at its meetings. Individuals who wish to offer public comments at the EAC meeting may do so on Tuesday, October 16, 2012, but must register at the registration table in advance. Approximately 15 minutes will be reserved for public comments. Time allotted per speaker will depend on the number who wish to speak but is not expected to exceed three minutes. Anyone who is not able to attend the meeting, or for whom the allotted public comments time is insufficient to address pertinent issues with the EAC, is invited to send a written statement to Mr. Matthew Rosenbaum. You may submit comments, identified by ‘‘Electricity Advisory Committee Open Meeting’’, by any of the following methods:

• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Matthew Rosenbaum, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8G–017, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

• Email: matthew.rosenbaum@hq.doe.gov. Include ‘‘Electricity Advisory Committee Open Meeting’’ in the subject line of the message. • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and identifier. All comments received will be posted without change to http:// www.oe.energy.gov/eac.htm, including any personal information provided.

• Docket: For access to the docket, to read background documents or comments received, go to http:// www.oe.energy.gov/eac.htm.

The following electronic file formats are acceptable: Microsoft Word (.doc), Corel Word Perfect (.wpd), Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), plain text (.txt), Microsoft Excel (.xls), and Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt). If you submit information that you believe to be exempt by law from public disclosure, you must submit one complete copy, as well as one copy from which the information claimed to be exempt by law from public disclosure has been deleted. You must also explain the reasons why you believe the deleted information is exempt from disclosure. DOE is responsible for the final determination concerning disclosure or nondisclosure of the information and for treating it in accordance with the DOE’s Freedom of Information regulations (10 CFR 1004.11).

Note: Delivery of the U.S. Postal Service mail to DOE may be delayed by several weeks due to security screening. DOE, therefore, encourages those wishing to comment to submit comments electronically by email. If comments are submitted by regular mail, the Department requests that they be accompanied by a CD or diskette containing electronic files of the submission.

Minutes: The minutes of the EAC meeting will be posted on the EAC Web page at http://energy.gov/oe/services/ electricity-advisory-committee-eac. They can also be obtained by contacting Mr. Matthew Rosenbaum at the address above.

Issued in Washington, DC, on September
17, 2012. LaTanya R. Butler, Acting Deputy Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 2012–23322 Filed 9–20–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6450–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY**

**Federal Energy Regulatory Commission** 

**Combined Notice of Filings**

Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural Gas Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: