78012 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 

Subsection 170t.(2) of the AEA 

requires that the Secretary adjust for 

inflation the amount of indemnification 

provided under an indemnification 

agreement pursuant to subsection 170d. 

at least once during each 5-year period 

following July 1, 2003, in accordance 

with the aggregate percentage change in 

the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI 

is defined in subsection 170t.(3) to mean 

the CPI for all urban consumers 

published by the Secretary of Labor. 

DOE’s initial adjustment increased the 

indemnification amount to $11.961 

billion. 74 FR 52793 (October 14, 2009). 

The second inflation adjustment, for the 

period following July 1, 2013, increased 

the indemnification amount to 

$12,697,798,000. 78 FR 56868 

(September 16, 2013). DOE made its 

most recent inflation adjustment to the 

indemnification amount to 

$13,703,464,000 for the period 

following July 1, 2018. 83 FR 49375 

(October 1, 2018). 

This notice announces DOE’s fourth 

periodic inflation adjustment for the 5- 

year period following July 1, 2023 based 

on the aggregate percentage change in 

the CPI between July 1, 2018 and July 

1, 2023. 

The CPI used to calculate the inflation 

adjustment for the period following July 

1, 2018 was 251.989 (June 2018). The 

CPI used to calculate the inflation 

adjustment that is the subject of this 

Notice is 305.109 (June 2023). This 

difference represents an increase of 

approximately 21.08%. Application of 

this increase to the current DOE 

indemnification amount results in an 

inflation-adjusted indemnification 

amount rounded to the nearest thousand 

of $16,592,154,000. 

The inflation adjustment under AEA, 

subsection 170t., applies only to a 

nuclear incident within the United 

States. There is no corresponding 

inflation adjustment for a nuclear 

incident outside the United States. 

Accordingly, the indemnification 

amount for a nuclear incident outside 

the United States continues to be $500 

million. 

This notice of adjusted 

indemnification amount is a ‘‘rule’’ as 

defined in the Administrative Procedure 

Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 551(4)). However, 

the APA (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B)) does not 

require an agency to seek comment on 

a proposed rule prior to publishing a 

final rule ‘‘when the agency for good 

cause finds (and incorporates the 

finding and a brief statement of reasons 

therefore in the rules issued) that notice 

and public procedure thereon are 

impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 

to the public interest.’’ In this instance, 

DOE has concluded that solicitation of 

public comment is unnecessary. 

Congress has required DOE to adjust the 

amount of indemnification provided 

under an agreement of indemnification 

pursuant to section 170d. to reflect 

inflation in the initial and each 

subsequent 5-year period following July 

1, 2003. The statute provides no 

discretion regarding the substance of the 

adjustment. DOE is required only to 

perform a ministerial computation to 

determine the relevant amount. On the 

same basis, DOE finds good cause, 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive 

the requirement for a 30-day delay in 

the effective date for this rule. As such, 

this rule is effective November 14, 2023. 

DOE has determined that this notice 

of adjusted indemnification amount is 

the type of action that does not 

individually or cumulatively have a 

significant impact on the human 

environment as set forth in DOE’s 

regulations implementing the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Specifically, the 

rule is covered under the categorical 

exclusion in paragraph A6 of appendix 

A to subpart D, 10 CFR part 1021, which 

applies to rulemakings that are strictly 

procedural. Accordingly, neither an 

environmental assessment nor an 

environmental impact statement is 

required. 

The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 

U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires preparation 

of an initial regulatory flexibility 

analysis for any rule that by law must 

be proposed for public comment, unless 

the agency certifies that the rule, if 

promulgated, will not have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. As required by 

Executive Order 13272, ‘‘Proper 

Consideration of Small Entities in 

Agency Rulemaking,’’ 67 FR 53461 

(August 16, 2002), DOE published 

procedures and policies on February 19, 

2003, to ensure that the potential 

impacts of its rules on small entities are 

properly considered during the 

rulemaking process. 68 FR 7990. The 

Department has made its procedures 

and policies available on the Office of 

General Counsel’s website: 

www.energy.gov/gc/office-generalcounsel. Because DOE, in this final rule, 

is performing only a ministerial 

computation to determine the relevant 

indemnification amount as required by 

Congress, a general notice of proposed 

rulemaking is not required, and the 

analytical requirements of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act do not apply 

to this rulemaking. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on November 7, 

2023, by Samuel Walsh General 

Counsel, 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 November 8, 

2023. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25030 Filed 11–13–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. CP23–542–000] 

Golden Triangle Storage, L.L.C.; Notice 

of Schedule for the Preparation of an 

Environmental Assessment for the 

Golden Triangle Storage Expansion 

Project 

On September 12, 2023, Golden 

Triangle Storage, L.L.C. (GTS) filed an 

application in Docket No. CP23–542– 

000 requesting a Certificate of Public 

Convenience and Necessity pursuant to 

section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to 

construct and operate certain natural gas 

storage facilities. The proposed project 

is known as the Golden Triangle Storage 

Expansion Project (Project) and would 

authorize GTS to construct additional 

storage caverns, compressor units, and 

appurtenant facilities at its existing 

storage facility in Jefferson County, 

Texas. According to GTS, the Project 

would add approximately 14.4 billion 

cubic feet of new natural gas storage 

capacity to meet market demand in the 

Gulf Coast Region and enhance 

operational capabilities at the existing 

storage facilities. 

On September 20, 2023, the Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission 

(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice 

of Application for the Project. Among 

other things, that notice alerted agencies 

issuing Federal authorizations of the 

requirement to complete all necessary 

reviews and to reach a final decision on 

a request for a Federal authorization 

within 90 days of the date of issuance 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 78013 

1 40 CFR 1501.10 (2020). 

2The Commission’s deadline applies to the 

decisions of other Federal agencies, and State 

agencies acting under federally delegated authority, 

that are responsible for Federal authorizations, 

permits, and other approvals necessary for 

proposed projects under the Natural Gas Act. Per 

18 CFR 157.22(a), the Commission’s deadline for 

other agency’s decisions applies unless a schedule 

is otherwise established by Federal law. 

of the Commission staff’s environmental 

document for the Project. 

This notice identifies Commission 

staff’s intention to prepare an 

environmental assessment (EA) for the 

Project and the planned schedule for the 

completion of the environmental 

review.1

Schedule for Environmental Review 

Issuance of EA—February 1, 2024 

90-day Federal Authorization Decision 

Deadline 2—May 1, 2024 

If a schedule change becomes 

necessary, additional notice will be 

provided so that the relevant agencies 

are kept informed of the Project’s 

progress. 

Project Description 

GTS proposes to construct and 

operate two underground salt dome 

natural gas storage caverns at its existing 

storage site, six additional 5,500 

horsepower compressor units at its 

existing compressor station, a new brine 

disposal well and brine pipeline, and 

appurtenant facilities, in Jefferson 

County, Texas. Construction of the 

proposed facilities would temporarily 

disturb about 31 acres of land. 

Following construction, GTS would 

maintain about 5.2 acres of land for 

permanent operation of the Project’s 

facilities; the remaining acreage would 

be restored and revert to former uses. 

Background 

On September 21, 2023, the 

Commission issued a Notice of Scoping 

Period Requesting Comments on 

Environmental Issues for the Proposed 

Golden Triangle Storage Expansion 

Project (Notice of Scoping). The Notice 

of Scoping was sent to affected 

landowners; Federal, State, and local 

government agencies; elected officials; 

environmental and public interest 

groups; Native American Tribes; other 

interested parties; and local libraries 

and newspapers. In response to the 

Notice of Scoping, the Commission 

received comments from the Texas 

Parks and Wildlife Department, the 

Sierra Club, and U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency. The primary issues 

raised by the commentors are 

construction procedures, flood risks, 

effects on threatened and endangered 

species, water quality, air quality, 

hazardous waste management, and 

impacts to environmental justice 

communities. All substantive comments 

will be addressed in the EA. 

Additional Information 

In order to receive notification of the 

issuance of the EA and to keep track of 

formal issuances and submittals in 

specific dockets, the Commission offers 

a free service called eSubscription. This 

service provides automatic notification 

of filings made to subscribed dockets, 

document summaries, and direct links 

to the documents. Go to https://

www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to 

register for eSubscription. 

The Commission’s Office of Public 

Participation (OPP) supports meaningful 

public engagement and participation in 

Commission proceedings. OPP can help 

members of the public, including 

landowners, environmental justice 

communities, Tribal members and 

others, access publicly available 

information and navigate Commission 

processes. For public inquiries and 

assistance with making filings such as 

interventions, comments, or requests for 

rehearing, the public is encouraged to 

contact OPP at (202) 502–6595 or OPP@

ferc.gov. 

Additional information about the 

Project is available from the 

Commission’s Office of External Affairs 

at (866) 208–FERC or on the FERC 

website (www.ferc.gov). Using the 

‘‘eLibrary’’ link, select ‘‘General Search’’ 

from the eLibrary menu, enter the 

selected date range and ‘‘Docket 

Number’’ excluding the last three digits 

(i.e., CP23–542), and follow the 

instructions. For assistance with access 

to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached 

at (866) 208–3676, TTY (202) 502–8659, 

or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The 

eLibrary link on the FERC website also 

provides access to the texts of formal 

documents issued by the Commission, 

such as orders, notices, and rule 

makings. 

Dated: November 7, 2023. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25039 Filed 11–13–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Project No. 943–142] 

Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan 

County, Washington; Notice of 

Application for Approval of Contract 

for the Sale of Power Under Section 22 

of the Federal Power Act 

Take notice that on May 16, 2023, 

Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan 

County, Washington (Chelan PUD) filed 

with the Commission an application for 

approval of a contract for the sale of 

power from its licensed Rock Island 

Hydroelectric Project No. 943 for a 

period beyond the expiration of its 

existing license for the project. The 

project is located on the Columbia River 

in Chelan and Douglas Counties, 

Washington. 

Section 22 of the Federal Power Act, 

16 U.S.C. 815, provides that contracts 

for the sale and delivery of power for 

periods extending beyond the 

termination date of a license may be 

entered into upon the joint approval of 

the Commission and the appropriate 

state public service commission or other 

similar authority in the state in which 

the sale or delivery of power is made. 

Any person desiring to intervene or to 

protest this filing must file in 

accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of 

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and 

Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). 

Protests will be considered by the 

Commission in determining the 

appropriate action to be taken but will 

not serve to make protestants parties to 

the proceeding. Any person wishing to 

become a party must file a notice of 

intervention or motion to intervene, as 

appropriate. Such notices, motions, or 

protests must be filed on or before the 

comment date. Anyone filing a motion 

to intervene or protest must serve a copy 

of that document on the Petitioner. 

The Commission strongly encourages 

electronic filing. Please file comments, 

motions to intervene, notices of intent, 

and competing applications using the 

Commission’s eFiling system at https:// 

ferconline.ferc.gov/LogIn.aspx. 

Commenters can submit brief comments 

up to 6,000 characters, without prior 

registration, using the eComment system 

at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/ 

QuickComment.aspx. You must include 

your name and contact information at 

the end of your comments. In lieu of 

electronic filing, you may submit a 

paper copy. Submissions sent via the 

U.S. Postal Service must be addressed 

to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES