Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 1997 / Notices 8709

identifying the scope of environmental

issues that should be analyzed in the

APEA NEPA document.

The public scoping meeting will be

held on March 13, 1997, from 7:00 p.m.

to 11:00 p.m. at the Kirkwood F. Adams

Community Center, 1100 Hamilton St.

Roanoke Raids, NC.

The agency scoping meeting will be

held on March 13, 1997, from 9:00 a.m.

to 5:00 p.m., at the offices of North

Carolina Power, 1040 Roanoke Avenue,

Roanoke Rapids, NC. For more details,

interested parties should contact Ken

Baker, (804) 273–3257, prior to the

meeting date.

Objectives

At the scoping meetings, the NCP and

FERC staff will: (1) summarize the

environmental issues tentatively

identified for analysis in the NEPA

document; (2) solicit from the meeting

participants all available information,

especially quantified data, on the

resources at issue, and (3) encourage

statements from experts and the public

on issues that should be analyzed in the

NEPA document. Individuals,

organizations, and agencies with

environmental expertise and concerns

are encouraged to attend the meetings

and to assist the staff in defining and

clarifying the issues to be addressed.

Meeting Procedures

The meetings will be recorded by a

stenographer and become a part of the

formal record of the Commission

proceeding on the Roanoke Raids

Project. Individuals presenting

statements at the meetings will be asked

to identify themselves for the record.

Concerned parties are encouraged to

offer verbal guidance during public

meetings. Speaking time allowed for

individuals will be determined before

each meeting, based on the number of

persons wishing to speak and the

approximate amount of time available

for the session, but all speakers will be

provided at least 5 minutes to present

their views.

All those attending the meeting are

urged to refrain from making any

communications concerning the merits

of the project to any member of the

Commission staff outside of the

established process for developing the

record as stated in the record of the

proceeding.

Persons choosing not to speak but

wishing to express an opinion, as well

as speakers unable to summarize their

positions within their allotted time, may

submit written statements for inclusion

in the public record no later than April

14, 1997.

All filings should contain an original

and 8 copies. Failure to file an original

and 8 copies may result in appropriate

staff not receiving the benefit of your

comments in a timely manner. See 18

CFR 4.34(h). In addition, commenters

may submit a copy of their comments

on a 31⁄2-inch diskette formatted for

MS–DOS based computers. In light of

our ability to translate MS–DOS based

materials, the text need only be

submitted in the format and version that

it was generated (i.e., MS Word,

WordPerfect 5.1/5.2, ASCII, etc.). It is

not necessary to reformat word

processor generated text to ASCII. For

Macintosh users, it would be helpful to

save the documents in Macintosh word

processor format and then write them to

files on a diskette formatted for MS–

DOS machines. All comments should be

submitted to the Office of the Secretary,

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, and should clearly show the

following captions on the first page:

Roanoke Rapids Project, FERC No. 2009.

Further, interested persons are

reminded of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedures, requiring

parties or interceders (as defined in 18

CFR 385.2010) to file documents on

each person whose name is on the

official service list for this proceeding.

See 18 CFR 4.34(b).

Based on all written comments and a

Scoping Document II (SDII) may be

issued. SDII will include a revised list

of issues, based on the scoping sessions.

For further information regarding the

APEA scoping process, please contact

Ed Crouse, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, Office of Hydropower

Licensing, 888 First Street, NE,

Washington, DC, 20426 at (202) 219–

2794.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4674 Filed 2–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

Western Area Power Administration

Proposal To Extend Electric Power

Resource Commitments to Contractors

of the Salt Lake City Area Integrated

Projects by Application of the Energy

Planning and Management Program

Power Marketing Initiative

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposal.

SUMMARY: In 1995, the Department of

Energy, Western Area Power

Administration (Western) completed an

environmental impact statement (EIS),

DOE/EIS–0182, on its Energy Planning

and Management Program (Program).

Western published a Final Rule

adopting the Program on October 20,

1995 (10 CFR Part 905). The Program

has two major components: a

requirement that all long-term, firm

electrical power contractors prepare

integrated resource plans (IRP) or small

customer plans; and a Power Marketing

Initiative (PMI) in which these

contractors will receive an extension of

a major portion of the resources

available at the time the contracts

expire. The Record of Decision (ROD)

stated that Western would implement

the requirements for customers to

prepare IRPs and small customer plans

immediately, but that application of the

PMI would be done on a project-specific

basis. Western now proposes to apply

the PMI to the long-term, firm power

contracts of the Salt Lake City Area

Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP).

DATES: Western will accept written

comments on or before May 27, 1997.

The times and locations of four

information/comment meetings will be

announced in a subsequent notice in the

Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted to: Mr. David Sabo, Western

Area Power Administration, Colorado

River Storage Project Manager, P.O. Box

11606, Salt Lake City, UT 84147–0606.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western

first proposed the Program on April 19,

1991 (56 FR 16093). The goals of the

Program were to encourage efficient

energy use by Western’s long-term, firm

power customers by requiring integrated

resource planning and to extend

Western’s firm power resource

commitments as contracts expire.

Western published its notice of intent to

prepare an EIS on the Program in the

Federal Register on May 1, 1991 (56 FR

19995).

President Bush signed the Energy

Policy Act (EPAct) into law on October

24, 1992. Section 114 of EPAct amended

Title II of the Hoover Power Plant Act

of 1984 to require the preparation of

IRPs by Western’s customers. Western

adjusted its proposed Program to fully

incorporate the provisions of this law.

A notice of proposed rulemaking for

the Program was published in the

Federal Register on August 9, 1994 (59

FR 40543), with seven public

information/comment forums held at

various locations during September

1994. In the August 9 Notice, Western

estimated that initially 98 percent of

SLCA/IP resources available at the end

of the term of existing contracts would

be extended.
8710 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 1997 / Notices

In the Final rule, Western stated that

application of the PMI including length

of resource extension and the amount of

resources extended would be

determined through a project specific

process later.

Under the PMI, existing firm power

sales commitments were to be extended

for 20 years beyond the existing

termination date. A commitment of not

less than 96 percent of the hydroelectric

power resource determined to be

available to the customers was to be

extended, and a power resource pool of

up to 4 percent of the power from these

customers would be created.

The resource pool would be used for

allocations to new customers and

contingencies. The rule stated that a

more precise decision on how resource

pools would be used would be made by

Western later. Western’s rule further

stated that the percentage of existing

commitments extended for the other

projects would be determined later. It

also stated that the application of the

PMI for the ‘‘Salt Lake City Area

Integrated Projects Marketing Plan

would be determined following

completion of the separate National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA) process currently under way.’’

That NEPA process is the SLCA/IP

Electric Power Marketing EIS. The final

EIS was published in January 1996, and

the ROD was published in October

1996.

Western proposes to apply the PMI,

(10 C.F.R. 905.31 through 905.37), to the

SLCA/IP. This includes, among other

things, a proposal to extend 96 percent

of the SLCA/IP contractors’ entitlement

of long-term, firm Federal resources as

of September 30, 2004, for an additional

20 years. Western proposes that an

initial resource pool of up to 4 percent

of available Federal resources be created

for new customers to encourage

customer development of new

technologies for conservation or

renewable resources and for

contingencies. Western’s analysis shows

that a resource pool of 4 percent of

available resources should be adequate

to provide potential new customers with

a fair share entitlement of Federal

resources. Fair share amounts of

capacity and energy will be offered to

new customers meeting the

requirements established in the Post-89

Marketing Criteria and to qualifying

Indian tribes within the SLCA/IP

marketing area. Indian tribes need not

have utility status to qualify for an

allocation. In addition to the adjustment

in long-term firm resources in 2004,

resource commitments may be reduced

on October 1, 2009, and October 1,

2014, upon 2 years written notification.

These resource adjustments would

provide an additional amount of power

for the same purposes as the 2004

adjustment.

Adjustments may also be made in

resource allocations at any time to

reflect changes in dam operations and/

or water conditions upon 5 years

notification.

Western is seeking comments on the

appropriateness of the length of

extension offered and on what

percentage of the SLCA/IP resource

should be extended to the SLCA/IP

long-term, firm power customers. In

addition Western requests comments on

the uses that should be made of the

electrical power resource pool that will

be created. Following the public

comment period, Western will analyze

the comments received and publish its

policy regarding extension of resource

commitments in the Federal Register.

NEPA COMPLIANCE: Western will comply

with NEPA through preparation of

appropriate NEPA documentation of the

impacts of the proposal.

DETERMINATION UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER

12866: DOE has determined that this is

not a significant regulatory action

because it does not meet the criteria of

Executive Order 12866, 58 FR 51735.

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 (OMB) is

required.

Issued in Washington, DC on February 19,

1997.

Joel K. Bladow,

Assistant Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–4693 Filed 2–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Proposed 2004 Power Marketing Plan

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed plan.

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power

Administration’s (Western) Sierra

Nevada Customer Service Region (Sierra

Nevada Region) has developed a

Proposed 2004 Power Marketing Plan

(Proposed Plan). The Proposed Plan

provides for marketing power from

Central Valley Project (CVP) and

Washoe Project powerplants after the

year 2004. Western currently markets

about 1,580 megawatts (MW) of CVP

power under long-term contracts to 80

preference customers in northern and

central California. Western also markets

3.65 MW of Washoe Project power. On

December 31, 2004, all of Western’s

long-term CVP power sales contracts

will expire, along with Contract 14–06–

200–2948A (Contract 2948A) with the

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

(PG&E) for the sale, interchange and

transmission of electric capacity and

energy. Western has developed the

Proposed Plan to define the products

and services to be offered, and the

eligibility and allocation criteria that

will lead to allocations of CVP and

Washoe Project power beyond the year

2004. This Federal Register notice

initiates the Administrative Procedure

Act process that gives the public an

opportunity to participate in

administrative rulemaking for marketing

of this power by Western after the year

2004, and requests public comment.

DATES: On April 8, 1997, beginning at 10

a.m., Western will hold a public

information forum on the Proposed

Plan. At the information forum, Western

representatives will present the

Proposed Plan and respond to questions

from the public. On April 24, 1997,

beginning at 1 p.m., Western will hold

a public comment forum to receive oral

and written comments on the Proposed

Plan. Each forum will be held at the

Sierra Nevada Regional Office, 114

Parkshore Drive, Folsom, California.

Oral or written comments may be

presented at the public comment forum.

A transcript of oral comments made at

this forum will be available from the

court reporter. Written comments on the

Proposed Plan will be accepted from the

date of publication of this Federal

Register notice through May 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be

hand-delivered, mailed, or faxed to the

address provided below. Comments

must be received by 5 p.m. PDT or

postmarked on May 27, 1997 to assure

consideration. Inquiries and written

comments regarding the Proposed Plan

should be directed to: James C. Feider,

Regional Manager, Western Area Power

Administration, Sierra Nevada Region,

114 Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA

95630–4710, (916) 353–4418, (916) 985–

1931 FAX.

All documentation developed or

retained by Western for the purpose of

developing the Proposed Plan will be

available for inspection and copying at

the address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zola

M. Jackson, Power Marketing Manager,

Western Area Power Administration,

Sierra Nevada Region, 114 Parkshore

Drive, Folsom, CA 95630–4710, (916)

353–4421.

After all public comments have been

considered, Western will publish a

Final 2004 Power Marketing Plan (Final

Plan) in the Federal Register.