### 36793 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 125 / Monday, June 30, 2014 / Notices

U.S.C. App. 2. This notice is provided
in accordance with the Act.

**DATES :**  Friday, July 18, 2014; 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

**ADDRESSES :**  Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Karen Gibson, Designated Federal Officer, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585; telephone (202) 586–3787; email: crenel@hq.doe.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Background: The Commission was established to provide advice to the Secretary on the Department’s national
laboratories. The activities of the Commission will include, but are not limited to: whether the Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories— are properly aligned with the Department’s strategic priorities; have clear, well understood, and properly
balanced missions that are not unnecessarily redundant and duplicative; have unique capabilities that have sufficiently evolved to meet current and future energy and national security challenges; are appropriately sized to meet the Department’s energy and national security missions; and are appropriately supporting other Federal agencies and the extent to which it
benefits DOE missions. The Commission
will determine whether there are opportunities to more effectively and efficiently use the capabilities of the
national laboratories. The Commission will also analyze the effectiveness of the use of laboratory directed research and development (LDRD) to meet the Department of Energy’s science, energy, and national security goals and evaluatethe Department’s oversight of LDRDfunded projects for compliance with statutory requirements and congressional direction.

Purpose of the Meeting: This meeting is the first meeting of the Commission.

Tentative Agenda: The meeting will start at 10:30 a.m. on July 18th. The tentative meeting agenda includes discussions with Hill staff, briefings on the national laboratory system, an introduction to prior and current studies focusing on the labs, a discussion with representatives of the National Laboratory Directors Council, and comments from the public. The meeting will conclude at 4:00 p.m.

Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public. Individuals who
would like to attend must RSVP to Karen Gibson no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2014 by email at: crenel@hq.doe.gov. Please provide your name, organization, citizenship, and contact information. Anyone attending the meeting will be required to present government-issued identification. Individuals and representatives of organizations who would like to offer comments and suggestions may do so at the end of the meeting. Approximately 30 minutes will be reserved for public comments. Time allotted per speaker will depend on the number who wish to speak but will not exceed 5 minutes. The Designated Federal Officer is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly
conduct of business. Those who did not register in advance to attend the meeting and who wish to speak, should register to do so at the beginning of the meeting at 10:30 a.m. on July 18th.

Those not able to attend the meeting
or who have insufficient time to address
the committee are invited to send a written statement to Karen Gibson, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington DC 20585, or by email at: crenel@hq. doe.gov.

Minutes: The minutes of the meeting will be available by contacting Ms. Gibson at postal address or email
address above.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 24,

2014. LaTanya R. Butler, Deputy Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 2014–15291 Filed 6–27–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6450–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY**

**Wind and Water Power Technologies Office: Wind Energy Bat and Eagle**  **Impact Minimization Technologies and Field Testing Opportunities** 

**AGENCY :**  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) invites public comment on its Request for Information (RFI) regarding a potential funding opportunity to advance the readiness of bat and eagle impact minimization technologies through investments in technology development and field testing.

**DATES :**  Comments regarding the RFI must be received on or before July 25,

2014.

**ADDRESSES :**  The complete RFI document
is located at https://eere-exchange. energy.gov/. **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Responses to the RFI and questions

should be sent via email or email

attachment to WindMitigationRFI@ ee.doe.gov. Further guidance can be found in the RFI document posted on EERE Exchange.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The

mission of the Wind and Water Power Technology Office of DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is to accelerate widespread U.S. deployment of clean, affordable, and reliable wind power to promote energy security, economic growth, and environmental quality. Pursuant to this mission, the Office funds research and development to address market barriers that affect the deployment of wind energy, including the effects of wind on wildlife. In permitting wind facilities and complying with state and federal laws protecting wildlife, such as the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, developers and operators of wind energy facilities often must take measures to mitigate the potential impacts of their facilities on protected species.

While guidelines exist for siting wind facilities in the landscape and wind turbines within a facility to avoid impacts to wildlife, technologies to minimize impacts at operational facilities are for most species either in early stages of development or simply

do not exist. Research in this area is ongoing, but significant advancements are needed to address the siting and permitting challenges currently faced by the wind industry.

In its RFI, EERE requests comments, information, and recommendations on the current state of wildlife impact minimization technologies, conditions under which technology vendors or developers would consider participating

in a demonstration and validation campaign, and the conditions under which wind farm owner/operators would consider participating in a campaign to demonstrate, field-test, and validate such technologies. Additionally, EERE seeks input on a proposed framework for funding the advancement of wildlife impact minimization technologies aimed at reducing impacts to bats, eagles and other wildlife of concern, and on how to prioritize funding for research within

this framework. The RFI is available at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.


### 36794 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 125 / Monday, June 30, 2014 / Notices

Issued in Washington, DC, on 24 June

2014.
Jose Zayas, Director, Wind and Water Power Technologies Office, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 2014–15258 Filed 6–27–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6450–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY**

**Bonneville Power Administration**

**[BPA File No.: PNCA–14]**

**Proposed Changes to the Interchange Energy Imbalances Rate Under the** 
**Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA)** 

**AGENCY :**  Bonneville Power Administration (BPA or Bonneville), Department of Energy (DOE).

**ACTIONS :**  Notice of Proposed Adjustment to Interchange Energy Imbalances Rate
under the Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA).

**SUMMARY :**  BPA is holding this proceeding, Docket No. PNCA–14, to establish a new Interchange Energy
Imbalances rate under the PNCA.

The Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Northwest Power Act) provides that BPA must establish and periodically review and revise its rates so that they are adequate to recover, in accordance with sound business principles, the costs associated with the acquisition, conservation, and transmission of electric power, including amortization
of the Federal investment in the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) over a reasonable number of years and BPA’s other costs and expenses. The Northwest Power Act also requires that
BPA’s rates be established based on the record of a formal hearing. By this notice, BPA announces the commencement of a rate adjustment proceeding for establishment of a new Interchange Energy Imbalances rate
under the PNCA.

**DATES :**  Anyone wishing to become a party to the PNCA–14 proceeding must provide written notice, via U.S. Mail or electronic mail, which must be received by BPA no later than 3:00 p.m. on July

10, 2014.

The PNCA–14 rate adjustment proceeding begins with a prehearing conference at 9:00 a.m. on July 9, 2014, in the BPA Rates Hearing Room, 1201 Lloyd Blvd., Suite 200, Portland, Oregon

97232.

Written comments by non-party participants must be received by August 15, 2014, to be considered in the Administrator’s Record of Decision (ROD).

**ADDRESSES :**  1. Petitions to intervene should be directed to: Hearing Clerk— L–7, Bonneville Power Administration, 905 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232, or may be emailed to rateclerk@ bpa.gov. In addition, copies of the petition must be served concurrently on
BPA’s General Counsel and directed to both Mr. Peter J. Burger, LP–7, Office of General Counsel, 905 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232, or via email to pjburger@bpa.gov (see section III.A. for more information regarding interventions).

2. Written comments by participants
should be submitted to the Public Affairs Office, DKE–7, Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, Oregon 97293. Participants may also submit comments by email at: www.bpa.gov/comment. BPA requests that all comments and documents intended to be part of the Official Record in this rate proceeding contain the designation PNCA–14 in the subject
line.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Ms. Heidi Y. Helwig, DKC–7, Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208; by phone toll free at 1–800–622–4520; or via email to hyhelwig@bpa.gov. Responsible Officials: Mr. Robert Diffely, BPA’s PNCA Representative, is the official responsible for the development of BPA’s Interchange Energy rate.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Table of Contents

Part I. Introduction and Procedural Background Part II. Purpose and Scope of the PNCA–14 Rate Proceeding Part III. Public Participation in BP–14 Part IV. Summary of Rate Proposals

Part I—Introduction and Procedural Background

Section 7(i) of the Northwest Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 839e(i), requires that BPA’s rates be established according to certain procedures, including publication in the Federal Register of this notice of the proposed rates; one or more hearings conducted as expeditiously as practicable by a Hearing Officer; opportunity for both oral presentation and written submission of views, data, questions, and arguments related to the proposed rates; and a decision by the
Administrator based on the record. BPA’s rate proceedings are further governed by BPA’s Procedures Governing Bonneville Power Administration Rate Hearings, 51 FR 7611 (March 5, 1986), which implement and expand the statutory requirements.

This proceeding is being conducted under the rule for Expedited Rate Proceedings, section 1010.10 of BPA’s Procedures. BPA is proposing to use the Expedited Rate Proceedings because BPA is only proposing a change to the index used to price the balance of interchange energy between pairs of parties to the PNCA. The PNCA calls for the application of the Dow Jones Mid-C Index (Dow Jones Index) to price imbalance energy. The Dow Jones Index is no longer published and a replacement index needs to be identified for purposes of pricing the interchange energy. For this reason, the issues in this proceeding are anticipated to be very limited. Given these circumstances, BPA believes that a 90- day Expedited Rate Proceeding is sufficient to develop a full and complete
record. If it is determined that additional time is required, the hearing officer may petition the Administrator for additional time as provided under Rule 1010.10(b). A proposed schedule for the proceeding is provided below. A final schedule will be established by the Hearing Officer at the prehearing
conference. BPA Direct Case—July 9, 2014 Prehearing Conference—July 9, 2014 Deadline to Intervene—July 10, 2014 Data Request Deadline—July 22, 2014 Data Response Deadline—July 29, 2014 Parties file Direct Case—August 1, 2014 Data Request Deadline—August 8, 2014 Data Response Deadline—August 15,

2014 Close of Participant Comments—August

15, 2014 Litigants file Rebuttal—August 25, 2014 Data Request Deadline—September 2,

2014 Data Response Deadline—September 9,

2014 Cross-Examination—September 12,

2014 Initial Briefs Filed—September 19, 2014 Briefs on Exceptions—September 26,

2014 Final ROD—Final Studies—October 8,

2014

Section 1010.7 of BPA’s Procedures prohibits ex parte communications. The ex parte rule applies to all BPA and DOE employees and contractors. Except as provided below, any outside
communications with BPA and/or DOE personnel regarding the merits of any issue in BPA’s rate proceeding by other Executive Branch agencies, Congress, existing or potential BPA customers (including tribes), or nonprofit or public interest groups are considered outside communications and are subject to the