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

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 evaluate 

the 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/. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

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 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES