12088 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2011 / Notices 

to or considered by the U.S. Army War 

College Subcommittee until its next 

open meeting. 

The Designated Federal Officer will 

review all timely submissions with the 

U.S. Army War College Subcommittee 

Chairperson, and ensure they are 

provided to members of the U.S. Army 

War College Subcommittee before the 

meeting that is the subject of this notice. 

After reviewing the written comments, 

the Chairperson and the Designated 

Federal Officer may choose to invite the 

submitter of the comments to orally 

present their issue during an open 

portion of this meeting or at a future 

meeting. 

The Designated Federal Officer, in 

consultation with the U.S. Army War 

College Subcommittee Chairperson, 

may, if desired, allot a specific amount 

of time for members of the public to 

present their issues for review and 

discussion by the U.S. Army War 

College Subcommittee. 

Scott T. Horton, 

Colonel, U.S. Army, Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4874 Filed 3–3–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3710–08–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Navy 

Meeting of the Ocean Research and 

Resources Advisory Panel 

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Ocean Research and 

Resources Advisory Panel (ORRAP) will 

hold a meeting. The meeting will be 

open to the public. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, March 15, 2011, from 10 a.m. 

to 12 p.m. Members of the public should 

submit their comments in advance of 

the meeting to the meeting Point of 

Contact. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, 

1201 New York Avenue, NW., 4th Floor, 

Washington, DC 2005. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Charles L. Vincent, Office of Naval 

Research, 875 North Randolph Street 

Suite 1425, Arlington, VA 22203–1995, 

telephone 703–696–4118. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice of open meeting is provided in 

accordance with the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The 

meeting will include discussions on 

ocean research, resource management, 

and other current issues in the ocean 

science and management communities; 

including, the review and development 

of Strategic Action Plans for the 

National Ocean Council. 

Dated: February 24, 2011. 

D.J. Werner, 

Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate 

General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 

Liaison Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4833 Filed 3–3–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement for a 

Proposed Federal Loan Guarantee To 

Support Construction of Phase II of the 

Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway 

Transmission Line Project, in Maryland 

and Delaware 

AGENCY: Department of Energy, Loan 

Programs Office. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement and 

Conduct Public Scoping Meetings; 

Notice of Proposed Floodplain Action. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) announces its intent to 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) (DOE/EIS–0465), 

pursuant to the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 

the Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) NEPA regulations, and the DOE 

NEPA implementing procedures, to 

assess the potential environmental 

impacts of its proposed action of issuing 

a Federal loan guarantee to Pepco 

Holdings, Inc. (PHI). Potomac Electric 

Power Company (Pepco) and Delmarva 

Power & Light Company (Delmarva), 

both subsidiaries of PHI, submitted an 

application to DOE under the Federal 

loan guarantee program pursuant to the 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) 

to support construction of Phase II of 

the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway 

(MAPP) transmission line project. PHI 

proposes to develop Phase II of the 

MAPP project, an approximately 100- 

mile electric transmission line from the 

Chalk Point Substation in Prince 

George’s County, Maryland, to the 

Indian River Substation in Sussex 

County, Delaware, using a High Voltage 

Direct Current (HVDC) transmission 

system. 

The EIS will evaluate the potential 

environmental impacts of the issuance 

of a DOE Loan Guarantee for PHI’s 

proposed MAPP project and the range of 

reasonable alternatives. 

The purposes of this Notice of Intent 

are to inform the public about DOE’s 

proposed action, invite public 

participation in the EIS process, 

announce plans for public scoping 

meetings, and solicit public comments 

for consideration in establishing the 

scope and content of the EIS. DOE 

hereby provides notice of a proposed 

action located in part in a floodplain 

and that DOE will include a floodplain 

assessment in the EIS. 

DOE invites those agencies with 

jurisdiction by law or special expertise 

to be cooperating agencies. 

DATES: The public scoping period will 

begin with publication of this Notice of 

Intent and end on April 4, 2011. To 

ensure that all of the issues related to 

this proposal are addressed, DOE invites 

comments on the proposed scope and 

content of the EIS from all interested 

parties. Comments must be postmarked 

or e-mailed by April 4, 2011 to ensure 

consideration. Late comments will be 

considered to the extent practicable. 

ADDRESSES: Public comments can be 

submitted electronically or by U.S. Mail. 

Written comments on the proposed EIS 

scope should be signed and addressed 

to the NEPA Document Manager for this 

project: Mr. Doug Boren, Loan Programs 

Office (LP–10), U.S. Department of 

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC 20585. Electronic 

submission of comments is encouraged 

due to processing time required for 

regular mail. Comments can be 

submitted electronically by sending an 

e-mail to: MAPP–EIS@hq.doe.gov. All 

electronic and written comments should 

reference DOE/EIS–0465. 

DOE will conduct three public 

scoping meetings in the vicinity of the 

proposed MAPP project at which 

government agencies, private-sector 

organizations, and the general public are 

invited to provide comments or 

suggestions with regard to the 

alternatives and potential impacts to be 

considered in the EIS. The date, time, 

and location of the public scoping 

meetings will be announced in local 

news media and on the DOE Loan 

Programs Office ‘‘NEPA Public 

Involvement’’ Web site (http:// 

www.lgprogram.energy.gov/ 

NEPA_PI.html) and the DOE NEPA 

Website ‘‘Public Participation’’ Calendar 

(http://nepa.energy.gov/calendar.htm) 

at least 15 days prior to the date of the 

meetings. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

obtain additional information about this 

EIS, the public scoping meetings, or to 

receive a copy of the draft EIS when it 

is issued, contact Doug Boren by 

telephone: 202–287–5346; or electronic 

mail: Douglas.Boren@hq.doe.gov. For 

general information on the DOE NEPA 

process, please contact: Ms. Carol M. 

Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2011 / Notices 12089 

Policy and Compliance (GC–54), U.S. 

Department of Energy, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585; telephone: 202– 

586–4600; facsimile: 202–586–7031; 

electronic mail: askNEPA@hq.doe.gov; 

or leave a toll-free message at 800–472– 

2756. 

Additional information is available on 

the DOE Loan Programs Office ‘‘NEPA 

Public Involvement’’ Web site (http:// 

www.lgprogram.energy.gov/ 

NEPA_PI.html) and the DOE NEPA Web 

site (http://nepa.energy.gov/). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

EPAct 2005 established a Federal loan 

guarantee program for eligible energy 

projects that employ innovative 

technologies. Title XVII of EPAct 2005 

authorizes the Secretary of Energy to 

make loan guarantees for a variety of 

types of projects, including those that 

‘‘avoid, reduce, or sequester air 

pollutants or anthropogenic emissions 

of greenhouse gases; and employ new or 

significantly improved technologies as 

compared to commercial technologies in 

service in the United States at the time 

the guarantee is issued.’’ The two 

principal goals of the loan guarantee 

program are to encourage commercial 

use in the United States of new or 

significantly improved energy-related 

technologies and to achieve substantial 

environmental benefits. On June 30, 

2008, the DOE Loan Guarantee Program 

Office issued a solicitation for projects 

employing energy efficiency, renewable 

energy, and advanced transmission and 

distribution technologies that constitute 

New or Significantly Improved 

Technologies. Pepco and Delmarva 

submitted an application to DOE for a 

loan guarantee in February 2009, to 

support construction of Phase II of the 

MAPP project. 

Phase II of the MAPP project would 

incorporate new smart grid technology 

that includes an HVDC system; 

microprocessor-based relays; digital 

fault recorders; and phasor 

measurement units. The smart grid 

technology to be incorporated into the 

MAPP project would promote the 

transmission of energy over the line 

more efficiently and gives PJM 

Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM), the area 

electric grid operator, additional control 

over power flows and power stability in 

the eastern portion of PJM. The project 

would provide a solution to critical 

reliability and congestion issues 

triggered by limited transmission 

capacity in PJM. 

Due to the number of jurisdictions 

within PJM with Renewable Portfolio 

Standards, the future amount of 

renewable energy generation within PJM 

is expected to increase. By reducing grid 

congestion and increasing grid 

efficiency, the MAPP project enables the 

potential expansion of clean energy 

sources and renewables into the system, 

and may allow for the decommissioning 

of older electric generation units. 

Purpose and Need for Agency Action 

The purpose and need for action by 

DOE is to comply with its mandate 

under EPAct 2005 by selecting eligible 

projects that meet the goals of the Act, 

as summarized above. The EIS will 

inform DOE’s decision whether to issue 

a loan guarantee to PHI to support the 

construction of the proposed MAPP 

project. 

Proposed Action 

DOE’s proposed action is to issue a 

loan guarantee to PHI to support 

construction of Phase II of the MAPP 

project. Phase II of the MAPP project 

can be separated into four segments. 

The first segment is a proposed 500 

kilovolt (kV) alternating current (AC) 

transmission line from the existing 

Chalk Point Substation, in Prince 

George’s County, Maryland, crossing the 

Patuxent River to a proposed AC-todirect current (DC) converter station 

(Chestnut Converter) in Calvert County, 

Maryland. This segment is 

approximately 10.6 miles long and 

would be installed overhead within an 

existing transmission line right-of-way 

(ROW). 

The second segment would be from 

the Chestnut Converter station to a 

proposed converter station (Gateway 

Converter) in Wicomico County, 

Maryland. Segment two would consist 

of two, 320 kV, DC transmission circuits 

and would be installed underground 

within existing ROW in Calvert County 

and then under the Chesapeake Bay and 

the Choptank River, and would cross 

the Delmarva Peninsula overhead 

through Dorchester County, Maryland, 

to the Gateway Converter in Wicomico 

County, Maryland. The Calvert County 

underground portion of the circuits will 

be approximately 2.6 miles long and the 

submarine crossing of the bay and river 

would be approximately 39 miles. Once 

this segment makes landfall in 

Dorchester County, Maryland, it would 

be installed underground for 

approximately one mile and then 

overhead for approximately 14 miles, 

crossing the Nanticoke River near the 

town of Vienna, Maryland, before 

ending at the proposed Gateway 

Converter. This entire segment would be 

located within new transmission line 

ROW. 

Segment three consists of one of the 

two DC circuits continuing overhead 

past the Gateway Converter in 

Wicomico County to a proposed 

converter station (Mission Converter) in 

Sussex County, Delaware. This segment 

would be approximately 26 miles, 

installed above ground, and located 

within an existing transmission line 

ROW. 

Segment four is a 230 kV AC overhead 

transmission line constructed between 

the proposed Mission Converter and the 

existing Indian River Substation in 

Sussex County, Delaware. This segment 

would be located within existing ROW 

and is approximately 6 miles in length. 

In addition, segment four would also 

include two approximately 1-mile 230 

kV AC overhead transmission lines to be 

constructed between the proposed 

Mission Converter and an existing 

transmission line to the south. These 1- 

mile transmission lines would be 

installed on applicant owned property 

but would include new transmission 

structures. Additional project 

descriptions and project location maps 

(depicting the proposed route by 

county) may be found on the applicant’s 

Web site at http:// 

www.powerpathway.com. 

Alternatives 

DOE currently plans to analyze in 

detail the MAPP project proposed by 

PHI and the No Action alternative. As 

appropriate, DOE will also analyze 

alternatives to portions of the project, 

such as alternative routes and river 

crossings, which could lessen or avoid 

impacts to affected resources and 

mitigation measures. 

Under the No Action alternative, DOE 

would not provide the loan guarantee to 

PHI. In this case, PHI may have 

difficulty obtaining financing for the 

MAPP project, which may result in a 

delay or cancellation of the project. 

Although PHI may still pursue the 

project without the loan guarantee, for 

purposes of this NEPA analysis, the No 

Action alternative will be a no project 

or no build scenario. 

Notice of Floodplain Involvement 

DOE hereby provides notice of a 

proposed DOE action in a floodplain 

pursuant to DOE Floodplain and 

Wetland Environmental Review 

Requirements (10 CFR Part 1022). 

Portions of the proposed project cross 

the Patuxent River, the Chesapeake Bay, 

the Choptank River, the Nanticoke River 

and other water bodies, and their 

associated floodplains along the entire 

length of the proposed transmission 

line. DOE will prepare a floodplain 

assessment as required by DOE 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
12090 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2011 / Notices 

regulations and include it in the EIS. 

Interested parties may comment during 

the scoping period following the 

publication of this NOI and will also be 

able to comment on the floodplain 

assessment when the Draft EIS is 

published. 

Preliminary Identification of 

Environmental Issues 

DOE has tentatively identified the 

following environmental resource areas 

for consideration in the EIS. This list is 

not intended to be all-inclusive nor to 

predetermine the potential 

environmental impacts or their 

significance: 

Air quality 

Greenhouse gas emissions and climate 

change 

Energy use and production 

Water resources, including groundwater 

and surface waters 

Wetlands and floodplains 

Geological resources 

Ecological resources, including 

threatened and endangered species 

and species of special concern 

Cultural resources, including historic 

structures and properties; sites of 

religious and cultural significance to 

Tribes; and archaeological resources 

Land use 

Coastal zone management 

Visual resources and aesthetics 

Transportation and traffic 

Noise and vibration 

Hazardous materials and solid waste 

management 

Human health and safety 

Accidents and terrorism 

Socioeconomics, including impacts to 

community services 

Environmental justice 

DOE invites comments on whether 

additional resource areas or potential 

issues should be considered in the EIS. 

Public Scoping Process 

To ensure that all issues related to 

DOE’s proposed action are addressed, 

DOE seeks public input to define the 

scope of the EIS. Interested government 

agencies, private-sector organizations, 

and the general public are encouraged to 

submit comments concerning the 

content of the EIS, issues and impacts 

that should be addressed, and 

alternatives that should be considered. 

Scoping comments should clearly 

describe specific issues or topics that 

the EIS should address to assist DOE in 

identifying significant issues for 

analysis. 

DOE has coordinated with Federal 

and state agencies in the project area 

and expects that the United States Army 

Corps of Engineers will be a cooperating 

agency for the preparation of this EIS. 

DOE invites any additional agencies 

with jurisdiction by law or special 

expertise to be cooperating agencies in 

the preparation of this EIS. 

The public scoping meetings will be 

announced as described in the DATES

and ADDRESSES sections above. 

Members of the public and 

representatives of groups and Federal, 

state, local, and Tribal agencies are 

invited to attend. The meetings will 

include both a formal opportunity to 

present oral comments and an informal 

session during which DOE and PHI 

personnel will be available for 

discussions. Displays and other 

information about the proposed agency 

action, the EIS process, and PHI’s 

proposed MAPP project will be 

available. Individuals who wish to make 

oral comments during one of the 

scoping meetings may register at the 

meeting. To ensure that everyone who 

wishes to has a turn to speak, DOE may 

need to limit speakers to three to five 

minutes initially, but will provide 

additional opportunities as time 

permits. Written comments may be 

submitted to DOE officials at the 

scoping meetings. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28, 

2011. 

Owen Barwell, 

Acting Executive Director, Loan Programs 

Office. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4878 Filed 3–3–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. IC11–73–000] 

Commission Information Collection 

Activities (FERC–73); Comment 

Request; Extension 

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection 

renewal and request for comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006), (Pub. L. 

104–13), the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission (Commission or FERC) is 

soliciting public comment on the 

proposed information collection 

described below. 

DATES: Comments on the collection of 

information are due by May 3, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed 

either electronically (e-Filed) or in 

paper format, and should refer to Docket 

No. IC11–73–000. Documents must be 

prepared in an acceptable filing format 

and in compliance with Commission 

submission guidelines at http:// 

www.ferc.gov/help/submissionguide.asp. eFiling instructions are 

available at: http://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/efiling.asp. First time users must 

follow eRegister instructions at: http:// 

www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

eregistration.asp, to establish a user 

name and password before eFiling. The 

Commission will send an automatic 

acknowledgement to the sender’s e-mail 

address upon receipt of eFiled 

comments. Commenters making an 

eFiling should not make a paper filing. 

Commenters that are not able to file 

electronically must send an original of 

their comments to: Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20426. 

Users interested in receiving 

automatic notification of activity in this 

docket may do so through eSubscription 

at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

esubscription.asp. In addition, all 

comments and FERC issuances may be 

viewed, printed or downloaded 

remotely through FERC’s eLibrary at 

http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

elibrary.asp, by searching on Docket No. 

IC11–73. For user assistance, contact 

FERC Online Support by e-mail at 

ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone 

at: (866) 208–3676 (toll-free), or (202) 

502–8659 for TTY. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Ellen Brown 

may be reached by e-mail at 

DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone at 

(202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273– 

0873. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

information collected under the 

requirements of FERC Form 73 ‘‘Oil 

Pipelines Service Life Data’’ (OMB No. 

1902–0019) is used by the Commission 

to implement the statutory provisions of 

Sections 306 and 402 of the Department 

of Energy Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 

7155 and 7172, and Executive Order No. 

12009, 42 FR 46277 (September 13, 

1977). The Commission has authority 

over interstate oil pipelines as stated in 

the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 

6501 et al. As part of the information 

necessary for the subsequent 

investigation and review of an oil 

pipeline company’s proposed 

depreciation rates, the pipeline 

companies are required to provide 

service life data as part of their data 

submissions if the proposed 

depreciation rates are based on the 

remaining physical life calculations. 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES