5744 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 

1WAPA–155 was approved by the Deputy 

Secretary of Energy on September 2, 2011 (76 FR 

61184), and confirmed and approved by FERC on 

a final basis on December 2, 2011, in Docket No. 

EF11–10–000. See United States Department of 

Energy, Western Area Power Administration, 137 

FERC ¶ 62,200. 

Legal Authority 

Western will hold both a public 

information forum and a public 

comment forum. After review of public 

comments, Western will take further 

action on the proposed formula rates 

and other modifications addressed in 

this FRN, and follow procedures for 

public participation consistent with 10 

CFR part 903. 

Western is establishing P–DP and 

Intertie NITS and WALC Ancillary 

Services formula rates under the 

Department of Energy (DOE) 

Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7152); the 

Reclamation Act of 1902 (ch. 1093, 32 

Stat. 388), as amended and 

supplemented by subsequent 

enactments, particularly section 9(c) of 

the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 

U.S.C. 485h(c)) and section 5 of the 

Flood Control Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 

825s); and other acts specifically 

applicable to the projects involved. 

By Delegation Order No. 00–037.00A, 

effective December 25, 2013, the 

Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) The 

authority to develop power and 

transmission rates to Western’s 

Administrator; (2) the authority to 

confirm, approve, and place such rates 

into effect on an interim basis to the 

Deputy Secretary of Energy; and (3) the 

authority to confirm, approve, and place 

into effect on a final basis, to remand, 

or to disapprove such rates to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 

Availability of Information 

All brochures, studies, comments, 

letters, memorandums, or other 

documents Western initiates or uses to 

develop the proposed formula rates are 

available for inspection and copying at 

the Desert Southwest Customer Service 

Regional Office, Western Area Power 

Administration, located at 615 South 

43rd Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85009. 

Many of these documents and 

supporting information are available on 

Western’s Web site at: http://

www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/

Pages/ancillary-rates-2017.aspx. 

Ratemaking Procedure Requirements 

Environmental Compliance 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321–4347; the Council 

on Environmental Quality Regulations 

for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 

1500–1508); and DOE NEPA 

Implementing Procedures and 

Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021), Western 

is in the process of determining whether 

an environmental assessment or an 

environmental impact statement should 

be prepared or if this action can be 

categorically excluded from those 

requirements. 

Determination Under Executive Order 

12866 

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 is required. 

Dated: January 20, 2016. 

Mark A. Gabriel, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01977 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Western Area Power Administration 

Rocky Mountain Region Transmission, 

Ancillary Services, and Sale of Surplus 

Products—Rate Order No. WAPA–174 

AGENCY: Western Area Power 

Administration, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed 

Transmission, Ancillary Services, and 

Sale of Surplus Products Formula Rates. 

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power 

Administration (Western) Loveland 

Area Projects’ (LAP) Transmission and 

Western Area Colorado Missouri 

Balancing Authority’s (WACM) 

Ancillary Services formula rates under 

Rate Schedules L–NT1, L–FPT1, L– 

NFPT1, L–AS1, L–AS2, L–AS3, L–AS4, 

L–AS5, L–AS6, L–AS7, L–AS9, and L– 

UU1 expire on September 30, 2016. 

Western is proposing modifications to 

the existing formula rate schedules and 

also is proposing to add a new rate 

schedule, referred to as ‘‘LAP Marketing 

Sale of Surplus Products, L–M1.’’ 

Western has prepared a brochure that 

provides detailed information on the 

proposed formula rates. If adopted, the 

proposed formula rates, under Rate 

Schedules L–NT1, L–FPT1, L–NFPT1, 

L–AS1, L–AS2, L–AS3, L–AS4, L–AS5, 

L–AS6, L–AS7, L–AS9, L–UU1, and L– 

M1, will become effective October 1, 

2016, and will remain in effect through 

September 30, 2021, or until 

superseded. Publication of this Federal 

Register notice (FRN) begins the formal 

process for consideration of the 

proposed formula rates. 

DATES: The consultation and comment 

period begins today and will end May 

3, 2016. Western will present a detailed 

explanation of the proposed formula 

rates and other modifications addressed 

within this FRN at a public information 

forum that will be held on March 28, 

2016, at noon MDT. Western will accept 

oral and written comments at a public 

comment forum that will be held on 

March 28, 2016, from 2:30 p.m. to no 

later than 4:00 p.m. MDT. Western will 

accept written comments any time 

during the consultation and comment 

period. 

ADDRESSES: The location for both the 

public information forum and the public 

comment forum is the Western Area 

Power Administration, Rocky Mountain 

Region, 5555 East Crossroads Boulevard, 

Loveland, Colorado. Send written 

comments to Mr. Bradley S. Warren, 

Senior Vice President, Rocky Mountain 

Regional Manager, Western Area Power 

Administration, 5555 East Crossroads 

Boulevard, Loveland, Colorado 80538– 

8986, or at email LAPTransAdj@

wapa.gov. Western will post 

information about the rate process, as 

well as comments received via letter 

and email, on its Web site at: http://

www.wapa.gov/regions/RM/rates/Pages/

2017-rate-adjustment.aspx. Written 

comments must be received by the end 

of the consultation and comment period 

to be considered by Western in its 

decision process. 

As access to Western facilities is 

controlled, any United States (U.S.) 

citizen wishing to attend must present 

an official form of picture identification 

(ID), such as a U.S. driver’s license, U.S. 

passport, U.S. Government ID, or U.S. 

Military ID prior to signing into 

Western. Foreign nationals should 

contact Western via Mrs. Sheila D. 

Cook, Rates Manager, at telephone 

number (970) 461–7211 or by email at 

scook@wapa.gov 30 days in advance of 

the meeting to obtain the necessary form 

for admittance to Western’s Rocky 

Mountain Regional Office. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. 

Sheila D. Cook, Rates Manager, Rocky 

Mountain Region, Western Area Power 

Administration, 5555 East Crossroads 

Boulevard, Loveland, Colorado 80538– 

8986, at telephone number (970) 461– 

7211, or by email at scook@wapa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

existing formula rate schedules, 

approved under Rate Order No. WAPA– 

155,1charges are recalculated annually 

using updated financial and load 

information, as applicable. The 

proposed formula rates continue this 

approach. If adopted, these proposed 

formula rates will be in effect October 

1, 2016, through September 30, 2021. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 5745 

This FRN describes proposed changes to 

the services referenced below. 

Transmission Services 

Formula Rate for Annual Transmission 

Revenue Requirement 

Under this proposal, there will be no 

change to the existing formula rate for 

calculating the Annual Transmission 

Revenue Requirement (ATRR), which is 

applicable to both Network Integration 

and Point-to-Point transmission service. 

The ATRR is the annual cost of the LAP 

Transmission System, adjusted for NonFirm Point-to-Point revenue credits, 

costs that increase the capacity available 

for transmission, other miscellaneous 

charges or credits, and the prior year 

true-up. 

Proposed Change to Forward-Looking 

Transmission Rate Methodology 

Western is proposing to shorten the 

forward-looking transmission rate 

projection period for this ATRR 

calculation from sixteen months to four 

months. In the previous rate adjustment 

process, Western incorporated a 

forward-looking transmission rate 

methodology to calculate the ATRR to 

recover transmission expenses and 

investments on a current basis rather 

than a historical basis. Presently, 

Western projects transmission costs two 

years into the future relying on current 

year actual data for approximately the 

first eight months of the year and 

projecting for the remaining four 

months of the year plus twelve 

additional months. Western is 

proposing to remove the last twelve 

months of projections, thus only having 

to true-up the projected costs for the 

four-month period of the current year. 

This method would allow Western to 

more accurately match cost recovery 

with cost incurrence without 

introducing unnecessary, large true-ups 

caused by estimating the second year. 

This proposal would be a change to the 

inputs for the annual charge, rather than 

a change to the formula rate. 

When actual cost information for a 

year becomes available, Western will 

continue to calculate the actual revenue 

requirement. Revenue collected in 

excess of Western’s actual revenue 

requirement will be included as a credit 

in the ATRR in the following year. 

Similarly, any under-collection of the 

revenue requirement will be recovered 

in the following year. This true-up 

procedure ensures Western recovers no 

more or no less than the actual 

transmission costs for the year. For 

example, as Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 actual 

financial data becomes available, the 

under- or over-collection of revenue for 

FY 2016 can be determined. When the 

FY 2018 charge is calculated, it would 

include an adjustment for revenue 

under- or over-collected in FY 2016. 

Formula Rate for Network Integration 

Transmission Service (Rate Schedule L– 

NT1) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Network Integration Transmission 

Service Formula Rate, but proposes to 

make minor edits to the rate schedule. 

Those edits would consist of rearranging 

the order of the sections and removing 

the section setting forth the annual 

ATRR. In the future, each year’s ATRR 

will be identified in a separate tracking 

document posted on Western’s Web site, 

as well as posted on Western’s 

Transmission Services Open Access 

Same Time Information System (OASIS) 

Web site under Loveland Area Projects 

Transmission (LAPT). 

Formula Rates for Firm and Non-Firm 

Point-to-Point Transmission Service 

(Rate Schedules L–FPT1 and L–NFPT1) 

Western proposes a change in the 

formula rate for Firm Point-to-Point 

transmission service to clarify the 

denominator of the formula includes 

both Firm Point-to-Point transmission 

capacity reservations and Network 

Integration transmission service 

capacity. Western proposes the 

denominator read as ‘‘Firm 

Transmission Capacity Reservations 

plus Network Integration Transmission 

Service Capacity’’ rather than the 

current language ‘‘LAP Transmission 

System Total Load.’’ 

The proposed formula rate for Pointto-Point transmission service would be: 

In addition, Western also proposes to 

make minor editorial changes to the 

firm and non-firm rate schedules. Those 

edits would consist of rearranging the 

order of the sections and deleting the 

sections setting forth the annual charges 

under the formula rates. In the future, 

the annual charges will be identified in 

a separate tracking document posted on 

Western’s Web site as well as posted on 

the LAPT OASIS Web site. 

Transmission Losses Service (Rate 

Schedule L–AS7) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Transmission Losses formula rate but 

proposes to make minor editorial 

changes to the rate schedule. Those 

edits would consist of rearranging the 

order of the sections, moving text within 

the sections, making minor edits to the 

language within the ‘‘applicable’’ 

section, and deleting the ‘‘rate’’ section. 

Penalty Rate for Unreserved Use of 

Transmission Service (Rate Schedule L– 

UU1) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Unreserved Use penalty formula rate but 

plans to make minor editorial changes 

to the rate schedule. Those edits would 

consist of rearranging the order of the 

sections, moving text within the 

sections, and deleting the ‘‘rate’’ section. 

Ancillary Services 

Scheduling, System Control, and 

Dispatch Service (Rate Schedule L–AS1) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Scheduling, System Control, and 

Dispatch formula rate, but plans to make 

minor editorial changes to the rate 

schedule. Those edits would consist of 

adding LAPT and Colorado River 

Storage Project Transmission (CRCM) to 

the title, rearranging the order of the 

sections, and deleting the section setting 

forth the annual charge under the 

formula rate. In the future, the annual 

charge will be identified in a separate 

tracking document posted on Western’s 

Web site as well as posted on the LAPT 

and CRCM OASIS Web sites. 

Reactive Supply and Voltage Control 

From Generation or Other Sources 

Service (Rate Schedule L–AS2) 

Western proposes to eliminate 

Reactive Supply and Voltage Control 

from Generation or Other Sources (VAR 

Support Service) exemptions and begin 

assessing VAR Support Service charges 

for all transmission transactions on the 


mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICESEN03FE16.009</GPH>
5746 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 

2 75 FERC ¶ 61,080 (FERC Order 888), Appendix 

D, ‘‘Pro Forma Open Access Transmission Tariff’’, 

Schedule 2, ‘‘Reactive Supply and Voltage Control 

from Generation Sources Service’’ (April 24, 1996). 

LAPT and CRCM transmission systems, 

as contract provisions allow. In order to 

maintain transmission voltages on the 

transmission system within acceptable 

limits, generating facilities under the 

control of the Control Area operator, 

WACM, are operated to produce or 

absorb reactive power. Thus, VAR 

Support Service must be provided for 

each transaction on the transmission 

systems within the Control Area either 

directly by the Transmission Service 

Provider (TSP) or indirectly by the TSP 

making arrangements with the Control 

Area operator. Furthermore, the 

Transmission Customers are required to 

purchase this service from the TSP. If 

the TSP acquires the service from the 

Control Area, the charges are to reflect 

only a pass-through of the costs charged 

to the TSP by the Control Area operator, 

as stated in the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) pro 

forma open access transmission tariff 

language.2 WACM has both Federal 

TSPs (LAPT and CRCM) and nonFederal TSPs. 

Historically, based on the assumption 

some LAPT and CRCM transmission 

customers have non-Federal generation 

resources inside WACM, and they have 

agreed to make their non-Federal 

generation resources inside WACM 

available to the WACM operator for 

VAR Support Service, Western has 

allowed some of these LAPT and CRCM 

transmission customers to receive an 

exemption from LAPT and CRCM VAR 

Support Service charges. As a result of 

these exemptions, the cost for LAPT and 

CRCM to provide VAR Support Service 

on their transmission systems has been 

shifted to the remaining (non-exempted) 

transmission customers. WACM, the 

Control Area operator, has always taken 

the position the non-Federal TSPs have 

adequate non-Federal generation 

resources to provide VAR Support 

Service on their transmission systems 

and therefore WACM has never charged 

any non-Federal TSPs for VAR Support 

Service. In the future, WACM plans to 

pursue efforts to verify that this 

presumption continues to be warranted 

for all of the non-Federal TSPs. 

Western is now proposing to take the 

same position with the Federal TSPs, 

i.e., that the Federal generation 

resources connected to the LAPT and 

CRCM transmission systems provide 

adequate VAR Support Service on the 

LAPT and CRCM transmission systems, 

without the addition of the non-Federal 

generation resources. It will be 

inappropriate, therefore, for LAPT and 

CRCM TSPs to continue to provide VAR 

Support Service charge exemptions to 

its transmission customers. The 

elimination of the LAPT and CRCM 

VAR Support Service exemptions will 

lead to the recovery of the LAPT and 

CRCM VAR Support Service costs from 

all LAPT and CRCM transmission 

customers instead of only a portion of 

them. 

Western is also proposing changes to 

both the numerator and the 

denominator of the formula rate for VAR 

Support Service. The numerator will be 

changed to include the annual cost of 

other resources used to provide VAR 

Support Service in addition to the 

revenue requirement for Federal 

generation. The denominator will be 

changed to state ‘‘Transmission 

Transactions in WACM Requiring VAR 

Support Service’’ rather than ‘‘Load in 

WACM requiring VAR Support 

Service.’’ 

The proposed formula rate for VAR 

Support Service is as follows: 

Numerator is: Annual Revenue 

Requirement for VAR Support Service = 

(Revenue Requirement for Generation × 

% of Resource Capacity Used for VAR 

Support Service (1 Minus Power 

Factor)) + Other Resources, e.g., energy 

and transmission costs for condensing 

Federal generating units. 

Denominator is: Transmission 

Transactions in WACM Requiring VAR 

Support Service = Transmission 

Capacity usage on Federal Transmission 

Systems (Point-to-Point Transmission 

Service as well as Network Integration 

Transmission Service on LAPT and 

CRCM Transmission Systems) + 

Transmission Capacity usage by other 

TSPs inside WACM. 

In addition, Western also proposes to 

make edits to the VAR Support Service 

rate schedule. Those edits would consist 

of adding LAPT and CRCM to the title, 

rearranging the order of the sections, 

removing language regarding 

exemptions, clarifying the rate is 

applicable to Federal transmission 

customers serving load inside WACM 

and to non-Federal TSPs/owners/

operators who request the service from 

WACM or who do not adequately 

supply VAR Support Service on their 

systems, and deleting the section setting 

forth the annual charge under the 

formula rate. In the future, the annual 

charge will be identified in a separate 

tracking document posted on Western’s 

Web site as well as posted on the LAPT 

and CRCM OASIS Web sites. 

Regulation and Frequency Response 

Service (Rate Schedule L–AS3) 

In order to more accurately allocate 

costs based on cost causation principles, 

Western is proposing a change to the 

current load-based assessment of the 

Regulation and Frequency Response 

Service (Regulation Service) formula 

rate. The current load-based assessment 

is applicable to (1) all load inside 

WACM and (2) installed nameplate 

capacity of all intermittent resources 

serving load inside WACM. 

Western is not proposing any changes 

to the application of the load-based 

assessment for the load inside WACM. 

The charge will continue to be one-forone for each megawatt (MW) of load 

inside WACM. Western is, however, 

proposing to modify the one-for-one 

MW load-based assessment for the 

installed nameplate of intermittent 

resources serving load inside WACM. It 

would instead include a ‘‘variable 

capacity multiplier’’ to be applied to the 

installed capacity for Variable Energy 

Resources (VER) serving load inside 

WACM. 

The proposed formula rate for 

Regulation Service is as follows: 


mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICESEN03FE16.007</GPH>
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 5747 

Regulation Service is necessary to 

provide for the continuous balancing of 

resources with obligations and for 

maintaining scheduled interconnection 

frequency at sixty cycles per second (60 

Hz). Regulation Service is accomplished 

by committing on-line generation whose 

output is raised or lowered as necessary, 

predominantly through the use of 

automatic generation control (AGC) 

equipment, to follow the moment-bymoment changes in load. The obligation 

to maintain this balance between 

resources and load lies with the TSP (or 

the Control Area Operator who performs 

this function for the TSP). The TSP 

must offer this service when the 

transmission service is used to serve 

load within its Control Area. 

Western markets the maximum 

amount of power from its Federal 

projects, leaving little flexibility for 

additional regulation needs within 

WACM. More VER connecting to the 

system results in a significant increase 

in regulation needs and costs and 

presents operational constraints in 

managing the significant fluctuations 

normally associated with VER. These 

costs are allocated to all customers 

taking Regulation Service regardless of 

their ability or inability to influence the 

condition. 

The Annual Revenue Requirement for 

Regulation Service will not be affected 

by the inclusion of the multipliers. The 

proposed change will result in the 

denominator increasing, because more 

units of capacity will be charged, which 

in turn will cause the overall Regulation 

Service charge to be lower. The lower 

charge will then be allocated to each 

unit of capacity, thereby lowering the 

costs incurred by the load and assigning 

more of the costs for regulating capacity 

to those customers predominantly 

contributing to the need for Regulation 

Service. 

In order to determine the ‘‘variable 

capacity multipliers,’’ Western has 

developed a ‘‘Regulation Analysis’’ tool 

that allows Western to determine the 

hourly impacts of both load and variable 

energy generation on WACM. The 

Regulation Analysis tool focuses on 95 

percent (%) of the events where the 

Control Area’s Area Control Error (ACE) 

limit was exceeded within the 10 

minute duration range. Recent analysis 

using the Regulation Analysis tool has 

shown wind resources consume a 

disproportionate amount of regulating 

capacity. As an example, the results for 

the July 2014 to June 2015 average 

indicate a 2.25 or 225% wind capacity 

multiplier. 

WACM does not have a significant 

amount of solar generation impacting its 

balancing authority area and, therefore, 

does not have sufficient solar generation 

data available to perform a thorough 

analysis at this time. Therefore, Western 

proposes to identify a solar capacity 

multiplier of 1.00 or 100%. This 

multiplier does not change the current 

denominator, but allows the 

denominator to change if and when 

solar generation becomes more 

prevalent in the WACM footprint. 

The Regulation Analysis will be 

completed on a monthly basis with an 

annual average, based on most current 

data available, typically July to June, 

used for the annual formula rate updates 

that go into effect each October 1 of the 

effective rate period. 

In addition, Western proposes to 

make edits to the Regulation Service 

rate schedule. Those edits will consist 

of adding LAPT and CRCM to the title, 

rearranging the order of the sections, 

clarifying the rate is applicable to 

Federal transmission customers and 

non-Federal TSPs requesting the service 

that serve load within WACM, and 

removing the section setting forth the 

annual charge under the formula rate. In 

the future, the annual charge will be 

identified in a separate tracking 

document posted on Western’s Web site 

as well as posted on the LAPT and 

CRCM OASIS Web sites. 

Energy and Generator Imbalance 

Services (Rate Schedules L–AS4 and L– 

AS9) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Energy Imbalance Service or Generator 

Imbalance Service formula rates, but 

plans to make minor editorial changes 

to the rate schedules. Those edits would 

consist of adding LAPT to the title, 

rearranging the order of the sections, 

and deleting the ‘‘rate’’ section. 

Rate Schedules for Operating Reserves 

Service—Spinning and Supplemental 

(Rate Schedules L–AS5 and L–AS6) 

Western proposes no changes to the 

Spinning and Supplemental Reserves 

Service formula rates, but proposes to 

make editorial changes to the rate 

schedules. Those edits would consist of 

adding LAPT to the schedule, clarifying 

the ‘‘applicable’’ language, and 

rearranging the order of the sections. 

LAP Marketing Services 

LAP Marketing Sale of Surplus Products 

(L–M1) 

Western is proposing to implement a 

new LAP Marketing rate schedule that 

would be applicable to the sale of LAP 

surplus energy and capacity products. 

At this time, Western proposes to 

include reserves, regulation, and 

frequency response. If LAP resources are 

available, the charge will be determined 

based on market rates plus 

administrative costs. In the future, if 

Western considers offering additional 

products for sale, a revised or new rate 

schedule will be proposed via a public 

rate adjustment process. 

Legal Authority 

Western will hold both a public 

information forum and a public 

comment forum. After review of public 

comments, Western will take further 

action on the proposed formula rates 

and other modifications addressed in 

this FRN, and follow procedures for 

public participation consistent with 10 

CFR part 903. 

Western is establishing formula rates 

for LAP Transmission, WACM, LAPT, 

and CRCM Ancillary Services, and LAP 

Marketing Sales of Surplus Products 

under the Department of Energy (DOE) 

Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7152); the 

Reclamation Act of 1902 (ch. 1093, 32 


mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICESEN03FE16.008</GPH>
5748 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 

Stat. 388), as amended and 

supplemented by subsequent 

enactments, particularly section 9(c) of 

the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 

U.S.C. 485h(c)) and section 5 of the 

Flood Control Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 

825s); and other acts specifically 

applicable to the projects involved. 

By Delegation Order No. 00–037.00A, 

effective October 25, 2013, the Secretary 

of Energy delegated: (1) The authority to 

develop power and transmission rates to 

Western’s Administrator; (2) the 

authority to confirm, approve, and place 

such rates into effect on an interim basis 

to the Deputy Secretary of Energy; and 

(3) the authority to confirm, approve, 

and place into effect on a final basis, to 

remand, or to disapprove such rates to 

FERC. 

Availability of Information 

All brochures, studies, comments, 

letters, memorandums, or other 

documents Western initiates or uses to 

develop the proposed formula rates are 

available for inspection and copying at 

the Rocky Mountain Regional Office, 

located at 5555 East Crossroads 

Boulevard, Loveland Colorado 80538– 

8986. Many of these documents and 

supporting information are also 

available on Western’s RMR Web site 

under the 2017 Rate Adjustment— 

Transmission and Ancillary Services 

section located at http://www.wapa.gov/ 

regions/RM/rates/Pages/rates.aspx. 

Ratemaking Procedure Requirements 

Environmental Compliance 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321–4347; the Council 

on Environmental Quality Regulations 

for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 

1500–1508); and DOE NEPA 

Implementing Procedures and 

Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021), Western 

is in the process of determining whether 

an environmental assessment or an 

environmental impact statement should 

be prepared or if this action can be 

categorically excluded from those 

requirements. 

Determination Under Executive Order 

12866 

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 is required. 

Dated: January 20, 2016. 

Mark A. Gabriel, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02035 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–ORD–2016–0010; FRL–9941–88– 

OEI] 

Information Collection Request 

Submitted to OMB for Review and 

Approval; Comment Request; 

Recordkeeping for Institutional Dual 

Use Research of Concern (iDURC) 

Policy Compliance 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency has submitted an information 

collection request (ICR), 

‘‘Recordkeeping for Institutional Dual 

Use Research of Concern (iDURC) Policy 

Compliance’’ (EPA ICR No. 2530.01, 

OMB Control No. 2080–NEW) to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for emergency processing in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

This is a request for approval of a new 

collection, for which EPA requests 

approval by February 29, 2016. A fuller 

description of the ICR is given below, 

including its estimated burden and cost 

to the public. An Agency may not 

conduct or sponsor and a person is not 

required to respond to a collection of 

information unless it displays a 

currently valid OMB control number. 

DATES: Additional comments may be 

submitted on or before March 4, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

referencing Docket ID Number EPA– 

HQ–ORD–2016–0010, to (1) EPA online 

using www.regulations.gov (our 

preferred method), by email to 

ord.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA 

Docket Center, Environmental 

Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 

Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via 

email to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. 

Address comments to OMB Desk Officer 

for EPA. 

EPA’s policy is that all comments 

received will be included in the public 

docket without change including any 

personal information provided, unless 

the comment includes profanity, threats, 

information claimed to be Confidential 

Business Information (CBI) or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brendan Doyle, Office of Research and 

Development, Mail Code: 8801R, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, 

DC 20460; telephone number: 202–564– 

4584; email address: doyle.brendan@

epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Supporting documents which explain in 

detail the information that the EPA will 

be collecting are available in the public 

docket for this ICR. The docket can be 

viewed online at www.regulations.gov 

or in person at the EPA Docket Center, 

WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 

Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, 

DC. The telephone number for the 

Docket Center is 202–566–1744. For 

additional information about EPA’s 

public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/ 

dockets. 

Abstract: To comply with the U.S. 

Government Policy for Institutional 

Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use 

Research of Concern (Policy) (http://

www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse/Pages/

default.aspx), EPA must ensure that the 

institutions that are subject to the Policy 

train their laboratory personnel and 

maintain records of that training. This 

training is specific to ‘‘dual use research 

of concern,’’ and should include 

information on how to properly identify 

DURC and appropriate methods for 

ensuring research that is determined to 

be DURC is conducted and 

communicated responsibly. 

EPA is requesting emergency 

clearance of this ICR under 5 CFR 

1320.13(a)(2)(i) because the iDURC 

policy’s effective date has passed, but 

without PRA approval the 

recordkeeping provisions cannot yet be 

implemented. Standard processing of 

this ICR would further delay full 

implementation of the policy, which 

seeks to mitigate the risk of public harm 

from life sciences research being 

misapplied. 

EPA requests that OMB authorize this 

ICR by February 29, 2016, for the 

maximum of 180 days. 

Form Numbers: None. 

Respondents/affected entities: Private 

sector and the federal-owned/

contractor-operated labs. 

Respondent’s obligation to respond: 

Mandatory (per EPA Order on Policy 

and Procedures for Managing Dual Use 

Research of Concern). 

Estimated number of respondents: 

Eighteen (total). 

Frequency of response: Only once 

and/or as necessary. 

Total estimated burden: 72 hours (per 

year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 

1320.03(b). 

Total estimated cost: $4,320 (per 

year), includes $0 annualized capital or 

operation & maintenance costs. 

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