5740 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 

Susquehanna River in York, Dauphin, 

and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania. 

The project does not occupy federal 

lands. 

The applicants seek Commission 

approval to transfer the license for the 

Spencer Mountain Hydroelectric Project 

from the transferor to the transferee. 

Applicant Contact: For transferor: Mr. 

Boyce Falls, Manager, Advantage 

Investment Group, LLC, PO Box 458, 

Dallas, NC 28034, Phone: 704–363– 

5911, Email: bobbiefalls@aol.com . For 

transferee: Mr. Kevin Edwards, 

Manager, Spencer Mountain 

Hydropower, LLC, 1000 C&N Smith Mill 

Road, Stoneville, NC 27048, Phone: 

336–589–6138, Email: kevin@pht1.com. 

FERC Contact: Patricia W. Gillis, (202) 

502–8735, patricia.gillis@ferc.gov. 

Deadline for filing comments, motions 

to intervene, and protests: 30 days from 

the date that the Commission issues this 

notice. The Commission strongly 

encourages electronic filing. Please file 

comments, motions to intervene, and 

protests using the Commission’s eFiling 

system at http://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/efiling.asp. Commenters can 

submit brief comments up to 6,000 

characters, without prior registration, 

using the eComment system at http://

www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/

ecomment.asp. You must include your 

name and contact information at the end 

of your comments. For assistance, 

please contact FERC Online Support at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 

208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 

(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please 

send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 

First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. 

The first page of any filing should 

include docket number P–2607–013. 

Dated: January 28, 2016. 

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01958 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Western Area Power Administration 

[DOE/EIS–0370] 

Record of Decision for the Windy Gap 

Firming Project 

AGENCY: Western Area Power 

Administration, Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Record of decision. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Eastern 

Colorado Area Office (Reclamation) 

prepared an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) for the proposed Windy 

Gap Firming Project (Project) in North 

Central Colorado. The Municipal 

Subdistrict (Subdistrict), Northern 

Colorado Water Conservancy District, 

acting by and through the Windy Gap 

Firming Project Water Activity 

Enterprise, on behalf of the Project 

Participants, obtained approval from 

Reclamation for additional physical 

connections to Colorado-Big Thompson 

Project (C–BT) facilities in order to 

implement the proposed Project. 

Western Area Power Administration 

(Western), an agency within the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE), 

participated in the development of the 

EIS as a cooperating agency. 

The EIS evaluated a no action 

alternative, along with four action 

alternatives each entailing the 

construction of new reservoirs along 

with pipelines and operational facilities 

at different locations. The action 

alternatives were designed to provide 

more reliable water deliveries to Front 

Range and West Slope communities and 

industry. Reclamation selected 

Alternative 2—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir in its Record of Decision 

(ROD) dated December 19, 2014. In 

order to support Reclamation’s decision, 

Western would need to relocate 3.8 

miles of its existing Estes-Lyons 115- 

kilovolt (kV) wood H-frame 

transmission line away from the 

proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir 

site to avoid its inundation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, please contact Mr. 

Matt Blevins, Western Area Power 

Administration, P.O. Box 281213, 

Lakewood, CO 80228–8213, telephone 

(720) 962–7261, or email: blevins@

wapa.gov. For general information on 

DOE’s National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) review process, please 

contact Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, 

Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, 

GC–54, U.S. Department of Energy, 

Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 

586–4600 or (800) 472–2756, or email: 

askNEPA@hq.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Reclamation was the lead federal agency 

for the EIS (FES 11–19) and Western 

was a cooperating agency. The Notice of 

Availability for the Final EIS was 

published in the Federal Register on 

November 30, 2011 (76 FR 74074). 

Reclamation signed its ROD on 

December 19, 2014, and selected 

Alternative 2—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir as its preferred alternative. 

Reclamation’s selected alternative 

directly affects a portion of Western’s 

existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV 

transmission line, which lies within the 

design footprint of the proposed new 

Chimney Hollow Reservoir. In order to 

support Reclamation’s decision, 

Western would need to relocate its 

transmission line away from the 

proposed reservoir to an area that 

preserves system reliability, 

maintenance accessibility, and safety. 

Western’s relocation of the transmission 

line at the Chimney Hollow Reservoir 

site was evaluated in the EIS, including 

acquiring a 100 foot right-of-way, 

constructing access roads, and 

rebuilding approximately 3.8 miles of 

transmission line to the west of the 

proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir. 

After an independent review of the EIS, 

Western has concluded that its 

comments have been satisfied and with 

this notice is adopting the EIS for its 

participation in the Project. 

Western’s Action 

Western’s action is to support 

Reclamation’s decision in selecting 

Alternative 2—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir and to relocate a 3.8 mile 

portion of Western’s existing EstesLyons 115-kV transmission line away 

from the proposed Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir site to avoid its inundation. 

Final transmission line location, pole 

placement, and spacing will be 

determined by Western during final 

design. 

Cultural Resources 

Reclamation executed a Memorandum 

of Agreement (MOA) with the Colorado 

State Historic Preservation Office 

regarding the Project on April 19, 2012. 

Reclamation and Western must adhere 

to the stipulations of that MOA. The 

MOA stipulates that prior to any 

construction of the Project, 

Reclamation’s Eastern Colorado Area 

Office will inventory the remaining 17.2 

acres in the Area of Potential Effect and 

consult with the State Historic 

Preservation Office on eligibility and 

effects of the Project pursuant to 36 CFR 

part 800, including mitigation that will 

be set forth in an amendment to the 

MOA. 

Endangered Species Act 

Western’s action would have no effect 

on federally listed terrestrial wildlife 

species or plants. However, the Project’s 

Colorado River depletions could 

adversely impact four endangered 

Colorado River fish species. Impacts to 

the endangered species in the Colorado 

River were originally addressed in the 

1981 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(Service) Biological Opinion for the 

original Windy Gap Reservoir based on 

an estimated average annual diversion 

of 57,300 acre feet (AF) of water. A 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices 5741 

1On November 16, 2011, DOE’s Acting General 

Counsel restated the delegations to Western’s 

Administrator of all the authorities of the General 

Counsel respecting Environmental Impact 

Statements. 

Recovery Implementation Program (RIP) 

for Endangered Fish Species in the 

Upper Colorado River Basin was 

initiated on January 22, 1988. 

The RIP was intended to be the 

reasonable and prudent alternative for 

individual projects to avoid the 

likelihood of jeopardy to the endangered 

fishes from depletions from the Upper 

Colorado River Basin. A Section 7 

agreement was implemented on October 

15, 1993, by RIP participants, and on 

December 20, 1999, the Service issued 

a Final Programmatic Biological 

Opinion (PBO), Operation and 

Depletions, Other Depletions, and 

Funding and Implementation of 

Recovery Program Actions in the Upper 

Colorado River above the Confluence 

with the Gunnison River. The Service 

determined that the Project fits under 

the umbrella of the Colorado River RIP 

and PBO and would avoid the 

likelihood of jeopardy and/or adverse 

modification of critical habitat for 

depletion impacts. Under the PBO, the 

Subdistrict will make a monetary 

contribution for the 21,317 AF of 

Colorado River water depletions to 

support the recovery efforts for these 

species in accordance with the RIP 

Recovery Action Plan. 

Alternatives Considered 

Reclamation considered in detail five 

alternatives, including Alternative 1— 

the No-action Alternative. This 

alternative consisted of continuation of 

operations under existing water rights 

and agreements between Reclamation 

and the Subdistrict for conveyance of 

the Windy Gap Project water through 

existing C–BT Project facilities and the 

reasonably foreseeable enlargement of 

Ralph Price Reservoir. 

Alternative 2—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir (Proposed Action). Alternative 

2 included construction of a 90,000 AF 

Chimney Hollow Reservoir on the East 

Slope, with the ability to store C–BT 

Project water there. Water would be 

conveyed to Chimney Hollow Reservoir 

via a new pipeline connection to 

existing East Slope C–BT Project 

facilities but no new West Slope 

infrastructure would be constructed. 

This alternative would require Western 

to move its existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV 

transmission line away from the 

proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir 

site to avoid inundation. 

Alternative 3—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir and Jasper East Reservoir. 

Alternative 3 was a combination of 

constructing a 70,000 AF Chimney 

Hollow Reservoir on the East Slope and 

a 20,000 AF Jasper East Reservoir on the 

West Slope. A new 1-mile pipeline 

would connect Jasper East Reservoir to 

the existing Windy Gap pipeline that 

delivers water to Granby Reservoir. The 

existing C–BT Willow Creek Pump 

Station, forebay, and portions of the 

canal and pipeline would be relocated. 

This alternative would require Western 

to move its existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV 

transmission line away from the 

proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir 

site to avoid inundation. 

Alternative 4—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir and Rockwell/Mueller Creek 

Reservoir. This alternative is a 

combination of a 70,000 AF Chimney 

Hollow Reservoir on the East Slope and 

a 20,000 AF Rockwell/Mueller Creek 

Reservoir (Rockwell Reservoir) on the 

West Slope, a new pipeline connection 

to the existing Windy Gap pump station 

and a new 3.3-mile pipeline to Rockwell 

Reservoir. This alternative would 

require Western to move its existing 

Estes-Lyons 115-kV transmission line 

away from the proposed Chimney 

Hollow Reservoir site to avoid 

inundation. 

Alternative 5—Dry Creek Reservoir 

and Rockwell/Mueller Creek Reservoir. 

This alternative is a combination of a 

60,000 AF Dry Creek Reservoir on the 

East Slope, a 30,000 AF Rockwell 

Reservoir on the West Slope, and a new 

3.4-mile pipeline and connection to the 

existing Windy Gap pump station. This 

alternative would require no action by 

Western. 

Reclamation considers both the No 

Action Alternative and Alternative 2— 

Chimney Hollow Reservoir to be the 

environmentally preferable alternatives 

because of each alternative’s relative 

overall effect on natural resources as 

described in their ROD. 

Mitigation 

The EIS analysis includes 

identification of standard construction 

mitigation measures for transmission 

line construction. Western will adhere 

to its standard construction mitigation 

measures described in the EIS. Longterm operations of the transmission line 

will follow Western’s standard 

operating procedures and will not be 

affected by this action. A Mitigation 

Action Plan is not required for 

Western’s proposed action. 

Decision 

Western’s decision is to modify its 

transmission system as described above 

in support of Reclamation’s decision to 

select Alternative 2—Chimney Hollow 

Reservoir.1 This ROD was prepared 

following the requirements of the 

Council on Environmental Quality 

Regulations for Implementing the 

Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 

CFR parts 1500–1508) and DOE’s NEPA 

Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 

1021). 

Dated: January 14, 2016. 

Mark A. Gabriel, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02031 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Western Area Power Administration 

Desert Southwest Customer Service 

Region Network Integration 

Transmission Service and Ancillary 

Services—Rate Order No. WAPA–175 

AGENCY: Western Area Power 

Administration, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Formula 

Rates for Network Integration 

Transmission Service and Ancillary 

Services. 

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power 

Administration (Western) Parker-Davis 

(P–DP) and Pacific Northwest-Pacific 

Southwest Intertie (Intertie) Projects’ 

Network Integration Transmission 

Service (NITS) formula rates under Rate 

Schedules PD–NTS3, INT–NTS3 and 

Western Area Lower Colorado Balancing 

Authority’s (WALC) Ancillary Services 

formula rates under Rate Schedules 

DSW–SD3, DSW–RS3, DSW–FR3, 

DSW–EI3, DSW–GI1, DSW–SPR3, and 

DSW–SUR3 expire on September 30, 

2016. Western is proposing 

modifications to the existing formula 

rate schedules and adding two new rate 

schedules, referred to as Transmission 

Losses Services (DSW–TL1) and Penalty 

Rate for Unreserved Use of 

Transmission Service (DSW–UU1). 

Western will prepare a brochure that 

provides detailed information on the 

proposed formula rates. If adopted, the 

proposed formula rates, under Rate 

Schedules PD–NTS4, INT–NTS4, DSW– 

TL1, DSW–UU1, DSW–SD4, DSW–RS4, 

DSW–FR4, DSW–EI4, DSW–GI2, DSW– 

SPR4, and DSW–SUR4 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 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 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES