Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 192 / Thursday, October 2, 2008 / Notices 57351 

contact Vince Mareino at (202) 502– 

6167 or Vince.Mareino@ferc.gov. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E8–23210 Filed 10–1–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Southwestern Power Administration 

Robert D. Willis Hydropower Rate 

Schedules 

AGENCY: Southwestern Power 

Administration, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of rate order. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Delegation Order 

Nos. 00–037.00, effective December 6, 

2001, and 00–001.00C, effective January 

31, 2007, the Deputy Secretary has 

approved and placed into effect on an 

interim basis Rate Order No. SWPA–59, 

which increases the power rate for the 

Robert Douglas Willis Hydropower 

Project (Willis) pursuant to the 

following Willis Rate Schedule: 

Rate Schedule RDW–08, Wholesale Rates 

for Hydro Power and Energy Sold to Sam 

Rayburn Municipal Power Agency (Contract 

No. DE–PM75–85SW00117) 

DATES: The effective period for the rate 

schedule specified in Rate Order No. 

SWPA–59 is October 1, 2008, through 

September 30, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

James K. McDonald, Assistant 

Administrator, Office of Corporate 

Operations, Southwestern Power 

Administration, Department of Energy, 

One West Third Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 

74103, (918) 595–6690, 

jim.mcdonald@swpa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

existing hydroelectric power rate for the 

Robert Douglas Willis project is 

$815,580 per year. The Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission approved this 

rate on a final basis on February 23, 

2007, in Docket EF–07–4081–000 for the 

period January 1, 2007, through 

September 30, 2010 (see 118 FERC 

¶ 62150). The 2008 Willis Power 

Repayment Studies indicate the need for 

an increase in the annual rate by 

$113,808 or 14.0 percent beginning 

October 1, 2008. 

The Administrator, Southwestern 

Power Administration (Southwestern) 

has followed Title 10, Part 903 Subpart 

A, of the Code of Federal Regulations, 

‘‘Procedures for Public Participation in 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustments and Extensions’’ in 

connection with the proposed rate 

schedule. On August 5, 2008, 

Southwestern published notice in the 

Federal Register (73 FR 45435), of a 30- 

day comment period, together with a 

combined Public Information and 

Comment Forum, to provide an 

opportunity for customers and other 

interested members of the public to 

review and comment on a proposed rate 

increase for the Willis project. The 

public forum was canceled when no one 

expressed an intention to participate. 

Written comments were accepted 

through September 4, 2008. One 

comment was received from Gillis & 

Angley, Counsellors at Law, on behalf of 

Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency, 

Sam Rayburn Dam Electric Cooperative, 

and the Vinton Public Power Authority, 

which stated that they had no objection 

to the proposed rate adjustment. 

Information regarding this rate 

proposal, including studies and other 

supporting material, is available for 

public review and comment in the 

offices of Southwestern Power 

Administration, One West Third Street, 

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. 

Following review of Southwestern’s 

proposal within the Department of 

Energy, I approved Rate Order No. 

SWPA–59, on an interim basis, which 

increases the existing Robert D. Willis 

rate to $929,388, per year, for the period 

October 1, 2008, through September 30, 

2012. 

Dated: September 25, 2008. 

Jeffrey Kupfer, 

Deputy Secretary. 

Deputy Secretary of Energy 

[Rate Order No. SWPA–59] 

In the matter of: Southwestern Power 

Administration, Robert D. Willis 

Hydropower Project Rate; Order 

Confirming, Approving and Placing 

Increased Power Rate Schedule In 

Effect On an Interim Basis 

Pursuant to Sections 302(a) and 

301(b) of the Department of Energy 

Organization Act, Public Law 95–91, the 

functions of the Secretary of the Interior 

and the Federal Power Commission 

under Section 5 of the Flood Control 

Act of 1944, 16 U.S.C. 825s, relating to 

the Southwestern Power Administration 

(Southwestern) were transferred to and 

vested in the Secretary of Energy. By 

Delegation Order No. 0204–108, 

effective December 14, 1983, the 

Secretary of Energy delegated to the 

Administrator of Southwestern the 

authority to develop power and 

transmission rates, delegated to the 

Deputy Secretary of the Department of 

Energy the authority to confirm, 

approve, and place in effect such rates 

on an interim basis and delegated to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

(FERC) the authority to confirm and 

approve on a final basis or to disapprove 

rates developed by the Administrator 

under the delegation. Delegation Order 

No. 0204–108, as amended, was 

rescinded and subsequently replaced by 

Delegation Orders 00–037.00 (December 

6, 2001) and 00–001–00C (January 23, 

2007). The Deputy Secretary issued this 

rate order pursuant to said delegations. 

Background 

Dam B (Town Bluff Dam), located on 

the Neches River in eastern Texas 

downstream from the Sam Rayburn 

Dam, was originally constructed in 1951 

by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

(Corps) and provides streamflow 

regulation of releases from the Sam 

Rayburn Dam. The Lower Neches Valley 

Authority contributed funds toward 

construction of both projects and makes 

established annual payments for the 

right to withdraw up to 2000 cubic feet 

of water per second from Town Bluff 

Dam for its own use. Power was 

legislatively authorized at the project, 

but installation of hydroelectric 

facilities was deferred until justified by 

economic conditions. A determination 

of feasibility was made in a 1982 Corps 

study. In 1983, the Sam Rayburn 

Municipal Power Agency (SRMPA) 

proposed to sponsor and finance the 

development at Town Bluff Dam in 

return for the output of the project to be 

delivered to its member municipalities 

and participating member cooperatives 

of the Sam Rayburn Dam Electric 

Cooperative. Since the hydroelectric 

facilities at the Town Bluff Dam have 

been completed, the facilities have been 

renamed the Robert Douglas Willis 

Hydropower Project (Willis). 

The Willis rate is unique in that it 

excludes the costs associated with the 

hydropower design and construction 

performed by the Corps, because all 

funds for these costs were provided by 

SRMPA. Under the Southwestern/ 

SRMPA power sales Contract No. DE– 

PM75–85SW00117, SRMPA will 

continue to pay all annual operating and 

marketing costs, as well as expected 

capital replacement costs, through the 

rate paid to Southwestern, and will 

receive all power and energy produced 

at the project for a period of 50 years. 

In the FERC Docket No. EF07–4081– 

000, issued February 23, 2007, for the 

period January 1, 2007, through 

September 30, 2010, the FERC 

confirmed and approved the current 

annual Willis rate of $815,580. 

Discussion 

Southwestern’s Current PRS indicates 

that the existing annual power rate of 

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57352 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 192 / Thursday, October 2, 2008 / Notices 

$815,580 is insufficient to produce the 

annual revenues necessary to 

accomplish repayment as required by 

Section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 

1944 and Department of Energy (DOE) 

Order No. RA 6120.2. The increased 

revenue requirement is due to an 

increase in the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers (Corps) projected operations 

and maintenance costs. The Revised 

PRS indicates that an increase in annual 

revenues of $113,808 beginning October 

1, 2008, is sufficient to accomplish 

repayment of the Federal investment in 

the required number of years. 

Accordingly, Southwestern developed a 

proposed rate schedule based on that 

increased revenue requirement. 

Title 10, Part 903, Subpart A of the 

Code of Federal Regulations, 

‘‘Procedures for Public Participation in 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustments and Extensions,’’ has been 

followed in connection with the 

proposed rate adjustment. More 

specifically, opportunities for public 

review and comment during a 30-day 

period on the proposed Willis power 

rate were announced by a Federal 

Register (73 FR 45435) notice published 

on August 5, 2008. The combined 

Public Information and Comment 

Forum scheduled for August 13, 2008, 

in Tulsa, Oklahoma was canceled as no 

one expressed an intent to participate. 

Written comments were due by 

September 4, 2008. Southwestern 

provided the Federal Register notice, 

together with requested supporting data, 

to the customer and interested parties 

for review and comment during the 

formal period of public participation. In 

addition, prior to the formal 30-day 

public participation process, 

Southwestern discussed with the 

customer representatives the 

preliminary information on the 

proposed rate adjustment. Only one 

formal comment was received during 

the public process. That comment, on 

behalf of SRMPA, Sam Rayburn Dam 

Electric Cooperative, and the Vinton 

Public Power Authority, expressed no 

objection to the final proposed rate. 

Upon conclusion of the comment 

period in September 2008, 

Southwestern finalized the PRS and rate 

schedule for the proposed annual rate of 

$929,388 which is the lowest possible 

rate needed to satisfy repayment 

criteria. This rate represents an annual 

increase of 14.0 percent. 

Availability of Information 

Information regarding this rate 

increase, including studies and other 

supporting material, is available for 

public review and comment in the 

offices of Southwestern Power 

Administration, One West Third Street, 

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. 

Comments and Responses 

Southwestern received one written 

comment in which the customer 

representative expressed no objection to 

the proposed rate adjustment. 

Other Issues 

There were no other issues raised 

during the informal discussions or 

during the formal public participation 

period. 

Administrator’s Certification 

The 2008 Revised Willis PRS 

indicates that the annual power rate of 

$929,388 will repay all costs of the 

project, including amortization of the 

power investment consistent with 

provisions of the Department of Energy 

(DOE) Order No. RA 6120.2. In 

accordance with Delegation Order Nos. 

00–037.00 (December 6, 2001) and 00– 

001.00C (January 31, 2007), and Section 

5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, the 

Administrator has determined that the 

proposed Willis power rate is consistent 

with applicable law and the lowest 

possible rate consistent with sound 

business principles. 

Environment 

The environmental impact of the rate 

increase proposal was evaluated in 

consideration of DOE’s guidelines for 

implementing the procedural provisions 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act, 10 CFR 1021, and was determined 

to fall within the class of actions that are 

categorically excluded from the 

requirements of preparing either an 

Environmental Impact Statement or an 

Environmental Assessment. 

Order 

In view of the foregoing and pursuant 

to the authority delegated to me, I 

hereby confirm, approve and place in 

effect on an interim basis, for the period 

October 1, 2008, through September 30, 

2012, the annual Robert Douglas Willis 

Hydropower Rate of $929,388 for the 

sale of power and energy from Robert 

Douglas Willis project to the Sam 

Rayburn Municipal Power Agency, 

under Contract No. DE–PM75– 

85SW00117, as amended. This rate shall 

remain in effect on an interim basis 

through September 30, 2012, or until the 

FERC confirms and approves the rate on 

a final basis. 

Dated: September 25, 2008. 

Jeffrey Kupfer, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E8–23230 Filed 10–1–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OECA–2008–0433; FRL–8724–3] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to OMB for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; NESHAP for Carbon Black, 

Ethylene, Cyanide, and Spandex 

(Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1983.05, 

OMB Control Number 2060–0489 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

3501 et seq.), this document announces 

that an Information Collection Request 

(ICR) has been forwarded to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and approval. This is a request 

to renew an existing approved 

collection. The ICR that is abstracted 

below describes the nature of the 

collection and the estimated burden and 

cost. 

DATES: Additional comments may be 

submitted on or before November 3, 

2008. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

referencing docket ID number EPA–HQ– 

OECA–2008–0433, to (1) EPA online 

using http://www.regulations.gov (our 

preferred method), or by e-mail to 

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

Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental 

Protection Agency, Enforcement and 

Compliance Docket and Information 

Center, mail code 2201T, 1200 

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer 

for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20503. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Schaefer, Office of Air Quality Planning 

and Standards, Sector Policies and 

Programs Division (D243–05), 

Measurement Policy Group, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 

27711; telephone number: (919) 541– 

0296; fax number: (919) 541–3207; email address: schaefer.john@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has 

submitted the following ICR to OMB for 

review and approval according to the 

procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. 

On May 30, 2008 (73 FR 31088), EPA 

sought comments on this ICR pursuant 

to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no 

comments. Any additional comments on 

this ICR should be submitted to EPA 

and OMB within 30 days of this notice. 

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