73294 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Notices 

www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic 

service, persons with Internet access 

who will eFile a document and/or be 

listed as a contact for an intervenor 

must create and validate an 

eRegistration account using the 

eRegistration link. Select the eFiling 

link to log on and submit the 

intervention or protests. 

Persons unable to file electronically 

should submit an original and 5 copies 

of the intervention or protest to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 

20426. 

The filings in the above-referenced 

proceeding(s) are accessible in the 

Commission’s eLibrary system by 

clicking on the appropriate link in the 

above list. They are also available for 

review in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room in Washington, DC. 

There is an eSubscription link on the 

Web site that enables subscribers to 

receive email notification when a 

document is added to a subscribed 

docket(s). For assistance with any FERC 

Online service, please email 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call 

(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call 

(202) 502–8659. 

Dated: December 4, 2014. 

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28948 Filed 12–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Southwestern Power Administration 

Robert D. Willis Hydropower Power 

Rate 

AGENCY: Southwestern Power 

Administration, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of Rate Order. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Delegation Order 

Nos. 00–037.00A, effective October 25, 

2013, and 00–001.0OE, effective June 6, 

2013, the Deputy Secretary has 

approved and placed into effect on an 

interim basis Rate Order No. SWPA–68, 

which increases the power rate for the 

Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project 

(Willis) pursuant to the Willis Rate 

Schedule which supersedes the existing 

rate schedule. 

DATES: The effective period for the rate 

schedule specified in Rate Order No. 

SWPA–68 is January 1, 2015, through 

September 30, 2018. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Marshall Boyken, Acting Vice President, 

Chief Operating Office, Southwestern 

Power Administration, Department of 

Energy, Williams Center Tower I, One 

West Third Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 

74103, (918) 595–6646, 

marshall.boyken@swpa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rate Order 

No. SWPA–68, which has been 

approved and placed into effect on an 

interim basis, increases the power rate 

for the Willis Project pursuant to the 

following Rate Schedule: 

Rate Schedule RDW–14, Wholesale Rates for 

Hydro Power and Energy Sold to Sam 

Rayburn Municipal Power Agency 

(Contract No. DE–PM75–85SW00117) 

The rate schedule supersedes the 

existing rate schedule shown below: 

Rate Schedule RDW–12, Wholesale Rates for 

Hydro Power and Energy Sold to Sam 

Rayburn Municipal Power Agency 

(Contract No. DE–PM75–85SW00117) 

(superseded by RDW–14) 

Southwestern Power Administration’s 

(Southwestern) Administrator has 

determined, based on the 2014 Willis 

Current Power Repayment Study, that 

the existing power rate will not satisfy 

cost recovery criteria specified in DOE 

Order No. RA 6120.2 and Section 5 of 

the Flood Control Act of 1944. The 

finalized 2014 Willis Power Repayment 

Studies indicate that an increase in 

annual revenue of $109,164, or 10.2 

percent, beginning January 1, 2015, will 

satisfy cost recovery criteria for the 

Willis project. The proposed Willis rate 

schedule would ultimately increase 

annual revenues from $1,072,323 to 

$1,181,496, to recover increased U.S. 

Army’s Corps of Engineers (Corps) 

investments and replacements in the 

hydroelectric generating facility and 

increased operations and maintenance 

costs with one half (5.1 percent) 

beginning January 1, 2015, and the 

remaining one half (5.1 percent) 

beginning on October 1, 2015. 

The Administrator has followed title 

10, part 903 subpart A, of the Code of 

Federal Regulations (10 CFR part 903), 

‘‘Procedures for Public Participation in 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustments and Extensions’’ in 

connection with the proposed rate 

schedule. On September 4, 2014, 

Southwestern published a notice in the 

Federal Register, (79 FR 52646), of the 

proposed power rate increase for the 

Willis project. Southwestern provided a 

30-day comment period as an 

opportunity for customers and other 

interested members of the public to 

review and comment on the proposed 

power rate increase with written 

comments due by October 20, 2014. 

Southwestern did not hold the 

combined Public Information and 

Comment Forum (Forum) because 

Southwestern did not receive any 

requests to hold the Forum. One 

comment was received from Gillis, 

Borchardt & Barthel LLP, on behalf of 

the Vinton Public Power Authority and 

the Sam Rayburn Generation and 

Transmission Cooperative which stated 

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, Williams Center Tower 

I, One West Third Street, Tulsa, 

Oklahoma 74103. Following review of 

Southwestern’s proposal within the 

Department of Energy, I approved Rate 

Order No. SWPA–68, on an interim 

basis, which ultimately increases the 

existing revenue requirement for the 

Willis power rate to $1,181,496 per year 

for the period January 1, 2015 through 

September 30, 2018. 

Dated: December 4, 2014. 

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, 

Deputy Secretary. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF ENERGY 

Rate Order No. SWPA–68 

In the matter of: 

Southwestern Power Administration 

Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project 

Power 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. 00–037.00A, 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. The Deputy 

Secretary issued this interim rate order 

pursuant to that delegation. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Notices 73295 

BACKGROUND 

The Robert Douglas Willis 

Hydropower Project (Willis) (aka: Dam 

B and later 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 stream flow 

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 the Willis 

project 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 of hydropower at the 

Willis project 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. 

The Willis power rate 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 maintenance costs, as 

well as expected capital replacement 

costs, through the power rate paid to 

Southwestern, and will receive all 

power and energy produced at the 

project for a period of 50 years. 

FERC confirmation and approval of 

the current Willis rate schedule was 

provided in FERC Docket No. EF13–1– 

000 issued on April 29, 2013, (143 FERC 

¶62,067) effective for the period October 

1, 2012, through September 30, 2016. 

DISCUSSION 

Southwestern prepared a 2014 

Current Power Repayment Study which 

indicated that the existing power rate 

would not satisfy present financial 

criteria regarding repayment of 

investment within a 50-year period due 

to increased Corps investments, 

replacements and operations and 

maintenance expenses in the 

hydroelectric generating facilities. The 

Revised Power Repayment Study 

indicated the need for a 10.2 percent 

revenue increase. These preliminary 

results which presented the basis for the 

proposed revenue increase were 

provided to the customers for their 

review prior to the formal process. 

The final 2014 Revised Power 

Repayment Study indicates that an 

increase in annual revenues of $109,164 

(10.2 percent) is necessary beginning 

January 1, 2015, to accomplish 

repayment in the required number of 

years. Accordingly, Southwestern has 

prepared a proposed rate schedule 

based on the additional revenue 

requirement to ensure repayment. 

Southwestern conducted the rate 

adjustment proceeding in accordance 

with title 10, part 903, subpart A of the 

Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 

903), ‘‘Procedures for Public 

Participation in Power and 

Transmission Rate Adjustments and 

Extensions.’’ 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 notice 

published on September 4, 2014 (79 FR 

52646), with written comments due 

October 20, 2014. The combined Public 

Information and Comment Forum 

scheduled for October 8, 2014, in Tulsa, 

Oklahoma was not held because 

Southwestern did not receive any 

requests to hold the forum. 

Southwestern provided the Federal 

Register notice, to the customer and 

interested parties for review and 

comment during the public comment 

period. In response to concerns by 

Southwestern’s customers during their 

review of the preliminary results of the 

2014 Power Repayment Studies prior to 

the formal public participation process, 

Southwestern is increasing revenue in 

two steps over a ten month period. 

Since our current power rate is 

sufficient to recover all average 

operation and maintenance expenses 

during the next ten months, our ability 

to meet both annual and long-term 

repayment criteria is satisfied by 

increasing revenues in steps over the 

period. 

The first step of the rate increase, 

beginning January 1, 2015, would 

incorporate one half of the required 

revenue increase ($54,582 or 5.1 

percent). The second step of the rate 

increase, beginning October 1, 2015, and 

ending on September 30, 2018, would 

incorporate the remaining one half of 

the revenue increase requirement 

($54,582 or 5.1 percent). Southwestern 

will continue to perform its Power 

Repayment Studies annually, and if the 

2015 results should indicate the need 

for additional revenues, another rate 

filing will be conducted and updated 

revenue requirements implemented for 

Fiscal Year 2016 and thereafter. 

Following the conclusion of the 

comment period on October 20, 2014, 

Southwestern finalized the Power 

Repayment Studies and rate schedule 

for the proposed annual revenue 

requirement of $1,181,496 which is the 

lowest possible rate needed to satisfy 

repayment criteria. This rate represents 

an increase to the annual revenue 

requirement of 10.2 percent. The 

Administrator made the decision to 

submit the rate proposal for interim 

approval and implementation. 

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES 

Southwestern received one comment 

during the public comment period. The 

comment on behalf of the Vinton Public 

Power Authority and the Sam Rayburn 

Generation and Transmission 

Cooperative expressed no objection to 

the proposed rate increase. 

AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION 

Information regarding this power rate 

increase, including studies, comments 

and other supporting material, is 

available for public review in the offices 

of Southwestern Power Administration, 

One West Third Street, Tulsa, OK 

74103. 

ADMINISTRATION’S CERTIFICATION 

The 2014 Willis Revised Power 

Repayment Study indicates that the 

increased revenue requirement of 

$1,181,496 will repay all costs of the 

project including amortization of the 

power investment consistent with the 

provisions of Department of Energy 

Order No. RA 6120.2. In accordance 

with Delegation Order No. 00–037.00A 

(October 25, 2013), 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 is the lowest 

possible rate to the customer consistent 

with sound business principles. 

ENVIRONMENT 

The environmental impact of the 

power rate increase proposal was 

evaluated in consideration of the 

Department of Energy’s guidelines for 

implementing the procedural provisions 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act 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 by the 

Secretary of Energy, I hereby confirm, 

approve and place in effect on an 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

73296 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Notices 

1Supersedes Rate Schedule RDW–12 

interim basis, effective January 1, 2015 

through September 30, 2018, the Willis 

power rate designed to collect 

$1,181,496 annually for the sale of 

power and energy from the 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, 2018, or 

until the FERC confirms and approves 

the rate on a final basis. 

Dated: December 4, 2014 

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall 

Deputy Secretary 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

ENERGY 

SOUTHWESTERN POWER 

ADMINISTRATION 

RATE SCHEDULE RDW–14 1

WHOLESALE RATES FOR HYDRO 

POWER AND ENERGY 

SOLD TO SAM RAYBURN 

MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY 

(CONTRACT NO. DE–PM75– 

85SW00117) 

Effective: 

During the period January 1, 2015, 

through September 30, 2018, in 

accordance with interim approval from 

Rate Order No. SWPA–68 issued by the 

Deputy Secretary of Energy on 

December 4, 2014 and pursuant to final 

approval by the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission. 

Applicable: 

To the power and energy purchased by 

Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency 

(SRMPA) from the Southwestern Power 

Administration (Southwestern) under 

the terms and conditions of the Power 

Sales Contract dated June 28, 1985, as 

amended, for the sale of all Hydro 

Power and Energy generated at the 

Robert Douglas Willis Hydropower 

Project (Robert D. Willis) (formerly 

designated as Town Bluff). 

Character and Conditions of Service: 

Three-phase, alternating current, 

delivered at approximately 60 Hertz, at 

the nominal voltage, at the point of 

delivery, and in such quantities as are 

specified by contract. 

1. Wholesale Rates, Terms, and 

Conditions for Hydro Power and 

Energy 

1.1. These rates shall be applicable 

regardless of the quantity of Hydro 

Power and Energy available or 

delivered to SRMPA; provided, 

however, that if an Uncontrollable 

Force prevents utilization of both of 

the project’s power generating units 

for an entire billing period, and if 

during such billing period water 

releases were being made which 

otherwise would have been used to 

generate Hydro Power and Energy, 

then Southwestern shall, upon 

request by SRMPA, suspend billing 

for subsequent billing periods, until 

such time as at least one of the 

project’s generating units is again 

available. 

1.2. The term ‘‘Uncontrollable Force,’’ 

as used herein, shall mean any force 

which is not within the control of the 

party affected, including, but not 

limited to, failure of water supply, 

failure of facilities, flood, earthquake, 

storm, lightning, fire, epidemic, riot, 

civil disturbance, labor disturbance, 

sabotage, war, acts of war, terrorist 

acts, or restraint by court of general 

jurisdiction, which by exercise of due 

diligence and foresight such party 

could not reasonably have been 

expected to avoid. 

1.3. Hydro Power Rates, Terms, and 

Conditions 

1.3.1. Monthly Charge for the Period 

of January 1, 2015 through 

September 30, 2015 

$83,405 per month ($1,000,860 per 

year) for Robert D. Willis Hydro 

Power and Energy purchased by 

SRMPA from January 1, 2015, 

through September 30, 2015. 

1.3.2. Monthly Charge for the Period 

of October 1, 2015 through 

September 30, 2018 

$98,458 per month ($1,181,496 per 

year) for Robert D. Willis Hydro 

Power and Energy purchased by 

SRMPA from October 1, 2015, 

through September 30, 2018. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28915 Filed 12–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2003–0004; FRL–9919–25] 

Access to Confidential Business 

Information by Consultants to T.A. 

Consulting, Inc. 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: EPA has authorized 

consultants, Warren Muir and John 

Young of contractor T.A. Consulting, 

Inc. of Virginia Beach, VA, to access 

information which has been submitted 

to EPA under all sections of the Toxic 

Substances Control Act (TSCA). Some of 

the information may be claimed or 

determined to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI). 

DATES: Access to the confidential data 

will occur on or about November 12, 

2014. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

For technical information contact: 

Scott M. Sherlock, Environmental 

Assistance Division (7408M), Office of 

Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, 

DC 20460–0001; telephone number: 

(202) 564–8257; email address: 

sherlock.scott@epa.gov. 

For general information contact: The 

TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422 

South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 

14620; telephone number: (202) 554– 

1404; email address: TSCA-Hotline@

epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

This action is directed to the public 

in general. This action may, however, be 

of interest to all who manufacture, 

process, or distribute industrial 

chemicals. Since other entities may also 

be interested, the Agency has not 

attempted to describe all the specific 

entities that may be affected by this 

action. 

B. How can I get copies of this document 

and other related information? 

The docket for this action, identified 

by docket identification (ID) number 

EPA–HQ–OPPT–2003–0004, is available 

at http://www.regulations.gov or at the 

Office of Pollution Prevention and 

Toxics Docket (OPPT Docket), 

Environmental Protection Agency 

Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William 

Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 

Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, 

DC. The Public Reading Room is open 

from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, excluding legal 

holidays. The telephone number for the 

Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, 

and the telephone number for the OPPT 

Docket is (202) 566–0280. Please review 

the visitor instructions and additional 

information about the docket available 

at http://www.epa.gov/dockets. 

II. What action is the Agency taking? 

Under contract number GS–10F– 

0261M, project number EPA DOI–FCG 

FY2014–26 accessed by EPA through an 

Interagency Agreement with the U.S. 

Department of Interior (IAG No. 

95773601–C), consultants Warren Muir 

and John Young of contractor T.A. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES