Document ID: FERC-2020-0965-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Availability of Draft Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects: Chapter 17-Potential Failure Modes Analysis and Request for Comments
Posted Date: 2020-07-24T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 143 (Friday, July 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44882-44883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15873]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD20-22-000]

Notice of Availability of Draft Engineering Guidelines for the 
Evaluation of Hydropower Projects: Chapter 17--Potential Failure Modes 
Analysis and Request for Comments

    The staff of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP) has drafted its 
initial version of ``Chapter 17--Potential Failure Modes Analysis'' of 
its Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects 
(Guidelines). This chapter will supersede the portions of ``Chapter 
14--Dam Safety Performance Monitoring Program'' that pertain to the 
performance of a Potential Failure Modes Analysis (PFMA), and is one of 
four draft chapters intended to provide additional guidance related to 
the notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the Commission in Docket 
No. RM20-9-000. Please note that any comments on the proposed 
rulemaking or on draft chapters of the Guidelines other than Chapter 17 
should be filed in the corresponding docket number.\1\
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    \1\ The Commission is concurrently issuing for public comment 
four draft chapters of the Guidelines in Docket Nos. AD20-20-000 
(Chapter 15--Supporting Technical Information Document), AD20-21-000 
(Chapter 16--Part 12D Program), AD20-22-000 (Chapter 17--Potential 
Failure Mode Analysis), and AD20-23-000 (Chapter 18--Level 2 Risk 
Analysis).
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    Comments are now requested on the draft Chapter 17--Potential 
Failure Modes Analysis from federal and state agencies, licensees whose 
projects are subject to Part 12, Subpart D of the Commission's 
regulations, independent consultants and inspectors, and other 
interested parties with special expertise with respect to dam safety. 
Comments are due 60 days from the date of this Notice.
    Interested parties can help us determine the appropriate updates 
and improvements by providing: Meaningful comments or suggestions that 
focus on the specific sections requiring clarification; updates to 
reflect current laws and regulations; or best practices related to the 
identification, evaluation, and documentation of potential failure 
modes associated with water power projects. The more specific your 
comments, the more useful they will be. A detailed explanation of your 
submissions and/or any references of scientific studies associated with 
your comments will greatly help us with this process. We will consider 
all timely comments on the revised Guidelines before issuing the final 
version.
    For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to 
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the docket number (AD20-22-000) on the first page of your 
submission. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov). Select the FERC 
Online option from the left-hand column and click on eComment. This is 
an easy method for interested persons to submit brief, text-only 
comments up to 6,000 characters. You must include your name and contact 
information at the end of your comments.
    (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling 
feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov). Select the FERC 
Online option from the left-hand column and click on eFiling. With 
eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching 
them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first 
create an account by clicking on eRegister. When selecting the filing 
type, select General, then choose ``Comment (on Filing, Environ. Report 
or Tech Conf).''
    (3) In lieu of electronic filing, you can mail a paper copy of your 
comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Hand-delivered 
comments, or those delivered by carriers/couriers other than the US 
Postal Service, should be delivered to Health and Human Services, 12225 
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    All information related to Chapter 17--Potential Failure Modes 
Analysis, including the draft chapter and all submitted comments, can 
be found on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. 
Click on the eLibrary link, click on General Search and enter the 
docket number, excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number 
field (i.e., AD20-22). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date 
range. The Commission also offers a free service called eSubscription 
which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals 
in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend 
researching proceedings by automatically providing you with electronic 
notification of these filings and direct links to the documents. Go to 
the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov), select the FERC Online option 
from the left-hand column, and click on eSubscription. Users must be 
registered in order to use eSubscription.

Information Collection Statement

    The proposed Guidelines include information collection activities 
for which the Paperwork Reduction Act \2\ requires approval by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Commission has included the 
burden and cost estimates for information collection activities in 
these Guidelines in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled, Safety of 
Water Power Projects and Project Works (Docket No. RM20-9-000). The 
Commission has designated the information collection activities in the 
proposed rule and in the Guidelines as FERC-517. Upon approval of FERC-
517, OMB will assign an OMB Control Number and expiration date.
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    \2\ 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.
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    If you would like to submit comments on the information-collection 
aspects (such as burden, cost, need for the data, and frequency of 
reporting or recordkeeping) of the proposed Guidelines, please submit 
them to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget [Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
Desk Officer]. Due to security concerns, comments should be sent 
directly to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Comments submitted to 
OMB should be sent within 60 days of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register and refer to FERC-517 and OMB Control No. 1902-TBD.

[[Page 44883]]

    Please submit to the Commission copies of comments concerning the 
collection of information and the associated burden estimates 
(identified by Docket Nos. RM20-9-000 and AD20-22-000) by any of the 
three methods listed above.
    For assistance with filing or any of the Commission's online 
systems, please contact FERC Online Support at 
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8258.

    Dated: July 16, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15873 Filed 7-23-20; 8:45 am]
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