Document ID: FERC-2021-0411-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Meetings: The Office of Public Participation; Virtual Listening Sessions
Posted Date: 2021-04-07T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18053-18054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07108]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD21-9-000]

The Office of Public Participation; Supplemental Notice of 
Virtual Listening Session and a Public Comment Period

    Take notice that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) staff will convene, in the above-referenced proceeding, a 
virtual listening session on April 19, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 
p.m. Eastern time, to solicit public input on how the Commission should 
establish and operate the Office of Public Participation (OPP) pursuant 
to section 319 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 825q-1). The 
listening session will be led by Commission staff and may be attended 
by one or more Commissioners. Members of the public may also submit 
written comments to the record on how the Commission should establish 
and operate the OPP by Friday, April 23, 2021.
    In December 2020, Congress directed the Commission to provide a 
report, by June 25, 2021, detailing its progress towards establishing 
the OPP. Section 319 of the FPA directs the Commission to establish the 
OPP to ``coordinate assistance to the public with respect to 
authorities exercised by the Commission,'' including assistance to 
those seeking to intervene in Commission proceedings. (16 U.S.C. 825q-
1). A February 22, 2021 notice announced a Commissioner-led workshop to 
be held on April 16, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, 
and a March 5, 2021 notice announced five listening sessions from March 
17, 2021 to March 25, 2021. The notices can be found on the 
Commission's website.
    The April 19, 2021 evening session will give members of the public 
an additional opportunity to comment on how the Commission should 
design the OPP to encourage and facilitate public participation. 
Following a brief introduction from Commission staff, the session will 
be open to the public for three minutes of comment per participant. In 
advance of the listening sessions, participants may wish to consider 
the issues listed below:
    1. Section 319 of the FPA states that the OPP will be administered 
by a Director. (16 U.S.C. 825q-1(a)(2)(A)). In addition to the 
Director, how should the office be structured?
    2. Should the Commission consider creating an advisory board for 
OPP? If so, what role would the board serve and who should be on the 
board?
    3. How should the OPP coordinate assistance to persons intervening 
or participating, or seeking to intervene or participate, in a 
Commission proceeding?
    4. To what extent do you, or the organization you represent, 
currently interact with the Commission? What has hindered or helped 
your ability to participate in Commission proceedings?
    5. Have you engaged with other governmental entities--such as 
local, state, and other federal agencies--on matters involving your 
interests? If so, how did those agencies engage in outreach, and what 
practices improved your ability to participate in their processes?
    6. How should the OPP engage with Tribal Governments, environmental 
justice communities, energy consumers, landowners, and other members of 
the public affected by Commission proceedings?
    7. Section 319 of the FPA allows the Commission to promulgate rules 
to offer compensation for attorney fees and other expenses to 
intervenors and participants who substantially contribute to a 
significant Commission proceeding if participation otherwise would 
result in significant financial hardship. (16 U.S.C. 825q-1(b)(2)). How 
should the Commission approach the issue of intervenor compensation? 
What should the OPP's role be with respect to intervenor compensation? 
How should the Commission establish a budget for and fund intervenor 
compensation?

[[Page 18054]]

What lessons can the Commission learn from the administration of 
similar state intervenor compensation programs?
    The session will be open for the public to attend, and there is no 
fee for attendance. The listening session will be audio-only. Call-in 
information details, including preregistration, can be found on the OPP 
website. Information will also be posted on the Calendar of Events on 
the Commission's website, www.ferc.gov, prior to the event. The 
listening sessions will be transcribed and placed into the record 
approximately one week after the session date.
    The listening sessions will be accessible under section 508 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations, please 
send an email to accessibility@ferc.gov or call toll free 1-866-208-
3372 (voice) or 202-502-8659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with 
the required accommodations.
    Members of the public may also submit written comments on these 
topics to the record in Docket No. AD21-9-000 by Friday, April 23, 
2021. Please file comments using the Commission's eFiling system at 
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. For assistance, please 
contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-
3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
    For questions about the listening session, please contact Stacey 
Steep of the Office of General Counsel at (202) 502-8148, or send an 
email to OPPWorkshop@ferc.gov for general questions, and Sarah 
McKinley, (202) 502-8368, sarah.mckinley@ferc.gov, for logistical 
issues.

    Dated: March 23, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-07108 Filed 4-6-21; 8:45 am]
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