80 FR 70192 - Notice of Public Meeting to Provide Comments on Draft Materials to Improve FERC-USACE Coordinated Regulatory Processes for Non-Federal Development of Hydropower at USACE Non-Hydropower Dams
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 219 (November 13, 2015)
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 219 (November 13, 2015)
| Page Range | 70192-70192 | |
| FR Document | 2015-28875 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 219 (Friday, November 13, 2015)] [Notices] [Page 70192] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-28875] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Notice of Public Meeting to Provide Comments on Draft Materials to Improve FERC-USACE Coordinated Regulatory Processes for Non-Federal Development of Hydropower at USACE Non-Hydropower Dams AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Announcement of meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting to obtain individual public input on new ideas developed collaboratively by the Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) aimed at improving coordination of FERC and USACE regulatory processes regarding non-federal development of hydropower at USACE non-powered dams. DOE estimates that there is a potential for 12 gigawatts of new hydropower capacity in the U.S. by adding power at non-powered dams.\1\ Adding power at USACE non-powered dams requires federal authorizations, potentially including authorizations via: The FERC licensing process \2\, the USACE 408 process \3\, and the USACE regulatory 404 process \4\ (impacts to waters of the U.S. pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act). All three of these processes require project proposal identification, information gathering, and environmental and engineering analyses to support licensing, permitting, or agency decisions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ National Hydropower Asset Assessment Program, Non-Powered Dam Resource Assessment can be found at http://nhaap.ornl.gov/content/non-powered-dam-potential. \2\ 18 U.S.C. 4, 5, and 16. \3\ Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 408). \4\ Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344). DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 10th, 2015, from --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:00-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), 888 First Street NE., Hearing Room 1, Washington, DC 20426. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Gilman, Department of Energy at (720) 356-1420 or [email protected], or Hoyt Battey, Department of Energy, at (202) 586-0143 or [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE with the assistance of Oak Ridge National Laboratory convened a collaborative process with FERC and USACE staff to develop ideas on how FERC and USACE permitting efforts can be more efficiently coordinated to decrease overall process time and avoid duplication of efforts. The focus of the public meeting will be for agencies to receive public input, questions, and recommendations for areas of potential improvement in the coordination of FERC and USACE regulatory processes regarding non-federal development of hydropower at USACE non-powered dams and provide a forum to exchange information. Attendees will be asked to provide these recommendations and information based on their personal experience, individual advice, information, or facts regarding this topic. The object of the meeting is not to obtain any group position or consensus; rather, the agencies are seeking as many recommendations as possible from all individuals at this meeting. Draft documents outlining preliminary ideas for improving processes can be viewed at the meeting Web site: http://hydropower.ornl.gov/npd-public-workshop/. The meeting is open to the public; project developers, those involved in adding power at non-power dams, environmental non- governmental organizations, tribes, and all interested members of the public are encouraged to attend. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Register at http://hydropower.ornl.gov/npd-public-workshop/ ; or contact Kelsey Rugani at Kearns & West ([email protected], (415) 391-7900) to RSVP. If you are unable to attend and want to provide written comments, please do so by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 18th. Please send all comments to [email protected]. Jim Ahlgrimm, Supervisory General Engineer, Wind and Water Power Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. [FR Doc. 2015-28875 Filed 11-12-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
![70192 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 219 / Friday, November 13, 2015 / Notices
Total Estimated Number of Annual Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. individual advice, information, or facts
Responses: 22,123. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regarding this topic. The object of the
Total Estimated Number of Annual aimed at improving coordination of meeting is not to obtain any group
Burden Hours: 7,374. FERC and USACE regulatory processes position or consensus; rather, the
Abstract: The National Center for regarding non-federal development of agencies are seeking as many
Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. hydropower at USACE non-powered recommendations as possible from all
Department of Education (Department) dams. DOE estimates that there is a individuals at this meeting. Draft
is required by regulation to develop an potential for 12 gigawatts of new documents outlining preliminary ideas
earnings survey to support gainful hydropower capacity in the U.S. by for improving processes can be viewed
employment (GE) program evaluations. adding power at non-powered dams.1 at the meeting Web site: http://
The regulations specify that the Adding power at USACE non-powered hydropower.ornl.gov/npd-public-
Secretary of Education will publish in dams requires federal authorizations, workshop/. The meeting is open to the
the Federal Register the survey and the potentially including authorizations via: public; project developers, those
standards required for its The FERC licensing process 2, the involved in adding power at non-power
administration. NCES has developed the USACE 408 process 3, and the USACE dams, environmental non-governmental
Recent Graduates Employment and regulatory 404 process 4 (impacts to organizations, tribes, and all interested
Earnings Survey (RGEES) Standards and waters of the U.S. pursuant to Section members of the public are encouraged to
Survey Form. The RGEES can be used 404 of the Clean Water Act). All three attend. Pre-registration is required as
in a debt-to-earnings (D/E) ratio appeal of these processes require project space is limited. Register at http://
under the GE regulations as an proposal identification, information hydropower.ornl.gov/npd-public-
alternative to the Social Security gathering, and environmental and workshop/; or contact Kelsey Rugani at
administration earnings data. engineering analyses to support Kearns & West (krugani@
Institutions that choose to submit licensing, permitting, or agency kearnswest.com, (415) 391–7900) to
alternate earnings appeal information decisions. RSVP.
will survey all Title IV funded students If you are unable to attend and want
DATES: The meeting will be held on
who graduated from GE programs to provide written comments, please do
Thursday, December 10th, 2015, from
during the same period that the so by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 18th.
1:00–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Department used to calculate the D/E Please send all comments to
ratios, or a comparable period as ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
Hydropermitting@ee.doe.gov.
defined in 668.406(b)(3) of the the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC), 888 First Street Jim Ahlgrimm,
regulations. The survey will provide an
additional source of earnings data for NE., Hearing Room 1, Washington, DC Supervisory General Engineer, Wind and
20426. Water Power Program, Office of Energy
the Department to consider before Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
determining final D/E ratios for FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrick Gilman, Department of Energy at [FR Doc. 2015–28875 Filed 11–12–15; 8:45 am]
programs subject to the gainful
employment regulations. Programs with (720) 356–1420 or Patrick.Gilman@ BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
final D/E ratios that fail to meet the ee.doe.gov, or Hoyt Battey, Department
minimum threshold may face sanctions, of Energy, at (202) 586–0143 or
Hoyt.Battey@ee.doe.gov. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
including the possible loss of Title IV
federal student financial aid program SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE with Notice of Availability of the Plains &
funds. the assistance of Oak Ridge National Eastern Clean Line Transmission
Dated: November 9, 2015. Laboratory convened a collaborative Project Final Environmental Impact
Stephanie Valentine,
process with FERC and USACE staff to Statement
develop ideas on how FERC and USACE
Acting Director, Information Collection AGENCY: Department of Energy.
Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
permitting efforts can be more
Officer, Office of Management. efficiently coordinated to decrease ACTION: Notice of availability.
overall process time and avoid
[FR Doc. 2015–28839 Filed 11–10–15; 11:15 am] SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of
duplication of efforts.
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P Energy (DOE) announces the availability
The focus of the public meeting will
of the Plains & Eastern Clean Line
be for agencies to receive public input,
Transmission Project Final
questions, and recommendations for
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/
areas of potential improvement in the
EIS–0486; Final EIS), prepared pursuant
Notice of Public Meeting to Provide coordination of FERC and USACE
to the National Environmental Policy
Comments on Draft Materials to regulatory processes regarding non-
Act (NEPA). This Final EIS considered
Improve FERC–USACE Coordinated federal development of hydropower at
public comments on the Draft EIS,
Regulatory Processes for Non-Federal USACE non-powered dams and provide
which was issued in December 2014,
Development of Hydropower at USACE a forum to exchange information.
reports on the status of consultations
Non-Hydropower Dams Attendees will be asked to provide these
under section 106 of the National
recommendations and information
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and
based on their personal experience,
Renewable Energy, Department of under section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (ESA), and identifies DOE’s
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Energy. 1 National Hydropower Asset Assessment
Program, Non-Powered Dam Resource Assessment preferred alternative. DOE has not made
ACTION: Announcement of meeting.
can be found at http://nhaap.ornl.gov/content/non- a decision whether to participate in the
SUMMARY: This notice announces a powered-dam-potential. proposed Plains & Eastern Clean Line
2 18 U.S.C. 4, 5, and 16.
meeting to obtain individual public 3 Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899
Transmission Project.
input on new ideas developed (33 U.S.C. 408). DATES: DOE will publish a Record of
collaboratively by the Department of 4 Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Decision no sooner than 30 days after
Energy (DOE), Federal Energy 1344). publication of the U.S. Environmental
VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:03 Nov 12, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13NON1.SGM 13NON1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_70411/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2018-03-01 11:23:09
Document Modified: 2018-03-01 11:23:09
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Announcement of meeting. | |
| Dates | The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 10th, 2015, from | |
| Contact | Patrick Gilman, Department of Energy at (720) 356-1420 or [email protected], or Hoyt Battey, Department of Energy, at (202) 586-0143 or [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 70192 |
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