[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 101 (Friday, May 24, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24050-24059]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10695]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 38

[Docket No. RM05-5-027]

Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for
Public Utilities

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes
to amend its regulations to incorporate by reference, with certain
enumerated exceptions, the latest version (Version 003.2) of certain
Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public
Utilities adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of the North
American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). The Commission proposes to use
this latest version instead of WEQ Version 003.1, which was the subject
of an earlier notice of proposed rulemaking. The revisions made by
NAESB in this version of the standards are designed to aid public
utilities with the consistent and uniform implementation of
requirements promulgated by the Commission as part of the pro forma
Open Access Transmission Tariff.

DATES: Comments are due July 23, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by Docket No. RM05-5-027, may be filed
electronically at http://www.ferc.gov in acceptable native applications
and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format. For those
unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by mail or hand-
delivery to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The Comment
Procedures Section of this document contains more detailed filing
procedures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael P. Lee (technical issues), Office of Energy Policy and
Innovation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426,<PHONE_NUMBER>
Michael A. Chase (legal issues), Office of the General Counsel, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426,<PHONE_NUMBER>

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

                                                         Paragraph Nos.

I. Overview..........................................                  1
II. Background.......................................                  3
III. Discussion......................................                 11
    A. Revisions and Modifications to Earlier                         12
     Versions of Standards Made in the WEQ Version
     003.2 Standards.................................
    B. Treatment of Requests for Redirects...........                 14
        1. Background................................                 14
        2. WEQ Standards in Versions 003.1 and 003.2.                 16
        3. Request for Comments in WEQ Version 003.1                  17
         NOPR........................................
        4. Comments on Redirect Filed in Response to                  18
         WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR......................
        5. Discussion................................                 27
IV. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards...                 28
V. Incorporation by Reference........................                 29
VI. Information Collection Statement.................                 49
VII. Environmental Analysis..........................                 56
VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification.......                 57
IX. Comment Procedures...............................                 61
X. Document Availability.............................                 65

I. Overview

    1. The Commission has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking \1\
regarding the Version 003.1 business practice standards (WEQ Version
003.1 Standards) adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of
the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) and has received
comments on that NOPR in Docket No. RM05-5-025; however, the Commission
has not taken any final action on those standards. NAESB has now
adopted its Version 003.2 WEQ Business Practice Standards (WEQ Version
003.2 Standards).\2\ The WEQ Version 003.2 Standards include, in their
entirety, the WEQ Version 003.1 Standards, with the addition of certain
revisions and corrections. The NAESB WEQ Version 003.2 Report concludes
from this that, as ``WEQ Version 003.2 includes the entirety of
modifications submitted to the Commission in WEQ Version 003.1, action
on the previously submitted version is unnecessary should the
Commission choose.'' \3\ We find this suggestion has merit and, thus,
in the interest of efficiency we will issue this notice of proposed
rulemaking inviting comment on the revisions and corrections NAESB made
in the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards and then take final action on the
WEQ Version 003.2 WEQ Standards, which include the revisions made by
NAESB in the WEQ Version 003.1 Standards and carried forward as part of
the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards. Comments already filed on the
revisions made by NAESB in the WEQ Version 003.1 Standards will be
given full consideration and need not be replicated in response to this
NOPR.
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    \1\ Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols
for Public Utilities, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 81 FR 49580
(July 28, 2016), 156 FERC ] 61,055 (2016), (WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR).
    \2\ See Docket No. RM05-5-027, Report of the North American
Energy Standards Board on Wholesale Electric Quadrant Business
Practice Standards Version 003.2 under RM05-5 (Dec. 8, 2017) (NAESB
WEQ Version 003.2 Report).
    \3\ NAESB WEQ Version 003.2 Report at 4. We note that, in the
past, the Commission followed this same procedure in Order No. 676-
E, wherein the Commission incorporated changes made by NAESB in both
the WEQ Version 002.0 Standards and in the WEQ Version 002.1
Standards without taking separate action on the WEQ Version 002.0
Standards. See Standards for Business Practices and Communication
Protocols for Public Utilities, Order No. 676-E, 129 FERC ] 61,162,
at P 7 (2009).
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    2. Further, as announced in the WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR, we will
address separately NAESB's WEQ-023 Modeling Business Practice
Standards, which concern technical issues affecting the calculation of
Available Transfer Capability for wholesale electric transmission
services.\4\ We also have issued a separate notice of proposed
rulemaking proposing to retire and remove the incorporation by
reference of the WEQ-006 Time Error Correction Business Practice
Standards.\5\ Thus, we are not proposing any actions on those topics
here.
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    \4\ See WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR, 156 FERC ] 61,055 at P 42.
    \5\ Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols
for Public Utilities, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 83 FR 51654
(Oct. 12, 2018), 165 FERC ] 61,007 (2018).
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II. Background

    3. NAESB is a non-profit standards development organization
established in late 2001 (as the successor to the Gas Industry
Standards Board (GISB), which was established in 1994) and serves as an
industry forum for the development of business practice standards and
communication protocols for the wholesale and retail natural gas and
electricity industry sectors. Since 1995, NAESB, and its predecessor
GISB, have been accredited members of the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI), complying with ANSI's requirements that its standards
reflect a consensus of the affected industries.\6\
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    \6\ Prior to the establishment of NAESB in 2001, the
Commission's development of business practice standards for the
wholesale electric industry was aided by two ad hoc industry working
groups established during the rulemaking proceeding that resulted in
issuance of Order No. 889 and the creation of the OASIS, while
GISB's efforts involved the development of business practice
standards for the wholesale natural gas industry. Once formally
established, NAESB took over the standards development previously
handled by GISB and by the electric working groups.
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    4. NAESB's standards include business practices intended to
standardize and streamline the transactional processes of the natural
gas and electric industries, as well as communication protocols and
related standards designed to improve the efficiency of communication
within each industry. NAESB supports all three quadrants of the gas and
electric industries--wholesale gas, wholesale electric, and retail
markets quadrant.\7\ All participants in the gas and electric
industries are eligible to join NAESB and participate in standards
development.
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    \7\ The retail gas quadrant and the retail electric quadrant
were combined into the retail markets quadrant. NAESB continues to
refer to these working groups as ``quadrants'' even though there are
now only three quadrants.
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    5. NAESB develops its standards under a consensus process so that
the standards draw support from a wide range of industry members.
NAESB's procedures are designed to ensure that all persons choosing to
participate can have input into the development of a standard,
regardless of whether they are members of NAESB, and each standard
NAESB adopts is supported by a consensus of the relevant industry
segments. Standards that fail to gain consensus support are not
adopted. NAESB's consistent practice has been to submit a report to the
Commission after it has made revisions to existing business practice
standards or has developed and adopted new business practice standards.
NAESB's standards are voluntary standards, which become mandatory for
public utilities upon incorporation by reference by the Commission.
    6. On July 21, 2016, the Commission issued a notice of proposed
rulemaking in Docket No. RM05-5-025 (WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR) that
proposed to incorporate by reference Version 003.1 of certain Standards
for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities
adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant of the North American Energy
Standards Board. In response to the WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR, comments
were filed by eight commenters.\8\ A number of comments expressed
general support for the Commission's proposals in the WEQ Version 003.1
NOPR and no comments were received opposing the basic direction of the
NOPR, although comments did make suggestions on several specific
details of the NOPR proposals. The issue that elicited the most
comments was on the treatment of requests for redirects.
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    \8\ These commenters are identified infra note 23.
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    7. On December 8, 2017, NAESB filed a reported with the Commission
informing the Commission that it had adopted and published the WEQ
Version 003.2 Business Practice Standards for Public Utilities. It
reports that the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards include newly created
standards as well as modifications to existing standards developed
through the NAESB standards development or minor correction processes.
It further reports that these standards build upon WEQ Version 003.1
Standards, filed with the Commission on October 26, 2015, but not yet
the subject of final Commission action. As the WEQ Version 003.2
Standards include all the modifications submitted to the Commission in
the WEQ Version 003.1 Standards, NAESB suggests that action on the
previously submitted version is unnecessary should the Commission
choose.
    8. NAESB's WEQ Version 003.2 Business Practice Standards include
modifications, reservations, and/or additions to the following set of
existing standards:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             WEQ                      Business Practice Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
000..........................  Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Definition
                                of Terms
001..........................  Open Access Same-Time Information System
                                (OASIS)
002..........................  OASIS Standards and Communication
                                Protocols (S&CP)
003..........................  OASIS S&CP Data Dictionaries
004..........................  Coordinate Interchange
006..........................  Manual Time Error Corrections
008..........................  Transmission Loading Relief (TLR)--
                                Eastern Interconnection Business
                                Practice Standards
013..........................  OASIS Implementation Guide
015..........................  Measurement and Verification of Wholesale
                                Electricity Demand Response Business
                                Practice Standards
018..........................  Specifications for Wholesale Standard
                                Demand Response Signals Business
                                Practice Standards
020..........................  Smart Grid Standards Data Elements Table
                                Business Practice Standards
022..........................  Electric Industry Registry (EIR) Business
                                Practice Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    9. Over the course of years, the OASIS Suite of Standards has been
revised several times to support directives contained in Order Nos. 888
\9\ and 890.\10\ The WEQ Version 003.2 Standards include modifications
and reservations to existing standards and newly developed standards
made to support the short-term preemption process (WEQ-001-25) and the
merger of like transmission reservations (WEQ-001-24) prescribed in the
OASIS Suite of Standards.\11\
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    \9\ Promoting Wholesale Competition Through Open Access Non-
Discriminatory Transmission Services by Public Utilities; Recovery
of Stranded Costs by Public Utilities and Transmitting Utilities,
Order No. 888, 61 FR 21540 (May 10, 1996), FERC Stats. & Regs. ]
31,036 (1996) (cross-referenced at 77 FERC ] 61,080), order on
reh'g, Order No. 888-A, 62 FR 12274 (Mar. 14, 1997), FERC Stats. &
Regs. ] 31,048 (cross-referenced at 78 FERC ] 61,220), order on
reh'g, Order No. 888-B, 81 FERC ] 61,248 (1997), order on reh'g,
Order No. 888-C, 82 FERC ] 61,046 (1998), aff'd in relevant part sub
nom. Transmission Access Policy Study Group v. FERC, 225 F.3d 667
(D.C. Cir. 2000), aff'd sub nom. New York v. FERC, 535 U.S. 1
(2002).
    \10\ Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in
Transmission Service, Order No. 890, 118 FERC ] 61,119, order on
reh'g, Order No. 890-A, 121 FERC ] 61,297 (2007), order on reh'g,
Order No. 890-B, 123 FERC ] 61,299 (2008), order on reh'g, Order No.
890-C, 126 FERC ] 61,228, order on clarification, Order No. 890-D,
129 FERC ] 61,126 (2009).
    \11\ WEQ-001-25 addresses the preemption of previously queued
short-term requests or reservations by a valid competing request.
WEQ-001-24 addresses the combination of multiple firm PTP Parent
Reservations for which they are the owner into a single reservation.
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    10. The WEQ Version 003.2 Standards also included other changes
that were made to support consistency with the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Standards. NAESB made these
changes as a result of direct coordination with NERC on issues
regarding dynamic tagging and pseudo-ties, and the finalization of the
transition of the industry registry tool from NERC to NAESB. NAESB also
made additional changes to seven suites of the WEQ Business Practices
to ensure the standards accurately reflect revisions to the NERC
Reliability Standards. In addition, NAESB made changes to support
market operator functionalities to support the full use of the market
operator as a separate role within the EIR, a NAESB managed industry
tool, and on electronic tags (e-Tags). NAESB also made changes to
support consistency by revising certain Abbreviations, Acronyms, and
Definitions of Terms in WEQ-000. Finally, the standards were revised to
make minor corrections to six standards.

III. Discussion

    11. As discussed below, with certain enumerated exceptions, we
propose to incorporate by reference (into the Commission's regulations
at 18 CFR 38.1(b) (2018)) the NAESB WEQ Version 003.2 Business Practice
Standards.\12\ The WEQ Version 003.2 Business Practice Standards will
replace the WEQ Version 003 Business Practice Standards currently
incorporated by reference into the Commission's regulations. As
explained above, comments have already been filed on the NAESB WEQ
Version 003.1 Business Practice Standards and we will fully take those
comments into account when we consider our determination on the WEQ
Version 003.2 Standards. Thus, parties have no need to replicate the
comments on the WEQ Version 003.1 Standards in response to this NOPR.
The standards addressed in this NOPR are consistent with the
Commission's findings in Order No. 676-H \13\ and do not appear to be
inconsistent with any Commission directives or findings in other
orders.
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    \12\ Consistent with our past practice, we do not propose to
incorporate by reference into the Commission's regulations the
following standards: Standards of Conduct for Electric Transmission
Providers (WEQ-009); Contracts Related Standards (WEQ-010); and WEQ/
WGQ eTariff Related Standards (WEQ-014). We also do not propose to
incorporate by reference at this time the WEQ-023 Modeling Business
Practice Standards. We do not propose to incorporate by reference
standard WEQ-009 because it contains no substantive standards and
merely serves as a placeholder for future standards. We do not
propose to incorporate by reference standard WEQ-010 because this
standard contains an optional NAESB contract regarding funds
transfers and the Commission does not require utilities to use such
contracts.
    \13\ Standards for Business Practices and Communication
Protocols for Public Utilities, Order No. 676-H, 79 FR 56,939 (Sept.
24, 2014), 148 FERC ] 61,205, as modified, errata notice, 149 FERC ]
61,014 (2014), order on reh'g, 151 FERC ] 61,046 (2015).
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A. Revisions and Modifications to Earlier Versions of Standards Made in
the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards

    12. As explained above, the WEQ Version 003.2 Business Practice
Standards include:
     Modifications and reservations to existing standards and
newly developed standards to support the short-term preemption process
and the merger of like transmission reservations;
     Changes to support consistency with NERC Reliability
Standards;
     Changes to support market operator functionalities;
     Changes to support consistency in the use of
abbreviations, acronyms, and definitions in WEQ-000; and
     Minor corrections to six standards.
    13. The Commission specifically invites interested persons to
submit comments on all these revisions and changes from prior versions
of the WEQ Business Practice Standards and on whether the Commission
should incorporate by reference into its regulations, as enforceable
mandatory requirements, the latest version of these standards (i.e.,
the WEQ Version 003.2 Business Practice Standards).

B. Treatment of Requests for Redirects

1. Background
    14. In Dynegy Power Marketing, Inc., \14\ the Commission
established its policy on a customer's right to keep its contractual
rights to firm transmission service it had reserved while the
customer's request for a redirect was ``pending'' as required in
section 22.2 of

the Pro Forma OATT.\15\ In Dynegy, the Commission held that
``unconditional acceptance'' would not terminate a transmission
customer's right to its original path while the redirect request still
can be preempted by a competing reservation up to the following
conditional reservation deadline in section 13.2 of the Pro Forma OATT.
The Commission clarified that a transmission customer submitting a
redirect request does not lose its rights to its original path until
the redirect request satisfies all of the following criteria: (1) It is
accepted by the transmission provider; (2) it is confirmed by the
transmission customer; and (3) it passes the conditional reservation
deadline under section 13.2 of the transmission provider's OATT.\16\
The Commission's concern was that a redirecting customer whose redirect
request had been confirmed under step 2 nonetheless could lose its
rights to the original parent path if the transmission provider later
preempted the requested redirect in favor of a competing request prior
to step 3.\17\
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    \14\ 99 FERC ] 61,054 (2002) (Dynegy). This policy was retained
and clarified in Entergy Services, Inc., 143 FERC ] 61,143, at P 25
& n.68 (2013) (Entergy).
    \15\ Section 22.2 states: ``[a]ny request by a Transmission
Customer to modify Receipt and Delivery Points on a firm basis shall
be treated as a new request for service in accordance with Section
17 hereof, except that such Transmission Customer shall not be
obligated to pay any additional deposit if the capacity reservation
does not exceed the priority for service at the existing firm
Receipt and Delivery Points specified.''
    \16\ Dynegy, 99 FERC ] 61,054 at P 9.
    \17\ This result could occur if the transmission customer does
not wish to match the price or term of a competing request of equal
or longer duration on the redirect path.
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    15. In its filing of version 3.0, NAESB proposed WEQ Standards 001-
9.5 and 001-10.5. Under these standards, a customer would lose its
parent transmission rights when the transmission operator confirmed the
redirect request even though the customer would still be at risk for
preemption by a competing transmission request. In Order No. 676-H, in
consideration of the comments, the Commission declined to incorporate
WEQ Version 003.1 Standards 001-9.5 and 001-10.5, stating that the
standards are inconsistent with the Commission's redirect policy in
Dynegy.\18\ Additionally, the Commission requested that NAESB revisit
WEQ Version 003.1 Standards 001-9.5 and 001-10.5 and any other affected
standards. NAESB's revisions contained in the Version 003.1 standards
purport to reflect this effort.
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    \18\ Order No. 676-H, 148 FERC ] 61,205 at PP 47, 48.
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2. WEQ Standards in Versions 003.1 and 003.2
    16. Version 003.1 of the WEQ-001-9 business practice standards
(repeated again in version 003.2) attempts to implement a standard that
is consistent with the Commission's policy on redirects as outlined in
Dynegy. Proposed Version 3.1 WEQ-001-9.5.4 states

    The Transmission Provider shall ensure the Transmission
Customer's rights to take firm PTP on the original unconditional
Parent Reservation's reserved POR and POD are preserved until such
time that the confirmed Redirect on a firm basis has reached its
conditional reservation deadline as defined in Section 13.2 of the
pro forma tariff.

    The preamble to WEQ Version 003.1 Standard 001-9, however, contains
a clause that might be interpreted to permit a transmission operator to
establish a different policy if it posts that information as a
``Transmission Provider specific business practice.'' \19\ WEQ Version
003.1 Standard 001-10.5 completes NAESB's proposed implementation of
the Commission's Dynegy redirect policy by requiring revisions to
Uncommitted Capacity of the Parent Reservation. WEQ Version 003.1
Standard 001-10.5 requires the Transmission Provider to reduce the
amount of the redirected capacity granted for the time period of that
Redirect upon confirmation by the Transmission Customer of the request
to Redirect on a non-firm basis.
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    \19\ The preamble to WEQ Version 003.1 Standard 001-9 reads:
``[t]he Business Practice Standard WEQ-001-9 is defined in order to
enhance consistency of the reservation process that applies to
Redirects on a firm basis from Parent Reservations that are
unconditional, as defined in Section 13.2(iii) of the pro forma
tariff. The Transmission Provider shall specify any reservation
process that applies to Redirects on a firm basis from Parent
Reservations that are conditional, as defined in Section 13.2(iii)
of the pro forma tariff in its Business Practices that are posted in
accordance with Business Practice Standard WEQ-001-13.1.4.''
(Emphasis added).
    Proposed cross-referenced Standard 001-13.1.4 reads: ``[t]he
Transmission Provider shall post information related to (1) any
Transmission Provider specific Business Practices, (2) any waivers
or exemptions granted from any of the OASIS requirements or Business
Practice Standards, and (3) any other pertinent information related
to the conduct of business with the Transmission Provider.''
(Emphasis added).
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3. Request for Comments in WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR
    17. In the NOPR pertaining to WEQ 003.1, we invited comment on
whether the Commission should extend the Dynegy policy to both
conditional parent reservations for firm transmission service and non-
firm transmission service.\20\ The Commission explained that the
negative effects associated with the potential loss of a customer's
parent path when the parent reservation is conditional and subject to
competition is arguably less compelling than when the parent
reservation is unconditional.\21\ To aid the Commission's consideration
of this issue, the Commission referenced four redirect issues in the
NOPR on which NAESB stakeholders were unable to reach consensus, and
invited comments on whether the Commission should adopt regulations
governing the business practices to be followed for requests for
redirects from conditional parent reservations for short-term firm
transmission service and for non-firm transmission service proposed--
and invited comments on this proposal. These issues are: (1) The
treatment of a firm redirect for transmission service following the
preemption of the conditional parent reservation; (2) the circumstances
under which a firm redirect for transmission service may return to the
conditional parent reservation; (3) the number of subsequent firm
redirects for transmission service that can stem from the original firm
redirect for transmission service; and (4) the proper treatment of
requests to redirect requests for non-firm transmission service.\22\
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    \20\ WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR, 156 FERC ] 61,055 at P 25.
    \21\ Id. P 24.
    \22\ Id. P 25.
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4. Comments on Redirect Filed in Response to WEQ Version 003.1 NOPR
    18. Virtually all the comments received on this subject oppose the
option of extending the Dynegy redirect policy to either conditional
parent reservations for short-term firm transmission service or non-
firm transmission service.\23\ As a result, most commenters express
support for NAESB's proposed redirect standards for unconditional
parent reservations.\24\ Most commenters did not explicitly support the
proposed language provided

within the WEQ-001-9 preamble that would also allow transmission
providers the option of implementing alternative practices for
redirects from conditional reservations.\25\ However, some commenters
state that they recommend or could support a future NAESB proposal for
a separate policy to provide transmission customers with the ability to
redirect from conditional parent reservations.\26\
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    \23\ Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) at 5; Edison
Electric Institute (Edison Institute) at 5; Idaho Power Company
(Idaho Power) at 2; Southwest Power Pool, Inc. and Midwest
Independent System Operator, Inc. (collectively, Joint Commenters)
at 6; Open Access Technology International (OATI) at 3; Public
Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County, Washington and the City
of Tacoma, Department of Public Utilities, Light Division
(collectively, Snohomish/Tacoma) at 1; and Southern Company
Services, Inc. (Southern) at 4. California Independent System
Operator Corporation was the sole commenter who did not address this
issue.
    \24\ NAESB's redirect standards require a reservation for
service to be unconditional before it may be redirected.
    \25\ Bonneville at 4, 7; Idaho Power at 2; Joint Commenters at
6; OATI at 3; and Southern at 4.
    \26\ Bonneville at 6; OATI at 4.
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    19. Various commenters note that, under the Dynegy redirect policy,
the transmission provider must hold Available Transfer Capability (ATC)
for the original firm reservation on the original path and
simultaneously hold ATC on the redirect reservation's path until the
redirect reaches the conditional deadline, and, at such time, capacity
on the original (parent) path may then be released.\27\ Several
commenters contend that this allows the transmission customer to hold
priority of service options on two or more transmission paths at the
same time.\28\ Joint Commenters ask the Commission if there may be
benefits to revisiting specifics of the Dynegy/Entergy orders since the
requirement that a redirect's parent passes the conditional reservation
deadline sacrifices system efficiency.\29\
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    \27\ OATI at 2-3.
    \28\ See, e.g., Edison Institute at 7; OATI at 3.
    \29\ Joint Commenters at 8-9.
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    20. Several commenters oppose the proposal to extend the Dynegy
policy beyond an application to unconditional parent reservations.
These commenters point out that prior to the conditional reservation
deadline, when the parent reservation is still conditional and subject
to competition, there is no guarantee that firm service will be
provided to the transmission customer on either the original
transmission path or the requested redirect path since the reservation
remains subject to competition until the conditional period
expires.\30\ Commenters observe that the transmission customer's
expectation as to the certainty of service is different in the
conditional and unconditional cases.\31\ Edison Institute references
sections of the Commission's pro forma OATT to support its conclusion
that a firm capacity reservation under which the transmission customer
is already taking service must already exist, and a reservation for
service must be unconditional before it may be redirected.\32\
Bonneville notes that a customer with a conditional parental service
has no reasonable expectation of service, since a later-queued, higher-
priority request may preempt or compete with that customer's
conditional parent reservation, and since this expectation of service
is different from a customer's expectation of service with an
unconditional firm reservation, Bonneville argues it is inappropriate
to extend the protections afforded by Dynegy to unconditional parent
reservations.\33\
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    \30\ See, e.g., Edison Institute at 6; OATI at 3; and Southern
at 5.
    \31\ See, e.g., Bonneville at 5; Edison Institute at 6.
    \32\ Edison Institute at 5-6.
    \33\ Bonneville at 4-5.
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    21. Commenters also contend that there may be many difficulties in
administering scenarios with multiple conditional, confirmed
reservations consuming more transmission capacity than available, since
capacity would be retained on both the parent path and all the
redirected paths.\34\ Some commenters advise that, if transmission
customers are able to redirect from conditional parent reservations, it
could result in potentially troublesome administrative, billing, and
liability issues.\35\
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    \34\ Southern at 5.
    \35\ Idaho Power at 2; Southern at 5-6.
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    22. Specifically, Joint Commenters and Southern argue that a
transmission customer should only be permitted to redirect transmission
service from unconditional parent reservations.\36\ However, Edison
Institute would also allow individual transmission providers the option
to also permit redirects from conditional parent reservations by moving
firm capacity to the redirect path upon confirmation.\37\ Snohomish/
Tacoma suggests that the Commission should either: (1) Allow individual
transmission providers to craft specific tariff provisions for how
redirects from conditional parent reservations will be addressed; or
(2) explicitly not apply the Dynegy redirect policy, nor any other
restriction on redirects from conditional parent reservations.\38\ OATI
comments that it is generally not in favor of adopting standards that
allow for options to implement transmission provider alternative
practices to the NAESB standards.\39\
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    \36\ Joint Commenters at 5; Southern at 4.
    \37\ Edison Institute at 4.
    \38\ Snohomish/Tacoma at 1.
    \39\ OATI at 4.
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    23. OATI notes that, while it supports the application of Dynegy to
redirects on a firm basis where the parent reservation is confirmed but
still within the conditional reservation period (prior to the
conditional reservation deadline),\40\ it could also support a NAESB
standard where the capacity held on the conditional firm parent
reservation is released immediately and lost on the parent path upon
confirmation of the redirect on a firm basis.\41\ Other commenters
agree and prefer such a NAESB standard for conditional parent
reservations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ Id. at 3.
    \41\ Id. at 4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    24. With respect to the Commission implementing a policy where a
transmission customer redirects from a conditional parent reservation
and the transmission customer loses the rights to the parent
reservation once the redirect is confirmed, Bonneville advises that
transmission providers will have a straightforward solution that is
implementable and that can leverage technical capabilities that
currently exist in most of the industry, and will not be burdened with
accounting for capacity on multiple conditional paths.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ Bonneville at 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    25. As to requests for redirects of requests for non-firm
transmission service, all the commenters who addressed this issue
oppose extending the Dynegy redirect policy to non-firm transmission
service. Commenters note that the Commission's pro forma OATT only
permits transmission customers taking firm point-to-point service to
make modifications to points of receipt (POR) and points of delivery
(POD), and the OATT does not state transmission customers may modify
PORs and PODs on a non-firm basis.\43\ OATI states that non-firm
(secondary) redirect is the lowest priority service under the OATT and
would be subject to preemption or interruption at any time to process
either a request to reserve or schedule an existing reservation for
either firm or non-firm transmission service.\44\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ Edison Institute at 10; Joint Commenters at 7; Southern at
7.
    \44\ OATI at 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    26. Commenters also believe that a request to redirect firm
transmission service on a non-firm basis should not be allowed or
should be limited to be from an unconditional, firm parent
reservation.\45\ Edison Institute advises that the potential for
gaming, the impact on queue positions and processing, and the problem
of undertaking ATC/AFC (Available Flowgate Capability) calculations,
outweigh any potential benefits given that a customer can just as
easily submit a new request for non-firm transmission service with a
modified POR and/or POD.\46\ Commenters also state that it is
unnecessary to adopt changes to these

standards, since a customer can relinquish a capacity reservation
associated with a non-firm redirect back to the parent reservation.\47\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ Edison Institute at 11; Idaho Power at 4; OATI at 6.
    \46\ Edison Institute at 11.
    \47\ Bonneville at 7; Idaho Power at 4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Discussion
    27. The changes to NAESB WEQ Version 003.1 Standards 001-9.5.4 and
001-10.5 appear consistent with the policy established in Dynegy, and
we propose to incorporate these standards by reference. We agree with
the majority of commenters that the Dynegy policy providing for
retention of parent rights when the transmission owner confirms a
redirect request (but while the request remains conditional) applies
only when the parent reservation is firm and unconditional and, hence,
should not apply to conditional parent reservations or non-firm
transmission service. However, we propose to reject the preamble to WEQ
001-9 because it leaves the implication that a transmission operator
could adopt a ``Transmission Provider specific Business Practice'' that
is at odds with the reason for establishing common business practices
standards under the NAESB standards development process. We therefore
disagree with Edison Institute and Snohomish/Tacoma who argue that the
Commission should allow redirects from a conditional parent reservation
on a case-by-case basis as antithetical to the NAESB standards
development process. The NAESB standards development process is
designed to provide for uniform methods of doing business with
different transmission providers. Business transactions can involve a
number of different transmission providers and establishing a uniform
set of procedures and communication protocols help make such
transactions more efficient and facilitates the ability to participate
in multiple markets.

IV. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards

    28. Office of Management and Budget Circular A 119 (section 11)
(February 10, 1998) provides that Federal Agencies should publish a
request for comment in a NOPR when the agency is seeking to issue or
revise a regulation proposing to adopt a voluntary consensus standard
or a government-unique standard. In this NOPR, the Commission is
proposing to incorporate by reference into its regulations voluntary
consensus business practice standards developed by the WEQ of NAESB.

V. Incorporation by Reference

    29. The Office of the Federal Register requires agencies
incorporating material by reference to discuss, in the preamble of the
proposed rule, the ways that the materials it incorporates by reference
are reasonably available to interested parties and how interested
parties can obtain the materials.\48\ The regulations also require
agencies to summarize in the preamble of the proposed rule the material
it incorporates by reference. The standards we are proposing to
incorporate by reference in this NOPR consist of fourteen suites of
business practice standards applicable to public utilities that own,
operate, or control facilities used for the transmission of electric
energy in interstate commerce or for the sale of electric energy at
wholesale in interstate commerce and any non-public utility that seeks
voluntary compliance with jurisdictional transmission tariff
reciprocity conditions. These can be summarized as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \48\ 1 CFR 51.5 (2018). See Incorporation by Reference, 79 FR
66267 (Nov. 7, 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    30. The WEQ-000 Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Definition of Terms
Business Practice Standards provide a single location for all
abbreviations, acronyms, and defined terms referenced in the WEQ
Business Practice Standards. These standards provide common
nomenclature for terms within the wholesale electric industry, thereby
reducing confusion and opportunities for misinterpretation or
misunderstandings among industry participants.
    31. The OASIS suite of business practice standards (WEQ-001 Open
Access Same-Time Information Systems (OASIS), WEQ-002 OASIS Standards
and Communication Protocols, WEQ-003 OASIS Data Dictionary, and WEQ-013
OASIS Implementation Guide) support the FERC posting and reporting
requirements that provide information about each transmission
provider's performance of its pro forma OATT. The OASIS system is used
for scheduling transmission on the bulk electric power grid, comprises
the computer systems and associated communications facilities that
public utilities are required to provide for the purpose of making
available to all transmission users comparable interactions, and
provides transmission service information and any back-end supporting
systems or user procedures that collectively perform the transaction
processing functions for handling requests on OASIS. These standards
establish business practices and communication protocols that provide
for consistent implementation across OASIS sites as well as consistent
methods for posting to OASIS.
    32. The WEQ-001 OASIS Business Practice Standards define the
general and specific transaction processing requirements and related
business processes required for OASIS. The standards detail
requirements related to standard terminology for transmission and
ancillary services, attribute values defining transmission service
class and type, ancillary and other services definitions, OASIS
registration procedures, procurement of ancillary and other services,
path naming, next hour market service, identical transmission service
requests, redirects, resales, transfers, OASIS postings, procedures for
addressing ATC or AFC methodology questions, rollover rights,
conditional curtailment option reservations, auditing usage of Capacity
Benefit Margin, coordination of requests for service across multiple
transmission systems, consolidation, preemption and right-of-first
refusal process, and Network Integration Transmission Service (NITS)
requests.
    33. The WEQ-002 OASIS Standards and Communication Protocols
Business Practice Standards define the technical standards for OASIS.
These standards detail network architecture requirements, information
access requirements, OASIS and point-to-point interface requirements,
implementation, and NITS interface requirements.
    34. The WEQ-003 OASIS Data Dictionary Business Practice Standards
define the data element specifications for OASIS.
    35. The WEQ-004 Coordinate Interchange Business Practice Standards
define the commercial processes necessary to facilitate interchange
transactions via Request for Interchange (RFI) and specify the
arrangements and data to be communicated by the entity responsible for
authorizing the implementation of such transactions (the entities
responsible for balancing load and generation).
    36. The WEQ-005 Area Control Error (ACE) Equation Special Cases
Business Practice Standards define commercial based requirements
regarding the obligations of a balancing authority to manage the
difference between scheduled and actual electrical generation within
its control area. Each balancing authority manages its ACE in
accordance with the NERC Reliability Standards. These standards detail
requirements for jointly owned utilities, supplemental regulation
service, and load or generation transfer by telemetry.
    37. The WEQ-006 Manual Time Error Correction Business Practice
Standards

define the commercial based procedures to be used for reducing time
error to within acceptable limits of true time. These standards have
subsequently been marked reserved by NAESB.\49\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \49\ As explained above, in a separate proceeding (in Docket No.
RM05-5-026) the Commission has proposed to retire the standards on
manual time error correction. Final action on that proposal remains
pending.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    38. The WEQ-007 Inadvertent Interchange Payback Business Practice
Standards define the methods in which inadvertent energy is paid back,
mitigating the potential for financial gain through the misuse of
paybacks for inadvertent interchange. Inadvertent interchange is
interchange that occurs when a balancing authority cannot fully balance
generation and load within its area. The standards allow for the
repayment of any imbalances through bilateral in-kind payback,
unilateral in-kind payback, or other methods as agreed to.
    39. The WEQ-008 Transmission Loading Relief--Eastern
Interconnection Business Practice Standards define the business
practices for cutting transmission service during a TLR event. These
standards detail requirements for the use of interconnection-wide TLR
procedures, interchange transaction priorities for use with
interconnection-wide TLR procedures, and the Eastern Interconnection
procedure for physical curtailment of interchange transactions.
    40. The WEQ-011 Gas/Electric Coordination Business Practice
Standards define communication protocols intended to improve
coordination between the gas and electric industries in daily
operational communications between transportation service providers and
gas-fired power plants. The standards include requirements for
communicating anticipated power generation fuel for the upcoming day as
well as any operating problems that might hinder gas-fired power plants
from receiving contractual gas quantities.
    41. The WEQ-012 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Business Practice
Standards establish the cybersecurity framework for parties partaking
in transactions via a transmission provider's OASIS or e-Tagging
system. The NAESB PKI framework secure wholesale electric market
electronic commercial communications via encryption of data and the
electronic authentication of parties to a transaction through the use
of a digital certificate issued by a NAESB certified certificate
authority. The standards define the requirements for parties utilizing
the digital certificates issued by the NAESB certificate authorities.
    42. The WEQ-013 OASIS Implementation Guide Business Practice
Standards detail the implementation of the OASIS Business Practice
Standards. The standards detail requirements related to point-to-point
OASIS transaction processing, OASIS template implementation, preemption
and right-of-first-refusal processing, NITS application and
modification of service processing, and secondary network transmission
service.
    43. The WEQ-015 Measurement and Verification of Wholesale
Electricity Demand Response Business Practice Standards define a common
framework for transparency, consistency, and accountability applicable
to the measurement and verification of wholesale electric market demand
response practices. The standards describe performance evaluation
methodology and criteria for the use of equipment, technology, and
procedures to quantify the demand reduction value--the measurement of
reduced electrical usage by a demand resource.
    44. The WEQ-021 Measurement and Verification of Energy Efficiency
Products Business Practice Standards define a common framework for
transparency, consistency, and accountability applicable to the
measurement and verification of wholesale electric market energy
efficiency practices. The standards establish energy efficiency
measurement and verification criteria and define requirements for
energy efficiency resource providers for the measurement and
verification of energy efficiency products and services offered in the
wholesale electric markets.
    45. The WEQ-022 EIR Business Practice Standards define the business
requirements for entities utilizing the NAESB managed EIR, a wholesale
electric industry tool that serves as the central repository for
information needed in the scheduling of transmission through electronic
transactions. The standards describe the roles within EIR, registration
requirements, and cybersecurity.
    46. In addition, NAESB has adopted an additional eight suites of
standards that, consistent with our past decisions, we are not
proposing to incorporate by reference.\50\ Additionally, as mentioned
above, we are addressing NAESB's WEQ-023 ATC Modeling Standards as well
NAESB's WEQ-006 Manual Time Error Correction Standards in separate
rulemakings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \50\ The suites of NAESB business practice standards we are not
proposing to incorporate by reference in this NOPR are: (1) The WEQ-
009 Standards of Conduct for Electric Transmission Providers, which
NASESB has now eliminated as they duplicate the Commission's
regulations; (2) the WEQ-010 Contracts Related Business Practice
Standards that establish model contracts for the wholesale electric
industry, and which the Commission has not incorporated as they are
not mandatory; (3) the WEQ-014 WEQ/WGQ eTariff Related Business
Practice Standards, which provide an implementation guide describing
the various mechanisms, data tables, code values/reference tables,
and technical specifications used in the submission of electronic
tariff filings to the Commission, which the Commission has not
incorporated as these submittals are governed by the Commission's
eTariff regulations; (4) the WEQ-023 Modeling Business Practice
Standards, which the Commission is addressing in a separate
rulemaking; and (5) the WEQ-016, WEQ-017, WEQ-018, WEQ-019, and WEQ-
020 Business Practice Standards that were developed as part of the
Smart Grid implementation and which the Commission adopted as non-
mandatory guidance in 18 CFR 2.27 (2018). See Order No. 676-H, 148
FERC ] 61,205.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    47. Our regulations provide that copies of the standards
incorporated by reference may be obtained from the North American
Energy Standards Board, 801 Travis Street, Suite 1675, Houston, TX
77002, Phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>. NAESB's website is located at http://www.naesb.org/. Copies of the standards may be inspected at the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance
Branch, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, Phone: (202) 502-
8371, http://www.ferc.gov.\51\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \51\ 18 CFR 284.12 (2018).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    48. NAESB is a private consensus standards developer that develops
voluntary wholesale and retail standards related to the energy
industry. The procedures used by NAESB make its standards reasonably
available to those affected by the Commission regulations, which
generally is comprised of entities that have the means to acquire the
information they need to effectively participate in Commission
proceedings.\52\ NAESB provides a free electronic read-only version of
the standards for a three business day period or, in the case of a
regulatory comment period, through the end of the comment period.\53\
Participants can join NAESB, for an

annual membership cost of $7,500, which entitles them to full
participation in NAESB and enables them to obtain these standards at no
additional cost.\54\ Non-members may obtain a complete set of Standards
Manuals, Booklets, and Contracts on CD for $2,000 and the Individual
Standards Manual or Booklets for each standard by email for $250 per
manual or booklet.\55\ In addition, NAESB considers requests for
waivers of the charges on a case by case basis based on need.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \52\ As a private, consensus standards developer, NAESB needs
the funds obtained from its membership fees and sales of its
standards to finance the organization. The parties affected by these
Commission regulations generally are highly sophisticated and have
the means to acquire the information they need to effectively
participate in Commission proceedings.
    \53\ Procedures for non-members to evaluate work products before
purchasing are available at https://www.naesb.org/misc/NAESB_Nonmember_Evaluation.pdf. See Incorporation by Reference, 79
FR at 66271, n.51 & 53 (Nov. 7, 2014) (citing to NAESB's procedure
of providing ``no-cost, no-print electronic access,'' NAESB Comment
at 1, http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OFR-2013-0001-
0023).
    \54\ North American Energy Standards Board Membership
Application, https://www.naesb.org/pdf4/naesbapp.pdf.
    \55\ NAESB Materials Order Form, https://www.naesb.org//pdf/ordrform.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Information Collection Statement

    49. The collection of information contained in this proposed rule
is subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under
section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
3507(d).\56\ OMB's regulations require approval of certain information
collection requirements imposed by agency rules.\57\ Upon approval of a
collection(s) of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number and
an expiration date. Respondents subject to the filing requirements of
this rule will not be penalized for failing to respond to these
collections of information unless the collections of information
display a valid OMB control number.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \56\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
    \57\ 5 CFR 1320.11 (2018).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    50. The Commission solicits comments on the Commission's need for
this information, whether the information will have practical utility,
the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and
any suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the
use of automated information techniques.
    51. The following estimates for burden and cost \58\ are based on
the projected costs for the industry to implement the new and revised
business practice standards adopted by NAESB and proposed to be
incorporated by reference in this NOPR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \58\ The Commission staff estimates that industry is similarly
situated in terms of hourly cost (for wages plus benefits). Based on
the Commission's FY (Fiscal Year) 2018 average cost (for wages plus
benefits), $79.00/hour is used.

                                         Revisions in NOPR in RM05-5-027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Total annual
                                  Number of     Annual number   Total number    Average burden     burden hours
                                 respondents    of responses    of responses   (hours) and cost     and total
                                               per respondent                  ($) per response  annual cost ($)
                                          (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).............  (3) * (4) = (5)
                                                                          (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-516E 59 60 (tariff                   165               1             165  6 hrs.; $474....  990 hrs.;
 filing).                                                                                $78,210
FERC-717 (compliance with                 165               1             165  30 hrs.;\62\      4,950 hrs.;
 standards) \61\.                                                               $2,370.           $391,050
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total....................  ..............  ..............             330  ................  5,940 hrs.;
                                                                                $469,260
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The one-time burden for the FERC-516E information collection will
be averaged over three years:

    \59\ This burden category is intended for FERC-516, the
Commission's identifier that corresponds to OMB Control No. 1902-
0096 (Electric Rate Schedules and Tariff Filings). However, another
unrelated item is pending OMB review using this OMB Control No. and
only one item per OMB Control No. may be pending at a time.
Therefore, to ensure timely submission, Commission staff is using
FERC-516E (OMB Control No. 1902-0290), a temporary collection
number.
    \60\ These information collection requirements are one-time
burden estimates. After implementation in Year 1, the revision
proposed in this NOPR would be complete.
    \61\ FERC-717 is the Commission's identifier that corresponds to
OMB control no. 1902-0173 that identifies the information collection
associated with Standards for Business Practices and Communication
Protocols for Public Utilities.
    \62\ The 30-hour estimate was developed in Docket No. RM05-5-
013, when the Commission prepared its estimate of the scope of work
involved in transitioning to the NAESB Version 002.1 Business
Practice Standards. See Order No. 676-E, 129 FERC ] 61,162 at P 134.
We have retained the same estimate here, because the scope of the
tasks involved in the transition to Version 003.2 of the Business
Practice Standards is very similar to that for the transition to the
Version 003 Standards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 990 hours / 3 = 330 hours/year over three years
 The number of one-time responses for the FERC-725B information
collection is also averaged over three years: 165 responses / 3 = 55
responses/year

    Costs to Comply with Paperwork Requirements: The estimated annual
costs are as follows:
     FERC-516E: 55 entities * 1 response/entity * (6 hours/
response * $79/hour) = $26,070.
     FERC-717: 165 entities * 1 response/entity * (30 hours/
response * $79/hour) = $391,050.
    Titles: Electric Rate Schedule Filing (FERC-516E); Open Access Same
Time Information System and Standards for Business Practices and
Communication Protocols for Public Utilities (FERC-717).
    Action: Proposed collection.
    OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0290 (FERC-516E); 1902-0173 (FERC-717).
    Respondents: Business or other for profit (Public Utilities--
Generally not applicable to small businesses).
    Frequency of Responses: FERC-516E--One-time implementation
(business procedures, capital/start-up); FERC-717--ongoing compliance
filings.
    52. Necessity of the Information: This proposed rule, if
implemented would upgrade the Commission's current business practice
and communication standards and protocols modifications to support
compliance with requirements established by the Commission in Order
Nos. 890, 890-A, 890-B, and 890-C, as well as modifications to the
OASIS-related standards to support Order Nos. 676, 676-A, 676-E, and
717 and would make additional revisions for clarity and consistency.
    53. Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the revised
business practice standards and has made a preliminary determination
that the proposed revisions that we propose here to incorporate by
reference are both necessary and useful. In addition, the Commission
has assured itself, by means of its internal review, that there is
specific, objective support for the burden estimate associated with the
information requirements.
    54. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting
requirements by contacting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Office of the Executive Director, 888 First

Street NE, Washington, DC 20426 [Attn: Ellen Brown, email:
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>, fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>].
    55. Comments concerning the information collections proposed in
this NOPR and the associated burden estimates should be sent to the
Commission at this docket and by email to the Office of Management and
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs [Attention: Desk
Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission]. For security
reasons, comments should be sent by email to OMB at the following email
address<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Please refer to the docket number
of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. RM05-5-27) and OMB
Control Nos. 1902-0290 (FERC-516E) and 1902-0173 (FERC-717) in your
submission to OMB.

VII. Environmental Analysis

    56. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\63\ The
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from these
requirements as not having a significant effect on the human
environment.\64\ The actions proposed here fall within categorical
exclusions in the Commission's regulations for rules that are
clarifying, corrective, or procedural, for information gathering,
analysis, and dissemination, and for sales, exchange, and
transportation of electric power that requires no construction of
facilities.\65\ Therefore, an environmental assessment is unnecessary
and has not been prepared in this NOPR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \63\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy
Act, Order No. 486, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,783 (1987) (cross-
referenced at 41 FERC ] 61,284).
    \64\ 18 CFR 380.4 (2018).
    \65\ See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii); 380.4(a)(5); 380.4(a)(27).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    57. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \66\ generally
requires a description and analysis of proposed rules that will have
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The RFA does not mandate any particular outcome in a rulemaking. It
only requires consideration of alternatives that are less burdensome to
small entities and an agency explanation of why alternatives were
rejected.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \66\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    58. The Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards for
electric utilities is based on the number of employees, including
affiliates. Under SBA's standards, some transmission owners will fall
under the following category and associated size threshold: Electric
bulk power transmission and control, at 500 employees.\67\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \67\ 13 CFR 121.201 (2018), Sector 22 (Utilities), NAICS code
221121 (Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    59. The Commission's estimate for small and large entities is not
yet complete. The Commission preliminarily estimates that 72 of the 165
respondents (or ~44 percent) are small. The Commission estimates that
the impact on each entity (large and small) is:
     Year One: $474 (one-time cost for tariff filing) + 2,370
(ongoing compliance cost) = $2,844
     Year Two and Ongoing: $2,370 (ongoing compliance cost)

    These annual estimates are consistent with the paperwork burden of
$2,844/entity used above.\68\ The Commission does not consider $2,844
to be a significant economic impact.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \68\ 36 hours/entity (6 hours/entity for tariff filing + 30
hours/entity for compliance with standards) at $79/hour = $2,844.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    60. Based on the above, the Commission certifies that
implementation of the proposed Business Practice Standards will not
have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Accordingly, no initial regulatory flexibility analysis is required.

IX. Comment Procedures

    61. The Commission invites interested persons to submit comments on
the matters and issues proposed in this notice to be adopted, including
any related matters or alternative proposals that commenters may wish
to discuss. Comments are due July 23, 2019. Comments must refer to
Docket No. RM05-5-027, and must include the commenter's name, the
organization they represent, if applicable, and their address in their
comments.
    62. The Commission encourages comments to be filed electronically
via the eFiling link on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov. The Commission accepts most standard word processing
formats. Documents created electronically using word processing
software should be filed in native applications or print-to-PDF format
and not in a scanned format. Commenters filing electronically do not
need to make a paper filing.
    63. Commenters that are not able to file comments electronically
must send an original of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
    64. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files
and may be viewed, printed, or downloaded remotely as described in the
Document Availability section below. Commenters on this proposal are
not required to serve copies of their comments on other commenters.

X. Document Availability

    65. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) and
in the Commission's Public Reference Room during normal business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street NE, Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426.
    66. From the Commission's Home Page on the internet, this
information is available on eLibrary. The full text of this document is
available on eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing,
printing, and/or downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type
the docket number excluding the last three digits of this document in
the docket number field.
    67. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's
website during normal business hours from the Commission's Online
Support at<PHONE_NUMBER> (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY<PHONE_NUMBER>. Email the Public Reference Room at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 38

    Electric power plants, Electric utilities, Incorporation by
reference, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    By direction of the Commission.

    Issued: May 16, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to amend
part 38, chapter I, title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows.

PART 38--STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC UTILITY BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND
COMMUNICATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 38 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 791-825r, 2601-2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42
U.S.C. 7101-7352.

0
2. Amend Sec.  38.1 by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:

Sec.  38.1   Incorporation by reference of North American Energy
Standards Board Wholesale Electric Quadrant standards.

* * * * *
    (b) The business practice and electronic communication standards
the Commission incorporates by reference are as follows:
    (1) WEQ-000, Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Definition of Terms
(Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (2) WEQ-001, Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS),
OASIS Version 2.2 (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017) with the exception of
Standards 001-9 (preamble), 001-14.1.3, 001-15.1.2 and 001-106.2.5);
    (3) WEQ-002, Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS)
Business Practice Standards and Communication Protocols (S&CP), OASIS
Version 2.2 (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (4) WEQ-003, Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) Data
Dictionary Business Practice Standards, OASIS Version 2.2 (Version
003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (5) WEQ-004, Coordinate Interchange (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (6) WEQ-005, Area Control Error (ACE) Equation Special Cases
(Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (7) (Reserved)
    (8) WEQ-007, Inadvertent Interchange Payback (Version 003.2, Dec.
8, 2017);
    (9) WEQ-008, Transmission Loading Relief (TLR)--Eastern
Interconnection (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (10) WEQ-011, Gas/Electric Coordination (Version 003.2, Dec. 8,
2017);
    (11) WEQ-012, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) (Version 003.2, Dec.
8, 2017);
    (12) WEQ-013, Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS)
Implementation Guide, OASIS Version 2.2 (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (13) WEQ-015, Measurement and Verification of Wholesale Electricity
Demand Response (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017);
    (14) WEQ-021, Measurement and Verification of Energy Efficiency
Products (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017); and
    (15) WEQ-022, Electric Industry Registry Business Practice
Standards (Version 003.2, Dec. 8, 2017).

[FR Doc. 2019-10695 Filed 5-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38029-38030]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15036]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675; FRL-9533-3]

Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Design for the Environment Formulator
Product Recognition Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an
information collection request (ICR), ``EPA's Design for the
Environment Formulator Product Recognition Program'' (EPA ICR No.
2302.02, OMB Control No. 2070-0178), to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

This is a renewal of the ICR that is currently approved through June
30, 2013. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal
Register (77 FR 71415) on November 30, 2012, during a 60-day comment
period. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the
information collection activity and its expected burden and costs.
Copies of the ICR and related documents are available in the docket.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before July 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2012-0675, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method), by email to<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or by mail to: EPA
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Myrick, Deputy Director,
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics, Mail code: 7408-M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-554-
1404; fax number:<PHONE_NUMBER>; email address<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is<PHONE_NUMBER>. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Formulator Product
Recognition Program formally recognizes safer products where all
ingredients have an environmental and human health profile showing that
they are the safest in their functional use class. Under the
encouragement of this program, leading companies have made great
progress in developing safer, highly effective chemical products. Since
the program's inception in 1997, formulators have used the program as a
portal to OPPT's unique chemical expertise, information resources, and
guidance on greener chemistry. DfE Formulator partners enjoy Agency
recognition, including the use of the DfE logo on products with the
safest possible formulations. In the future, EPA expects much greater
program participation due to rising demand for safer products. This
information collection enables EPA to accommodate participation by more
than nine formulators each year and to enhance program transparency.
    Information collection activities associated with this program will
assist the Agency in meeting the goals of the Pollution Prevention Act
(PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101 et seq.) by providing resources and recognition
for businesses committed to promoting and using safer chemical
products. In turn, the program will help businesses meet corporate
sustainability goals by providing the means to, and an objective
measure of, environmental stewardship. Investment analysts and advisers
seek these types of measures in evaluating a corporation's
sustainability profile and investment worthiness. Formulator Program
partnership is an important impetus for prioritizing and completing the
transition to safer chemical products. The Formulator Program is also
needed to promote greater use of safer chemical products by companies
unaware of the benefits of such a change. EPA has tailored its request
for information, and especially the Formulator Product Recognition
Program application forms, to ensure that the Agency requests only that
information essential to verify applicants' eligibility for
recognition.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary.
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice confidential. EPA will
disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only
to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in
TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are establishments engaged in the formulation of end-use,
for-sale chemical products, identified by NAICS codes 325510 (Paint and
Coating Manufacturing), 325611 (Soap and Other Detergent
Manufacturing), 325612 (Polish and Other Sanitation Good
Manufacturing), 325910 (Printing Ink Manufacturing), 325992
(Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemical Manufacturing), and
325998 (All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation
Manufacturing).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 66 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 1,193 hours per year. Burden is defined at
5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $396,800 per year, including operation and
maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 502 hours, as
well as a cost increase of $14,000, in the total estimated respondent
burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase
reflects EPA's higher estimate of the number of likely respondents to
this information collection. This change is an adjustment. The
Supporting Statement provides additional detail concerning the change
in burden estimate.

Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-15036 Filed 6-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


	ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

	40 CFR Part 52

	[EPA-R03-OAR-2007-0644; FRL-       ]

	Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans;

	Maryland; Revisions to Stage II Requirements

AGENCY:     Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:     Direct final rule.

SUMMARY:  EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the
Maryland State Implementation Plan (SIP).  The revisions will allow the
Maryland Department of the Environment to utilize inspections of Stage I
and Stage II systems by a certified inspector.  EPA is approving these
revisions to the Maryland SIP in accordance with the requirements of the
Clean Air Act (CAA).

DATES:  This rule is effective on [Insert date 60 days after publication
in the Federal Register]  without further notice, unless EPA receives
adverse written comment by [Insert date 30 days after publication in the
Federal Register].  If EPA receives such comments, it will publish a
timely withdrawal of the direct final rule in the Federal Register and
inform the public that the rule will not take effect.

ADDRESSES:  Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID Number

EPA-R03-OAR-2007-0644 by one of the following methods:

 www.regulations.gov.  Follow the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.

     B.    E-mail<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
     C.    Mail:   EPA-R03-OAR-2007-0644, Cristina Fernandez, Chief,
Air Quality Planning Branch, Mailcode 3AP21, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19103.

     D.   Hand Delivery: At the previously-listed EPA Region III
address.  Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket(s normal
hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions:  Direct your comments to Docket ID No.
EPA-R03-OAR-2007-0644.  EPA's policy is that all comments received will
be included in the public docket without change, and may be made
available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to
be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or
e-mail.  The www.regulations.gov website is an (anonymous access(
system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.  If you
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through
www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket
and made available on the Internet.  If you submit an electronic
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you
submit.  If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to
consider your comment.  Electronic files should avoid the use of special
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses.

Docket:  All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.  Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy form.  Publicly available docket
materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or
in hard copy during normal business hours at the Air Protection
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch
Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.  Copies of the State submittal
are available at the Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800
Washington Boulevard, Suite 705, Baltimore, Maryland, 21230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine L. Magliocchetti, (215)
814-2174,

or by e-mail at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, whenever “we,”
“us,” or “our” is used, we mean EPA.  This supplementary
information is arranged as follows:

I. 	What Action is EPA Taking Today?

II.  	Why is EPA Taking this Action?

III. 	How Did EPA Review the Commonwealth’s Submittal?

What Final Action is EPA Taking Today?

Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. What Action Is EPA Taking Today?

EPA is approving revisions to the Maryland State Implementation Plan
(SIP), which were submitted by the Maryland Department of the
Environment (MDE).  These changes, which include amendments to
Regulation .01 and new Regulation .05-1 under COMAR 26.11.24 Stage II
Vapor Recovery at Gasoline Dispensing Facilities amend Maryland’s
existing Stage II regulatory requirements. Specifically, the amendments
and additions will allow MDE to utilize inspections of Stage I and Stage
II systems by a certified inspector under COMAR <IP_ADDRESS>.  During one
calendar year, approximately one-third of those stations required to be
inspected would be inspected by certified inspectors.  Based upon the
inspections reports, MDE will be able to better target state-conducted
inspections.

II. Why Is EPA Taking This Action?

MDE revised its Stage II requirements in order to enhance its inspection
efficiency.  EPA is approving these revisions as necessary for
attainment and maintenance of the ozone standard in the State of
Maryland.

III. How Did EPA Review the State's Submittal?

Maryland's SIP revisions (#07-02) were submitted by MDE on February 15,
2007.  EPA evaluated MDE's revised Stage II requirements to verify that
the revisions were consistent with the previously approved Stage II
regulations for the State and met the requirements found in EPA's Stage
II enforcement and technical documentation. The revisions were also
reviewed for compliance with the CAA.

IV. What Final Action is EPA Taking Today?

EPA is approving a SIP revision request submitted by MDE that allows for
use of third party inspectors of Stage I and Stage II systems.

We are publishing this rule without prior proposal because the Agency
views this as a non-controversial amendment and anticipates no adverse
comment.  However, in the (Proposed Rules( section of today(s Federal
Register, EPA is publishing a separate document that will serve as the
proposal to approve the SIP revision if adverse comments are filed.
This rule will be effective on [Insert date 60 days from date of
publication in the Federal Register] without further

notice unless EPA receives adverse comment by [Insert date 30 days from
date of publication in the Federal Register].  If EPA receives adverse
comment, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal Register
informing the public that the rule will not take effect.  EPA will
address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on the
proposed rule.  EPA will not institute a second comment period on this
action.  Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A.  General Requirements

Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this action
is not a "significant regulatory action" and therefore is not subject to
review by the Office of Management and Budget.  For this reason, this
action is also not subject to Executive Order 13211, "Actions Concerning
Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or
Use" (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001).  This action merely approves state law
as meeting Federal requirements and imposes no additional requirements
beyond those imposed by state law.  Accordingly, the Administrator
certifies that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).  Because this rule approves pre-existing
requirements under state law and does not impose any additional
enforceable duty beyond that required by state law, it does not contain
any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affect small
governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4).   This rule also does not have tribal implications
because it will not have a substantial direct effect on one or more
Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and
Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities
between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, as specified by
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).  This action also
does not have Federalism implications because it does not have
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government, as
specified in Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999).  This
action merely approves a state rule implementing a Federal requirement,
and does not alter the relationship or the distribution of power and
responsibilities established in the CAA.  This rule also is not subject
to Executive Order 13045 (Protection of Children from Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks( (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because it
approves a state rule implementing a Federal standard.

In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA(s role is to approve state choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA.  In this context, in
the absence of a prior existing requirement for the State to use
voluntary consensus standards (VCS), EPA has no authority to disapprove
a SIP submission for failure to use VCS.  It would thus be inconsistent
with applicable law for EPA, when it reviews a SIP submission, to use
VCS in place of a SIP submission that otherwise satisfies the provisions
of the CAA.  Thus, the requirements of section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do
not apply.  This rule does not impose an information collection burden
under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.).

B.  Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the
rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to
each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United
States.   EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register.  This rule is not a
(major rule( as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

C.   Petitions for Judicial Review

Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review of
this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the
appropriate circuit by [insert date 60 days from date of publication of
this document in the Federal Register].  Filing a petition for
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect
the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review nor does
it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be
filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action.
This action, approving revisions to Maryland’s Stage II regulations,
may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its requirements.
(See section 307(b)(2).)

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental
relations, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile
organic compounds.

___January 8, 2008___
_________/s/_________________

Dated:                                				Donald S. Welsh,

                                      				Regional Administrator,

                                      				Region III.

40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:

PART 52 - [AMENDED]

1.  The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

               Authority:  42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

Subpart V( Maryland

2. In ( 52.1070, the table in paragraph (c) is amended by revising the
entry for COMAR <IP_ADDRESS> and adding an entry for COMARS <IP_ADDRESS>-1
to read as follows:

( 52.1070  		Identification of plan.

*		*		*		*		*

(c)* * *

       EPA-APPROVED REGULATIONS IN THE MARYLAND SIP

Code of Maryland administrative regulations (COMAR) citation

Title/subject

State effective date

EPA approval date

Additional explanation/

citation at 40 CFR 52.1100

          *            *               *              *              *
              *             *

26.11.24

Stage II Vapor Recovery at Gasoline Dispensing Facilities

<IP_ADDRESS>

Definitions

1/29/07

[Insert Federal Register

publication date]

[Insert page number where the document begins]	Addition of “Certified
Inspector” and “Vapor Recovery System”

 *             *               *                *                *
        *           *

<IP_ADDRESS>-1	Inspections by a Certified Inspector	1/29/07	[Insert
Federal Register

publication date]

[Insert page number where the document begins]

 *             *               *                *                *
        *           *

*	*	*	*	*

 PAGE

 PAGE

 PAGE  2


[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 20877]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07336]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. ER23-1519-000]

Atlas Solar, III, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-
Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization

    This is a supplemental notice in the above-referenced proceeding of
Atlas Solar, III, LLC's application for market-based rate authority,
with an accompanying rate tariff, noting that such application includes
a request for blanket authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of future
issuances of securities and assumptions of liability.
    Any person desiring to intervene or to protest should file with the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington,
DC 20426, in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's
Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). Anyone
filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that
document on the Applicant.
    Notice is hereby given that the deadline for filing protests with
regard to the applicant's request for blanket authorization, under 18
CFR part 34, of future issuances of securities and assumptions of
liability, is April 24, 2023.
    The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at http://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 may mail similar pleadings to
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426. Hand delivered submissions in docketed
proceedings should be delivered to Health and Human Services, 12225
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time,
the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public
Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency
concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the
President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission at [email protected] or call toll-free,
(886) 208-3676 or TTY,<PHONE_NUMBER>.

    Dated: April 3, 2023.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-07336 Filed 4-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P