[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 83 (Monday, May 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 23409]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09122]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA-4490-DR; Docket ID FEMA-2021-0001]

Missouri; Amendment No. 4 to Notice of a Major Disaster
Declaration

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration
for the State of Missouri (FEMA-4490-DR), dated March 26, 2020, and
related determinations.

DATES: This amendment was issued March 11, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dean Webster, Office of Response and
Recovery, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472,<PHONE_NUMBER>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of a major disaster declaration
for the State of Missouri is hereby amended to include Individual
Assistance limited to COVID-19 Funeral Assistance under Other Needs
Assistance for those areas determined to have been adversely affected
by the event declared a major disaster by the President in his
declaration of March 26, 2020.

    Individual Assistance limited to COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
under Other Needs Assistance for all areas in the State of Missouri
(already designated for Individual Assistance, limited to the Crisis
Counseling Program and emergency protective measures [Category B]
not authorized under other Federal statutes, including direct
Federal assistance).

(The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers (CFDA)
are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community
Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling;
97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment
Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 97.048,
Disaster Housing Assistance to Individuals and Households In
Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, Presidentially
Declared Disaster Assistance--Disaster Housing Operations for
Individuals and Households; 97.050 Presidentially Declared Disaster
Assistance to Individuals and Households--Other Needs; 97.036,
Disaster Grants--Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared
Disasters); 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant.)

Robert J. Fenton,
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021-09122 Filed 4-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-23-P


[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36321-36323]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12945]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Chapter I

[Docket No. PL20-6-000]

Commission Action To Address Effects of COVID-19 on Oil Pipelines

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Policy statement.

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SUMMARY: In this policy statement, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission provides guidance regarding the Commission's response to the
effects of the national emergency caused by COVID-19 on oil pipelines.

DATES: June 16, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenna Riley (Legal Information),
Office of the General Counsel, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426,<PHONE_NUMBER><EMAIL_ADDRESS>Matthew Petersen
(Technical Information), Office of Energy Markets Regulation, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426,<PHONE_NUMBER><EMAIL_ADDRESS>

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. On March 13, 2020, the President issued a proclamation declaring
a National Emergency concerning COVID-19. Measures to mitigate or slow
the transmission of COVID-19 have substantially reduced travel and
commercial activity, and U.S. consumption of petroleum products has
dropped sharply as a result. Consequently, oil pipelines are facing
unanticipated circumstances, including diminished demand for service
and radically altered market conditions. In light of these
circumstances, we offer the following guidance to oil pipelines.
    2. We are committed to assisting oil pipelines in addressing the
unprecedented impacts of COVID-19, particularly where such pipelines
are encountering regulatory hurdles that may impede or delay attempts
to respond to changing market dynamics during this difficult time. For
example, an oil pipeline may be unable to comply with regulatory
requirements or may require an extension due to steps it has taken to
meet the emergency conditions, such as measures taken to protect the
health and safety of its employees. We further recognize that due to
the circumstances arising from COVID-19, an oil pipeline might seek to
temporarily alter routes, reconfigure existing systems, or change flow
direction to provide shippers access to storage. In addition, an oil
pipeline that has not previously provided service subject to the
Commission's jurisdiction might seek to temporarily provide service in
interstate commerce, as opposed to intrastate commerce, to respond to
current market demands, but may have difficulty meeting the
Commission's regulatory requirements to begin providing interstate
service for the first time. In these and other instances, oil pipelines
may request temporary waivers of or extensions of time to comply with
the following regulations where necessary and appropriate to address
the unforeseen circumstances resulting from COVID-19:
     Cost-of-service filing requirements (18 CFR 342.2(a); part
346);
     Reporting requirements (part 357);
     Record-keeping requirements (part 356);
     Accounting regulations (part 352); and
     Depreciation studies (18 CFR 347.1).
    We will review and act on such requests as expeditiously as
possible based upon the circumstances and justification described in
the pipeline's waiver or extension request.\1\
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    \1\ See also Extension of Non-Statutory Deadlines, Supplemental
Notice Granting Extension of Time for Non-Statutory Deadlines,
Waiving Regulations, and Shortening Answer Period, Docket No. AD20-
11-000 (Apr. 2, 2020) (``Entities may seek waiver of Commission
orders, regulations, tariffs, rate schedules, and service
agreements, as appropriate, to address needs resulting from steps
they take in response to the emergency conditions caused by COVID-
19. Action on all such motions will be taken as expeditiously as
possible.'').
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    3. Moreover, to facilitate changes to operations and services on an
expedited basis, oil pipelines may request a waiver for tariffs to
become effective on less than 30 days' notice pursuant to Sec.  341.14
of the Commission's regulations.\2\ Such requests for waiver of prior
notice made concurrently with tariff filings will be deemed
conditionally granted subject to refund, and will also be deemed
automatically granted at the conclusion of the 30-day notice period
unless the Commission issues an order denying the request.\3\
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    \2\ 18 CFR 341.14.
    \3\ Id.
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    4. We also recognize that oil pipelines' existing tariff rates and
rules may be inadequate to address the drastic and unforeseen impacts
of COVID-19. Oil pipelines are allowed to file changes to their rates
and rules and regulations tariffs at any time. Under the Commission's
regulations, pipelines with indexed rates can change their rates at any
time so long as they remain at or below the ceiling level.\4\ A
pipeline may change a rate without regard to the ceiling level if the
change is agreed to by each shipper using the service.\5\ If a
pipeline's costs substantially diverge from its indexed rates, it can
file a cost-of-service rate change.\6\ In addition, pipelines with
market-based rate authority have the flexibility to respond to changes
in market conditions by filing a tariff to change their rates at any
time without regard to the indexed ceiling level.\7\ Any pipeline that
does not currently have market-based rate authority and serves
sufficiently competitive markets may file an application at any time
under Part 348 of the Commission's regulation to establish that it
lacks significant market power.\8\
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    \4\ 18 CFR 342.3(a).
    \5\ 18 CFR 342.4(c).
    \6\ 18 CFR 342.4(a).
    \7\ 18 CFR 342.4(b).
    \8\ 18 CFR pt. 348.
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    5. We understand that there could be instances where the above
regulations for establishing and changing rates might not provide an
appropriate means to address the current emergency circumstances, which
may be drastic but only temporary.\9\ If oil pipelines submit other
proposals for temporary rate relief to address the emergency
circumstances caused by COVID-19, we will give such proposals their due
consideration on a case-by-case basis. Although any such proposals must
be fully supported and consistent with the Interstate Commerce Act,\10\
we recognize that these unprecedented circumstances might require
unusual solutions. We will assess the appropriateness of any temporary
rate relief proposals based on the facts and circumstances presented,
including any issues raised in comments or protests from affected
shippers.\11\
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    \9\ To the extent there are lasting changes that impact a
pipeline's ability to recover its costs, such issues are
appropriately addressed via the rate changing methodologies in Part
342 of the Commission's regulations.
    \10\ 49 U.S.C. app. 1 et seq. (1988).
    \11\ This policy statement is merely guidance, and we emphasize
that nothing in this policy statement is intended to establish a
binding rule or determination, or to alter shippers' rights to file
complaints or protests in individual cases. 18 CFR 343.2, 343.3.
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    6. We acknowledge that in certain situations, oil pipelines may
need to temporarily curtail jurisdictional transportation service due
to the circumstances caused by COVID-19. In such instances, affected
oil pipelines may file notices of temporary embargo.\12\
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    \12\ Notices of embargo may be submitted through the eTariff
portal using Type of Filing Code 840.
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    7. We recognize there may be oil pipelines facing disputes with
shippers as a result of the unprecedented circumstances caused by
COVID-19 and that they may want to explore the potential for a
negotiated or mediated resolution. We encourage oil pipelines in that
situation to consider using the Commission's alternative dispute
resolution process.\13\ We appreciate oil pipelines' efforts to pursue
agreements with shippers to resolve issues where possible.
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    \13\ The contact information for the alternative dispute
resolution helpline is as follows: Toll-free: 1-844-238-1560, FAX:
202-219-3289, Email<EMAIL_ADDRESS>---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. We encourage oil pipelines to contact the Commission with any
concerns or issues related to the impacts of COVID-19. Oil pipelines
may notify the Commission of any regulatory or compliance issues they
are encountering in attempting to respond to the changed circumstances.
We note that oil pipelines may use the Commission's pre-filing review
process to informally submit tariffs or related material to Commission
staff for suggestions.\14\ We are sensitive to oil pipelines' needs for

feedback on an expedited basis given the emergency conditions.
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    \14\ 18 CFR 341.12.
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    9. We commend the industry's efforts to adapt to these
unprecedented circumstances while continuing to uphold their common
carrier duties under the Interstate Commerce Act.

Document Availability

    10. 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). At
this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's
Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National
Emergency concerning COVID-19, issued by the President on March 13,
2020.
    11. 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.
    12. 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), via email at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or from the Public Reference Room at (202)
502-8371, TTY<PHONE_NUMBER>. Email the Public Reference Room at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
    By the Commission.

    Issued: May 8, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-12945 Filed 6-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P