[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 202 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66318-66319]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23063]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 3452-017]

Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Availability of
Environmental Assessment

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission)
regulations, 18 CFR part 380, the Office of Energy Projects has
reviewed the application for a subsequent license for the Oak Orchard
Hydroelectric Project No. 3452 (Oak Orchard Project), located adjacent
to the New York State Canal Corporation's barge canal in the Village of
Medina, Orleans County, New York, and has prepared an Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the project.
    The EA contains staff's analysis of the potential environmental
impacts of the Oak Orchard Project and concludes that licensing the
project, with appropriate environmental protective measures, would not
constitute a major federal action that would significantly affect the
quality of the human environment.
    The Commission provides all interested persons with an opportunity
to view and/or print the EA 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 FERC Online Support at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or toll-free at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or for TTY,
(202) 502-8659.
    You may also register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eSubscription.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance,
contact FERC Online Support.
    Any comments should be filed within 30 days from the date of this
notice.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
comments using the Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eFiling.aspx. Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment
system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. You must
include your name and contact information at the end of your comments.
For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. In lieu of
electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via
the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier
must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
The first page of any filing should include docket number P-3452-017.
    For further information, contact Laurie Bauer at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or
at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
    Dated: October 13, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-23063 Filed 10-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 222 (Friday, November 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57780-57782]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24983]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-84561; File No. SR-CFE-2018-003]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Futures Exchange, LLC; Notice
of a Filing of a Proposed Rule Change Regarding Block Trade and
Exchange of Contract for Related Position Reporting Provisions

November 9, 2018.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(7) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on November 2, 2018 Cboe
Futures Exchange, LLC (``CFE'' or ``Exchange'') filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') the
proposed rule change described in Items I, II, and III below, which
Items have been prepared by CFE. The Commission is publishing this
notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested
persons. CFE also has filed this proposed rule change with the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC''). CFE filed a written
certification with the CFTC under Section 5c(c) of the Commodity
Exchange Act (``CEA'') \2\ on November 2, 2018.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(7).
    \2\ 7 U.S.C. 7a-2(c).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Description of the Proposed Rule
Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend reporting provisions under CFE Rules
414, 415, and 714 relating to Block Trades and Exchange of Contract for
Related Position (``ECRP'') transactions. The scope of this filing is
limited solely to the application of the proposed rule amendments to
security futures that may be traded on CFE. Although no security
futures are currently listed for trading on CFE, CFE may list security
futures for trading in the future. The text of the proposed rule change
is attached as Exhibit 4 to the filing but is not attached to the
publication of this notice.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, CFE included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item IV below. CFE has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B,
and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The proposed rule change revises the criteria for who can act as an
Authorized Reporter for Exchange of Contract for Related Position
(``ECRP'') transactions and Block Trades and to allow for the
assessment of summary fines for violations of two comparable ECRP and
Block Trade reporting provisions.
    The first two changes provided for in the proposed rule change
relate to who can act as an Authorized Reporter for ECRP transactions
and Block Trades. CFE Rule 414 (Exchange of Contract for Related
Position) governs ECRP transactions and CFE Rule 415 (Block Trades)
governs Block Trades. Rule 414(i) and Rule 415(f) provide that each CFE
Trading Privilege Holder (``TPH'') executing an ECRP transaction or
Block Trade, as applicable, must have at least one designated
individual that is either a TPH or a Related Party \3\ of a TPH and
that is pre-authorized by a Clearing Member to report ECRP transactions
and Block Trades on behalf of the TPH. An individual designated for
this purpose is referred to as an Authorized Reporter. CFE is proposing
to amend Rule 414(i) and Rule 415(f) to remove the requirement that an
Authorized Reporter must be a TPH or a Related Party of a TPH. CFE is
also proposing to amend Rule 414(i) and Rule 415(f) to make clear that,
to the extent required by applicable law, an Authorized Reporter must
be registered or otherwise permitted by the appropriate regulatory body
or bodies to act in the capacity of an Authorized Reporter and to
conduct related activities.
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    \3\ Chapter 1 of CFE's Rulebook provides that: The term
``Related Party'' means, with respect to any TPH: Any partner,
director, officer, branch manager, employee or agent of such TPH (or
any Person occupying a similar status or performing similar
functions); any Person directly or indirectly Controlling,
Controlled by, or under common Control with, such TPH; or any
Authorized Trader of such TPH.
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    CFE understands from TPHs that there are service providers that
perform reporting functions that are similar to ECRP transaction and
Block Trade reporting and that there are TPHs that would like to
utilize individuals from these service providers (who are not either a
TPH or a Related Party of a TPH) to act as an Authorized Reporter for
ECRP transactions and Block Trades

involving CFE products. CFE also understands that these TPHs would find
it easier to utilize individuals from these service providers to report
ECRP transactions and Block Trades, such as because these TPHs already
utilize these service providers to perform similar functions in other
markets. Additionally, CFE understands that some TPHs that are active
market participants find the requirement that an Authorized Reporter
must be a TPH or a Related Party of a TPH to be cumbersome because the
practical effect of this requirement is that those TPHs are doing their
own ECRP transaction and Block Trade reporting. As a result, these TPHs
need to take time away from their trading activities in order to go
through the administrative steps to complete the reporting process. The
proposed rule change will allow these TPHs to outsource this reporting
to service providers and to focus on providing liquidity into the
market which inures to the benefit of all market participants.
    Accordingly, CFE believes that the elimination of the requirement
that an Authorized Reporter be a TPH or Related Party of a TPH will
improve the efficiency of CFE's reporting mechanism for ECRP
transactions and Block Trades and of CFE's market while still
maintaining the key elements of the current ECRP transaction and Block
Trade reporting provisions under Rule 414 and Rule 415. Among these
elements are that an Authorized Reporter for a TPH will still need to
be designated to act in that capacity by the TPH and will still need to
be pre-authorized by a Clearing Member for the TPH to act in that
capacity. In providing a pre-authorization for an Authorized Reporter,
a Clearing Member will also still need to accept responsibility for all
ECRP transactions and Block Trades reported to the Exchange by that
Authorized Reporter on behalf of the applicable TPH. Additionally, Rule
414(i) and Rule 415(f) will continue to provide that both the parties
to and Authorized Reporters for an ECRP transaction or Block Trade, as
applicable, are obligated to comply with the requirements of Rule 414
and Rule 415, as applicable. Similarly, Rule 414(i) and Rule 415(f)
will continue to provide that any of these parties or Authorized
Reporters may be held responsible by the Exchange for noncompliance
with those requirements.
    Additionally, the proposed rule change makes clear that, to the
extent required by applicable law, an Authorized Reporter must be
registered or otherwise permitted by the appropriate regulatory body or
bodies to act in the capacity of an Authorized Reporter and to conduct
related activities. For example, an Authorized Reporter may be required
to be registered with the CFTC through the National Futures Association
as an Introducing Broker in order to act as an Authorized Reporter and
to conduct related activities.
    In implementing the proposed rule change, CFE will require an
Authorized Reporter that is not a TPH or Related Party of a TPH to
execute the form used to designate that party as an Authorized
Reporter. CFE will also require the Authorized Reporter to agree in the
form to abide by CFE rules applicable to Block Trades and ECRPs, to be
subject to the jurisdiction of the Exchange with respect to compliance
with those provisions, and to acknowledge in the form that the
Authorized Reporter must be registered or otherwise permitted by the
appropriate regulatory body or bodies to act in the capacity of an
Authorized Reporter and to conduct related activities if and to the
extent required by applicable law.
    The second two changes provided for in the proposed rule change
revise CFE Rule 714 (Imposition of Fines for Minor Rule Violations) to
include violations of Rule 414(j) and Rule 415(g) within the list of
minor rule violations for which the Exchange may impose summary fines.
Rule 414(j) and Rule 415(g) provide that each party to an ECRP
transaction or Block Trade, as applicable, is obligated to have an
Authorized Reporter notify the Exchange of the terms of the transaction
after the transaction is agreed upon and that this notification must be
made within a Permissible Reporting Period by no later than the
Reporting Deadline (as further defined by Rule 414 and Rule 415, as
applicable). Rule 714(f)(x) already provides for a summary fine
schedule for violations of two other provisions of Rule 414 with
reporting requirements applicable to ECRP transactions, and the
proposed rule change makes this summary fine schedule also applicable
to violations of Rule 414(j). Similarly, Rule 714(f)(xiv) already
provides for a summary fine schedule for violations of two other
provisions of Rule 415 with reporting requirements applicable to Block
Trades, and the proposed rule change makes this summary fine schedule
also applicable to violations of Rule 415(g).
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will benefit
CFE market participants by allowing TPHs to focus on trading and
providing liquidity to CFE's market by allowing them to utilize third
party service providers to perform the administrative functions of
reporting Block Trades and ECRPs. This reporting process involves
logging into a portal to CFE's systems, inputting information, and
providing to or receiving from the other party a reference ID. Allowing
TPHs to focus on trading and providing liquidity in turn inures to the
benefit of CFE's market. Additionally, including violations of
additional Block Trade and ECRP reporting requirements under CFE's
minor rule violation rule is consistent with the current inclusion of
similar Block Trade and ECRP reporting requirements under the rule and
improves the efficiency of CFE's disciplinary process.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Act,\4\ in general, and furthers the
objectives of Sections 6(b)(1),\5\ 6(b)(5),\6\ and 6(b)(7) \7\ in
particular, in that it is designed:
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1).
    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(7).
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     To enable the Exchange to enforce compliance by its TPHs
and persons associated with its TPHs with the provisions of the rules
of the Exchange,
     to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices,
     to promote just and equitable principles of trade,
     to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a
free and open market and a national market system, and in general, to
protect investors and the public interest, and
     to provide a fair procedure for the disciplining of TPHs
and persons associated with TPHs.
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change will improve
the efficiency and functioning of the reporting mechanism for ECRP
transactions and Block Trades and thus CFE's market by providing TPHs
with greater flexibility as to who can act as an Authorized Reporter
for these transactions. Also, CFE believes that the application of
summary fine schedules for violations of Rule 414(j) and Rule 415(g)
will provide motivation and incentive for TPHs and Authorized Reporters
to comply with the ECRP transaction and Block Trade reporting
requirements under those provisions in order to avoid summary fines and
provides an effective and efficient means of disciplining for reporting
infractions that do not warrant a regular disciplinary proceeding.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    CFE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any
burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of
the purposes of the Act, in that the proposed rule change will improve
the efficiency and functioning of the reporting mechanism for ECRP
transactions and Block Trades and thus CFE's market. The Exchange
believes that the proposed rule change is equitable and not unfairly
discriminatory in that the rule amendments included in the proposed
rule change would apply equally to all CFE market participants.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action

    The proposed rule change will become operative on November 19,
2018. At any time within 60 days of the date of effectiveness of the
proposed rule change, the Commission, after consultation with the CFTC,
may summarily abrogate the proposed rule change and require that the
proposed rule change be refiled in accordance with the provisions of
Section 19(b)(1) of the Act.\8\
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-CFE-2018-003 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CFE-2018-003. This file
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's internet website (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml).
Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written
statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with
the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed
rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those
that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions
of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and printing in
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and
3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying
information from comment submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR-CFE-2018-003, and should be submitted on
or before December 7, 2018.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(73).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-24983 Filed 11-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P