[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31445-31446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12667]
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 111 / Thursday, June 10, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 31445]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RM99-2-000]
Regional Transmission Organizations; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Assessment for the Regional Transmission Organizations
Rulemaking, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
May 14, 1999.
To further the policies and goals of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that
will consider the environmental impacts of the proposed rulemaking on
Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). The proposed rule was issued
by the Commission on May 13, 1999, and appears elsewhere in this issue
of the Federal Register. The Commission requests public comments on the
scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All comments received
will be considered during the preparation of the EA. A comment period
will be allotted for public review of the EA.
Scoping comments are due on or before June 14, 1999; the public
scoping meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on July 8, 1999 in the
Commission Meeting Room, 888 First Street, NE, Room 2C, Washington,
D.C. 20426.
Summary of the Proposed Action
In Order Nos. 888 and 889, the Commission established the
foundation necessary to develop competitive bulk power markets in the
United States: Non-discriminatory open access transmission services by
public utilities and stranded cost recovery rules that would provide a
fair transition to competitive markets. Order Nos. 888 and 889 were not
intended to address all problems that might arise in the development of
competitive power markets. Indeed, since the issuance of Order Nos. 888
and 889, the industry has undergone changes. Trade in bulk power
markets has continued to increase significantly and the Nation's
transmission grid is being used more heavily and in new ways.
After almost three years of experience with implementation of Order
Nos. 888 and 889, there remain transmission-related impediments to a
competitive wholesale electric market. In an effort to ensure that
electricity consumers realize the full benefits that competition can
bring to wholesale markets, the Commission has issued a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, the objective of which is to encourage all
transmission facilities in the Nation, including transmission
facilities owned or controlled by non-public utility entities, to form
appropriate regional transmission institutions in a timely manner.
Accordingly, as set forth in detail in the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, the Commission proposes the following:
Minimum characteristics and functions that an RTO must
satisfy. Industry participants will retain flexibility in structuring
RTOs that satisfy the standards.
An ``open architecture'' policy regarding RTOs, whereby
all RTO proposals must allow the RTO and its members the flexibility to
improve their organizations in terms of structure, operations, market
support and geographic scope to meet market needs. In turn, the
Commission will provide the regulatory flexibility to accommodate such
improvement.
Guidance on flexible transmission ratemaking that may be
proposed by RTOs, including ratemaking treatments that will address
congestion pricing and performance based regulation. The Commission
will consider on a case-by-case basis incentive pricing that may be
appropriate for transmission facilities under RTO control.
A plan for encouraging formation of RTOs across the Nation
that includes: (1) A collaborative process to take place in the spring
of 2000 for all stakeholders to actively work toward the voluntary
development of specific RTOs; and (2) filing requirements whereby all
public utilities that own, operate or control interstate transmission
facilities must file with the Commission by October 15, 2000 a proposal
for an RTO with the standards adopted in the final rule, or a
description of reasons that it has not filed such a proposal. Each
proposed RTO must plan to be operational by December 15, 2001.
Public Participation
The public is invited to provide comments that will assist us in
conducting an accurate and thorough analysis of the potential
environmental impacts of the proposed rule. Comments should address
environmental issues, including any potential environmental effects of
the proposed rule, alternatives to the proposed rule, and measures to
avoid or lessen environmental impacts (if any). The more specific the
comments, the more useful they will be. Please carefully follow these
instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time and
properly recorded:
Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE,
Room 1A, Washington, D.C. 20426.
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Jim
Turnure, Office of Economic Policy, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Room 64-09, Washington, D.C. 20426.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before June 14, 1999.
In addition to filing paper copies, the Commission encourages the
filing of comments either on computer diskettes or via Internet e-mail.
Comments may be filed in the following formats: WordPerfect 6.1 or
lower version, MS Word Office 97 or lower version, or ASCII format.
For diskette filing, include the following information on the
diskette label: Docket No. RM99-2-000; the name of the filing entity;
the software and version used to create the file; and the name and
telephone number of a contact person.
For Internet E-Mail submittal, comments should be submitted to
comment.rm@ferc.fed.us'' in the following format. On the subject
line, specify Docket No. RM99-2-000. In the body of the E-Mail message,
include the name of the filing entity; the software and version used to
create the file, and the name and telephone number of the contact
person. Attach the comments to the E-Mail in one of the formats
specified above. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgment
to the sender's E-Mail address upon receipt.
Questions on electronic filings should be directed to Brooks Carter
at 202-501-8145, e-mail address: Brooks. [email protected]
Commenters should take note that, until the Commission amends its
rules and regulations, the paper copy of the filing remains the
official copy of the document submitted. Therefore, any discrepancies
between the paper filing and the electronic filing or the diskette will
be resolve by reference to the paper filing.
All written comments will be placed in the Commission's public
files and will be available for inspection in the Commission's Public
Reference room at 888 First Street, N.E., Washington D.C. 20426, during
regular business hours. Additionally, comments may be viewed, printed,
or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's Homepage using
the RIMS submitted in electronic format all available on CIPS. User
[[Page 31446]]
assistance is available at 202-208-2222, or by E-Mail to
rimsmaster@ferc.fed.us.
In addition to asking for written comments, we invite any
interested parties to attend our public scoping meeting that will be
held on July 8, 1999. The meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the
Commission Meeting Room, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2C, Washington,
D.C. 20426. The purpose of the public meeting is to provide interested
parties another opportunity to offer comments on the proposed rule.
A copy of the EA will be made available for review and comment to
all interested parties. A 30-day comment period will be provided for
reviewing the EA. The Commission will consider all comments on the EA
in developing the final rule.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-12667 Filed 6-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
