Notice2024-10251
Notice of Availability of Preliminary List of Potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors; Request for Comments
Primary source
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Published
May 10, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of availability of the preliminary list of potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs). This issuance initiates Phase 2 of the NIETC designation process outlined in the guidance DOE released on December 19, 2023. NIETC designation focuses public and policymaker attention on the areas of greatest transmission need and unlocks valuable Federal financing and permitting tools to advance transmission development. Additional information on one of those tools--Transmission Facility Financing--is also included with the preliminary list.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 92 (Friday, May 10, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 92 (Friday, May 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40477-40479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10251]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Availability of Preliminary List of Potential National
Interest Electric Transmission Corridors; Request for Comments
AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability of preliminary list; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of
availability of the preliminary list of potential National Interest
Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs). This issuance initiates Phase
2 of the NIETC designation process outlined in the guidance DOE
released on December 19, 2023. NIETC designation focuses public and
policymaker attention on the areas of greatest transmission need and
unlocks valuable Federal financing and permitting tools to advance
transmission development. Additional information on one of those
tools--Transmission Facility Financing--is also included with the
preliminary list.
DATES: Interested parties may submit comments on the preliminary list
of potential NIETCs and information and recommendations focused on
those potential NIETCs based on the list of information requested for
Phase 2 in the NIETC Guidance by 5:00 p.m. ET on June 24, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Kershaw, U.S. Department of
Energy, Grid Deployment Office, at (202) 586-2006; or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#155b5c504156557d643b717a703b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="efa1a6aabbacaf879ec18b808ac1888099">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE's Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is
announcing the availability of the Initiation of Phase 2 of National
Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) Designation Process:
Preliminary List of Potential NIETCs. Section 216(a)(2) of
[[Page 40478]]
the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by section 40105 of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), requires DOE to issue a
report not less frequently than once every three years, which may
designate as a NIETC any geographic area that is experiencing or is
expected to experience electric energy transmission capacity
constraints or congestion that adversely affects consumers. DOE must
base any NIETC designation on the findings of DOE's triennial
nationwide study required by FPA section 216(a)(1), which DOE refers to
as the National Transmission Needs Study (Needs Study), or other
information relating to electric energy transmission capacity
constraints or congestion. In addition, the FPA requires DOE to
consider alternatives and recommendations from interested parties
(including an opportunity for comment from affected States and Indian
Tribes) and to consult with regional entities when designating a NIETC.
FPA section 216(a)(4) allows DOE to also consider several additional
factors in designating a NIETC.
On December 19, 2023, DOE released final guidance (NIETC Guidance)
that describes DOE's intended implementation of this statutory
authority and initiated the process for designating one or more NIETCs
following issuance of the Needs Study released in October 2023. The
NIETC Guidance sets forth a four-phase process, which begins with DOE
evaluating the results of the most recent Needs Study to begin
identifying potential geographic areas for NIETC designation and
concurrent 45-day Phase 1 information submission window. During this
window, interested parties may submit information and recommendations
on the narrow geographic boundaries of potential NIETCs, the present or
expected transmission capacity constraints or congestion within those
geographic boundaries, and the relevant discretionary factors in FPA
section 216(a)(4). For this iteration of the NIETC designation process,
that window opened with issuance of the final guidance on December 19,
2023, and closed on February 2, 2024.
Phase 2 of the NIETC designation process begins with DOE's issuance
of a preliminary list of potential NIETCs, which is the subject of this
notice. The preliminary list identifies which potential NIETCs DOE is
continuing to consider, provides a high-level explanation of the basis
for those potential NIETCs, and opens a public comment period to gather
information specific to the listed potential NIETCs. DOE may narrow the
list of potential NIETCs as the designation process proceeds to Phase
3. DOE plans to prioritize which potential NIETCs move to Phase 3 based
on the available information on geographic boundaries and potential
impacts on environmental, community, and other resources and
preliminary review of comments. During Phase 3, DOE continues to
independently assess the basis for NIETC designation, initiates any
needed environmental reviews, and conducts robust public engagement,
culminating in the release of one or more draft designation reports and
draft environmental documents, as needed, for public comment. Phase 4
is the conclusion of the NIETC designation process, with issuance of
one or more final designation reports and final environmental
documents, as needed.
The preliminary list of potential NIETCs was informed by numerous
Phase 1 information submissions and recommendations from interested
parties and DOE's internal preliminary analysis of known possible
environmental, community, and other resource impacts. DOE preliminarily
finds that the geographic areas depicted in the preliminary list of
potential NIETCs constitute targeted, high-priority areas where NIETC
designation is likely to catalyze transmission development to alleviate
transmission capacity constraints or congestion and the associated
adverse effects on consumers, thereby making the most efficient and
effective use of DOE's resources. DOE intends to employ NIETC
designation in one or more of these geographic areas to further the
timely buildout of a reliable, resilient, and efficient transmission
system that facilitates the achievement of national energy policy goals
while reducing consumer energy costs.
During the 45-day comment period on the preliminary list of
potential NIETCs, DOE invites interested parties to comment on the
information contained within the preliminary list of potential NIETCs.
This includes commenting on the present or expected transmission
capacity constraints or congestion relevant to the potential NIETCs in
the preliminary list as well as the adverse effects on consumers
resulting therefrom (i.e., the consumer harms resulting from inadequate
transmission within the potential NIETCs).
In addition, DOE invites interested parties to submit further
information on the thirteen resource report categories listed in the
NIETC Guidance for Phase 2: (1) geographic boundaries; (2) water use
and quality; (3) fish, wildlife, and vegetation; (4) cultural
resources; (5) socioeconomics; (6) Tribal resources; (7) communities of
interest; (8) geological resources; (9) soils; (10) land use,
recreation, and aesthetics; (11) air quality and environmental noise;
(12) alternatives; and (13) reliability and safety. The Phase 2
information submission window is focused on gathering additional
information on geographic boundaries and potential impacts on
environmental, community, and other resources to facilitate DOE's
environmental review, which starts in Phase 3. Interested parties may
submit information related to one or more of the thirteen categories
listed.
NIETC designation focuses public and policymaker attention on the
areas of greatest transmission need and unlocks valuable federal
financing and permitting tools to advance transmission development.
These include DOE authorities under the IIJA, the Inflation Reduction
Act, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as well as the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission's permitting authority under FPA section 216(b).
Additional information on one of those tools--Transmission Facility
Financing--is included with the preliminary list of potential NIETCs,
including eligibility criteria. DOE invites input on the scope of
eligible projects, as explained further in the document.
Members of the public can visit GDO's website to access the
preliminary list of potential NIETCs at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process">https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process</a>.
Additionally, the NIETC Guidance remains available at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/2023-12-15%20GDO%20NIETC%20Final%20Guidance%20Document.Vpdf">https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/2023-12-15%20GDO%20NIETC%20Final%20Guidance%20Document.Vpdf</a>.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on May 7,
2024, by Maria D. Robinson, pursuant to delegated authority from the
Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and date
is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in
compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. The administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
[[Page 40479]]
Signed in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-10251 Filed 5-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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