18 C.F.R. § 375.308

Current through September 30, 2024

Section 375.308 - Delegations to the Director of the Office of Energy Projects

The Commission authorizes the Director or the Director's designee to:

(a) Take appropriate action on uncontested applications and on applications for which the only motion or notice of intervention in opposition is filed by a competing preliminary permit or exemption applicant that does not propose and substantiate materially different plans to develop, conserve, and utilize the water resources of the region for the following:

(1) Licenses (including original, new, and transmission line licenses) under part I of the Federal Power Act;

(2) Exemptions from all or part of the licensing requirements of part I of the Federal Power Act; and

(3) Preliminary permits for proposed projects.

(b) Take appropriate action on uncontested applications for:

(1) Amendments (including changes in the use or disposal of water power project lands or waters or in the boundaries of water power projects) to licenses (including original, new, and transmission line licenses) under part I of the Federal Power Act, exemptions from all or part of the requirements of part I of the Federal Power Act, and preliminary permits; and

(2) Surrenders of licenses (including original and new), exemptions, and preliminary permits.

(c) Take appropriate action on the following:

(1) Determinations or vacations with respect to lands of the United States reserved from entry, location, or other disposal under section 24 of the Federal Power Act;

(2) Transfer of a license under section 8 of the Federal Power Act;

(3) Applications for the surrender of transmission line licenses pursuant to part 6 of this chapter;

(4) Motions filed by licensees, permittees, exemptees, applicants, and others requesting an extension of time to file required submittals, reports, data, and information and to do other acts required to be done at or within a specific time period by any rule, regulation, license, exemption, permit, notice, letter, or order of the Commission in accordance with § 385.2008 of this chapter;

(5) Declarations of intent and petitions for declaratory orders concerning the Commission's jurisdiction over a hydropower project under the Federal Power Act;

(6) New or revised exhibits, studies, plans, reports, maps, drawings, or specifications, or other such filings made voluntarily or in response to a term or condition in a preliminary permit, license, or exemption issued for a hydropower project, or in response to the requirements of an order of the Commission or presiding officer's initial decision concerning a hydropower project;

(7) Requests by applicants to withdraw, pursuant to § 385.216 of this chapter, any pleadings under part I of the Federal Power Act and any pleadings related to exemptions from all or part of part I of the Federal Power Act;

(8) Requests by licensees for exemption from:

(i) The requirement of filing FERC Form No. 80, Licensed Projects Recreation, under § 8.11 of this chapter; and

(ii) The fees prescribed in § 381.302(a) of this chapter in accordance with § 381.302(c) of this chapter and the fees in § 381.601 of this chapter, in accordance with § 381.106 of this chapter;

(9) Requests for waivers incidental to the exercise of delegated authority provided the request conforms to the requirements of § 385.2001 of this chapter;

(10) Proposals for the development of water resources projects submitted by other agencies of the Federal government for Commission review or comment. The Director shall direct comments, when necessary, to the sponsoring agency on matters including, but not limited to, the need for, and appropriate size of, any hydroelectric power installation proposed by any other agency of the Federal government;

(11) The reasonableness of disputed agency cost statements pursuant to § 4.303(e) of this chapter.

(d) Issue an order pursuant to section 5 of the Federal Power Act to cancel a preliminary permit if the permittee fails to comply with the specific terms and conditions of the permit; provided:

(1) The Director gives notice to the permittee of probable cancellation no less than 30 days prior to the issuance of the cancellation order, and

(2) The permittee does not oppose the issuance of the cancellation order.

(e) Issue an order to revoke an exemption of a small conduit hydroelectric facility from the licensing provisions of part I of the Federal Power Act granted pursuant to § 4.93 of this chapter, or an exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from the licensing provisions of part I of the Federal Power Act granted pursuant to § 4.105 of this chapter if the exemption holder fails to begin or complete actual construction of the exempted facility or project within the time specified in the order granting the exemption or in Commission regulations at § 4.94(c) or § 4.106(c) of this chapter, provided:

(1) The Director gives notice to the exemption holder by certified mail of probable revocation no less than 30 days prior to the issuance of the revocation order, and

(2) The holder of the exemption does not oppose the issuance of the revocation order.

(f) Issue an order pursuant to section 13 of the Federal Power Act to terminate a license granted under part I of the Federal Power Act if the licensee fails to commence actual construction of the project works within the time prescribed in the license, provided:

(1) The Director gives notice by certified mail to the licensee of probable termination no less than 30 days prior to the issuance of the termination order, and

(2) The licensee does not oppose the issuance of the termination order.

(g) Require licensees and applicants for water power projects to make repairs to project works, take any related actions for the purpose of maintaining the safety and adequacy of such works, make or modify emergency action plans, have inspections by independent consultants, and perform other actions necessary to comply with part 12 of this chapter or otherwise protect human life, health, property, or the environment.

(h) For any unlicensed or unexempted hydropower project, take the following actions:

(1) Conduct investigations to ascertain the Commission's jurisdiction,

(2) Make preliminary jurisdictional determinations, and

(3) If a project has been preliminarily determined to require a license, issue notification of the Commission's jurisdiction; require the filing of a license application; and require that actions necessary to comply with part 12 of this chapter or otherwise protect human life, health, property, or the environment are taken.

(i) Take appropriate action on uncontested settlements among non-Federal parties involving headwater benefits.

(j) Dismiss applications for licenses and approve the withdrawal of applications for hydropower project licenses, in instances where no petition for or notice of intervention contending that licensing is required under part I of the Federal Power Act has been filed and the Director determines that licensing is not required by such Part I.

(k) Reject or dismiss an application filed under Part I of the Federal Power Act or an application for an exemption from some or all of the requirements of Part I of the Federal Power Act if:

(1) An application is patently deficient under § 4.32(e)(2)(i) ;

(2) A revised application

(i) Does not conform to the requirements of §§ 4.32(a) , 4.32(b) , or 4.38 , under § 4.32(d)(1) or

(ii) If revisions to an application are not timely submitted under § 4.32(e)(1) (iii); or

(3) The applicant fails to provide timely additional information, documents, or copies of submitted materials under § 4.32(g) .

(l) Redesignate proceedings, licenses, and other authorizations and filings to reflect changes in the names of persons and municipalities subject to or invoking Commission jurisdiction under the Federal Power Act, where no substantive changes in ownership, corporate structure or domicile, or jurisdictional operation are involved.

(m) Determine payments for headwater benefits from the operation of Federal reservoir projects.

(n) Determine whether to allow a credit against annual charges for the use of government dams or other structures billed to licensees each year for contractual payments for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a Federal dam.

(o) Prepare and issue comments on general water policy and planning issues for the use of the Director of the Water Resources Council or the Assistant Secretaries of the Department of Energy.

(p) Prepare and transmit letters concerning power site lands to the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Geological Survey; respond to routine requests for information and any non-docketed correspondence; prepare and transmit letters requesting comments or additional information on applications for hydropower project licenses, preliminary permits, exemptions, amendments of licenses, permits, or exemptions, and other similar matters from Federal, state, and local agencies, from applicants, and from other appropriate persons; and prepare and transmit letters regarding whether transmission lines are works of a hydropower project and are required to be licensed.

(q) Reject an application or other filing under Section 405 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, unless accompanied by a request for waiver in conformity with § 385.2001 of this chapter, if it fails patently to comply with applicable statutory requirements or Commission rules, regulations, and orders.

(r) Pass upon petitions filed under §§ 292.210 and 292.211 of this chapter.

(s) Make any preliminary determination of inconsistency between a fish and wildlife agency's fish and wildlife recommendation and applicable law, and conduct through staff whatever consultation with the agency that is necessary or appropriate in order to attempt to resolve any inconsistency, under section 10(j) of the Federal Power Act, and to take such related actions as are required under that section.

(t) Waive the pre-filing consultation requirements in §§ 4.38 and 16.8 of this title whenever the Director, in his discretion, determines that an emergency so requires, or that the potential benefit of expeditiously considering a proposed improvement in safety, environmental protection, efficiency, or capacity outweighs the potential benefit of requiring completion of the consultation process prior to the filing of an application.

(u) Approve, on a case-specific basis, and issue such orders as may be necessary in connection with the use of alternative procedures, under § 4.34(i) of this chapter, for the development of an application for an original, new or subsequent license, exemption, or license amendment subject to the pre-filing consultation process, and assist in the pre-filing consultation and related processes.

(v) Take appropriate action on the following types of uncontested applications for authorizations and uncontested amendments to applications and authorizations and impose appropriate conditions:

(1) Applications or amendments requesting authorization for the construction or acquisition and operation of facilities that have a construction or acquisition cost less than the limits specified in column 2 of table I in § 157.208(d) of this chapter;

(2) Applications by a pipeline for the abandonment of pipeline facilities;

(3) Applications for temporary certificates for facilities pursuant to § 157.17 of this chapter;

(4) Petitions to amend certificates to conform to actual construction;

(5) Applications for temporary certificates for facilities pursuant to § 157.17 of this chapter;

(6) Dismiss any protest to prior notice filings made pursuant to § 157.205 of this chapter and involving pipeline facilities that does not raise a substantive issue and fails to provide any specific detailed reason or rationale for the objection;

(7) Applications for temporary or permanent certificates (and for amendments thereto) for the transportation, exchange or storage of natural gas, provided that the cost of construction of the applicant's related facility is less than the limits specified in column 2 of table 1 in § 157.208(d) of this chapter; and

(8) Applications for blanket certificates of public convenience and necessity pursuant to subpart F of part 157 of this chapter, including waiver of project cost limitations in §§ 157.208 and 157.215 of this chapter, and the convening of informal conferences during the 30-day reconciliation period pursuant to the procedures in § 157.205(f) .

(w) Take appropriate action on the following:

(1) Any notice of intervention or petition to intervene, filed in an uncontested application for pipeline facilities;

(2) An uncontested request from one holding an authorization, granted pursuant to the Director's delegated authority, to vacate all or part of such authorization;

(3) Petitions to permit after an initial 60-day period one additional 60-day period of exemption pursuant to § 284.264(b) of this chapter where the application or extension arrives at the Commission later than 45 days after the commencement of the initial period of exemption when the emergency requires installation of facilities;

(4) Applications for extensions of time to file required reports, data, and information and to perform other acts required at or within a specific time by any rule, regulation, license, permit, certificate, or order by the Commission; and

(5) Requests for waiver of the landowner notification requirements in § 157.203(d) of this chapter.

(x) Undertake the following actions:

(1) Compute, for each calendar year, the project limits specified in table I of § 157.208 and table II of § 157.215(a) of this chapter, adjusted for inflation, and publish such limits as soon as possible thereafter in the FEDERAL REGISTER;

(2) Issue reports for public information purposes. Any report issued without Commission approval must:

(i) Be of a noncontroversial nature, and

(ii) Contain the statement, "This report does not necessarily reflect the view of the Commission," in bold face type on the cover;

(3) Issue and sign deficiency letters regarding natural gas applications;

(4) Accept for filing, data and reports required by Commission orders, or presiding officers' initial decisions upon which the Commission has taken no further action, if such filings are in compliance with such orders or decisions and, when appropriate, notify the filing party of such acceptance;

(5) Reject requests which patently fail to comply with the provisions of 157.205(b) of this chapter;

(6) Take appropriate action on requests or petitions for waivers of any action incidental to the exercise of delegated authority, including waiver of notice as provided in section 4(d) of the Natural Gas Act, provided the request conforms to the requirements of § 385.2001 of this chapter; and

(7) Take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the protection of all environmental resources during the construction or operation of natural gas facilities, including authority to design and implement additional or alternative measures and stop work authority.

(y) Take appropriate action on the following:

(1) Any action incidental to the exercise of delegated authority, including waiver of notice as provided in section 4(d) of the Natural Gas Act, provided the request conforms to the requirements of § 385.2001 of this chapter; and

(2) Requests or petitions for waivers of filing requirements for statements and reports under §§ 260.8 and 260.9 of this chapter.

(z) Approve, on a case-specific basis, and make such decisions and issue guidance as may be necessary in connection with the use of the pre-filing procedures in § 157.21 , " Pre-filing procedures and review process for LNG terminal facilities and other natural gas facilities prior to filing of applications."

(aa) Take the following actions to implement part 5 of this chapter on or after October 23, 2003:

(1) Act on requests for approval to use the application procedures of parts 4 or 16, pursuant to § 5.3 of this chapter;

(2) Approve a potential license applicant's proposed study plan with appropriate modifications pursuant to § 5.13 of this chapter;

(3) Resolve formal study disputes pursuant to § 5.14 of this chapter; and

(4) Resolve disagreements brought pursuant to § 5.15 of this chapter.

(bb) Establish a schedule for each Federal agency or officer, or State agency or officer acting pursuant to delegated Federal authority, to issue or deny Federal authorizations required for natural gas projects subject to section 3 or 7 of the Natural Gas Act.

18 C.F.R. §375.308

Order 492, 53 FR 16065, May 5, 1988

For FEDERAL REGISTER citations affecting § 375.308 , see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.