Notice2023-19291
City of Augusta, Georgia; Notice of Meeting To Discuss Augusta Canal Biological Opinion
Primary source
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Published
September 7, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 172 (Thursday, September 7, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 172 (Thursday, September 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 61585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19291]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 11810-004]
City of Augusta, Georgia; Notice of Meeting To Discuss Augusta
Canal Biological Opinion
On April 25, 2023, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
filed its draft Biological Opinion (BO) with the Commission on the
licensing of the Augusta Canal Project No. 11810, which included NMFS's
reasonable and prudent measures for the protection of the endangered
shortnose sturgeon and the South Atlantic Distinct Population Segment
of Atlantic sturgeon. On June 16, 2023, the City of Augusta, Georgia
filed comments on the draft BO.
On September 29, 2023, Commission staff will hold a technical
conference to discuss with NMFS the biological rationale for Reasonable
and Prudent Measure No. 1, which would require flow into Augusta Canal
be capped at 3,500 cubic feet per second. Staff also intends to discuss
additional information needs with the City of Augusta for the proposed
Augusta Canal Project No. 11810. The specific items to be discussed
during the technical conference are included in Attachment A. The
conference will be held via teleconference from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Eastern Daylight Time.
All local, State, and Federal agencies, Native American Tribes, and
other interested parties are invited to attend; however participation
during the meeting will be limited to Commission staff, NMFS personnel,
and the City of Augusta representatives. Discussion at the meeting will
be limited to those items listed in Attachment A. There will be no
transcript of the conference, but a summary of the meeting will be
prepared for the project record. If you are interested in attending
and/or participating in the conference, you must contact David Gandy at
(202) 502-8560, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5d393c2b3439733a3c3339241d3b382f3e733a322b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8eeaeff8e7eaa0e9efe0eaf7cee8ebfceda0e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a> by September 26, 2023 to
receive specific instructions on how to attend. Questions concerning
the meeting, the FERC process, or the consultation process should be
directed to Allan Creamer at (202) 502-8365, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#caaba6a6aba4e4a9b8afaba7afb88aacafb8a9e4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4f2e23232e21612c3d2a2e222a3d0f292a3d2c61282039">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: August 31, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Attachment A
Additional Information To Be Discussed During the Technical Conference
1. What is the design capacity of the Augusta Canal and its normal
operating capacity?
2. Since issuance of the final environmental assessment on
September 22, 2006, what, if any, work that has been undertaken to
increase the capacity of the Augusta Canal?
3. What is the amount of water currently withdrawn from the Augusta
Canal for hydroelectric generation, public water supply (consumptive
use), recreation, and any other use, as well as the manner of each
withdrawal?
4. How much of the water that is drawn into the Augusta Canal is
returned to the Savannah River and Augusta Shoals, and what is the
point of reentry (for each non-consumptive use)?
5. Please provide a specific, quantitative description of what
effects implementing RPM (Reasonable and Prudent Measure) No. 1 and RPM
No. 3 would have on the City of Augusta's ability to provide the flows
needed to meet the existing and projected water needs from the Augusta
Canal.
[FR Doc. 2023-19291 Filed 9-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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