Notice2024-03428
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests
Primary source
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Published
February 21, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13064-13065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03428]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 943-144]
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County; Notice of Intent
To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad),
Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Request for Comments
on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and
Associated Study Requests
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
b. Project No.: 943-144.
c. Dated Filed: December 15, 2023.
d. Submitted By: Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County.
e. Name of Project: Rock Island Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Columbia River, in Chelan and Douglas Counties,
Washington. The project occupies federal lands under the jurisdiction
of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
Regulations.
h. Potential Applicant Contact: Janel Ulrich, Hydro Licensing
Manager, Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, 203 Olds
Station Road, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
i. FERC Contact: Matt Cutlip at (503) 552-2762 or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a5c8c4d1d18bc6d0d1c9ccd5e5c3c0d7c68bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1875796c6c367b6d6c747168587e7d6a7b367f776e">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such
requests described in item o below. Cooperating agencies should note
the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation
of the environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ]
61,076 (2001).
k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint
agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402; and National Marine
Fisheries Service under section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Management and Conservation Act and implementing regulations at 50 CFR
part 600.920. We are also initiating consultation with the Washington
State Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106,
National Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR part 800.2.
l. With this notice, we are designating Public Utility District No.
1 of Chelan County as the Commission's non-federal representative for
carrying out informal consultation, pursuant to section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and
Conservation Act, and section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act.
m. Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County filed with the
Commission a Pre-Application Document (PAD; including a proposed
process plan and schedule), pursuant to 18 CFR part 5.6 of the
Commission's regulations.
n. A copy of the PAD may be viewed on the Commission's website
(<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>) using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket
number, excluding the last three digits in the docket number field, to
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bff9faedfcf0d1d3d6d1daeccacfcfd0cdcbffd9dacddc91d8d0c9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="266063746569484a4f484375535656495452664043544508414950">[email protected]</span></a> or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TYY,
(202) 502-8659.
You may register online at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx</a> to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to these or other pending projects. For assistance, contact
FERC Online Support.
o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and
Commission staff's Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests.
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to
the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD
and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and
all communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits
of the potential application must be filed with the Commission.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
all documents using the Commission's eFiling system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp</a>. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp</a>. You
must include your name and contact information at the end of your
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eea8abbcada1808287808bbd9b9e9e819c9aae888b9c8dc0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c88e8d9a8b87a6a4a1a6ad9bbdb8b8a7babc88aeadbaabe6afa7be">[email protected]</span></a>. In lieu of electronic filing, you may
submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must
be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting
[[Page 13065]]
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland
20852. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-943-
144.
All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading:
``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,''
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests,
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating
status must do so by April 15, 2024.
p. The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners,
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#db948b8b9bbdbea9b8f5bcb4ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0eff0f0e0c6c5d2c38ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>.
q. The Commission's scoping process will help determine the
required level of analysis and satisfy the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the
Commission prepares an environmental assessment or environmental impact
statement.
Scoping Meetings
Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of
the project at the time and place noted below. The daytime meeting will
focus on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental
organization concerns, while the evening meeting is primarily for
receiving input from the public. We invite all interested individuals,
organizations, and agencies to attend one or both of the meetings, and
to assist staff in identifying particular study needs, as well as the
scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental
document. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows:
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Time: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (PDT).
Location: Confluence Technology Center--Quad Room, 285 Technology
Center Way, Wenatchee, WA 98801, Phone: (509) 661-3118.
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
Time: 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (PDT).
Location: Confluence Technology Center--Quad Room, 285 Technology
Center Way, Wenatchee, WA 98801, Phone: (509) 661-3118.
Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals
and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 will be
available at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the web at
<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>, using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions
for accessing information in paragraph n. Based on all oral and written
comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a
revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues,
identified through the scoping process.
Environmental Site Review
The applicant and Commission staff will conduct an environmental
site review of the project on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, starting at
11:45 a.m. (PDT).
All interested individuals, agencies, tribes, and NGOs are invited
to attend. Bus transportation will be provided during the site visit
for registered participants. Participants should meet at11:45 a.m. at
the Former Chelan PUD Headquarters building parking lot, 321 N
Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98801. Please contact Janel Ulrich with
Chelan PUD at (609) 661-4400, or via email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a6ecc7c8c3ca88f3cad4cfc5cee6c5cec3cac7c8d6d3c288c9d4c1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3d775c5358511368514f545e557d5e5558515c534d485913524f5a">[email protected]</span></a>, on or before March 1, 2024, if you plan to
attend the environmental site review.
Meeting Objectives
At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) initiate scoping of the
issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions and resource
management objectives; (3) review and discuss existing information and
identify preliminary information and study needs; (4) review and
discuss the process plan and schedule for pre-filing activity that
incorporates the time frames provided for in Part 5 of the Commission's
regulations and, to the extent possible, maximizes coordination of
federal, state, and tribal permitting and certification processes; and
(5) discuss the appropriateness of any federal or state agency or
Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for development of an
environmental document.
Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues
and/or concerns. Please review the PAD in preparation for the scoping
meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are
included in item n. of this document.
Meeting Procedures
Commission staff are moderating the scoping meetings. The meetings
are recorded by an independent stenographer and become part of the
formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project. Individuals,
NGOs, Indian tribes, and agencies with environmental expertise and
concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting and to assist the staff
in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed in the NEPA
document.
Dated: February 13, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-03428 Filed 2-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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