Notice2025-02080
Puget Sound Energy, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 3, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 21 (Monday, February 3, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 21 (Monday, February 3, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8797-8798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02080]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2150-153]
Puget Sound Energy, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment
On July 14, 2022, as supplemented on August 1, 2023, Puget Sound
Energy, Inc. (licensee) filed a draft biological assessment (BA) under
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) addressing the potential
effects that could occur to federally-listed species, designated
critical habitat, and essential fish habitat (EFH) as a result of the
licensee's proposed Upper Baker Dam Spillway Stability Improvements and
Tailrace Channel Rock Debris Removal Project (Spillway Project) at the
Baker River Hydroelectric Project No. 2150. On September 15, 2021, the
licensee filed a Water Quality Protection Plan in support of the
proposed Spillway Project. The Baker River Project consists of two
developments, Upper Baker and Lower Baker, and is located on the Baker
River in Skagit and Whatcom counties, Washington. The project occupies
federal lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service)
within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The licensee proposes to improve stability of the Upper Baker Dam
spillway slope and remove accumulated rockfall debris material in the
tailrace channel downstream of the dam. To stabilize the spillway
slope, the licensee plans to excavate the rockfall debris from the
tailrace channel and backfill the existing sluiceway structure with
concrete or cementitious grout, imported coarse and fine aggregate, and
a portion of the rockfall debris, creating a concrete rock buttress to
improve the stability of the spillway slope. The proposed project is
needed because the existing spillway slope has been identified as a
potential failure mode for the Upper Baker Dam, and rockfall debris in
the channel downstream of the dam contributes to flooding of the
powerhouse during spill events and has reduced power generation.
On August 17, 2022, Commission staff issued a Notice of Water
Quality Protection Plan Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments,
Motions to Intervene, and Protests. On August 30, 2022 and September
16, 2022, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and
Forest Service, respectively, filed notices of intervention. No other
comments or motions to intervene were received.
On August 17, 2022, Commission staff adopted the licensee's draft
BA without modification as the Commission's final BA and requested
formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). By letter dated February
21, 2023, Commission staff updated the request for consultation under
section 7 of the ESA from formal to informal consultation between NMFS
and the Commission. On September 25, 2023, Commission staff issued
separate letters to the FWS and NMFS, informing the agencies of the
supplemental information filed by the licensee on August 1, 2023, and
updating the requests for consultation under section 7 of the ESA. On
August 15, 2023, NMFS filed a letter of concurrence with the
Commission's determinations that the proposed Spillway Project is not
likely to adversely affect the NMFS ESA-listed species and/or
designated critical habitat. On November 3, 2023, the FWS filed its
Biological Opinion in response to the Commission's BA.
In the August 17, 2022 letter, and reiterated in the February 21,
2023 letter, Commission staff also determined, pursuant to the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), that the Spillway Project may adversely affect EFH for
Pacific coast salmon. In the August 15, 2023 letter, NMFS reviewed the
proposed Spillway Project for potential effects on EFH under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act,
[[Page 8798]]
including conservation measures and any determination made by the
Commission regarding the potential effects of the proposed Spillway
Project, and concluded that the proposed Spillway Project would not
adversely affect EFH.
This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) for the project.\1\ Commission staff
plans to issue an EA by March 7, 2025. Revisions to the schedule may be
made as appropriate.
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\1\ In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's
regulations, the unique identification number for documents relating
to this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-1737643370. 40 CFR
1501.5(c)(4) (2024).
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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 to 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#91dec1c1d1f7f4e3f2bff6fee7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f3bca3a3b395968190dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.
Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Marybeth Gay
at (202) 502-6125 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ce83afbcb7acabbaa6e0a9afb78ea8abbcade0a9a1b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2ffd3c0cbd0d7c6da9cd5d3cbf2d4d7c0d19cd5ddc4">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: January 27, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-02080 Filed 1-31-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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