Notice2025-07456
Idaho Power Company; Notice of Revised Procedural Schedule for the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Hells Canyon Project
Primary source
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Published
April 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 82 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 17916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07456]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 1971-079]
Idaho Power Company; Notice of Revised Procedural Schedule for
the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Hells Canyon
Project
On July 29, 2003, Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power) filed an
application for a new license to continue to operate and maintain the
Hells Canyon Project No. 1971.\1\ On August 31, 2007, the Commission
issued a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hells
Canyon Project. On December 30, 2019, Idaho Power filed an Offer of
Settlement (settlement) with the Commission for the Hells Canyon
Project.\2\ The settlement, which was executed on April 22, 2019,
includes, among other items, spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead
fish passage measures. In addition, the Oregon and Idaho Departments of
Environmental Quality each issued a water quality certification under
section 401 of the Clean Water Act for the Hells Canyon Project on May
24, 2019.
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\1\ The current license expired on July 31, 2005, and the
project is operating under an annual license.
\2\ On January 7, 2020, the Commission issued a public notice
that was published in the Federal Register indicating the settlement
had been filed. 85 FR 2,128 (Jan. 14, 2020).
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On July 8, 2020, Idaho Power supplemented the final license
application for the project with additional information on its
proposal, including an analysis of the new and revised fish-related
protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures proposed under the
settlement, and updated information on environmental resources.
Additionally, Idaho Power filed on October 14, 2020, draft biological
assessments for species managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which included an analysis
of the effects of the new and revised measures on fish and wildlife
listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).\3\
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\3\ Idaho Power is the Commission's designated non-federal
representative for carrying out informal consultation pursuant to
section 7 of the ESA.
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On June 13, 2022, Commission staff issued a notice of intent to
prepare a draft and final EIS to assess the new and revised fish-
related protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures proposed under
the settlement, the Oregon and Idaho water quality certifications, and
the draft biological assessments. The notice of intent included a
schedule for preparing a draft and final supplemental EIS.
By notices issued October 12, 2023 and May 17, 2024, Commission
staff revised the procedural schedule for issuing the draft and final
supplemental EIS. The revised date for issuing the draft supplemental
EIS was to be July 2024. On October 23, 2024, Idaho Power filed a
settlement with the Commission on behalf of itself and the U.S. Forest
Service (Forest Service), which was executed on October 22, 2024. The
settlement resolves, between the signatories, the appropriate terms and
conditions pursuant to section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act to be
incorporated into any new license, if issued for the project, for the
protection and utilization of federal lands administered by the Forest
Service within and adjacent to the project boundary.\4\ Additionally,
Idaho Power is currently revising several draft biological assessments,
which are tentatively scheduled to be filed with the Commission in June
2025.
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\4\ On October 30, 2024, the Commission issued a public notice
that was published in the Federal Register indicating the settlement
had been filed. 89 FR 88,752 (Nov. 8, 2024).
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By this notice, Commission staff is updating the procedural
schedule for completing the draft and final supplemental EIS to provide
sufficient time for staff to analyze the October 23, 2024, settlement
and any revised draft biological assessments in the draft supplemental
EIS. Further revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.
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Milestone Target date
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Issue draft supplemental EIS.............. September 2025.
Comments on draft supplemental EIS due.... November 2025.
Commission issues final supplemental EIS.. May 29, 2026.
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Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Aaron
Liberty at (202) 502-6862 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92f3f3e0fdfcbcfefbf0f7e0e6ebd2f4f7e0f1bcf5fde4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="513030233e3f7f3d38333423252811373423327f363e27">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: April 24, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-07456 Filed 4-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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