Notice2025-20618
Blue Earth County; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment
Primary source
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Published
November 21, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 223 (Friday, November 21, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 223 (Friday, November 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 52660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20618]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 3071-008]
Blue Earth County; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment
September 30, 2025.
On March 18, 2025,\1\ and supplemented on April 24, 2025, Blue
Earth County, Minnesota (exemptee) filed an application for surrender
of the project exemption for the Rapidan Dam Hydroelectric Project No.
3071. The project is located on the Blue Earth River in Blue Earth
County, Minnesota. The project does not occupy federal lands.
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\1\ The March 18, 2025 filing supersedes the exemptee's original
surrender application filed on April 14, 2023.
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Blue Earth County proposes to surrender its project exemption and
decommission the project by removing all project features including the
dam and powerhouse. In June 2024, major flooding caused significant
damage to project features including but not limited to the project
dam's west abutment which resulted in the draining of the project
reservoir. Blue Earth County has been working with federal and state
resource agencies since that time on its decommissioning proposal.
Along with removal of the dam and other project features, Blue Earth
County proposes to reestablish the river channel and restore the left
and right riverbanks in the area of the dam. On April 2, 2025, the
Commission issued a public notice for the proposed surrender, accepted
the application for filing, and solicited comments, motions to
intervene, and protests.
This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq) for the project.\2\ Commission staff plans
to issue an EA by April 1, 2026. Revisions to the schedule may be made
as appropriate. The EA will be issued for a 30-day comment period. All
comments filed on the EA will be reviewed by staff and considered in
the Commission's final decision on the proceeding.
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\2\ The unique identification number for documents relating to
this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-1758885949.
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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,
community organizations, 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#9bd4cbcbdbfdfee9f8b5fcf4ed"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c58a959585a3a0b7a6eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a>.
Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Diana
Shannon at 202-502-6136 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3d7dad2ddd29dc0dbd2dddddcddf3d5d6c1d09dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="05616c646b642b766d646b6b6a6b45636077662b626a73">[email protected]</span></a>.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-20618 Filed 11-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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