Notice2026-02034

Eugene Water & Electric Board; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment

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Published
February 2, 2026

Issuing agencies

Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 21 (Monday, February 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 4554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02034]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2242-159]


Eugene Water & Electric Board; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment

    On June 21, 2021, supplemented May 16, 2024, July 3, 2024, April 
21, 2025, and January 21, 2026, Eugene Water and Electric Board filed 
an application to install a load bank in lieu of a turbine bypass valve 
under license Article 3 for the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project No. 
2242. The project is located on the McKenzie and Smith Rivers in Lane 
and Linn counties, near McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, and occupies U.S. 
Forest Service Land within the Willamette National Forest.
    Eugene Water and Electric Board proposed to install a load bank at 
the Carmen Power Plant for protecting the Smith Bypass Reach and its 
associated environment against spill events from Smith Dam. The load 
bank would dissipate electricity produced at the Carmen Power Plant 
equivalent to at least 800 cubic feet per second of spill that is 
required to be diverted from the Smith Bypass Reach. On May 22, 2025, 
the Commission noticed the application for a 30-day comment period. On 
June 20, 2025, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife filed motions to intervene. On 
June 23, 2025, Oregon Wild filed comments on the application.
    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.\1\ Commission staff plans 
to issue an EA by July 31, 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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    \1\ The unique identification number for documents relating to 
this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-1769181469.
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    For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office 
of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#59160909193f3c2b3a773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="115e414151777463723f767e67">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Erich 
Gaedeke at 503-552-2716 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7d2c5ded4df99d0d6d2d3d2dcd2f7d1d2c5d499d0d8c1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ff9a8d969c97d1989e9a9b9a949abf999a8d9cd1989089">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

    Dated: January 28, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-02034 Filed 1-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on February 2, 2026.

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