Notice2026-06298
Village of Saranac Lake; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project
Primary source
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Published
April 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16192-16193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06298]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 8369-050]
Village of Saranac Lake; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Lake Flower Dam
Hydroelectric Project
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Subsequent License.
b. Project No.: 8369-050.
c. Date Filed: September 30, 2025.
d. Applicant: Village of Saranac Lake (Village).
e. Name of Project: Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Saranac River in Franklin and Essex Counties,
New York.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Bachana Tsiklauri, Village Manager, Village
of Saranac Lake, 39 Main Street, Saranac Lake, New York 12983;
telephone at (518) 891-4150; email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3e535f505f595b4c7e4d5f4c5f505f5d525f555b504710595148"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8de0ece3eceae8ffcdfeecffece3eceee1ece6e8e3f4a3eae2fb">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Arash Barsari, Project Coordinator, Great Lakes
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-6207;
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4f5c6d5c7dc9afed5d8d5d8ddf6d5c6c7d5c6ddf4d2d1c6d79ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f9b88b988a91d7b39895989590bb988b8a988b90b99f9c8b9ad79e968f">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss
the environmental effects of relicensing the Weyauwega Hydroelectric
Project. The Commission will use this environmental document in its
decision-making process to determine whether to issue a new license for
the project.
k. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies regarding the project. This notice is intended to advise all
participants as to the potential scope of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) document and to seek additional information pertinent
to this analysis. Commission staff does not intend to issue a separate
scoping document.
As part of the NEPA review process, the Commission takes into
account concerns the public may have about proposals and the
environmental effects that could result from its action whenever it
considers the issuance of a hydropower license. This gathering of
public input is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the environmental document
on the important environmental issues.
l. Scoping Comments: By this notice, the Commission requests
written public comments on the scope of issues to address in the
environmental document. To ensure that your comments are timely and
properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the Commission
receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time on April 27, 2026.
Comments should focus on the potential environmental effects and
reasonable alternatives. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the environmental
document. Commission staff will consider all written comments during
the preparation of the environmental document.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
scoping comments using the Commission's eFiling system at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx</a>. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 10,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx</a>. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cd8b889f8e82a3a1a4a3a89eb8bdbda2bfb98daba8bfaee3aaa2bb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6e0e3f4e5e9c8cacfc8c3f5d3d6d6c9d4d2e6c0c3d4c588c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). 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, 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,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue,
Rockville, MD 20852. All filings must clearly identify the project name
and docket number on the first page: Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric
Project (P-8369-050).
The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all
intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of
that document on each person on the official service list for the
project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the
Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the
responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve
a copy of the document on that resource agency.
m. The application is not ready for environmental analysis at this
time.
n. Project Description: The project includes a 134-foot-long, 33-
foot-high dam that includes a 49-foot-long spillway with a crest
elevation of 1,528.0 feet National Geodetic Vertical Dam of 1929 (NGVD
29), two 8-foot-long slide gates, and two 6-foot-long sluice gates with
trashracks that have 1.75-inch clear bar spacing. The dam creates an
impoundment that has a surface area of 1,455 acres at an elevation of
1,528.67 feet NGVD 29. From the impoundment, water flows through an
intake structure that includes two 8.5-foot-long slide gates located on
the southern shoreline of the impoundment, approximately 100 feet
upstream of the dam. The intake structure includes two trashracks with
1-inch clear bar spacing. From the intake structure, water flows to a
[[Page 16193]]
powerhouse that contains a 200-kilowatt Kaplan turbine-generator unit.
Water discharges from the powerhouse to a tailrace that empties into
the Saranac River.
Electricity generated at the powerhouse is transmitted to the
electric grid via an underground generator lead line, three 0.48/13.2-
kilovolt (kV) step-up transformers, and a 130-foot-long, 13.2-kV
overhead transmission line.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) Riverside Park that
includes picnic tables and a pavilion; (2) Hydropoint Park that
includes a hand-carry boat access site on the shoreline of the
impoundment; (3) Beaver Park that includes a hand-carry boat put-in
site on the west bank of the Saranac River downstream of the dam; and
(4) the River Walk that includes a recreation trail along the Saranac
River.
The Village proposes to: (1) continue operating the project in a
run-of-river mode such that project outflow approximates inflow to the
impoundment and the normal maximum surface elevation of the impoundment
is maintained at 1,528.67 feet NGVD 29; (2) continue releasing a
minimum flow of 55 cubic feet per second or inflow, whichever is less,
as measured immediately downstream of the dam; (3) continue maintaining
the project recreation facilities; (4) develop a whitewater park
(Boothe River Park) downstream of the dam; and (5) implement an
invasive species plan, bat and bald eagle plan, impoundment drawdown
plan, and operation and compliance monitoring plan filed with the
license application.
o. A copy of the application, with details of the proposed project,
can be viewed on the Commission's website at <a href="https://www.ferc.gov">https://www.ferc.gov</a> using
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the project's docket number excluding the
last three digits in the docket number field to access the document (P-
8369). For assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c78182958488a9abaea9a294b2b7b7a8b5b387a1a2b5a4e9a0a8b1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dd9b988f9e92b3b1b4b3b88ea8adadb2afa99dbbb8afbef3bab2ab">[email protected]</span></a>,
(866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
p. NEPA Process and the Environmental Document: Any environmental
document issued by the Commission will discuss effects that could occur
as a result of the project's relicensing under the relevant general
resource areas, such as:
<bullet> geology and soils;
<bullet> aquatic resources;
<bullet> terrestrial resources;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> recreation, land use, and aesthetic resources;
<bullet> cultural resources; and
<bullet> developmental resources.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project and make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid effects on the various resource areas. Your
comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues
that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially
eliminate others from further discussion in the environmental document.
Following this scoping period, Commission staff will determine
whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or EIS will present Commission staff's
independent analysis of the issues. If Commission staff prepares an EA,
a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment will be
issued. The EA may be issued for an allotted public comment period. The
Commission would consider timely comments on the EA before making its
decision regarding the proposed project. If Commission staff prepares
an EIS, a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
will be issued. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS which will be
issued for public comment. Commission staff will consider all timely
comments received during the comment period on the draft EIS and revise
the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft
and final EIS will be available in electronic format in the public
record through eLibrary. If eSubscribed, you will receive instant email
notification when the environmental document is issued (see paragraph
(r) of this notice for instructions on using eSubscription).
q. 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#69263939290f0c1b0a470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="08475858486e6d7a6b266f677e">[email protected]</span></a>.
r. This notice is being distributed to the Commission's official
mailing list for the project and any additional entities on the
applicant's distribution list. You can access the Commission's official
mailing list for this project at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-8369">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-8369</a>. If you want to receive
future mailings for the project and are not included on the
Commission's official mailing list, or if you wish to be removed from
the Commission's official mailing list, please send your request by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2e686b7c6d61404247404b7d5b5e5e415c5a6e484b5c4d00494158"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbfdfee9f8f4d5d7d2d5dee8cecbcbd4c9cffbdddec9d895dcd4cd">[email protected]</span></a>. In lieu of an email request, you
may submit a paper request. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal
Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 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, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. All written or emailed
requests must specify your wish to be added to or removed from the
mailing list, and must clearly identify the following on the first
page: Lake Flower Dam Hydroelectric Project No. 8369-050.
Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription, which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances
and submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe.
These instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive
notification and provide a link to the document files which can reduce
the amount of time you spend researching proceedings. Go to <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to register for eSubscription.
In addition to publishing the full text of this notice in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this notice, as well
as other documents in the proceeding (e.g., license application) via
the internet through the Commission's Home Page (<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 (P-
8369). For assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#672122352428090b0e090234121717081513270102150449000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="81c7c4d3c2ceefede8efe4d2f4f1f1eef3f5c1e7e4f3e2afe6eef7">[email protected]</span></a>,
(866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: March 27, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-06298 Filed 3-31-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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