Northern California Power Agency; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, And Scoping; Request for Comments on the PAD and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests

Issuing agencies

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64359-64360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20655]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 11197-005]


Northern California Power Agency; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), 
Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, And Scoping; Request for Comments 
on the PAD and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and 
Associated Study Requests

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
    b. Project No.: 11197-005.
    c. Date Filed: August 4, 2026.
    d. Submitted By: Northern California Power Agency (NCPA).
    e. Name of Project: Collierville and Spicer Meadow Transmission 
Lines Project.
    f. Location: Approximately 68 miles northeast of the city of 
Stockton, California in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Jake Eymann, Manager, Northern 
California Power Company, 477 Bret Harte Drive, Murphys, CA 95247; 
Telephone (209) 728-1387 or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#046c7d60766b7661686d67616a776d6a63446a6774652a676b69"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="325a4b56405d40575e5b51575c415b5c55725c5142531c515d5f">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    i. FERC Contact: Shannon Archuleta, Project Coordinator, West 
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone (503) 552-2739 or 
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88fbe0e9e6e6e7e6a6e9faebe0fde4edfce9c8eeedfaeba6efe7fe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="601308010e0e0f0e4e01120308150c05140120060512034e070f16">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the 
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such 
requests described in item o below. Cooperating agencies should note 
the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation 
of the environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ] 
61,076 (2001).
    k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with: 
(a) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency 
regulations thereunder at 50 CFR, Part 402 and (b) the State Historic 
Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National Historic 
Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    l. With this notice, we are designating NCPA as the Commission's 
non-federal representative for carrying out informal consultation, 
pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act.
    m. Northern California Power Company filed with the Commission a 
Pre-Application Document (PAD; including a proposed process plan and 
schedule), pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    n. A copy of the PAD is available for review on the Commission's 
website (<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. For assistance, contact FERC Online 
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e585b4c5d51507277707b4d6b6e6e716c6a5e787b6c7d30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ce888b9c8d8180a2a7a0ab9dbbbebea1bcba8ea8abbcade0a9a1b8">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or 
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). A copy is also available via the contact in item 
(h) above.
    Register online at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp</a> to be notified via email of new filing and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support. For public inquiries and assistance with intervening or 
participating contact the Office of Public Participation at (202)502-
6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a6e9f6f6e6c0c3d4c588c1c9d0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="17584747577172657439707861">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
Commission's staff Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests. 
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to 
the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD 
and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and 
all communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits 
of the potential application must be filed with the Commission.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
all documents using the Commission's eFiling system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp</a>. Commenters can submit brief 
comments up to 10,000 characters, without prior registration, using the 
eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/

[[Page 64360]]

ecomment.asp. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffb9baadbcb0919396919aac8a8f8f908d8bbf999a8d9cd1989089">[email&#160;protected]</a>. In lieu of electronic filing, please send a 
paper copy via U.S. Postal Service 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, Maryland 20852. 
The first page of any filing must clearly identify the project name and 
docket number: Collierville and Spicer Meadow Transmission Lines 
Project (P-11197-005).
    All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading: 
``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,'' 
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency 
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any 
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, 
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating 
status must do so before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 2, 2026.
    p. Scoping Process: In accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), Commission staff will prepare either an 
environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) (collectively referred to as the ``NEPA document''). The primary 
goal of the scoping process is to identify the specific environmental 
issues and concerns that should be considered in the NEPA document. The 
Commission's scoping process will help determine the required level of 
analysis and satisfy NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether 
the Commission prepares an EA or EIS.

Scoping Sessions

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project at the time and place noted below. We invite all interested 
individuals, Tribes, organizations, and agencies to attend one or both 
of the meetings, and to assist staff in identifying particular study 
needs, as well as the scope of environmental issues to be addressed. 
The times and locations of these meetings are as follows:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
    Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
    Location: Murhpys-Angels Lions Club, 98 School Street, Murphys, 
California 95247.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
    Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
    Location: Murhpys-Angels Lions Club, 98 School Street, Murphys, 
California 95247.
    Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals 
and entities on the Commission's mailing list and NCPA's PAD 
distribution list. Scoping session participants should come prepared to 
describe their issues and/or concerns. Please review the PAD and SD1 in 
preparation for the scoping sessions. Copies of SD1 will be available 
at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the web at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>, using the ``eLibrary'' link. Directions on how to obtain 
a copy of the PAD and SD1 are included above in item (n).
    Based on all oral and written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) 
may be issued. SD2 may include a revised process plan and schedule, as 
well as a list of issues, identified through the scoping process.

Meeting Procedures

    The scoping sessions will begin promptly at their respective start 
times listed above. There will not be a formal presentation by 
Commission staff when the session opens, and you may arrive any time 
after the scheduled start time. Individual oral comments will be taken 
on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter. This format is designed to 
receive the maximum number of oral comments in a convenient way during 
the timeframe allotted. If you wish to speak, Commission staff will 
hand out numbers in the order of your arrival. If a significant number 
of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one 
setting, a time limit may be implemented for each commentor. If all 
individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do 
so, staff may conclude the session half an hour earlier than the 
scheduled time.
    Your oral comments will be recorded by the court reporter and 
become part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts will 
be publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system [see item (n) above for 
instructions on using eLibrary]. Although there will not be a formal 
presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the scoping 
session to answer your questions about the environmental review 
process. Representatives from NCPA will also be present to answer 
project-specific questions.
    Proper conduct will help the sessions maintain a respectful 
atmosphere for attendees to provide comments effectively. Loudspeakers, 
lighting, oversized visual aids, other visual or audible disturbances, 
and disruptive video and photographic equipment are not permitted. 
Recorded interviews are also not permitted within the session space. 
FERC reserves the right to end the session if disruptions interfere 
with the opportunity for individuals to provide oral comments or if 
there is a safety or security risk. Please see Appendix C of the SD1 
for additional information on the session format and conduct.
    It is important to note that the Commission provides equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form 
or provided orally at a scoping session.
    q. Environmental Site Review: The applicant and Commission staff 
will conduct an Environmental Site Review of the project on Wednesday, 
October 28 2026, starting at 8:30 a.m. All participants should meet at 
NCPA's Office, located at 477 Bret Harte Drive, Murphys, CA 95245. All 
participants are responsible for their own transportation. Anyone with 
questions about the site visit should contact Mr. Darrin Johnson at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6c0842060304021f03022c0b050d0f03021f1900180d02181f420f0301"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f591db9f9a9d9b869a9bb5929c94969a9b86809981949b8186db969a98">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> (preferably) or by phone at (715) 697-3130 
on or before Wednesday October 21, 2026.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

    Dated: October 5, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-20655 Filed 10-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>