[Federal Register: December 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 240)] [Notices] [Page 70009-70010] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15de99-48] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2233] Willamette Falls Hydroelectric Project, Portland General Electric Company, and Smurfit Newsprint Corporation; Notice of Scoping Meetings Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment December 9, 1999. The Commission's regulations at Section 4.34 allow applicants the option of preparing their own Environmental Assessment (EA) for hydropower projects, and filing the EA with their application as part of an alternative licensing procedure. On December 10, 1999, the Commission approved the use of an alternative licensing procedure in the preparation of a new license application for the Willamette Falls Hydroelectric Project, No. 2233. The alternative procedures include provisions for the distribution of an initial information package (IIP), and for the cooperative scoping of environmental issues and needed studies. On December 31, 1998, Portland General Electric (PGE) distributed the Willamette Falls Project IIP. Public meetings were held on the IIP on February 17 and February 18, 1999. Several tours of project facilities were conducted during 1999. PGE intends to distribute Scoping Document 1 (SD1) the week of December 13, 1999. Copies of SD1 can be obtained by calling the PGE hydro licensing department at 503-464-8683 or via the PGE hydro licensing web site located at http://www.pge-hl.com. Two public meetings will be held to discuss SD1. Scoping Meetings PGE will hold public scoping meetings on January 20, 2000, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. At the scoping meetings, PGE will: (1) Summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EA, (2) outline any resources they believe would not require a detailed analysis; (3) identify reasonable alternatives to be addressed in the EA; (4) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantitative data, on the resources at issue; and (5) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA. Although PGE's intent is to prepare an EA, there is the possibility that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be required. Nevertheless, this meeting will satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is issued by the Commission. The times and locations of the scoping meeting are: Morning Scoping Meeting January 20, 2000 9 am to 12 pm Two World Trade Center--Rooms A&B, 121 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR 97204 Evening Scoping Meeting January 20, 2000 7 pm to 9 pm Oregon City High School Cafeteria, 1306 12th Street, Oregon City, OR 97045 All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited and encouraged to attend any or all of the meetings to assist in identifying and clarifying the scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EA. Scoping Meeting Procedures The meetings will be conducted according to the procedures used at Commission scoping meetings. Both scoping meetings will be recorded, and the transcripts will become part of the formal record of the proceedings for this project. Those who choose not to speak during the scoping meetings may instead submit written comments on the project. Because this meeting will be a NEPA scoping meeting under the APEA process, the Commission does not intend to conduct a NEPA scoping meeting after PGE's application and EA are filed with the Commission. Instead, Commission staff will attend the meetings on January 20, 2000. [[Page 70010]] Commenting Deadline Written comments should be mailed or e-mailed to: Mr. David Heintzman, Portland General Electric (3WTC-BRHL), 121 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR 97204; David__Heintzman@pgn.com All correspondence should be postmarked no later than March 21, 2000. Comments should show the following caption on the first page: Scoping Comments, Willamette Falls Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 2233. Any comments sent to the Commission must include an original and eight copies and be addressed to: David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426. Please put the docket number, P-2233, on the first page. For further information please contact Julie Keil PGE at (503) 464- 8864 or John Blair of the Commission at (202) 219-2845. Linwood A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. 99-32434 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M