[Federal Register: August 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 158)] [Notices] [Page 44719] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr17au99-42] [[Page 44719]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 309-PA] Pennsylvania Electric Co.; GPU Generation, Inc.; Notice of Scoping Meetings Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment August 11, 1999. Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and as part of the license application, the Pennsylvania Electric Company/GPU Generation, Inc. (GPU) intends to prepare an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment (APEA) to file along with the license application, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) for the Piney Project No. 309. The license for the project expires on October 12, 2002. In February 1998, GPU started the consultation process with preparation and distribution of the Initial Information Package. This was followed by an initial consultation meeting on March 10, 1998. Study plans were subsequently drafted and reviewed, and field studies commenced in January 1999. Recently GPU discussed the APEA process for the relicensing of the Piney Project with fish and wildlife agencies, and on June 24, 1998, GPU requested Commission approval to enter into the alternative licensing process. Notice of GPU's request was issued on July 15, 1999, and the Commission has not acted on the request. As part of the APEA process, GPU has prepared a Scoping Document I (SDI), which provides information on the scoping process, APEA schedule, background information, environmental issues, and proposed project alternatives. The purpose of this notice is to: (1) Advise all parties as to the proposed scope of the environmental analysis, including cumulative effects, and to seek additional information pertinent to this analysis; and (2) advise all parties of their opportunity for comment. Scoping Process The purpose of the scoping process is to identify significant issues related to the proposed action and to determine what issues should be addressed in the document to be prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The SDI will be circulated to enable appropriate federal, state, and local resource agencies, Indian tribes, NGOs, and other interested parties to participate in the scoping process. SDI provides a brief description of the proposed action, project alternatives, the geographic and temporal scope of a cumulative effects analysis, and a list of issues. Scoping Meetings and Site Visit GPU and Commission staff will conduct two scoping meetings. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to attend and assist in identifying the scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the APEA. The scoping meetings will be held on August 26, 1999, at the Clarion Holiday Inn in Clarion, Pennsylvania. The agency scoping meeting will be held from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and the public scoping meeting will be held from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The public is invited to attend either or both meetings. For more details, interested parties should contact Thomas Teitt of GPU at (814) 533-8788 or (717) 948-8177, prior to the meeting date. Objectives At the scoping meetings, NEP and Commission staff will: (1) summarize the environmental issues identified for analysis in the APEA; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantified data, on the resources at issue; and (3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the APEA. Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meetings and to assist in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed. Meeting Procedures The meeting will be conducted according to the procedures used at Commission scoping meetings. Because this meeting will be a NEPA scoping meeting, the Commission will not conduct another scoping meeting when the application and APEA are filed with the Commission in the Fall of 2000. The meetings may be recorded by a stenographer or tape, and become a part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the Piney Project. Individuals presenting statements at the meetings will be asked to identify themselves for the record. Speaking time allowed for individuals will be determined before each meeting, based on the number of persons wishing to speak and the approximate amount of time available for the session. Persons choosing not to speak but wishing to express an opinion, as well as speakers unable to summarize their positions within their allotted time, may submit written statements for inclusion in the public record no later than September 9, 1999. All filings should contain an original and 8 copies. Failure to file an original and 8 copies may result in appropriate staff not receiving the benefit of your comments in a timely manner. All comments should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, and should clearly show the following captions on the first page: Piney Project, FERC No. 309. A copy of each filing should also be sent to Thomas R. Tiett, GPU Generation, Inc., 1001 Broad St., Johnstown, PA 15907. Based on all written comments, a Scoping Document II (SDII) may be issued. SDII will include a revised list of issues, based on the scoping sessions. For further information regarding the APEA scoping process, please contact William Guey-Lee, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426 at (202) 219-2809, or Thomas Tiett (717) 948-8177. Linwood A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. 99-21283 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M