[Federal Register: November 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 216)]
[Notices]               
[Page 61108-61109]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09no99-69]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 201]

 
Petersburg Municipal Power and Light; Notice of Scoping Meetings 
and Project Facilities Tour Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 for an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment

November 3, 1999.
    The Commission's regulations 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.\1\ On September 8, 1999, the 
Commission approved the use of an alternative licensing procedure in 
the preparation of a new license application for Petersburg Municipal 
Power and Light's (Petersburg), Blind Slough Project, No. 201.
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    \1\ 81 FERC para. 61,103 (1997)
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    The alternative procedures include provisions for the distribution 
of an initial information package, and for the cooperative scoping of 
environmental issues and needed studies. During the week of November 1, 
1999, Petersburg will distribute a Scoping Document (SD1) and initial 
information package.\2\ Two public meetings will be held to discuss 
these documents.
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    \2\ Copies of these documents can be obtained by calling Nan 
Nalder at 206-281-7079 or e-mail acresnan@serv.net
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Combined Scoping and Initial Information Meetings

    Petersburg will hold public scoping meetings on December 13, 1999, 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. At 
the scoping meetings, Petersburg will: (1) Summarize the material 
presented in the initial information package and the environmental 
issues tentatively identified in the scoping document 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 Petersburg's intent is to prepare an EA, there is the 
possibility that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be 
required. Nevertheless, this

[[Page 61109]]

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 meetings are:

Agency Scoping Meeting
    December 13, 1999, 9:00 am to 11:30 pm, Alaska division of 
Governmental Coordination, 240 Main Street, 3rd Floor conference Room, 
Juneau, AK 99811
Public Scoping Meeting
    December 13, 1999, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 12 
South Nordic, Petersburg, AK 00883

    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.

Project Tour

    A visit to the project facilities (powerhouse, tailrace area, lower 
penstock) is tentatively scheduled for December 14, 1999, weather 
permitting. Access to the project dam requires air transport which will 
very likely be unavailable due to low visibility, but can be arranged 
for a later date. Those interested in visiting the project on December 
14, should contact Dennis Lewis of Petersburg at 907-772-4203.

Scoping Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be conducted according to the procedures used at 
Commission scoping meetings. 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 Petersburg's application and EA 
are filed with the Commission. Instead, Commission staff will attend 
the meetings on December 13, 1999.
    Both scoping meetings will be recorded by a court reporter, and the 
transcripts will become part of the formal record for this project. 
Those who choose not to speak during the scoping meetings may instead 
submit written comments on the project. Written comments should be 
mailed or e-mailed to: Nan A. Nalder, Relicensing Manager, Acres 
International, 3254-11th Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119, 
acresnan@serv.net.

Commenting Deadline

    All correspondence should be postmarked no later than February 15, 
2000. Comments should show the following caption on the first page: 
Scoping Comments, Blind Slough Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 201.
    For further information please contact Vince Yearick of the 
Commission at (202) 219-3073.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-29273 Filed 11-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M