[Federal Register: November 24, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 226)]
[Notices]               
[Page 66176]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no99-54]                         

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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2145]

 
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington; 
Notice of Scoping Meetings Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 for an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment

November 18, 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 October 25, 1999, the 
Commission approved the use of an alternative licensing procedure in 
the preparation of a new license application for Public Utility 
District No. 1 of Chelan County's (Chelan PUD), Rocky Reach Project, 
No. 2145.
    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 July 7, 1999, 
Chelan PUD distributed their IIP. A public meeting on the IIP, and tour 
of project facilities were held on August 26, 1999.
    Chelan PUD intends to distribute Scoping Document 1 (SD1) the week 
of November 15, 1999. Copies of SD1 can be obtained by calling Rosana 
Sokolowski at 509-663-8121 or via the Chelan PUD internet web site 
located at http://www.chelanpud.org. Two public meetings will be held 
to discuss SD1.

Scoping Meetings

    Chelan PUD will hold public scoping meetings on December 15 and 16, 
1999, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. 
At the scoping meetings, Chelan PUD 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 Chelan PUD'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:
Evening Scoping Meeting
December 15, 1999, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Chelan PUD Auditorium, 327 North 
Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98807
Morning Scoping Meeting
December 16, 1999, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Chelan PUD Auditorium, 327 
North Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98807
    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 Chelan PUD's application and EA are filed with the 
Commission. Instead, Commission staff will attend the meetings on 
December 15, and 16, 1999.

Commenting Deadline

    Written comments should be mailed or e-mailed to: Mr. Gregg 
Carrington, Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington, 
P.O. Box 1231, Wenatchee, WA 98807-1231, gregg@chelanpud.org.
    All correspondence should be postmarked no later than January 16, 
2000. Comments should show the following caption on the first page: 
Scoping Comments, Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 2145. 
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, N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426. Please put the docket number, P-2145, on the first page.
    For further information please contact Gregg Carrington of Chelan 
PUD at (509) 663-8121 or Vince Yearick of the Commission at (202) 219-
3073.
David P. Boergrs,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-30597 Filed 11-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M