[Federal Register: July 16, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 136)]
[Notices]
[Page 42019-42020]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jy03-77]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Notice of Request To Use Alternative Procedures in Preparing an
Application for Exemption From Licensing
July 9, 2003.
Take notice that the following request to use alternative
procedures to prepare an application for exemption from licensing has
been filed with the Commission.
[[Page 42020]]
a. Type of Application: Request to use alternative procedures to
prepare an application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power
project from licensing.
b. Project No.: 11880-003.
c. Date filed: June 13, 2003.
d. Applicant: Colorado River Water Conservation District (River
District).
e. Name of Project: Ritschard Dam Unit Water Power Project.
f. Location: On Muddy Creek, in Grand County, Colorado. The
proposed project would occupy 557 acres of federal lands managed by the
Bureau of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of
1978, 16 U.S.C. 2705, 2708.
h. Applicant Contact: James F. Pearce, Project Manager, Colorado
River Water Conservation District, PO Box 1120, 201 Centennial Street,
Suite 200, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602, (970) 945-8522.
i. FERC Contact: Dianne Rodman at (202) 502-6077; e-mail
dianne.rodman@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for Comments: 30 days from the date of this notice.
All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with:
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Comments may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of
paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. See 18
CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web
site (http://www.ferc.gov) under the ``e-Filing'' link.
k. The existing 120-foot-high, 2,100-foot-long Ritschard dam
impounds the Wolford Mountain reservoir, which has a normal surface
area of 1,550 acres and a storage volume of 65,985 acre-feet. The
proposed powerhouse would be located at the toe of the dam next to the
existing control house/terminal structure. The powerhouse would contain
a single turbine and generator with a rated capacity of about 870
kilowatts. The average annual power generation would be 3,700 kilowatt-
hours.
l. A copy of the request to use alternative procedures is available
for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be
viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the
``FERRIS'' 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is
also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h
above.
You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm
to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
m. The River District has demonstrated that it has made an effort
to contact all federal and state resources agencies, non-governmental
organizations (NGO), and others affected by the project. The River
District has also demonstrated that a consensus exists that the use of
alternative procedures is appropriate in this case. The River District
has submitted a communications protocol that is supported by the
stakeholders.
The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on
the River District's request to use the alternative procedures,
pursuant to Section 4.34(i) of the Commission's regulations. Additional
notices seeking comments on the specific project proposal,
interventions and protests, and mandatory terms and conditions will be
issued at a later date. The River District will complete and file a
preliminary Environmental Assessment, in lieu of Exhibit E of the
exemption application. This differs from the traditional process, in
which an applicant consults with agencies, Indian tribes, NGOs, and
other parties during preparation of the exemption application and
before filing the application, but the Commission staff performs the
environmental review after the application is filed. The alternative
procedures are intended to simplify and expedite the exemption process
by combining the pre-filing consultation and environmental review
processes into a single process, to facilitate greater participation,
and to improve communication and cooperation among the participants.
The River District intends to file 6-month progress reports during
the alternative procedures process that leads to the filing of an
exemption application by February 2005.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-17880 Filed 7-15-03; 8:45 am]
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