[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 1994)] [Notices] [Pages 745-746] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-194] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: January 6, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2275-001] Public Service Company of Colorado; Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Assessment and Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit December 30, 1993. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has received an application for relicense of the existing Salida Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 2275-001. The project is located on the South Arkansas River and on Fooses Creek in Chaffee County, Colorado, and occupies lands within the San Isabel National Forest. The FERC staff, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) on this hydroelectric project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will objectively consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts of the project and reasonable alternatives, and will include an economic, financial and engineering analysis. A draft EA will be issued and circulated for review by all interested parties. All comments filed on the draft EA will be analyzed by the staff and considered in a final EA. The staff's conclusions and recommendations will then be presented for the consideration of the Commission in reaching its final licensing decision. Scoping Meetings Two scoping meetings will be conducted on January 27, 1994. A scoping meeting oriented towards the agencies will be conducted at 10 a.m. at the Salida Ranger District office, 325 West Rainbow Boulevard, Salida, Colorado. A scoping meeting oriented towards the public will be conducted at 7 p.m. at the Chaffee County Courthouse, Commissioners Meeting Room, 142 Crestone Street, Salida, Colorado. Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to attend either or both meetings and assist the staff in identifying the scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EA. To help focus discussions at the meetings, a scoping document outlining subject areas to be addressed in the EA will be mailed to agencies and interested individuals on the FERC mailing list. Copies of the scoping document will also be available at the scoping meetings. Objectives At the scoping meetings the FERC staff will: (1) Identify preliminary environmental issues related to the proposed project; (2) identify preliminary resource issues that are not important and do not require detailed analysis; (3) identify reasonable alternatives to be addressed in the EA; (4) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantified data, on the resource issues; and (5) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA, including points of view in opposition to, or in support of, the staff's preliminary views. Procedures The meetings will be recorded by a court reporter and all statements (oral and written) thereby become a part of the formal record of the Commission proceedings on the Salida Hydroelectric Project. Individuals presenting statements at the meetings will be asked to clearly identify themselves for the record. Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meetings and assist the staff in defining and clarifying and issues to be addressed in the EA. Persons choosing not to speak at the meetings, but who have views on the issues or information relevant to the issues, may submit written statements for inclusion in the public record at the meetings. In addition, written scoping comments may be filed with Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, until February 28, 1994. All written correspondence should clearly show the following caption on the first page: Salida Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 2275-001. Intervenors--those on the Commission's service list for this proceeding (parties)--are reminded of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, requiring parties filing documents with the Commission, to serve a copy of the document on each person whose name appears on the official service list. Further, if a party or interceder files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency. Site Visit A site visit to the Salida Project is planned for January 26, 1994. Those who wish to attend should plan to meet at the Salida No. 2 powerhouse at 9 a.m. or contact Charlie Medina, District Ranger, at (719) 539-3591 for details. Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Vince Yearick, at (202) 219-3073. Lois D. Cashell, Secretary. [FR Doc. 94-194 Filed 1-5-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P