[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1655]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 27, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Project 2299-024 California]

 

Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts; Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement and To Conduct a Scoping Meeting

January 21, 1994.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulations, 18 CFR part 
380 (Order No. 486, 52 FR 47910), the Office of Hydropower Licensing 
(OHL) has reviewed the licensee's post-licensing filing that proposes 
to modify the minimum flows from the project reservoir. The intent of 
the proposed flow modification is to help protect fishery resources 
(primarily the chinook salmon) in the Tuolumne River. Staff's initial 
evaluation was issued on December 22, 1993, in a draft environmental 
assessment (DEA). In the DEA, staff determined that because some of the 
proposed alternatives could, under certain circumstances, reduce the 
amount of water available to users of the Hetch Hetchy water supply, 
some of the proposed alternatives may constitute a major federal action 
affecting the human environment and recommended preparation of an 
environmental impact statement.
    A draft EIS will be issued and circulated for review by all 
interested parties. All comments filed on the draft EIS will be 
analyzed by staff and considered in the final EIS. Staff's conclusions 
and recommendations will then be presented for the consideration of the 
Commission in reaching its final decision.

Scoping Meeting

    A scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, February 10, 1994, at 9 
a.m. at the Best Western Mallard's Inn in Modesto, California. All 
interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to 
attend and assist the staff in identifying the scope of environmental 
issues that should be analyzed in the EIS.
    The DEA will be considered the initial scoping document. Copies of 
the DEA are available in the Commission's Reference and Information 
Center, room 3308, of the Commission's offices at 941 North Capitol 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. Copies of the DEA will also be 
available at the scoping meeting.

Objectives

    At the scoping meeting the staff will: (1) Present environmental 
issues that are identified for coverage in the EIS; (2) receive input 
from meeting participants on the issues presented; (3) clarify the 
significance of issues; (4) identify any additional issues that need 
treatment in the EIS; and (5) identify those issues that do not merit 
treatment in the EIS.

Procedures

    The scoping meeting will be recorded by a stenographer and all 
statements (oral and written) will become part of the Commission's 
public record for this proceeding that was noticed on December 29, 
1992. Interested persons who are unable to attend, or do not choose to 
speak at the scoping meeting, may submit written statements for 
inclusion in the public record. All written comments must be filed with 
the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, on or before February 24, 1994.
    All written correspondence should clearly show on the first page of 
each document the following caption: New Don Pedro Project, FERC 
Project No. 2299-024.
    Further, please note the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure, requiring note entities to file an original and eight copies 
of any filing with the Commission and parties filing documents, must 
also serve the documents on each person whose name is on the official 
service list.
    For further information, please contact John A. Schnagl at (202) 
219-2661.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-1655 Filed 1-26-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M