[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5685]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 11, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Project No.'s 2528-ME, 2527-ME, 2194-ME, 2531-ME, 2529-ME, 2530-ME, and 
11365-ME

 

Central Maine Power, et al.; Intention To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Saco River Basin, Conduct 
Project Site Visits, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings

March 7, 1994.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is reviewing 
applications for new licenses for the continued operation of two 
hydropower projects and an exemption for an existing unlicensed project 
on the Saco River, Maine. The Commission's Staff (Staff) also 
anticipates applications for amendments to license will be filed within 
the next year on four additional mainstem Saco River projects as a 
consequence of the ``Draft Saco River Fish Passage Agreement'' 
(Agreement) which will affect all seven projects on the Saco River.
    The Staff has determined that issuance of new licenses for the 
Bonny Eagle and Skelton Projects, the issuance of an exemption for the 
unlicensed Swans Falls Project, and the issuance of amendments to the 
Hiram, West Buxton, Bar Mills, and Cataract Projects as a result of the 
Agreement would constitute a major federal action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Commission's regulations. 
Therefore, the Staff intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) before any licensing decision by the Commission. The 
preparation of the EIS will continue to be supported by a vigorous and 
ongoing scoping process to ensure the identification and analysis of 
all pertinent issues.
    The purpose of the scoping process is to identify significant 
issues related to the proposed actions and the continued operation of 
hydropower projects in the basin and to determine what issues should be 
covered in the EIS. The document enclosed, entitled ``Scoping Document 
I'' is being circulated to enable appropriate federal, state, and local 
resource agencies, developers, Indian tribes, non-governmental 
organizations, and other interested parties to effectively participate 
in and contribute to the scoping process. This scoping document 
provides a brief description of the proposed actions, the potential 
alternatives, the geographic and temporal scope of a cumulative effects 
analysis, and a preliminary schedule for preparing the EIS.
    The staff's EIS will consider both site specific and cumulative 
environmental effects to the proposed actions and reasonable 
alternatives, and will include an economic, financial and engineering 
analysis. 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 the Commission staff and considered in a final EIS.

Project Site Visit

    The applicants and Commission staff will conduct project site 
visits of the Swans Falls, Hiram, Bonny Eagle, West Buxton, Bar Mills, 
Skelton, and Cataract Projects. The site visits will be held starting 
at 1 p.m. March 22, 1994, and at 9 a.m. on March 23, 1994. All 
interested individuals, organizations, agencies are invited to attend. 
All participants are responsible for their own transportation to the 
starting point. For more details, interested parties should contact Ms. 
Wendy Bley at (207) 626-9600, extension 2999 prior to the site visit 
date.

Scoping Meetings

    The Commission staff will conduct one evening scoping meeting and 
one morning scoping meeting. 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 evening meeting will be held on March 23, 1994, from 7 p.m. to 
10 p.m. (or later) at the Saco Elks Club, on Route #1, Saco, Maine.
    The morning agency meeting will be held on March 24, 1994, from 10 
a.m. to 1 p.m. at Alfred Restaurant, 281 Civic Center Drive, Augusta, 
Maine.

Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, the Commission staff will: (1) Summarize 
the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the 
planned EIS: (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available 
information, especially quantified data, on the resources at issue, and 
(3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that 
should be analyzed in the EIS.
    Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental 
expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meetings and to 
assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed 
in the EIS.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and, thereby, will 
become a part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the 
Saco River projects under consideration. Individuals presenting 
statements at the meetings will be asked to identify themselves for the 
record.
    Concerned parties are encouraged to offer us verbal guidance during 
public meetings. Speaking time allowed for individuals will be 
determined before each meeting, based on the number of persons wishing 
to speak and the approximate amount of time available for the session, 
but all speakers will be provided at least five minutes to present 
their views.
    Persons choosing not to speak but wishing to express an opinion, as 
well as speakers unable to summarize their positions within their 
allotted time, may submit written statements for inclusion in the 
public record.
    Written scoping comments may also be filed with the Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, until April 15, 1994. All filings should contain 
an original and 8 copies. Failure to file an original and 8 copies may 
result in appropriate staff not receiving the benefit of your comments 
in a timely manner. See 18 CFR 4.34(h).
    All correspondence should clearly show one or more of the following 
captions on the first page: Swans Falls Project, FERC No. 11365; Hiram 
Project, FERC No. 2530; Bonny Eagle Project, FERC No. 2529; West Buxton 
Project, FERC No. 2531; Bar Mills Project, FERC No. 2194; Skelton 
Project, FERC No. 2527; and Cataract Project, FERC No. 2528.
    All those attending the meeting are urged to refrain from making 
any communications concerning the merits of the application to any 
member of the Commission staff outside of the established process for 
developing the record as stated into the record of the proceeding.
    Further, interested persons are reminded of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedures, requiring parties or interceders (as 
defined in 18 CFR 385.2010) to file documents on each person whose name 
is on the official service list for this proceeding. See 18 CFR 
4.34(b).
    For further information, please contact Ron W. Kokel, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Hydropower Licensing, 825 North 
Capitol Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 (Telephone 202 219-2840), J. 
Rich McGuire (Telephone 202 219-3084), or Bob Bell (Telephone 202 219-
2806).
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-5685 Filed 3-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M