[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 64 (Monday, April 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7893]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 4, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No 1999-WI]

 

Wisconsin Public Service Corp.; Environmental Impact Statement 
Scoping

March 29, 1994.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has received 
an application for a new license for the Wausau Project No. 1999 on the 
Wisconsin River in Marathon County, Wisconsin. The Commission has 
determined that due to the Wausau Project's proximity to nine other 
Wisconsin River hydroelectric projects, and the similar filing time of 
their license applications, Wausau will be incorporated in the 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) currently being prepared for those 
nine projects. This multiproject EIS was noticed in the Federal 
Register on May 6, 1993, and includes; Wisconsin Valley Project No. 
2113, Rothschild Project No. 2212, Kings Dam Project No. 2239, 
Centralia Project No. 2255, Wisconsin Rapids Project No. 2256, Port 
Edwards Project No. 2291, Nekoosa Project No. 2292, Jersey Project No. 
2476, and Wisconsin River Division Project No. 2590.
    The Commission is conducting scoping for the Wausau Project to 
identify any significant issues related to the continued operation of 
this project. You are invited to send your written scoping comments on 
the Wausau Project to the Commission (see below). Staff will review all 
issues raised in the scoping process. Comments for the Wausau Project 
will be integrated with those received for the ongoing Wisconsin River 
Basin EIS. A public scoping meeting will not be held for the Wausau 
project, and a separate scoping document (beyond this notice) will not 
be prepared for Wausau.
    The Commission previously conducted 3 public scoping meetings (the 
week of July 12, 1993) and issued scoping documents (Scoping Document 1 
in June 1993, Scoping Document 2 in September 1993, and Supplement to 
Scoping Document 2 in October 1993) for the ongoing Wisconsin River 
Basin nine-project EIS.

Proposed Action

    The Applicant proposes no new construction or increases in 
hydroelectric capacity for the Wausau Project. The Applicant proposes 
only a minor change in project operations. A 25 cubic feet per second 
(cfs) minimum flow through a kayak channel is proposed to enhance 
recreation and aesthetics. The project would continue to be operated in 
a run-of-river mode and maintain headpond levels on a daily basis 
within +/- 0.3 feet of normal headpond elevation. The Applicant would 
continue a 0.5 feet drawdown during the winter to prevent water from 
splashing over the Taintor gates and forming ice on the braces. The 
Applicant would provide a new barrier-free fishing area for the public.

Project Alternatives

    The Commission Staff (Staff) will consider alternatives, including 
enhancement measures not proposed by the Applicant. The Staff will 
review and consider alternative recommendations for additional resource 
protection, or enhancement measures that may be appropriate to include 
in a new license. Modifications could include recommendations by the 
agencies, the general public, and the Staff.
    In addition to these alternatives, Staff will evaluate the no-
action alternative, which maintains the existing environment or status 
quo at the projects. Under this alternative the projects would continue 
to operate as required by the original license on an annual license 
basis, and no enhancement measures would be provided. We use this 
alternative to set baseline environmental conditions for comparison 
with other alternatives.

Scope of the Environmental Impact Statement

    The geographic scope of analysis defines the physical limits or 
boundaries of the proposed actions' effects on the resources. Since the 
proposed actions affect each resource differently, the geographic scope 
for each resource varies. For fishery resources, flow analysis, water 
quality, flood control, and power, the geographic scope of analysis 
will encompass the main stem Wisconsin River.
    The temporal scope includes a discussion of the past, present, and 
future actions and their effects on the resources. Based on the license 
term, the temporal scope will look 30 to 50 years into the future, 
concentrating on the effect on the resource from reasonably foreseeable 
future actions (e.g., the effect on water quality from potential future 
water withdrawals within the basin). The historical discussion will, by 
necessity, be limited to the amount of available information for each 
resource.

Environmental Issues

    A preliminary list of environmental issues identified by the Staff 
for coverage in the EIS is presented in this section. The list is not 
intended to be exhaustive or final, but is an initial listing of issues 
that have been raised and appear to be important. The staff will review 
all issues raised during the scoping process and make decisions as to 
the level of analysis needed. If preliminary analysis indicates that 
any issues presented in this scoping document have little potential for 
causing significant impacts, the issue or issues will be identified and 
the reasons for not providing a more detailed analysis will be given.
    The following issues apply to the Wausau Project:
     Reservoir water level fluctuation and drawdown limitations 
and their effect on fish habitat, riparian wetlands, wildlife, cultural 
resources, recreation, and shoreline development.
     Minimum flow needs for protection or enhancement of 
recreation, water quality, and the riverine fishery.
     Fish passage needs at the dam. Fishery protection and 
enhancement measures related to turbine entrainment and fish mortality.
     Effects of project operation on vegetation and wildlife 
resources.
     Impacts of project structures on visual resources and 
potential for enhancements.
     Opportunities for recreational facility improvements and 
public access enhancements.
    The EIS will assess the project-specific impacts on the above 
resources and whether these impacts contribute to significant adverse 
impacts. Both project-specific impacts and cumulative effects will 
weigh in selecting an action to recommend for the licensing decision on 
the projects.

EIS Preparation Schedule

    The preliminary schedule for preparing the EIS for the Wausau 
Hydroelectric Projects is: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Milestones                           Target date       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public scoping...............................  Early spring 1994.       
Draft EIS....................................  Late summer 1994.        
Final EIS....................................  Winter 1995.             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Request for Comments

    The Commission's scoping objectives are to:
     Identify significant environmental issues,
     Determine the depth of analysis appropriate to each issue,
     Identify the resource issues not requiring detailed 
analysis, and
     Identify reasonable project alternatives.
    Federal, state, and local resource agencies, licensees and 
developers, Indian tribes, other interested groups, and the general 
public are invited to forward to the Commission any information that 
they believe will assist the Commission Staff in conducting an accurate 
and thorough analysis of the site-specific and cumulative environmental 
effects of the proposed licensing activities on the Wisconsin River. 
The types of information sought include:
     Information, quantified data, or professional opinion that 
may contribute to defining the geographical and temporal scope of the 
analysis and identifying significant environmental issues.
     Identification of and information from any other 
environmental assessment, environmental impact statement, or similar 
document or study (previous, on-going, or planned) relevant to the 
proposed licensing activities in the Wisconsin River Basin.
     Existing information and any data that would aid in 
describing the past and present actions and effects of the projects and 
other developmental activities on the physical/chemical, biological, 
and socioeconomic environments. For example, fish stocking/management 
histories, historic water quality data and the reasons for improvement 
or degradation of the quality, any wetland habitat losses or proposals 
to develop land and water resources within the basin.
     Identification of any federal, state, or local resource 
plans and future project proposals that encompass the Wisconsin River 
Basin with information on when they'll be implemented, if known. For 
example, proposals to construct or operate water treatment facilities, 
recreation areas, water diversions, or implement fishery management 
programs.
     Documentation that would support a conclusion that the 
actions or a project(s) does or does not contribute to cumulative 
adverse or beneficial effects on resources and therefore should be 
excluded from further study or excluded from further consideration of 
cumulative effects within the Wisconsin River Basin. Documentation 
should include, but is not limited to: how the projects interact with 
other projects within the river basin and other developmental 
activities; results from studies; resource management policies; and 
reports from federal, state, and local agencies.
    To be useful in preparing the multi-project EIS, the requested 
information must be received by the Commission no later than 30 days 
past the date of this notice. Address all communications to: Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    All correspondence must clearly show at the top of the first page 
``Wausau Project, FERC No. 1999''.
    When filing scoping comments, you should submit an original and 8 
copies; this will assure that staff receives your information quickly. 
Parties to the proceedings (as identified on the official Service List 
for the Wausau Project) must also send copies of their filings, and all 
attachments, to the other parties listed on the official service list. 
The official service list is available from the Commission Secretary at 
the same address above.
    The Commission is simultaneously issuing a notice (REA Notice) 
indicating that staff is ready to conduct the environmental analysis 
for the Wausau Project. Your comments in response to either notice will 
become part of the record for these proceedings. You do not need to 
comment in response to both the REA Notice and this scoping notice. 
Except, comments made pursuant to Section 10(j) or Section 18 of the 
Federal Power Act must be clearly identified and must be received 
within the timeframe provided for in the REA notice and 18 CFR 
4.34(b)(2). Likewise, the applicant's response to any comments made 
under Section 10(j), must be clearly identified and filed within 
prescribed timeframes as set forth in the REA Notice and 18 CFR 
4.34(b).
    Any questions concerning the scoping process should be directed to 
Sabina Joe, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Hydropower 
Licensing, 825 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, D.C., 20426 
(Telephone 202-219-1648).
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-7893 Filed 4-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P