[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 170 (Friday, August 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 45955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22165]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Project Nos. 1980, 1759, 2072, 2073, 2074, and 2131]


Wisconsin Electric Power Company; Notice of Scoping Meetings 
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for an 
Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment

August 26, 1996.
    Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and as part of the 
license applications, the Wisconsin Electric Power Company (hereinafter 
referred to as WE) intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) 
to file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) for 
the Upper Menominee River Basin Hydroelectric Projects. Two public 
scoping meetings will be held, pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, to identify the scope of environmental 
issues that should be analyzed in the EA. At the scoping meetings, WE 
will (1) summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for 
analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all 
available information, especially qualified data, on the resources at 
issue; and (3) encourage statements from experts and the public on 
issues that should be analyzed in the EA.
    Although WE's intent is to prepare an EA, there is the possibility 
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be required. 
Nevertheless, this meeting will satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, 
irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is issued by the Commission.
    All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited 
and encouraged to attend and assist in identifying and clarifying the 
scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EA.
    To help focus the discussions, a scoping document was mailed on 
July 31, 1996, as part of the Initial Consultation Package (ICP). 
Copies of the Scoping Document and ICP will also be available at the 
meetings.
    WE will conduct site visits on Friday, September 13, 1996, to tour 
the Way Dam, Hemlock Falls Dam, Lower Paint Dam, Peavy Falls Dam, and 
Michigamme Falls Dam. The site visits will begin at 8:00 a.m. at the 
Way Dam. On Saturday, September 14, 1996, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 
WE will host a centennial open house of the Kingsford Dam. On Monday, 
September 16, 1996, WE will conduct site visits of the Twin Falls Dam 
and the Big Quinnesec Falls Dam. The site visits will begin at 8:00 
a.m. at the Twin Falls Dam. Persons interested in touring one or more 
of the sites should contact WE for an itinerary.
    A scoping meeting for Federal, state, and local resource agencies 
will be held on Monday, September 16, 1996, at 2:00 p.m., at the 
Premiere Center, located at 300 East F Street, Iron Mountain, Michigan. 
The evening scoping meetings will be held on Monday, September 16, 
1996, at 7:00 p.m. at the Premiere Center and on Tuesday, September 17, 
1996, at 7:00 p.m. at the Crystal Falls Township Hall, located at 
Junction US Highways 2 and 141, Crystal Falls, Michigan. The site 
visits and scoping meetings are open to all interested parties.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be conducted according to the procedures used at 
Commission scoping meetings. Because this meeting will be a NEPA 
scoping meeting when the applications and EA are filed with the 
Commission in October 1999. Instead, the Commission staff will attend 
the meetings held on September 16 and 17, 1996.
    The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and, thereby, will 
become a part of the formal record of the proceedings on the Upper 
Menominee River Basin Projects. Individuals presenting statements at 
the meetings will be asked to identify themselves for the record.
    Concerned parties are encouraged to offer 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 the 
allotted time, may submit written statements for inclusion in the 
public record.
    Written scoping comments may also be mailed to Ms. Rita L. Hayen, 
P.E., Wisconsin Electric Power Company, 231 W. Michigan St., P.O. 2046, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201-2046, by November 17, 1996. Correspondence 
should clearly show the following caption on the first page: Scoping 
Comments, Upper Menominee River Basin Hydroelectric Projects, FERC Nos. 
1980, 1759, 2072, 2073, 2074, and 2131.
    For further information, please contact Ms. Annie Salmona at (414) 
221-4151 (Wisconsin Electric) or Patti Leppert-Slack at (202) 219-2767 
(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission).
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-22165 Filed 8-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M