[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 991-992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-209]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis

December 31, 1996.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: Minor License.
    b. Project No.: P-11428-000.
    c. Date Filed: August 5, 1993.
    d. Applicant: The City of St. Louis, Michigan.
    e. Name of Project: Municipal Dam Hydro Project.
    f. Location: On the Pine River, in The City of St. Louis, Gratiot 
County, Michigan.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. Secs. 791(a)-
825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Nancy Roehrs, 108 West Saginaw Street, St. 
Louis, MI 48880, (517) 681-2137.
    i. FERC Contact: Ed Lee, (202) 219-2809.
    j. Deadline Date: See paragraph D9.
    k. Status of Environmental Analysis: This application has been 
accepted for filing and is ready for environmental analysis at this 
time--see attached paragraph D9.
    l. Description of Project: The existing project consists of the 
following: (1) A 21-foot-high, 126-foot-long reinforced concrete dam 
surmounted by six 19-foot-wide, 8-foot-high radial gates; (2) a 60-
foot-long left embankment, 55-foot-long center embankment, and 250-
foot-long right embankment; (3) a 1,575-acre-foot reservoir at a normal 
water surface elevation of 719 feet; (4) a gated 18-foot-wide, 12-foot-
deep intake flume; (5) a powerhouse containing two generating units 
rated at 225-kW for a total installed capacity of 450-kW; (6) a 
tailrace; (7) a short 2400-volt transmission line; and (8) appurtenant 
electric and mechanical facilities. The applicant estimates the average 
annual generation for this project would be 1,599 MWh. The dam and 
existing project facilities are owned by the applicant.
    m. This notice also consists of the following standard paragraphs: 
A4 and D9.
    n. Available Location of Application: A copy of the application, as 
amended and supplemented, is available for inspection and reproduction 
at the Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 
located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A-1, Washington, DC 20426, or 
by calling (202) 208-2326. A copy is also available for inspection and 
reproduction at the City of St. Louis, 108 Saginaw Street, St. Louis, 
MI 48880, or by calling (517) 681-2137.
    o. Scoping Process: In gathering background information for 
preparation of the environmental document for the issuance of a Federal 
hydropower license, staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
is using a scoping process to identify significant environmental issues 
related to the construction and operation or the continued operation of 
hydropower projects. The staff will review all issues raised during the 
scoping process and identify issues deserving of study and also 
deemphasize insignificant issues, narrowing the scope of the 
environmental analysis as well. If preliminary analysis indicates that 
any issues presented in the scoping process would have little potential 
for causing significant impacts, the issue or issues

[[Page 992]]

will be identified and the reasons for not providing a more detailed 
analysis will be given.
    p. Request for Scoping Comments: Federal, state, and local resource 
agencies; licensees, applicants and developers; Indian tribes; other 
interested groups and individuals, are requested 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 of the project(s). Therefore you are requested to 
provide information related to the following items:
     Information, data, maps 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 EIS or 
similar study (previous, on-going, or planned) relevant to the proposed 
licensing activities in the subject river basin.
     Existing information and any data that would aid in 
describing the past and present effects of the project(s) and other 
developmental activities on the physical/chemical, biological, and 
socioeconomic environments. For example, fish stocking/management 
histories in the subject river, historic river quality data and the 
reasons for improvement or degradation of the quality, and wetland 
habitat loss 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 subject river or 
basin. For example, proposals to construct or operate water treatment 
facilities, recreation areas, or implement fishery management programs.
     Documentation that would support a conclusion that the 
project(s) does not contribute, or does contribute to adverse and 
beneficial cumulative effects on resources and therefore should be 
excluded from further study or excluded from further consideration of 
cumulative impacts within the river basin. Documentation should 
include, but not be limited to: how the project(s) interact with other 
projects within the river basin or other developmental activities; 
results from studies; resource management policies; and, reports from 
federal, state, and local agencies.
    Comments concerning the scope of the environmental document should 
be filed by the deadline established in paragraph D9.
    A4. Development Application--Public notice of the filing of the 
initial development application, which has already been given, 
established the due date for filing competing applications or notices 
of intent. Under the Commission's regulations, any competing 
development application must be filed in response to and in compliance 
with public notice of the initial development application. No competing 
applications or notices of intent may be filed in response to this 
notice.
    D9. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents--The application is 
ready for environmental analysis at this time, and the Commission is 
requesting comments, reply comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, and prescriptions.
    The Commission directs, pursuant to Section 4.34(b) of the 
Regulations (see Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56 FR 23108, May 20, 
1991) that all comments, recommendations, terms and conditions and 
prescriptions concerning the application be filed with the Commission 
within 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. All reply 
comments must be filed with the Commission within 105 days from the 
date of this notice.
    Anyone may obtain an extension of time for these deadlines from the 
Commission only upon a showing of good cause or extraordinary 
circumstances in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2008.
    All filings must (1) Bear in all capital letters the title 
``COMMENTS'', ``REPLY COMMENTS'', ``RECOMMENDATIONS'', ``TERMS AND 
CONDITIONS'', or ``PRESCRIPTIONS''; (2) set forth in the heading the 
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to 
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone 
number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply 
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must 
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Any of these documents must be filed by 
providing the original and the number of copies required by the 
Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. An additional 
copy must be sent to Director, Division of Project Review, Office of 
Hydropower Licensing, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, at the 
above address. Each filing must be accompanied by proof of service on 
all persons listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in 
this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b), and 385.2010.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-209 Filed 1-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M