[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13881-13882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7303]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Project Nos. 2902 and 2901-Virginia]


Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Nekoosa Packaging Corporation; 
Notice of Scoping Meeting Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 for an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment

March 18, 1997.
    Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and as part of the 
license application, the Georgia-Pacific Corporation (hereinafter 
referred to as Georgia-Pacific) intends to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) to file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(FERC) for the Big Island and Holcomb Rock Hydroelectric Projects 
located in Amherst and Bedford Counties, Virginia. Two public scoping 
meetings will be held, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), to identify the scope of environmental issues that 
should be analyzed in the EA. At the scoping meetings, Georgia-Pacific 
will: (1) Summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for 
analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all 
available information,

[[Page 13882]]

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 Georgia-Pacific'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 to be 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 sent out on 
September 13, 1996, as part of the Initial Stage Consultation Document 
(ISCD). Copies of the Scoping Document and ISCD will also be available 
at the meetings.
    A scoping meeting for federal, state and local resource agencies 
will be held on April 16, 1997, at Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Big 
Island Mill, Big Island, Virginia at 2:00 p.m. An evening scoping 
meeting will be held on April 16, 1997, at 7:00 p.m. at Big Island 
Elementary School, 1114 School Days Road, off State Route 122, Big 
Island, Virginia. The scoping meetings are open to all interested 
parties.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be conducted according to the procedures used at 
Commission for scoping meetings. Because this meeting will be at NEPA 
scoping meeting, the Commission will not conduct another NEPA scoping 
meeting when the application and EA are filed with the Commission. 
Instead, the Commission staff will attend the meetings held on April 
16, 1997.
    The meetings will be recorded and, thereby, will become a part of 
the formal record of the proceedings on the Big Island and Holcomb Rock 
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 Wayne M. 
Dyok, Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation, 8100 Professional 
Place, Suite 308, Lanham, Maryland 20785.
    Correspondence should clearly show the following caption on the 
first page: Scoping Comments, Big Island and Holcomb Rock Hydroelectric 
Projects, FERC Nos. 2902 and 2901, Virginia.
    For further information, please contact Wayne Dyok (Foster Wheeler 
Environmental Corporation, consultant to Georgia-Pacific) at (301) 429-
2101 or Rainer Feller at (202) 219-2796.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-7303 Filed 3-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M