[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 1997)] [Notices] [Page 63143] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-31003] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2674-003, Vermont] Green Mountain Power Company; Notice of Intent To Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit November 20, 1997. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) received an application from the Green Mountain Power Company (Green Mountain or Applicant) to relicense the Vergennes Hydroelectric Project No. 2674-003.The 2.4-megawatt project is located on Otter Creek in the city of Vergennes, Addison County, Vermont. The Commission will hold public and agency scoping meetings on December 11, 1997, for preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the issuance of a major license for the project. Scoping Meetings FERC staff will conduct one agency scoping meeting and one public meeting. The agency scoping meeting will focus on resource agency and non-governmental organization (NGO) concerns, while the public scoping meeting is primarily for public input. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to attend one or both of the meetings, and to assist the staff in identifying the scope of the environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EA. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows: Agency Scoping Meeting Date: Thursday, December 11, 1997. Time: From 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Place: Vergennes Fire Station Meeting Room. Address: Green Street, Vergennes, Vermont. Public Scoping Meeting Date: Thursday, December 11, 1997. Time: From 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Place: Vergennes Fire Station Meeting Room. Address: Green Street, Vergennes, Vermont. To help focus discussions, we will distribute a Scoping Document (SD1) outlining the subject areas to be addressed at the meeting to the parties on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of the SD1 also will be available at the scoping meetings. Site Visits The applicant and FERC staff will conduct a project site visit beginning at 1:00 p.m. on December 10, 1997. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to attend. All participants should meet at the Green Mountain Power Service Center, adjacent to the #9 Power House on Mechanic Street in Vergennes, Vermont. All participants are responsible for their own transportation to the side. Anyone with questions about the site visit should contact Mr. Michael Scarzello of Green Mountain at 802-660-5835. Objectives At the scoping meetings, the staff will: (1) summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; (3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA, including viewpoints in opposition to, or in support of, the staff's preliminary views; (4) determine the relative depth of analysis for issues to be addressed in the EA; and (5) identify resource issues that are of lesser importance, and, therefore, do not require detailed analysis. Procedures The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will become part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project. Individuals presenting statements at the meetings will be asked to sign in before the meeting starts and to clearly identify themselves for the record. Speaking time for attendees at the meetings will be determined before the meeting, based on the number of persons wishing to speak and the approximate amount of time available for the session. All speakers will be provided at least 5 minutes to present their views. 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 EA. Persons choosing not to speak at the meetings, but who have views on the issues, may submit written statements for inclusion in the public record at the meeting. In addition, written scoping comments may be filed with the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, until January 12, 1998. All filings should contain an original and eight copies, and must clearly show at the top of the first page ``Vergennes Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 2674-003.'' For further information, please contact Lee Emery at (202) 219- 2779. Lois D. Cashell, Secretary. [FR Doc. 97-31003 Filed 11-25-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M