[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 102 (Thursday, May 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29198-29199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14064]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 637]
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington;
Notice of Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County's Request to
Use Alternative Procedures in Filing a License Application
May 21, 1998.
By letter dated May 1, 1998, Public Utility District No. 1 of
Chelan County (Chelan PUD) asked to use an alternative procedure in
filing an application for a new major license for its Lake Chelan
Project No. 637.\1\ Chelan PUD has demonstrated that they made a
reasonable effort to contact the resource agencies, Indian tribes, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), and others who may be affected by
their proposal, and have submitted a communication protocol governing
how participants in the proposed process may communicate with each
other. Chelan PUD has also submitted several letters of support for
their proposal, and it appears that a consensus exists that the use of
an alternative procedure is appropriate in this case.
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\1\ The 48-megawatt project consists of a 40-foot high dam on
the Chelan River at the lower end of Lake Chelan, a 2-mile long
steel and concrete tunnel, and a powerhouse located near the
confluence of the Chelan and Columbia Rivers.
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The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on
Chelan PUD's request to use the alternative procedure, as required
under the final rule for Regulations for the Licensing of Hydroelectric
Projects.\2\ Additional notices seeking comments on the specific
project proposal, interventions and protests, and recommended terms and
conditions will be issued at a later date.
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\2\ 81 FERC 61,103 (1997).
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The alternative procedure being requested here combines the
prefiling consultation process with the environmental review process,
allowing the applicant to file an Applicant-Prepared Environmental
Assessment (APEA) in lieu of Exhibit E of the license application. This
differs from the traditional process, in which the applicant consults
with agencies, Indian tribes, and NGOs during preparation of the
application for the license and before filing it, but the Commission
staff performs the environmental review after the application is filed.
The alternative procedure is intended to simplify and expedite the
licensing process by combining the prefiling consultation and
environmental review processes into a single process, to facilitate
greater participation, and to improve communication and cooperation
among the participants. The alternative procedure can be tailored to
the particular project under consideration.
APEA Process and the Lake Chelan Project Schedule
Chelan PUD has begun working collaboratively with the various
interested entities to identify issues that will need to be addressed
and studies that will need to be conducted in relicensing the project.
Several meetings are scheduled for May and June of this year with
initial studies to be conducted during the 1998 summer season. Public
scoping meetings are tentatively planned for November 1998. Notice of
the scoping meetings will be published at least 30 days prior to the
meetings.
Additional studies may be conducted during the summers of 1999 and
2000. Opportunities for requesting additional
[[Page 29199]]
studies will be noticed at least 30 days prior to any study request
deadline. A draft license application with preliminary APEA would be
distributed for comment in January 2001. The final license application
and APEA must be filed with the Commission on March 31, 2004, two years
before the expiration date on the existing license. A more detailed
schedule and project description may be found at Chelan PUD's web site,
located at hhtp://www.chelanpud.org/relicense/.
Comments
Interested parties have 30 days from the date of this notice to
file with the Commission, any comments on Chelan PUD's proposal to use
the alternative procedures to file an application for the Lake Chelan
Hydroelectric Project.
Filing Requirements
Any comments must be filed by providing an original and 8 copies as
required by the Commission's regulations to: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Office of the Secretary, Dockets--Room 1A, 888 First
Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
All comment filings must bear the heading ``Comments on the
Alternative Procedure,'' and include the project name and number (Lake
Chelan Hydroelectric Project, No. 637). For further information, please
contact Vince Yearick at (202) 219-2844 or e-mail at
[email protected].
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-14064 Filed 5-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M