[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 41559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20667]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project Nos. 2004-073 and 11607-000]


Holyoke Water Power Company, Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, 
Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale 
Electric Company; Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Meeting for the 
Holyoke Project on the Connecticut River

July 29, 1998.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is reviewing 
the Holyoke Water Power Company's application for a new license for the 
continued operation of the Holyoke Project on the Connecticut River, 
Massachusetts. The Commission is similarly reviewing a competing 
application for the Holyoke Project by the Holyoke Gas & Electric 
Department, the Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and the Massachusetts 
Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. The Commission will hold a public 
meeting on August 25, 1998, in preparation for completing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), and assessing the competing applications for 
relicensing the Holyoke Project.
    Commission staff will hold the public meeting in the vicinity of 
the Holyoke Project. The purpose of the meeting is to entertain further 
comments on the environmental issues to be included in the EIS. The 
staff will also consider arguments regarding which of the two competing 
applications present the best adapted plan for use of the resources of 
the waterway. We invite all interested agencies, non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), and individuals to attend the meeting. The time 
and location of the meeting is shown below.

DATE: Tuesday, August 25, 1998
TIME: 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
PLACE: Holiday Inn, 245 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, MA 01040.

    At the meeting, the staff will: (1) summarize the status of the 
relicense proceeding(s) and the environmental issues identified in 
Scooping Document 2; (2) receive statements on environmental issues 
that should be analyzed in the EIS; and (3) receive statements by the 
applicants, agencies, NGOs, and general public on which applicant has 
proposed the best adapted plan for use of resources of the waterway, 
and how the favored application is superior. Statements on the merits 
of the competing applications should indicate how the project plans of 
each applicant will be adapted to a comprehensive plan for improving or 
developing the waterway. Speakers favoring one competing application 
over the other should direct their arguments to a comparison of the 
merits of the respective proposals.
    The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter, and all 
statements (oral and written) will become part of the Commission's 
public record for the project. Before the meeting starts, all 
individuals who attend, will be asked to identify themselves by signing 
in. Individuals that intend to make statements during the meeting will 
be asked to sign in and clearly identify themselves for the record 
prior to speaking. Time allotted for presentations will be determined 
by staff based on the length of the meeting and the number of people 
wanting to speak. All individuals wishing to speak will be provided at 
least five minutes to present their views.
    Interested parties who choose not to speak, or who are unable to 
attend the public meeting, may provide written comments to the 
Commission until September 11, 1998. Written comments should be 
submitted to the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
    The first page of all filings should indicate ``Holyoke Project, 
FERC. No. 2004-073'' and/or ``Holyoke Project, FERC. No. 11607-000'' at 
the top of the page. All filings sent to the Secretary of the 
Commission should contain an original and eight copies. Failure to file 
an original and eight copies may result in appropriate staff not 
receiving the benefit of your comments in a timely manner. Furthermore, 
participants in this proceeding are reminded that if they file comments 
with the Commission, they must serve a copy of their filing to the 
parties on the Commission's service list.
    For further information, please contact Allan Creamer at (202) 219-
0365.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-20667 Filed 8-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M