[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 216 (Monday, November 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60331-60332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29885]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Notice of Competing Application Ready for Environmental Analysis
November 3, 1998.
a. Type of Application: Major New License.
b. Project No.: P-11607-000.
c. Date Filed: August 29, 1997, as amended on January 30, 1998.
d. Competing Applicant(s): Holyoke Gas & Electric Department,
Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale
Electric Company.
e. Name of Project: Holyoke Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Connecticut River in Hampden, Hampshire, and
Franklin Counties, Massachusetts.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. Secs. 791(a)-
825(r).
h. Competing Applicant(s) Contact:
George E. Leary, Manager, Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, 99 Suffolk
Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 536-9311.
Roger W. Bacon, Director, Power Services Division, Mass. Municipal
Wholesale Elec. Company, Randall Road, P.O. Box 426, Ludlow, MA 01056,
(413) 589-1041
Stanley Herriott, General Manager, Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, 78
Central Street, P.O. Box 823, Ashburnham, MA 01430, (508) 827-4423.
i. FERC Contact: Allan Creamer (202) 219-0365.
j. Comment Date: See attached paragraph D10.
k. Status of Environmental Analysis: This application, as amended,
has been accepted, and, pursuant to Sec. 4.30(b)(25), is ready for
environmental at this time--see attached paragraph D10. The Commission
acknowledges that information related to water quality studies in the
project's bypassed reach has not been filed. However, the study itself
has been completed, and is currently being reviewed by various resource
agencies. This information, including agency comments, is expected to
be filed by November 15, 1998. The results of the water quality study,
as well as any other information asked for
[[Page 60332]]
during the environmental analysis, will be considered during the
preparation of the environmental impact statement once it's been filed
with the Commission. The application and additional information is
substantially complete, and the environmental analysis will proceed on
the issues as set forth in Scoping Document 2 and in the application
materials.
l. Description of Project: The proposed run-of-river project would
consist of the following features: (1) an approximately 1,000-foot-long
masonry dam to elevation 97.47 feet National Geodetic Vertical datum,
topped with a 3.1-foot-high rubber dam; (2) upstream and downstream
fish passage facilities; (3) the Fish Lift Park adjoining the dam; (4)
a 2,290-acre reservoir that extends approximately 25 miles upstream;
(5) a three-level canal system adjacent to the river with headgates at
the dam; (6) six separate hydroelectric facilities, named Hadley Falls
Station, Riverside Station, Boatlock Station, Beebe-Holbrook Units,
Skinner Unit and Chemical Units, and except for the Hadley Falls
Station which has its intake structure adjacent to the canal headgate
structure, the facilities withdraw water from the canal system; (7) a
total nameplate capacity of 58,756 kilowatts (kW), consisting of the
existing 43,756 kW project plus a 15,000 kW expansion at the Hadley
Falls Station; (8) transmission line connections; and (9) appurtenant
facilities. The estimated average annual generation is about 212,000
megawatt-hours (MWh), which would increase to about 262,750 MWh after
completing the expansion in 2006.
m. Purpose of Project: The power generated by the project would be
used within the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department's distribution
system, with a portion sold to the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale
Electric Company.
n. This notice also consists of the following standard paragraphs:
D10.
o. Available Locations 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 and
Maintenance Branch, located at 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A-1,
Washington, D.C. 20426, or by calling (202) 208-2326. Copies are also
available for inspection and reproduction at the Holyoke Gas & Electric
Department, 99 Suffolk Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts, 01040.
D10. 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). Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant. 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, N.E., Washington, D.C. 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.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-29885 Filed 11-6-98; 8:45 am]
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