[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3506-3508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1409]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Applications Tendered for Filing; of Applications and 
Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment Accepted for Filing; 
Requesting Interventions and Protests; Establishing Procedural Schedule 
and Final Amendment Deadline; and Requesting Comments, Final Terms and 
Conditions, Recommendations and Prescriptions

January 15, 1999.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: New major licenses and Applicant Prepared 
Environmental Assessment (APEA).
    b. Project Nos.: 2901-008 and 2902-009.
    c. Date filed: December 29, 1998.
    d. Applicant: Nekoosa Packaging Corporation (Nekoosa), a wholly-
owned subsidiary of Georgia-Pacific Corporation.
    e. Name of Projects: Holcomb Rock Hydroelectric Project, Project 
No. 2901 and Big Island Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 2902.
    f. Location: James River, in Bedford and Amherst Counties, 
Virginia.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC Secs. 791(a)--
825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. P.J. Purdy, General Manager, Georgia-
Pacific Corporation, Highway 501 North, Big Island, VA 24526, (804) 
299-5911.
    i. FERC Contact: Any questions on this notice should be addressed 
to James T. Griffin, E-mail address [email protected], or 
telephone (202) 219-2799.
    j. Deadline for filing any final amendments to the application: 45 
days from the date of this notice.
    Deadline for filing interventions: 60 days from the date of this 
notice.
    Deadline for filing any final comments, final recommendations, 
terms and conditions and prescriptions: 60 days from the date of this 
notice.
    Deadline for applicant's response to final comments, final 
recommendations, terms and conditions and prescriptions: 105 days from 
the date of this notice.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
intervenors filing documents with the Commission

[[Page 3507]]

to serve a copy of that document on each person whose name appears on 
the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor 
files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits 
of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular 
resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that 
resource agency.
    k. Status of environmental analysis: This application is ready for 
environmental analysis.
    l. Description of the Projects: The existing facilities at the 
Holcomb Rock Hydroelectric Project include: (1) a stone masonry and 
wood crib diversion dam approximately 21 feet high and 644 feet long; 
(2) a canal of 2,700 feet in length; (3) a powerhouse containing three 
generating units, each rated at 625 kilowatts, for a total installed 
capacity of 1.875 megawatts, also the project's authorized capacity; 
(4) a reservoir with a surface area of 127 acres at normal pool 
elevation of 571.7 feet, mean sea level; (5) a 2.4/13.8 kilovolt, 
Delta-Delta, 3,570 KVA transformer; and (6) appurtenant facilities. The 
proposed project's average annual generation would be 9.8 
gigawatthours.
    The existing facilities at the Big Island Hydroelectric Project 
include: (1) a masonry and timber crib dam with a height of 15 feet, a 
total length of 657 feet, and a spillway length of 427 feet; (2) a dual 
purpose intake that also provides process water to the mill; (3) a 
concrete, steel, and brick powerhouse containing two generating units 
rated at 240 kilowatts each, for a total installed capacity of 480 
kilowatts; (4) a 110-acre reservoir at the normal pool elevation of 
604.7 feet, mean sea level; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The 
proposed project has an authorized capacity of 512 kilowatts, and would 
have an average annual generation of 1.7 gigawatthours.
    m. Locations of the application: A copy of the application is 
available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington, 
D.C. 20426, or by calling (202) 208-1371. The application may be viewed 
on the web at www.ferc.fed.us. Call (202) 208-2222 for assistance. A 
copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address 
in item h above.
    n. APEA Process and Schedule: The Energy Policy Act of 1992 gives 
the Commission the authority to allow the filing of an APEA with a 
license application, and directs the Commission to institute 
procedures, including pre-application consultations, to advise 
applicants of studies or other information foreseeable required by the 
Commission.
    On February 25, 1997, the Director, Office of Hydropower Licensing, 
waived or amended certain of the Commission's regulations to allow for 
coordinated processing of the license applications and the APEA. Since 
then, the Commission has been working cooperatively in advising the 
Collaborative Team of studies or other information foreseeable required 
by the Commission.
    Nekoosa has used a Collaborative Team approach to prepare the APEA 
for the Holcomb Rock and Big Island Projects. Consisting of members of 
federal, state, and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, and 
the public, the Collaborative Team has been meeting since February 1997 
to guide the study process and prepare the APEA, and has reached 
agreement as to the preferred alternative for relicensing these 
projects.
    National Environmental Policy Act scoping was conducted for the 
projects through scoping documents issued March 12, 1997, and April 27, 
1998, and in public scoping meetings on April 16, 1997. Draft license 
applications and a preliminary DEA were issued by the Collaborative 
Team for comment on July 24, 1998. The final license applications and 
APEA were filed with the Commission on December 29, 1998. The APEA 
includes responses to all comments received on the preliminary DEA.
    Commission staff have reviewed the APEA and license applications 
and have determined that the applications are acceptable and no 
additional information or studies are needed to prepare the 
Commission's draft EA. Item j., above provides the deadline for filing 
any final amendments to the application. Comments, final 
recommendations, terms and conditions and prescriptions are now being 
requested from interested parties.
    In view of the high level of early involvement of the Collaborative 
Team, we expect the majority of comments to reflect the agreement 
presented in the DEA. Any comments received will be addressed in the EA 
to be issued by early April 1999.
    o. With this notice, we are initiating consultation with the State 
Historic Preservation Officer as required by Sec. 106, National 
Historic Preservation Act, and the regulations of the Advsiory Council 
on Historic Preservation, 36 CFR 800.4.
    p. This notice also consists of the following standard paragraphs: 
B and D6.
    B. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene--Anyone may submit 
comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, 
.214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission 
will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who 
file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules 
may become to party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or 
motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified 
comment date for the particular application.
    D6. 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, recommendatios, 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 
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', ``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 protesting or 
intervening; 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.,

[[Page 3508]]

Washington, D.C. 20426. An additional copy must be sent to Director, 
Division of Project Review, Office of Hydropower Licensing, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commssion, at the above address. A copy of any 
protest or motion to intervene must be served upon each representative 
of the applicant specified in the particular application. A copy of all 
other filings in reference to this application must be accompanied by 
proof of service on all persons listed in 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. 99-1409 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M