[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 68 (Friday, April 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17351-17352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8884]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. PP-11-2]


Application To Amend Presidential Permit Fraser Papers Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Fraser Papers Inc. (Fraser) has applied to amend Presidential 
Permit PP-11-1 authorizing it to construct, connect, operate and 
maintain electric transmission facilities across the U.S. border with 
Canada.

DATES: Comments, protests, or requests to intervene must be submitted 
on or before May 10, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Power Import and Export (FE-27), 
Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0350.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Russell (Program Office) 202-
586-9624 or Michael T. Skinker (Program Attorney) 202-586-6667.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The construction, connection, operation, and 
maintenance of facilities at the international border of the United 
States

[[Page 17352]]

for the transmission of electric energy between the United States and a 
foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a Presidential permit 
issued pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 10485, as amended by EO 12038.
    On March 29, 1999, Fraser filed an application with the Office of 
Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) to amend 
Presidential Permit PP-11-1 issue by DOE on July 31, 1996. Fraser is a 
Delaware corporation and the owner and operator of a paper mill in 
Madawaska, Maine. Presidential Permit PP-11-1 authorized Fraser to 
operate and maintain one, three-phase, 6.6-kilovolt (kV) transmission 
line and one, three-phase, 69-kV transmission line at the U.S.-Canada 
border. Each of these transmission lines is approximately one mile in 
length (approximately 1/10-mile within the United States) and they 
connect Fraser's paper mill located in Madawaska, Maine, to a pulp mill 
located in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada, and owned by Fraser's 
affiliate, Fraser Papers Inc. (Canada).
    Fraser proposes to reconductor the 69-kV transmission line to allow 
for eventual operation at 138-kV. However, the reconductored facilities 
would continue to be operated at 69-kV. Fraser asserts that it will 
make no change to transmission towers located within the United States 
or in the St. John River, the United States border with Canada.
    Fraser's U.S. paper mill and its Canadian pulp mill each have on-
site electric generating facilities to produce electric energy for 
internal use. The facilities authorized by Presidential Permit PP-11-1 
are used to transmit electric energy between Fraser's U.S. and Canadian 
facilities depending upon the need and availability of electrical 
supply at each location. Fraser's international transmission facilities 
do not connect with any part of the U.S. electric power system, thereby 
precluding third party use of these transmission facilities.

Procedural Matters

    Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding or to be 
heard by filing comments or protests to this application should file a 
petition to intervene, comment or protest at the address provided above 
in accordance with 385.211 or 385.214 of the FERC's Rules of Practice 
and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each 
petition and protest should be filed with the DOE on or before the date 
listed above. Additional copies of such petitions to intervene or 
protests also should be filed directly with: John P. Borgwardt, General 
Counsel, Fraser Papers Inc., 70 Seaview Avenue, PO Box 10055, Stamford, 
CT 06904.
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, the DOE must 
determine that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the 
reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. In addition, DOE 
must consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., 
granting the Presidential permit, with any conditions and limitations, 
or denying the permit) pursuant to NEPA. DOE also must obtain the 
concurrence of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense 
before taking final action on a Presidential permit application.
    Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above. In 
addition, the application may be reviewed or downloaded from the Fossil 
Energy Home Page at: http://www.fe.doe.gov. Upon reaching the Fossil 
Energy Home page, select ``Regulatory'' and then ``Electricity'' from 
the options menu.

    Issued in Washington, D. C., on April 5, 1999.
Anthony J. Como,
Manager, Electric Power Regulation Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Office 
of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 99-8884 Filed 4-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P