[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 47 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12540-12541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5684]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2077-016]


USGen New England Inc.; Notice Extending Deadline for Filing 
Comments, Final Terms and Conditions, Recommendations and 
Prescriptions, and Requesting Reply Comments

March 3, 2000.
    On November 26, 1999, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Connecticut 
River Joint Commission, Connecticut River Watershed Council, 
Conservation Law Foundation, New Hampshire Rivers Council, Trout 
Unlimited Vermont Chapter, and Trout Unlimited New Hampshire Chapter 
(NGOs),\1\ collectively, requested an extension to June 1, 2000, for 
filing comments, final terms and conditions, and recommendations and 
prescriptions for the Fifteen Mile Falls Project, located on the 
Connecticut River, in Grafton and Coos Counties, New Hampshire, and 
Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vermont. The NGOs referenced an agreement 
between the settlement's stakeholders and USGen to complete draft 
management plans governing Fisheries, Forest and

[[Page 12541]]

Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, and Recreation by June 1, 
2000. The NGOs then requested an extension of time, until June 1, 2000, 
to file comments on the applicant-prepared environmental assessment 
(APEA), and final terms and conditions, prescriptions and 
recommendations for the new license.
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    \1\ The NGOs are also signatories to the Settlement Agreement 
for the project.
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    In response, the Commission, by notice of January 12, 2000,\2\ 
granted an extension of time, to June 1, 2000, for the filing of 
comments, final terms and conditions, prescriptions and 
recommendations, but only concerning the subject of the draft 
management plans. The deadline for filing other comments, final terms 
and conditions, prescriptions and recommendations, remained January 31, 
2000, as had been established by notice of November 22, 1999.\3\
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    \2\ 65 FR 2943 (2000).
    \3\ 64 FR 66632 (1999).
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    On January 31, 2000, the NGOs renewed the request for extension to 
June 1, 2000. The NGOs stated that the results of the studies leading 
to the management plans will bear on more than just the management 
plans, and will affect conditions identified in the settlement 
agreement. The request is supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Vermont Agency for Natural Resources, two resource 
agencies that have statutory authority to make recommendations under 
Section 10(j) of the Federal Power Act.
    The Commission is concerned with the swift progress of proceedings 
under the Alternative Licensing Process (ALP). The goal of the ALP is 
to resolve issues during pre-filing consultation in a collaborative 
manner so that the Commission may accelerate the environmental review 
process and licenses may receive speedy review of the filed license 
application. Therefore, the Commission carefully scrutinizes delays or 
time extension requests for license applications prepared under the 
ALP.
    In this instance, we recognize the close connection between the 
management plans and other aspects of the license application, and the 
benefit to the stakeholders of resolving as many issues as possible 
before they submit their prescriptions, final terms and conditions, 
recommendations and comments. We will therefore, pursuant to Rule 2008 
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure,\4\ extend the 
deadline for filing all prescriptions, final terms and conditions, 
recommendations and comments to June 1, 2000.
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    \4\ 18 CFR 385.2008.
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    The applicant contact is Mr. Cleve Kapala, USGen New England, Inc., 
46 Centerra Parkway, Lebanon, NH 03766. The FERC contact is William 
Guey-Lee, E-mail address: [email protected], or telephone 
(202) 219-2808.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First St. NE, Washington, DC 20426. The Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure require all intervenors filing documents with the 
Commission 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, the intervenor must also serve a copy of 
the document on that resource agency.
    All filing must: (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``COMMENTS,'' ``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' 
``PRESCRIPTIONS,'' or ``REPLY COMMENTS;'' (2) set forth in the heading 
the name of the applicant and the project number of the application and 
APEA 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). Any of these documents must be filed by 
providing the original and the number of copies required by the 
Commission's regulations to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426. An 
additional copy must be sent to: Director, Division of Licensing and 
Compliance, 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.


Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-5684 Filed 3-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M