[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 211 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64943-64944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27851]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Request To Use Alternative Procedures in Preparing a 
Licenses Application

October 25, 2000.
    Take notice that the following request to use alternative 
procedures to prepare a license application has been filed with the 
Commission.
    a. Type of Application: Request to use alternative procedures to 
prepare a license application has been filed with the Commission.
    b. Project Nos.: P-2146, P-2146, P-82, P-618, and P-2165.
    c. Date filed: September 22, 2000.
    d. Applicant: Alabama Power Company.
    e. Name of Projects: Coosa River Project, Mitchell Project, Jordan 
Project, and Warrior River Projects, collectively called the Coosa-
Warrior Projects.
    f. Location: On the Coosa and Warrior Rivers, in Cherokee, Etowah, 
Calhoun, St. Clair, Talladega, Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, Elmore, Walker, 
Winston, Cullman, and Tuscaloosa Counties, Alabama and Floyd County, 
Georgia. The Warrior River Project occupies federal lands within the 
Bankhead National Forest.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contacts: Jim Crew, Relicensing Project Manager, 
Alabama Power Company, 600 North 18th Street, Birmingham, AL 35291, 
(205) 257-4265 or Barry Lovett Project Manager, Alabama Power Company, 
600 North 18th Street, Birmingham, AL35291, (205) 257-1268.
    i. FERC Contact: Ronald McKitrick at (770) 452-3778; e-mail 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for Comments: 30 days from the date of this notice. 
Project No. 2146, et al.
    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. Beginning November 1, 2000, 
comments and protests may be filed electronically via the internet in 
lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on 
the Commission's web site at http;//www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
interveners filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of 
that document on each person on the official service list for the 
project. Further, if an intervener 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. The existing Coosa River Project consists of five developments 
(Weiss, Neely Henry, Logan Martin, Lay, Bouldin) with a total rated 
capacity of 705.78 MW, Lay and Bouldin operate principally as run-of-
river the other three as peaking projects. The Mitchell Project has a 
rated capacity of 170 MW and operates run-of-river. The Jordan Project 
has a rated capacity of 100 MW and operates principally as run-of-
river. The Jordan Project has a rated capacity of 100 MW and operates 
principally as run-of-river. The Warrior River Projects consists of two 
developments (Lewis Smith and Bankhead) with a total rated capacity of 
210 MW, Lewis Smith is a peaking project and Bankhead operates 
principally as run-of-river.
    l. Alabama Power Company (APC) has demonstrated that it has made an 
effort to contact all federal and state resources agencies, non-
governmental organizations (NGO), and others affected by the project. 
APC has also demonstrated that a consensus exists that the use of 
alternative procedures is appropriate in this case. APC has submitted a 
communications protocol that is supported by the stakeholders.
    The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on 
Alabama Power Company's request to use the alternative procedures, 
pursuant to Section 4.34(i) of Commission's regulations. Additional 
notices seeking comments on the specific project proposal, 
interventions and protests, and recommended terms and conditions will 
be issued at a later date. APC will complete and file a preliminary 
Environmental Assessment, in lieu of Exhibit E of the license 
application. This differs from the traditional process, in which an 
applicant consults with agencies, Indian tribes, NGOs, and other 
parties during preparation of the license application and before filing 
the application, but the Commission staff

[[Page 64944]]

performs the environmental review after the application is filed. The 
alternative procedures are intended to simplify and expedite the 
licensing process by combining the pre-filing consultation and 
environmental review processes into a single process, to facilitate 
greater participation, and to improve communication and cooperation 
among the participants.
    Alabama Power Company has met within federal and state resources 
agencies, NGOs, elected officials, environmental groups, business and 
economic development organizations, and members of the public regarding 
the Coosa-Warrior projects. APC intends to file 6-month progress 
reports during the alternative procedures process that leads to the 
filing of a license application by July, 2005.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-27851 Filed 10-30-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M