[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 240 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64414-64415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30805]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Applications Acceptance for Filing, Soliciting Motions 
To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and 
Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and 
Prescriptions

December 7, 2001.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been 
filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Applications: Three new major licenses.
    b. Project Nos.: 1982-017, 2567-009, and 2670-014.
    c. Date Filed: June 21, 1996, June 22, 1998, and August 24, 1998, 
respectively.
    d. Applicant: Northern States Power Company (NSP).
    e. Names of Projects: Holcombe, Wissota, and Dells.
    f. Location: On the Chippewa River in Chippewa, Rusk, and Eau 
Claire Counties, Wisconsin. The Holcombe and Wissota projects do not 
utilize any federal lands, but the Dells Project utilizes 6.6 acres of 
federal lands, administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM).
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Lloyd Everhart, Northern States Power 
Company, 100 North Barstow Street, P.O. Box 8, Eau Claire, WI 54702-
0008, 715-839-2692.
    i. FERC Contact: Mark Pawlowski; [email protected], 202-
219-2795.
    j. Deadline for Filing Comments, Motions to Intervene, 
Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions: 60 days from 
the issuance date of this notice.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
Linwood A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comments, 
protests and interventions 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 under the ``e-Filing'' link.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
interveners filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of 
that document 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, the intervener also must serve a copy of 
the document on that resource agency.
    k. Status of Environmental Analysis: These applications have been 
accepted for filing and are ready for environmental analysis at this 
time.
    l. Description of the Projects (from upstream to downstream):
    The Holcombe Project consists of: (1) Four earthen embankments that 
include: The 700-foot-long North Dike and 200-foot-long South Dike, 
which are part of the Holcombe Dam; and the 4,600-foot-long Holcombe 
Dike and 1,900-foot-long Callahan Dike, which serve as flood control 
measures and are normally ``dry'' under normal operations; (2) an 
impoundment with a maximum surface area of 4,300 acres, a normal water 
surface elevation of 1045.0 feet NGVD, 46,000 acre-feet of gross 
storage, and 4,300 acre-feet of usable storage under normal operations; 
(3) a powerhouse containing 6 vertical propeller-type turbine-
generating units with a total installed capacity of 33,000 kW; (4) a 
462-foot-long reinforced and mass concrete spillway equipped with 13, 
30-foot-wide steel tainter gates; (5) an outdoor substation that 
directly connects to the NSP systemwide transmission network; and (6) 
appurtenant facilities. The average annual energy production is 
94,021,000 kWh.
    The Wissota Project consists of: (1) Six earthen embankments 
totaling about 7,300 feet long, and a 165-foot-long gravity dam; (2) a 
904-foot-long concrete overflow spillway with 13 Stauwerke flap gates, 
each 64 feet wide by 10.5 feet high; (3) a 6,212-acre reservoir with a 
normal surface elevation of 897.1 feet NGVD, and a gross storage 
capacity of 162,971 acre-feet; (4) a powerhouse containing 6 vertical 
Francis turbine-generator units for a total installed capacity of 
36,000 kW; (4) an outdoor substation that directly connects to the NSP 
systemwide transmission network; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The 
average annual energy generation is 149,392,471 kWh.
    The Dells Project consists of: (1) A 396-foot-long concrete gated 
spillway dam with 13 Tainter gates; (2) an impoundment with a maximum 
surface area of 1,183 acres, a normal water surface elevation of 794.4 
feet NGVD, 11,158 acre-feet of gross storage, and 2,000 acre-feet of 
usable storage under normal operations; (3) powerhouse A containing 5 
turbine-generator units with a total installed capacity of 8,400 kW; 
(3) powerhouse B containing 2 turbine-generators with a total installed 
capacity of 1,100 kW; (4) a 1,884-foot-

[[Page 64415]]

long transmission line; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The average 
annual energy production is 48,029,165 kWh.
    The three Chippewa River projects are operated in close 
coordination with other Chippewa River hydroelectric projects owned by 
NSP, primarily in a peaking mode, where the projects are operated fully 
during the day, and shut down at night for reservoir refill. The three 
project reservoirs typically operate within a 1 to 2-foot drawdown 
range. NSP dispatch centers in Minneapolis and Eau Claire coordinate 
operations, depending on system electrical demand, availability of 
water (river flow), and costs of energy over the next 24 hours. 
Hydropower operations are planned one day in advance, with the 
objective to produce as much energy as possible during the peak 
electrical demand periods of the day.
    As a result of negotiations among NSP, state and federal resource 
agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Lower Chippewa 
River Settlement Agreement (LCRSA) was filed with the Commission on 
February 1, 2001.\1\ This agreement, which represents the resolution of 
all major issues related to the relicensing of the three Chippewa River 
projects, includes operational and other measures for protection and 
enhancement of environmental resources at the three projects proposed 
for relicensing, as well as at three other Chippewa River hydroelectric 
projects. These other projects include: The Cornell Project (FERC No. 
2639-009), Jim Falls Project (FERC No. 2491-025, and Chippewa Falls 
Project (FERC No. 2440-040). Applications for amendment of license to 
implement the proposed operational changes at these projects were filed 
on February 1, 2001.\2\ Our environmental analysis will include an 
assessment of the proposed environmental protection and enhancement 
measures at all six Chippewa River projects.
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    \1\ This filing was noticed by the Commission on February 14, 
2001.
    \2\ These filings were also noticed by the Commission on 
February 14, 2001.
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    m. Locations of the Applications: Copies of each of the three 
applications are available for inspection and reproduction at the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE., 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20246, or by calling (202) 208-1371. Copies of 
this filing are on file with the Commission and are available for 
public inspection. This filing may also be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket#'' and follow the 
instructions (call 202-208-2222 for assistance). Copies also are 
available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h, 
above.
    n. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: 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 
applications 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. Comments, 
protests and interventions 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 under the ``e-Filing'' link.
    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(s) 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. 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. 01-30805 Filed 12-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P