[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2431-2433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1230]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Amended Application for the St. Anthony Falls Project 
and Extension of Time for Comments, Recommendations, Terms and 
Conditions, and Prescriptions

January 11, 2002.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
amended by the applicant as identified in the project description 
below. By notice dated November 11, 2001, the Commission requested 
Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions, due 
within 60 days of the notice. In order to give parties time to comment 
on the revised Application, the due date for Comments, Recommendations, 
Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions has been extended to 60 days 
from the date of this notice. Changes proposed by the Applicant include 
removal of the Lower Development from the Project, revision of proposal 
for facilities for public access and usage at the new Main Street and 
Hennepin Island Dams, a new park on Upper Hennepin Island, and a 
combination of canoe access site, shoreline fishing structure, and 
observation deck at the Lower Development. The Applicant no longer 
proposes moving the Pillsbury Substation, diverting flows for a 
waterfall in the east Bluff area, donation of Hennepin Islands or 
direct funding to the Minnesota Park and Recreation Board.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License
    b. Project No.: P-2056-016
    c. Date filed: Application filed December 21, 1998; Application 
amended October 11, 2001, and November 2, 2001.
    d. Applicant: Northern States Power Company (NSP)
    e. Name of Project: St. Anthony Falls Project
    f. Location: On the Mississippi River, near Minneapolis and St. 
Paul, Hennepin County, Minnesota. There are no federal lands within the 
project boundary.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mark H. Holmberg, P.E., Northern States Power 
Company, 414 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401; (612) 330-6568
    i. FERC Contact: Any questions on this notice should be addressed 
to Monte TerHaar, E-mail: [email protected], or telephone (202) 
219-2768.
    j. Deadline Date: March 18, 2002.
    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 also 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

[[Page 2432]]

to serve a copy of that document on each person whose name appears 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. Status of environmental analysis: This application has been 
accepted for filing and is ready for environmental analysis at this 
time. The Commission will prepare a draft and a final Environmental 
Assessment.
    l. Description of the Project: The St. Anthony Falls Project 
currently consists of two developments on the Mississippi River, the 
Upper Development and the Lower Development.

Upper Main Dam Development

    The Upper Main Dam development of the project consists of the 
Horseshoe dam spillway, main spillway, roll dams, Hennepin Island 
earthen dam, two abandoned wasteways, the Hennepin Island hydro 
entrance canal and powerhouse, the Main Street/Hennepin Island dam, and 
the Main Street plant. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) Upper St. 
Anthony Lock is on the right (south) bank of the river adjacent to the 
Upper Dam development. The headrace canal for the Crown Mill 
Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 11175) is being developed just upstream 
of the lock.
    NSP has completed construction of a replacement, multiple-circular-
cell sheetpile dam to replace the existing Main Street/GE Dam and 
adjacent intake structure. A similar cellular dam structure has been 
constructed at the Wasteway No. 2 Intake Gates.

Lower Development

    The Lower Development consists of an upstream closure dam, a 
downstream closure dam, and left retaining wall which encompass 
approximately 3.53 acres of land owned by NSP. There are currently no 
hydropower facilities at the Lower Development. In November of 1987, 
the St. Anthony Falls Lower Dam Hydro Plant experienced an undermining 
failure. On August 19, 1988, the Commission issued an order authorizing 
complete demolition and removal of the lower facility. Demolition of 
the powerhouse was completed by the end of 1988. As of August 2001, all 
necessary remedial work necessary to ensure dam safety at the Lower 
Development has been completed to the Commission's satisfaction. In 
their application, and by a letter dated November 2, 2001, NSP has 
proposed to remove the lower development from the project.
    NSP had proposed a number of recreational enhancements in its 
original application for license in 1998. These enhancement measures 
were developed in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Natural 
Resources, Minnesota Parks and Recreation Board, the City of 
Minneapolis, and the Mississippi Whitewater Development Corporation. 
However, NSP states that the consultative process has broken down 
without an agreement and hence, the NSP has revised its recreational/
aesthetic mitigation and enhancement proposal as described below:
(1) Mitigation Measures at the Upper Development
     A straight-line cantilever along the face of the new dams 
providing an overhang to partially shade or cover the facade of the 
dam;
     Smooth, broom-swept concrete surface covering for the 
upstream edge (bridged sections) of the dam excluding the bicycle path;
     Surface covering of dam (excluding concrete slabs and 
bicycle path) with finely crushed limestone aggregate of compatible 
color with the concrete slabs;
     Earth fill between the steel sheet pile cells and the old 
(Main Street) powerhouse limited to reach but not cover the brick of 
the historic powerhouse; and
     Surface covering for the swale upstream of the powerhouse 
with finely crushed limestone aggregate of compatible color with the 
concrete slabs; planting swale areas upstream of the old GE Dam and 
between the new Hennepin Island Dam and the old wasteway headworks with 
native vegetation.
    NSP has completed the last two items and expects to complete the 
others shortly.
(2) Other Measures at the Upper Development
     An eight-foot bicycle path of bituminous composition on 
the powerhouse side of the concrete slabs along the upstream face of 
the dam;
     A switchback ramp between the old powerhouse and the Main 
Street to provide bicycle/barrier-free access to the new dam; steps 
leading straight down the river bank on to the new dam from Main 
Street;
     Observation areas and benches at four locations on the 
dams;
     An overlook area on the new dam for interpretive displays;
     An interpretive sign for the Main Street Substation at the 
trashrack observation area;
     Railings, lights, and interpretive signs to generally 
match those on the Stone Arch Bridge.
     A pedestrian bridge linking the Main Street Dam to 
Hennepin Island; and
     New walkways, interpretive nodes, visual overlooks, 
information shelter, natural areas, landscaping, and other improvements 
on upper Hennepin Island.
(3) Mitigation Measures at the Lower Development
    NSP proposes to provide new facilities for canoe access, shoreline 
fishing, and public observation at the restored Lower Dam site.
(4) Changes in NSP's Proposed Mitigation Measures
    NSP does not propose to move the Pillsbury Substation or diverting 
water to re-create a waterfall in the East Bluff area from its current 
location. NSP's revised recreation mitigation plan does not include any 
funding to the Minnesota Park and Recreation Board for operation and 
maintenance of the East Bank Park Development, nor donation of Hennepin 
Island lands to the Minnesota Park and Recreation Board. Instead, NSP 
proposes to independently develop, operate, and maintain park 
facilities on the upper part of Hennepin Island and the former Lower 
Dam site.
    Details of the enhancement and mitigation measures were filed with 
the Commission on October 11, 2001 and are available electronically for 
review at the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov). Copies may also be 
requested directly from NSP. The Commission will discuss this 
alternative in its Environmental Assessment.
    m. Locations of the application: 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). A copy is also available for inspection 
and reproduction at the address in item ``h'' above.
    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

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Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56 FR 23108, May 20, 1991) that all 
comments, recommendations, 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 
``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 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. 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, NE., Washington, DC 20426. An 
additional copy must be sent to Director, Division of Environmental and 
Engineering Review, Office of Energy Projects, 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.

C.B. Spencer,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-1230 Filed 1-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P