[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 30906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11406]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


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

May 2, 2002.
    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 new license application.
    b. Project No.: 2545.
    c. Date filed: April 24, 2002.
    d. Applicant: Avista Corporation.
    e. Name of Project: Spokane River Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Spokane River, in Spokane, Stevens, and Lincoln 
Counties, Washington and Kootenai and Benewah Counties, Idaho. The 
project occupies federal lands of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management 
and tribal lands of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC Secs. 791(a)--
825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Bruce Howard, Spokane River License Manager, 
Avista Corporation, 1411 East Mission, P.O. Box 3727, MSC-1, Spokane, 
Washington 99220, (509) 495-2941, or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Nan Allen at (202) 219-2938, or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for Comments: June 2, 2002.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    Comments 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 (http://www.ferc.gov) under the ``e-Filing'' 
link.
    k. The project consists of five developments and appurtenant 
facilities. The Post Falls development consists of the 48,000-acre 
Coeur d'Alene Lake with a useable storage capacity of 223,100 acre-
feet; a 431-foot-long and 31-foot-high spillway dam across the north 
channel, a 127-foot-long and 25-foot-high spillway dam across the south 
channel, and a 215-foot-long and 64-foot-high dam across the middle 
channel and forming the east wall of the powerhouse; six 56-foot-long 
penstocks; and a powerhouse with an installed capacity of 15 megawatts 
(MW).
    The Upper Falls development consists of a 366-foot-long, 39-foot-
high dam at 1,871 feet elevation; an 800-acre-foot reservoir; a channel 
leading to an intake structure; a 350-foot-long penstock, and a 
powerhouse with an installed capacity of 10 MW.
    The Monroe Street development consists of a 240-foot-long, 24-foot-
high dam with crest elevation of 1,806 feet; a 30-acre-foot reservoir; 
a 435-foot-long penstock; and an underground powerhouse with an 
installed capacity of 14.82 MW.
    The Nine Mile development consists of a 464-foot-long, 58-foot-high 
dam with a crest elevation of 1596.6 feet without flashboards and 
1606.6 feet with flashboards; a reservoir with 4,600 acre-feet of 
storage capacity; and a powerhouse with an installed capacity of 26 MW.
    The Long Lake development consists of a 593-foot-long, 247-foot-
high dam; a 108,080-acre-foot reservoir with a normal pool elevation of 
1,536 feet; four 216-foot-long penstocks, and a powerhouse with an 
installed capacity of 71 MW.
    l. A copy of the request to use alternative procedures is on file 
with the Commission and is 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 h above.
    m. Avista Corporation has met with federal and state resources 
agencies, NGOs, elected officials, flood control and downstream 
interests, environmental groups, business and economic development 
organizations, recreation groups, and members of the public regarding 
the Spokane River Project and believes that a consensus exists that the 
use of alternative procedures is appropriate in this case. Avista 
Corporation intends to file 6-month progress reports during the 
alternative procedures process that leads to the filing of a license 
application by July 31, 2005. Avista Corporation 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. Avista Corporation has submitted a communications protocol 
that is supported by the stakeholders.
    The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on 
Avista Corporation's request to use the alternative procedures, 
pursuant to Section 4.34(i) of the 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. Avista Corporation 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 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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-11406 Filed 5-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P