[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43103-43104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16114]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and 
Notice of Paper Scoping and Soliciting Scoping Comments

June 20, 2002.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 5334-019.
    c. Date filed: October 2, 2001.
    d. Applicant: Charter Township of Ypsilanti.
    e. Name of Project: Ford Lake Hydroelectric Station.
    f. Location: On the Huron River, Washtenaw County, within the 
township of Ypsilanti, MI. The project does not affect Federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC Secs. 791(a)-
825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Joann Brinker, Administrative Services/
Human Resources Director, Charter Township of Ypsilanti, 7200 South 
Huron River Drive, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, (734) 484-0065.
    i. FERC Contact: Monte TerHaar, (202) 219-2768 or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: 30 days from issuance date 
of this notice.
    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, 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 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.
    Scoping 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.

[[Page 43104]]

    k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this 
time.
    l. The existing Ford Lake Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) A 
1,050 acre reservoir; (2) a 110-foot-long earth embankment dam; (3) a 
46.5-foot powerhouse with 2 hydroelectric turbines; (4) a 172-foot-long 
spillway with six bays, each with a 6-foot by 8-foot sluice gate; (5) a 
380-foot-long earth embankment; (6) a 175-foot-long emergency spillway; 
(7) two vertical shaft turbine/generator units with an installed 
capacity of 1,920 kilowatts at normal pool elevation; and (8) 
appurtenant facilities. The project operates run-of-river with a normal 
reservoir elevation maintained between 684.4 and 684.9 feet M.S.L. 
Average annual generation between 1995 and 2000 has been 8,664 
megawatthours. Generated power is sold to Detroit Power. No new 
facilities are proposed.
    m. A copy of the application 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 
item g above.
    n. Scoping Process--Scoping is intended to advise all parties 
regarding the proposed scope of the EA and to seek additional 
information pertinent to this analysis. The Commission intends to 
prepare one Environmental Assessment (EA) on the project in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both 
site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable 
alternatives to the proposed action. Should substantive comments 
requiring reanalysis be received on the NEPA document, we would 
consider preparing a subsequent NEPA document.
    At this time, the Commission staff does not anticipate holding 
formal public or agency scoping meetings near the project site. 
Instead, staff will conduct paper scoping.
    A Scoping Document (SD) outlining the subject areas to be addressed 
in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing 
list. Copies of the SD may 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).
    As part of scoping the staff will: (1) Summarize the environmental 
issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from 
comments all available information, especially quantifiable data, on 
the resources at issue; (3) encourage comments from experts and the 
public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA, including 
viewpoints in opposition to, or in support of, the staff's preliminary 
views; (4) determine the resource issues to be addressed in the EA; and 
(5) identify those issues that require a detailed analysis, as well as 
those issues that do not require a detailed analysis. Consequently, 
interested entities are requested to file with the Commission any data 
and information concerning environmental resources and land uses in the 
project area and the subject project's impacts to the aforementioned.
    o. The preliminary schedule for preparing the subject EA is as 
follows:

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Conduct Paper Scoping..................  June/
                                         July 2002.
Additional Information (if needed).....  Aug. 2002.
Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental  Oct. 2002.
 Analysis.
Deadline for Filing Agency               Dec. 2002.
 Recommendations.
Issue Notice of availability of EA.....  May 2003.
Public Comments on EA Due..............  July 2003.
Ready for Commission decision on the     Sept. 2003.
 application.
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Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-16114 Filed 6-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P