[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 44537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19230]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


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

 July 22, 2003.
    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.
    b. Docket No.: DI02-3-002.
    c. Date filed: July 10, 2003.
    d. Applicant: AquaEnergy Group, Ltd.
    e. Name of Project: Makah Bay Wave Energy Pilot Project
    f. Location: The project would be located in Makah Bay, about 1.9 
nautical miles offshore of Waatch Point in Clallam County, Washington. 
The offshore portion of the project would occupy waters of the Olympic 
Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and shore-based facilities would be on 
tribal lands within the Makah Indian Reservation.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)--825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mary Jane Parks, P.O. Box 1276, Mercer 
Island, Washington 98040-1276; (626) 568-0798.
    i. FERC Contact: Nick Jayjack at (202) 502-6073; e-mail 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for Comments: 30 days from the 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 may be filed 
electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission 
strongly encourages electronic filings. 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 would include four floating buoys, tethered to 
concrete blocks located on the ocean floor; hoses for carrying 
pressurized sea water; a power conversion facility located on the sea 
floor, where the water from the hoses would be converted to electrical 
energy and from alternating current to direct current; submarine 
electrical cables running from the conversion facility to shore and 
under the beach through a conduit; and a power station housing 
equipment for connecting the power generated by the project to an 
existing 12-kilovolt distribution line. Power generated by the project, 
expected to be about 1,500 megawatt-hours annually, would be purchased 
by the Clallam County Public Utility District, and used within its 
service territory.
    l. A copy of the request to use the alternative procedures is 
available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or 
may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using 
the ``FERRIS'' link. Enter the docket number (DI02-3) in the docket 
number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-866-208-
3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for 
inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.
    You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov /
esubscribenow.htm to be notified via e-mail of new filings and 
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, 
contact FERC Online Support.
    m. AquaEnergy Group, Ltd. (AquaEnergy) 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. AquaEnergy has also demonstrated that a consensus exists that 
the use of alternative procedures is appropriate in this case. 
AquaEnergy has submitted a communications protocol that is supported by 
the stakeholders.
    The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on 
the 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. 
AquaEnergy 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.
    AquaEnergy has met with Federal and State resources agencies, the 
U.S. Coast Guard, the Makah Tribal Council, and the public regarding 
the proposed project. It is expected that AquaEnergy will file 6-month 
progress reports during the alternative procedures process leading to 
the filing of a license application.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-19230 Filed 7-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P