[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47305-47306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20252]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission, 
Soliciting Additional Study Requests, and Establishing Procedures for 
Relicensing and a Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments

August 1, 2003.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 2601-007.
    c. Date Filed: July 22, 2003.
    d. Applicant: Duke Power.
    e. Name of Project: Bryson Project.
    f. Location: On the Oconaluftee River, in Swain County, North 
Carolina. The project does not affect federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: John C. Wishon, Nantahala Area Relicensing 
Project Manager, Duke Power, 301 NP&L Loop, Franklin, NC 28734, (828) 
369-4604, energy.com">jcwishon@duke-energy.com.
    i. FERC Contact: Allan Creamer at (202) 502-8365, or 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating Agencies: We are asking federal, state, local, and 
tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect 
to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
environmental document. Agencies who would like to request cooperating 
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described in 
item l below.
    k. Pursuant to section 4.32(b)(7) of 18 CFR of the Commission's 
regulations, if any resource agency, Indian Tribe, or person believes 
that an additional scientific study should be conducted in order to 
form an adequate factual basis for a complete analysis of the 
application on its merit, the resource agency, Indian Tribe, or person 
must file a request for a study with the Commission not later than 60 
days from the date of filing of the application, and serve a copy of 
the request on the applicant.

[[Page 47306]]

    l. Deadline for Filing Additional Study Requests and Requests for 
Cooperating Agency Status: 60 days from the filing date shown in 
paragraph (c), or September 22, 2003.
    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. The Commission's Rules of 
Practice 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.
    Additional study requests may be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filing. 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. After logging into the e-Filing system, select ``Comment 
on Filing'' from the Filing Type Selection screen and continue with the 
filing process.''
    m. Status: This application is not ready for environmental analysis 
at this time.
    n. Description of Project: The existing Bryson Project operates in 
a run-of-river mode, within a 6-inch tolerance band. Project operation 
is dependent on available flow in the Oconaluftee River. The project 
consists of the following features: (1) A 341-foot-long, 36-foot-high 
concrete multiple arch dam, consisting of, from left to right facing 
downstream, (a) A concrete, non-overflow section, (b) two gravity 
spillway sections, each surmounted by a 16.5-foot-wide by 16-foot-high 
Tainter gate, (c) an uncontrolled multiple-arch spillway with four 
bays, and (d) a 64.5-foot-wide powerhouse; (2) a 1.5-mile-long, 38-acre 
impoundment at elevation 1828.41 msl; (3) two intake bays, each 
consisting of an 8.5-foot-diameter steel intake pipe with a grated 
trashrack having a clear bar spacing of between 2.25 to 2.5 inches; (4) 
a powerhouse containing two turbine/generating units (vertical Francis 
and vertical Leffel Francis turbines), having an installed capacity of 
980 kW; (5) a switchyard, with three single-phased transformers; and 
(6) appurtenant facilities.
    Duke Power estimates that the average annual generation is 
5,534,230 kWh (1942-2002). Duke Power uses the Bryson Project 
facilities to generate electricity for use by retail customers living 
in the Duke Power-Nantahala Area.
    o. A copy of the application 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, excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field (P-2601), 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 email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    p. With this notice, we are initiating consultation with the North 
Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), as required by 
Section 106, National Historic Preservation Act, and the regulations of 
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, 36 CFR 800.4.
    q. Procedural schedule and final amendments: The application will 
be processed according to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. 
Revisions to the schedule will be made if the Commission determines it 
necessary to do so:

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                Action                           Tentative date
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Issue Deficiency Letter...............  October 2003.
Issue Acceptance letter...............  December 2003.
Issue Scoping Document 1 for comments.  February 2004.
Request Additional Information........  April 2004.
Issue Scoping Document 2..............  May 2004.
Notice of application is ready for      August 2004.
 environmental analysis.
Notice of the availability of the       February 2005.
 draft EA.
Notice of the availability of the       May 2005.
 final EA.
Ready for Commission's decision on the  July 2005.
 application.
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    Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.

Linda Mitry,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-20252 Filed 8-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P