[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 60 (Monday, March 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 16245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-698]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2232-457]


Duke Power Company; Notice of Availability of Environmental 
Assessment

March 23, 2004.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
as amended, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) 
regulations (18 CFR Part 380), Commission staff have prepared an 
environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes the environmental impacts 
of allowing Duke Power Company, licensee for the Catawba-Wateree 
Hydroelectric Project, to grant an updated Water Withdrawal Easement to 
the City of Mount Holly, North Carolina for project property within 
Mountain Island Lake that will supercede an existing easement. The 
updated easement will allow Mount Holly to install and maintain new 
intake screens on existing water intake pipes at its Raw Water Intake 
Pumping Station at Mountain Island Lake, and allow Mount Holly to 
increase water withdrawals from the currently-permitted rate of 3.0 
million gallons per day (MGD) to a maximum of 13.5 MGD. Increases in 
water withdrawal would occur incrementally over time. The EA contains 
staff's analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the proposal 
and concludes that approval of the Proposed Action would not constitute 
a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment.
    A copy of the EA is attached to a Commission order titled ``Order 
Approving Non-Project Use of Project Lands and Waters,'' which was 
issued March 23, 2004, and is available for review and reproduction at 
the Commission's Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, 
NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426. The EA may also be viewed on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``elibrary'' 
link. Enter the docket number (prefaced by P-) and excluding the last 
three digits, in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] 
or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-698 Filed 3-26-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P