[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3015-3017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-185]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2244-012]


Energy Northwest; Notice of Intent To File License Application, 
Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement of Licensing 
Proceeding, Scoping Meetings and Study Request Workshop, Solicitation 
of Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of 
Issues and Associated Study Requests

January 12, 2005.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of intent to file license application for 
a new license and pre-application document; commencing licensing 
proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2244-012.
    c. Dated Filed: November 12, 2004.
    d. Submitted by: Energy Northwest.
    e. Name of Project: Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project is located on Lake 
Creek and the Cowlitz River in Lewis County, Washington. The project 
occupies 503.25 acres of United States lands under the jurisdiction of 
the U.S. Forest Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Laura Schinnell, Licensing Project 
Manager, Mail Drop 1030, Energy Northwest, P.O. Box 968, Richland, WA, 
99352, (509) 372-5123.

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    i. FERC Contact: Kenneth Hogan (202) 502-8434 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    j. 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 paragraph o 
below.
    k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with: 
(a) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency 
regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402 and (b) the State Historic 
Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National Historical 
Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    l. On March 10, 2004 and November 16, 2004, respectively, we 
designated Energy Northwest as the Commission's non-federal 
representative for carrying out informal consultation, pursuant to 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    m. Energy Northwest filed a Pre-Application Document (PAD); 
including a proposed process plan and schedule with the Commission, 
pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    n. Copies of the PAD and Scoping Document 1 (SD1) are available for 
review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed 
on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov), using the 
``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number, 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 1-866-208-3676, of for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is 
also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in 
paragraph h.
    Register online at http://ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm to be notified 
via e-mail of new filing and issuances related to this or other pending 
projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and SD1 
as well as study requests. All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study 
requests should be sent to the address above in paragraph h. In 
addition, all comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for 
cooperating agency status, and all communications to Commission staff 
related to the merits of the potential application (original and eight 
copies) must be filed with the Commission at the following address: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. All filings with the 
Commission must include on the first page, the project name (Packwood 
Lake Hydroelectric Project) and number (P-2244-012), and bear the 
heading ``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,'' 
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency 
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any 
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, 
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating 
status must do so by March 12, 2005.
    Comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for 
cooperating agency status, and other permissible forms of 
communications with the Commission 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.
    p. At this time, Commission staff intends to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the project, in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act. However, there is the possibility 
that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be required. 
Nevertheless, this meeting will satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, 
irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is issued by the Commission.

Scoping Meetings

    We will hold two scoping meetings at the times and places noted 
below. The daytime meeting will focus on resource agency, Indian 
tribes, and non-governmental organization concerns, while the evening 
meeting is primarily for receiving input from the public. We invite all 
interested individuals, organizations, and agencies to attend one or 
both of the meetings, and to assist staff in identifying particular 
study needs, as well as the scope of environmental issues to be 
addressed in the environmental document. The times and locations of 
these meetings are as follows:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date and Time: Thursday, February 3, 2005, 1 p.m. (PST).
    Location: Packwood Lake Community Center, 12935 U.S. Highway 12, 
Packwood, Washington.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date and Time: Thursday, February 3, 2005, 7 p.m. (PST).
    Location: Packwood Lake Community Center, 12935 U.S. Highway 12, 
Packwood, Washington.
    For Directions: Please call Laura Schinnell at (509) 372-5123.
    Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, has been mailed to the 
individuals and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of 
SD1 will be available at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the 
Web at http://www.ferc.gov, using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the 
directions for accessing information in paragraph n. Depending on the 
extent of comments received, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may or may not 
be issued.

Site Visit

    A site visit is typically held in conjunction with the scoping 
meeting. However, anticipating that access to some project facilities 
would be limited by winter weather, Energy Northwest hosted a project 
site visit in August 2004. The site visit was noticed by the Commission 
on July 13, 2004 and attended by Commission staff on August 27, 2004. 
For these reasons, the Commission will not host its own site visit in 
conjunction with its NEPA scoping meeting.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Present the proposed list 
of issues to be addressed in the EA; (2) review and discuss existing 
conditions and resource agency management objectives; (3) review and 
discuss existing information and identify preliminary information and 
study needs; (4) review and discuss the process plan and schedule for 
pre-filing activity that incorporates the time frames provided for in 
part 5 of the Commission's regulations and, to the extent possible, 
maximizes coordination of federal, state, and tribal permitting and 
certification processes; and (5) discuss requests by any federal or 
state agency or Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for 
development of an environmental document.
    Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues 
and/or concerns. Please review the Pre-Application Document in 
preparation for the scoping meetings. Directions on how to obtain a 
copy of the PAD and

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SD1 are included in item n. of this document.

Scoping Meeting Procedures

    The scoping meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will 
become part of the formal Commission record on the project.

Study Request and Process Plan Workshop

    To assist parties in the development of their study requests 
(pertaining to format and the study criteria outlined in the 
Commission's regulation 18 CFR 5.8), and further development of the 
project's Process Plan we will be hosting a workshop on February 2, 
2005, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Sawyer Hall at 510 
Desmond Drive SE., Lacey, Washington. The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. 
(PST). For directions, please contact Laura Schinnell at (509) 372-
5123.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-185 Filed 1-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P