[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 139 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 42052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3880]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments

July 14, 2005.
    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.: P-7758-004.
    c. Date Filed: February 5, 2005.
    d. Applicant: Holyoke Gas & Electric Department.
    e. Name of Project: Holyoke No. 4 Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Holyoke Canal System on the Connecticut River 
in Hampden County, Massachusetts.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Paul Ducheney, Superintendent-Hydro, 
Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, One Canal Street, Holyoke, MA 01040, 
(413) 536-9340 or [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Jack Hannula, (202) 502-8917, 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for Filing Scoping Comments: August 19, 2005.
    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 intervenors 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 
intervenor 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. 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. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this 
time.
    l. The project is located on the Holyoke Canal System on the 
Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts.\1\ The Holyoke 
Canal System consists of three levels, and the project facilities are 
located between the first and second canal level. The project is one of 
nine FERC-licensed projects on the Holyoke Canal System. The Holyoke 
No. 4 Hydro Project has an installed generating capacity of 750 
kilowatts (kW), and generates about 3,148,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of 
energy annually. Flows into the Canal System are regulated by HG&E 
through operation of the Holyoke Project No. 2004 according to the 
Comprehensive Canal Operations Plan (CCOP) and the Comprehensive 
Operations and Flow Plan (COFP).\2\ The project does not occupy any 
Federal lands.
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    \1\ The Holyoke Canal System is licensed under the Holyoke 
Project No. 2004. 88 FERC ] 61,186 (1999).
    \2\ The CCOP and COEP are part of a Settlement Agreement (filed 
with the Commission on March 12, 2004) as part of the licensing of 
the Holyoke Project No. 2004. These plans address canal flows, water 
quality, fish, and other habitat species.
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    m. 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 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.
    n. 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.
    o. Scoping Process:
    The Commission staff intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment 
(EA) for the Holyoke No. 4 Hydroelectric 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.
    Commission staff does not propose to conduct any on-site scoping 
meetings at this time. Instead, we will solicit comments, 
recommendations, information, and alternatives in the Scoping Document 
(SD).
    Copies of the 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 ``FERRIS'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, call 1-866-208-3676 or for TTY, (202) 502-8659.

Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-3880 Filed 7-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P