[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 76794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7939]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2660-016-Maine]


Domtar Maine Corporation; Notice Soliciting Applications

December 21, 2005.
    On August 21, 1995, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, the licensee for 
the Forest City Project No. 2660, filed a notice of intent to file an 
application for a new license, pursuant to section 15(b)(1) of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA).\1\ The original license was issued August 27, 
1980, became effective April 1, 1962, and expired August 31, 2000. The 
project is currently operating under an annual license.\2\ The project 
is a storage reservoir located on the east branch of the St. Croix 
River in Washington County, Maine, along the United States-Canadian 
border.
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    \1\ The project was transferred to Domtar Maine Corporation 
(Domtar) on October 26, 2001. 97 FERC ] 62,078.
    \2\ Notice authorizing continued project operation was issued 
November 21, 2000.
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    The Forest City Project consists of a 16-foot-high, 500-foot-long 
dam and a 16,070-acre reservoir. There are no generating facilities at 
the project. Water is discharged from the Forest City Dam and enters 
Spednick Lake, which is regulated by the licensed Vanceboro Project No. 
2492.\3\ The water then flows to Domtar's unlicensed Grand Falls 
Project, located 35 miles downstream from the Forest City Project, and 
thence an additional 12 miles to the unlicensed Woodland generating 
project. The Grand Falls and Woodland Projects, both of which generate 
electricity, have been found not to require licensing, because they 
were authorized by a 1916 Act of Congress that predated the 1920 
enactment of what is now part I of the FPA.\4\
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    \3\ The Vanceboro Project is a storage project with no 
generating facilities.
    \4\ 39 Stat. 534. 45 FERC ] 62,070 and 45 FERC ] 62,071.
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    Pursuant to section 16.9 of the Commission's regulations, the 
deadline for filing an application for new license and any competing 
license application was August 31, 1998. No application for license for 
this project was filed. Normally, pursuant to section 16.25 of the 
Commission's regulations, the Commission would solicit applications 
from potential applicants other than the existing licensee. However, 
the Commission's Order On Rehearing, On Clarification, and Lifting 
Stay,\5\ concludes that it would be in the public interest to allow 
Domtar the opportunity to file an application for new license for this 
project and confirms that the incumbent preference will apply in any 
licensing proceedings that ensue. In the rehearing order, the 
Commission waived those parts of 18 CFR 16.24(a)(2) and 16.25(a) that 
would otherwise bar Domtar from filing an application in response to 
this notice.
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    \5\ 99 FERC ] 61,276.
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    The licensee is required to make available certain information 
described in section 16.7 of the Commission's regulations. Such 
information is available from the licensee at Domtar Industries, Inc., 
Woodland Mill, 144 Main Street, Baileyville, Maine 04694.
    A potential applicant that files a notice of intent and pre-
application document within 90 days from the date of issuance of this 
notice: (1) May apply for a license under part I of the FPA and part 4 
(except section 4.38) of the Commission's regulations within 36 months 
of the date on which it files its notice; \6\ and (2) must comply with 
the requirements of section 16.8 of the Commission's regulations.
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    \6\ The Commission's regulation requires license applications to 
be filed within 18 months of the date a license applicant files its 
notice of intent. However, because the Commission's Integrated 
Licensing Process calls for a three year pre-application process, 
section 16.25(b)(1) is extended for this project.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E5-7939 Filed 12-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P