[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 34338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9294]



[[Page 34338]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2485-033, Massachusetts]


Northeast Generation Company; Notice of Availability of 
Environmental Assessment

June 7, 2006.
    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 reviewed the 
application, filed May 12, 2006, by the project licensee, Northeast 
Generation Company, for a temporary amendment of license for the 
Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project. The request is for a 
deviation from required project operating limits to allow additional 
operating flexibility this summer. The project is located on the east 
side of the Connecticut River, in the towns of Northfield and Erving, 
in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
    The proposal would modify the upper reservoir's water surface 
elevation limits from 938 and 1000.5 feet mean sea level (msl), to 920 
and 1004.5 feet msl, respectively, and allow a maximum daily generation 
of 10,465 megawatt hours (MWh) under certain ISO-NE emergency operating 
conditions from June 3, 2006, through September 30, 2006. At all other 
times, the upper reservoir would be operated within existing limits, 
and generation would be within the existing maximum limit of 8,475 MWh. 
The project uses the reservoir at the Turners Falls Project (FERC No. 
1889) on the Connecticut River as its lower reservoir, and proposes no 
changes in its operating elevations.
    In the environmental assessment (EA), Commission staff has analyzed 
the probable environmental effects of the proposed amendment and has 
concluded that approval, with the addition of staff-recommended 
measures, would not constitute a major Federal action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment.
    A copy of the EA is attached to the Commission order titled ``Order 
Granting Temporary Amendment of License,'' issued June 7, 2006, and is 
available at the Commission's Public Reference Room. A copy of 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 (P-2485) in the 
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call (202) 
502-8222, or (202) 502-8659 (for TTY).

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-9294 Filed 6-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P