[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5697-5698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1911]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 12607-001]


The Town of Massena Electric Department; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement 
of Licensing Proceeding, Scoping Meetings, Solicitation of Comments on 
the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and 
Associated Study Requests

January 30, 2007.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
an Original License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 12607-001.
    c. Date Filed: December 8, 2006.
    d. Submitted By: The Town of Massena Electric Department (Massena 
Electric).
    e. Name of Project: Massena Grasse River Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Grasse River, in St. Lawrence County, New York. 
The project does not occupy any Federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Andrew J. McMahon, P.E., Superintendent, 
The Town of Massena Electric Department, 71 East Hatfield St., Massena, 
NY 13662, (315) 764-0253, [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Michael Watts, (202) 502-6123, 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. Cooperating agencies should note the Commission's policy that 
agencies that cooperate in the preparation of the environmental 
document cannot also intervene. See, 94 FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
    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. With this notice, we are designating Massena Electric 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. Massena Electric 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. The Commission 
issued Scoping Document 1 (SD1) on January 30, 2007.
    n. A copy of the PAD and 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, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. Copies are 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 and from 
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 (Massena Grasse River Hydroelectric Project) and number (P-12607-
001), 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

[[Page 5698]]

requesting cooperating status must do so by April 7, 2007.
    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 
``efiling'' link.
    p. Although our current intent is to prepare an environmental 
assessment (EA), 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

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project 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:
    Evening Scoping Meeting:
    Date: Thursday, March 1, 2007.
    Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    Location: Quality Inn/Massena, 10 Orvis Street, Massena, NY 13662.
    Daytime Scoping Meeting:
    Date: Friday, March 2, 2007.
    Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    Location: Quality Inn/Massena, 10 Orvis Street, Massena, NY 13662.
    For Directions: please call Ms. Shirley Williamson at (617) 960-
4995, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the 
environmental document, was 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 may or may not be issued. SD2 may 
include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of 
issues, identified through the scoping process.

Site Visit

    Massena Electric and commission staff will conduct a site visit of 
the proposed project site on March 1, 2007, starting at 9 a.m. All 
participants interested in seeing the proposed project site should meet 
in the parking lot of the Massena Town Hall building, located at 60 
Main Street, Massena, New York. All participants attending the site 
visit should be prepared to provide their own transportation. Anyone 
with questions about the site visit (or for directions) should contact 
Shirley Williamson at 617-960-4995 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Present a 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 PAD in preparation for the scoping 
meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are 
included in item n of this document.

Scoping Meeting Procedures

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

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-1911 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P