[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 95 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27808-27809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9461]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2615-035]


Madison Paper Industries, FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, Merimil 
Limited Partnership, and Brassua Hydroelectric Limited Partnership; 
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

May 10, 2007.
    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.: 2615-035.
    c. Dated Filed: March 29, 2007.
    d. Submitted By: Madison Paper Industries, FPL Energy Maine Hydro 
LLC, Merimil Limited Partnership, and Brassua Hydroelectric Limited 
Partnership (current co-licensee Brassua Hydroelectric Limited 
Partnership will no longer be a licensee after the termination of the 
existing license on March 31, 2012, in accordance with an indenture of 
lease dated October 15, 1989).
    e. Name of Project: Brassua Project.
    f. Location: On the northern Moose River in Sumerset, County, 
Maine. The project does not occupy any federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR Part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Mr. Frank Dunlap, Senior 
Environmental Specialist, FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, 160 Capital 
Street, Augusta, ME 04330, (207) 623-8417 or e-mail at [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: John Costello (202) 502-6119 or 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. With this notice, we are designating FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, 
Madison Paper Industries, and Merimil Limited Partnership 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. FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, Madison Paper Industries, and 
Merimil Limited Partnership 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 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. 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 
Scoping Document as well as study requests. All comments on the PAD and 
Scoping Document, and study requests should be sent to the address 
above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD and Scoping 
Document, 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: Kimberly D. Bose, 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 (Brassua Project) and number (P-2615-
035), 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 Scoping Document, and any agency 
requesting cooperating status must do so by July 27, 2007.
    Comments on the PAD and Scoping Document, 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 a single 
Environmental Assessment for the project, in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act.

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, June 28, 2007, 12 to 3 p.m. (EST).
    Location: Holiday Inn, York Room, 110 Community Drive, Augusta, 
Maine 04330.
    For Directions: Call Holiday Inn at (207) 622-4751.
Evening Scoping Meeting
    Date and Time: Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 7 to 10 p.m. (EST).
    Location: The Community House, 6 Lakeville Street, Greenville, 
Maine 04441.
    For Directions: Please call the Moosehead Historical Society at 
(207) 695-2909.
    Scoping Document, 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 the Scoping 
Document will be available at the scoping meetings, or

[[Page 27809]]

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.

Site Visit

    FPL will conduct a tour of the project on Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 
starting at 9 a.m. All participants interested in attending should meet 
at the project's dam located on Route 15. All participants attending 
the site visit should be prepared to provide their own transportation 
and lunch. Anyone in need of directions to the dam should contact Mr. 
Frank Dunlap of FPL at (207) 623-8417. Those individuals planning to 
participate in the site visit are asked to notify Mr. Dunlap of their 
intent, no later than June 14, 2007.

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 Scoping Document are included in item n. of this 
document.

Meeting Procedures

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

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-9461 Filed 5-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P