[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 100 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29152-29154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10000]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. P-2088-068]
South Feather Water and Power Agency; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Scoping Meetings and
Site Visit and Soliciting Scoping Comments
May 17, 2007.
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with Commission and is available for public inspection:
a. Type of Application: New Major License.
b. Project No.: P-2088-068.
c. Date Filed: March 26, 2007.
d. Applicant: South Feather Water and Power Agency.
e. Name of Project: South Feather Power Project.
f. Location: On the South Fork Feather River (SFFR), Lost Creek and
Slate Creek in Butte, Yuba and Plumas counties, California. The project
affects 1,977.12 acres of federal lands administered by the Plumas
National Forest and 10.57 acres of federal land administered by the
U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Michael Glaze, General Manager, South Feather
Water and Power Agency, 2310 Oro-Quincy Highway, Oroville, CA, 95966,
(530) 533-4578.
i. FERC Contact: John Mudre, (202) 502-8902, or
[email protected].
j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: July 16, 2007.
All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all
interveners 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 intervener 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.
[[Page 29153]]
k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this
time.
l. The South Feather Power Project is a water supply/power project
constructed in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The Project is composed of
four developments: Sly Creek, Woodleaf, Forbestown and Kelly Ridge,
each of which is described below. The Project can store about 172,000
acre-feet (af) of water (gross storage) and has generated an average of
about 514.1 gigawatt hours (gWh) of power annually for the past 20
years, since the addition of Sly Creek Powerhouse.
The Sly Creek Development includes: (1) Little Grass Valley Dam--a
210-foot-high, 840-foot-long, rock filled dam on the SFFR with a crest
elevation of 5,052 feet (all elevations are in National Geodetic
Vertical Datum, or NGVD, unless otherwise specified) and with a 180-
foot-long spillway controlled by two 14-feet-high by 40-feet-long steel
radial gates that forms a 89,804 acre-foot (af) storage reservoir
covering 1,650 acres at a maximum water surface (flood level) elevation
of 5,047 feet with the spill gates closed; (2) South Fork Diversion
Dam--a 60-foot-high, 167-foot-long, concrete overflow arch dam on the
SFFR with a crest elevation of 3,557 to 3,559 feet and with four
uncontrolled overflow spillway sections that forms an 87 af diversion
impoundment covering about 9 acres at a normal maximum water surface
elevation of 3,557 feet; (3) South Fork Diversion Tunnel--a 14,256-
foot-long, 11-foot-diameter concrete lined and unlined horseshoe un-
pressurized tunnel controlled by two 6-foot-high by 4-foot-long
electric hoist slide gates that diverts up to 600 cubic feet per second
(cfs) of water from the South Fork Diversion Dam to Sly Creek
Reservoir; (4) Slate Creek Diversion Dam--a 62-foot-high, 223.5-foot-
long, concrete overflow arch dam on Slate Creek with a crest elevation
of 3,552 to 3,554 feet and with three uncontrolled overflow spillway
sections that forms a negligible diversion impoundment due to sediment
accumulation; (5) Slate Creek Diversion Tunnel--a 13,200-foot-long, 11-
foot-diameter, concrete lined and unlined horseshoe un-pressurized
tunnel controlled by two 8-foot-high by 6-foot-long manual slide gates
that diverts up to a maximum flow capacity of 848 cfs of water (though
water rights limit flows to 600 cfs and at times flows are limited to
500 cfs due to high storage volume in the receiving reservoir) from the
Slate Creek Diversion Dam to Sly Creek Reservoir; (6) Sly Creek Dam--a
289-foot-high, 1,200-foot-long, zoned earth-filled dam on Lost Creek
with a crest elevation of 3,536 feet and with a 649-foot-long spillway
controlled by one 16-foot-high by 54-foot-long steel radial gate that
forms a 64,338 af storage reservoir covering 619 acres at a maximum
water surface (flood level) elevation of 3,531 feet with the spill
gates closed; (7) Sly Creek Penstock--a 1,100-foot-long, 90-inch-
inside-diameter, steel penstock enclosed in the former outlet tunnel
that delivers water to Sly Creek Powerhouse; (8) Sly Creek Powerhouse--
a semi-outdoor, reinforced concrete, above ground powerhouse that
releases water to Lost Creek Reservoir and that contains one reaction
turbine rated at 17,690 horsepower (hp) directly connected to a 13,500-
kilovolt-amperes (kVA) generator; (9) Sly Creek Powerhouse Switchyard--
a switchyard adjacent to the Sly Creek Powerhouse that contains one
16,000 kVA transformer. Power generated at Sly Creek Powerhouse is
delivered from the switchyard to the grid via Pacific Gas and Electric
Company's 115 kilovolt (kV) Sly Creek Tap and Woodleaf-Kanaka Junction
transmission line; (10) Little Grass Valley Reservoir Recreation
Facility--the Little Grass Valley Reservoir Recreation Facility
includes Little Beaver, Red Feather, Running Deer, Horse Camp,
Wyandotte, Peninsula Tent, Black Rock Tent, Black Rock RV, and Tooms RV
campgrounds; Black Rock, Tooms and Maidu Boat Launch areas; Pancake
Beach and Blue Water Beach day use areas, Maidu Amphitheater and Little
Grass Valley Dam ADA Accessible Fishing trail at Little Grass Valley
Reservoir; and (11) Sly Creek Reservoir Recreation Facility--the Sly
Creek Recreation Facility includes two campgrounds (Strawberry and Sly
Creek), Strawberry Car-Top Boat Launch, Mooreville Boat Ramp and
Mooreville Day Use Area on Sly Creek Reservoir. The Sly Creek
Development does not include any roads except for the portions of the
roads within the FERC Project Boundary that cross Little Grass Valley
Dam (USFS Road 22N94) and Sly Creek Dam (USFS Road 21N16).
The Woodleaf Development includes: (1) Lost Creek Dam--a 122-foot-
high, 486-foot-long, concrete overflow arch dam on the Lost Creek with
a crest elevation of 3,279.05 feet and with a 251-foot-wide spillway
controlled by 4-foot-high by 8-foot-long flashboards that forms a 5,361
af storage reservoir covering 137 acres at a normal maximum water
surface elevation of 3,283 feet with the flashboards installed; (2)
Woodleaf Power Tunnel--an 18,385-foot-long, 12-foot-diameter, concrete
lined and unlined horseshoe pressurized tunnel controlled by one 6-
foot-high by 12-foot-long electric hoist slide gate that diverts up to
620 cfs of water from Lost Creek Reservoir to the Woodleaf Penstock;
(3) Woodleaf Penstock--a 3,519-foot-long, 97-inch reducing to 78-inch-
inside-diameter, exposed steel penstock that delivers water to Woodleaf
Powerhouse; (4) Woodleaf Powerhouse--a semi-outdoor, reinforced
concrete, above ground powerhouse that releases water to the Forbestown
Diversion Dam impoundment on the SFFR and that contains one 6-jet
vertical shaft impulse Pelton turbine rated at 80,000 hp directly
connected to a 65,500 kVA generator; and (5) Woodleaf Powerhouse
Switchyard--a switchyard adjacent to the Woodleaf Powerhouse that
contains one 70,000 kVA transformer. Power generated at Woodleaf
Powerhouse is delivered from the switchyard to the grid via Pacific Gas
and Electric Company's 115 kV Woodleaf-Kanaka Junction transmission
line. The Woodleaf Development does not include any recreation
facilities or roads.
The Forbestown Development includes: (1) Forbestown Diversion Dam--
a 80-foot-high, 256-foot-long, concrete overflow arch dam on the SFFR
with a crest elevation of 1,783 feet and with five 46-foot-wide
uncontrolled overflow spillway sections with a combined width of
approximately 240 feet that forms a 352 af diversion impoundment
covering about 12 acres at a normal maximum water surface elevation of
1,783 feet; (2) Forbestown Power Tunnel--a 18,388-foot-long, 12.5-foot
by 11-foot-diameter, concrete lined and unlined horseshoe pressurized
tunnel that diverts up to 660 cfs of water from the Forbestown
Diversion impoundment to the Forbestown Penstock; (3) Forbestown
Penstock--a 1,487-foot-long, 97-inch reducing to 83-inch-inside-
diameter exposed steel penstock that delivers water to Forbestown
Powerhouse; (4) Forbestown Powerhouse--a semi-outdoor reinforced
concrete above ground powerhouse that releases water to Ponderosa
Reservoir on the SFFR and that contains one vertical reaction Francis
turbine rated at 54,500 hp directly connected to a 40,500 kVA
generator; and (5) Forbestown Powerhouse Switchyard--a switchyard
adjacent to the Forbestown Powerhouse that contains one 35,200 kVA
transformer. Power generated at Forbestown Powerhouse is delivered from
the switchyard to the grid via Pacific Gas and Electric Company's 115
kV Woodleaf-Kanaka Junction transmission line. The Forbestown
[[Page 29154]]
Development does not include any recreation facilities or roads.
The Kelly Ridge Development includes: (1) Ponderosa Dam--a 160-
foot-high, 650-foot-long, earth-filled dam that releases water into the
3.6 million af Lake Oroville (part of the California Department of
Water Resources' Feather River Project, FERC Project No. 2100) with a
crest elevation of 985 feet and with a 352-foot-long spillway
controlled by two 7 foot 7.5-inch-high by 51 feet-long steel gates that
forms a 4,178 af storage reservoir covering 103 acres at a normal
maximum water surface elevation of 960 feet; (2) Ponderosa Diversion
Tunnel--a 516-foot-long, 10-foot by 9-foot-diameter concrete lined and
unlined horseshoe unpressurized tunnel controlled by one 6-foot-high by
8-foot-long hydraulic gate that diverts up to 300 cfs of water from
Ponderosa Reservoir to Miners Ranch Conduit; (3) Miners Ranch Conduit--
a 32,254-foot-long, 10-foot-wide concrete or gunite-lined canal and
concrete or bench flume that includes two siphon sections across the
McCabe and Powell creek sections of Lake Oroville and that diverts
water from the Ponderosa Diversion Tunnel to the Miners Ranch Tunnel;
(4) Miners Ranch Tunnel--a 23,946-foot-long, 10-foot by 9-foot-
diameter, concrete lined horseshoe un-pressurized tunnel that diverts
up to 300 cfs of water from the Miners Ranch Conduit to Miners Ranch
Reservoir; (5) Miners Ranch Dam--a 55-foot-high, 1,650-foot-long,
earth-filled off-stream dam with a crest elevation of 895 feet and with
an 1,175-foot-long uncontrolled spillway that forms a 896 af storage
reservoir covering 48 acres at a normal maximum water surface elevation
of 890 feet; (6) Kelly Ridge Power Tunnel--a 6,736-foot-long, 9-foot by
8-foot-diameter, pressurized tunnel controlled by one 4-foot-high by 8-
foot-long fixed wheel gate that diverts up to 260 cfs of water from
Miners Ranch Reservoir to Kelly Ridge Penstock: (7) Kelly Ridge
Penstock--a 6,064-foot-long 69-inch reducing to 57-inch-inside-
diameter, exposed steel penstock that delivers water to Kelly Ridge
Powerhouse; (8) Kelly Ridge Powerhouse--a semi-outdoor reinforced
concrete above ground powerhouse that releases water to CDWR Feather
River Project's Thermalito Diversion Pool downstream of Oroville Dam
and that contains one vertical reaction Francis turbine rated at 13,000
hp directly connected to a 11,000 kVA generator; and (9) Kelly Ridge
Powerhouse Switchyard--a switchyard adjacent to the Kelly Ridge
Powerhouse that contains one 11,000 kVA transformer. Power generated at
the Kelly Ridge Powerhouse is delivered from the switchyard to the grid
via Pacific Gas and Electric Company's 60 kV Kelly Ridge-Elgin Junction
transmission line. The Kelly Ridge Development does not include any
recreation facilities or roads.
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 ``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 item h above.
You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filings and
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance,
contact FERC Online Support.
n. Scoping Process.
The Commission intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) on the project in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act. The EIS will consider both site-specific and cumulative
environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed
action.
Scoping Meetings
FERC staff will conduct one agency scoping meeting and one public
meeting. The agency scoping meeting will focus on resource agency and
non-governmental organization (NGO) concerns, while the public scoping
meeting is primarily for public input. All interested individuals,
organizations, and agencies are invited to attend one or both of the
meetings, and to assist the staff in identifying the scope of the
environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EIS. The times and
locations of these meetings are as follows:
Agency Scoping Meeting
Date: June 14, 2007.
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: VFW Post 1747.
Address: 1901 Elgin St., Oroville, CA.
Public Scoping Meeting
Date: June 13, 2007.
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: VFW Post 1747.
Address: 1901 Elgin St., Oroville, CA.
Copies of the Scoping Document (SD1) outlining the subject areas to
be addressed in the EIS are being distributed to the parties on the
Commission's mailing list under separate cover. Commission's mailing
list. Copies of the SD1 will be available at the scoping meeting or may
be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link
(see item m above).
Site Visit
We also will conduct a two-day site visit to the project facilities
on Tuesday, June 12, 2007, and Wednesday June 13, 2007. On both days we
will meet at the South Feather Water and Power Agency's Forbestown
Office, 5494 Forbestown Rd., Forbestown, CA at 7:30 a.m. All
participants are responsible for their own transportation on the site
visits and will need to provide their own lunch.
Objectives
At the scoping meetings, the staff will: (1) Summarize the
environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EIS;
(2) solicit from the meeting participants all available information,
especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; (3) encourage
statements from experts and the public on issues that should be
analyzed in the EIS, including viewpoints in opposition to, or in
support of, the staff's preliminary views; (4) determine the resource
issues to be addressed in the EIS; and (5) identify those issues that
require a detailed analysis, as well as those issues that do not
require a detailed analysis.
Procedures
The meetings are recorded by a stenographer and become part of the
formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project.
Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental
expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting and to
assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed
in the EIS.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-10000 Filed 5-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P