[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 29, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29495-29496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10181]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2558-025]


Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc.; 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 21, 2007.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a new License and Pre-Application Document.
    b. Project No.: 2558-025.
    c. Dated Filed: March 29, 2007.
    d. Submitted By: Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc.
    e. Name of Project: Otter Creek Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The Otter Creek Hydroelectric Project is located on 
Otter Creek in Addison and Rutland Counties, Vermont.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR Part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Todd Allard, Operations Engineer, Vermont 
Marble Power Division of Omya Inc., 61 Main Street, Proctor, VT, 05765, 
(802) 770-7138.
    i. FERC Contact: Aaron Liberty (202) 502-6862 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 n 
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 there under 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. Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc. 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.
    m. Copies of the PAD and Scoping Document 1 (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. 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.
    n. 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 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 (Otter 
Creek Hydroelectric Project) and number (P-2558-025), 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 requesting cooperating 
status must do so by July 27, 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 ``e-
filing'' link.
    o. At this time, Commission staff intends to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the project, in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act. However,

[[Page 29496]]

there is the possibility that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
will be required. Nevertheless, the scoping meetings will satisfy the 
NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is 
issued by the Commission.

Scoping Meetings

    We will hold a daytime and night time scoping meeting at the times 
and places noted below. 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 time and location of these meetings are as follows:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date and Time: Wednesday, June 6, 2007, 9:30 a.m. (EST)
    Location: Middlebury Inn, 14 Courthouse Square, Middlebury, VT 
05753-0798.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date and Time: Wednesday, June 6, 2007, 7 p.m. (EST)
    Location: Vermont Marble Power's ``Shop Building'', 84 Deere Lane, 
Pittsford\1\, VT 05763.
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    \1\ Vermont Marble Power's ``Shop Building'' is located in 
Pittsford, VT. However, for purposes of on-line mapping, this street 
address is often listed as being in Proctor, VT, 05765.
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    For Directions: Please call Todd Allard, of Vermont Marble Power 
Division of Omya Inc. at (802) 770-7138.
    Scoping Document 1 (SD1), 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 
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 m. Depending on the 
extent of comments received, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may or may not 
be issued.

Site Visit

    The applicant and Commission staff will conduct a site visit of the 
proposed project on Tuesday, June 5, 2007, starting at 9:30 a.m. All 
participants should meet at Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc., 
located at 61 Main Street, Proctor, Vermont, 05765. All participants 
are responsible for their own transportation. Anyone with questions 
about the site visit should contact Mr. Todd Allard at (802) 770-7138 
on or before June 5, 2007.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meeting, 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 
potential 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 meeting. Directions on how to obtain a copy 
of the PAD and SD1 are included in item m of this document.

Scoping Meeting Procedures

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

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-10181 Filed 5-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P