[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31316-31318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10806]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2851-014]


Cellu Tissue Corporation; 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 Issues and Associated 
Study Requests

May 30, 2007.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2851-014.
    c. Dated Filed: April 13, 2007.
    d. Submitted By: Cellu Tissue Corporation.
    e. Name of Project: Natural Dam Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Oswegatchie River in town of Gouverneur, in St. 
Lawrence County, New York. No Federal lands are involved.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR Part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Nicholas Barr, Cellu Tissue Corp., 
Natural Dam Mill, 4921 Route 58N, P.O. Box 98, Gouverneur, NY 13642, 
(315) 287-7190.
    i. FERC Contact: Michael Spencer, [email protected], (202) 
502-6093.
    j. We are asking Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies with 
jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental 
issues to cooperate with

[[Page 31317]]

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 Cellu Tissue Corporation 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. Cellu Tissue Corporation 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 on May 29, 2007.
    n. A copy of the PAD and the 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, of 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 setting the effective date for the 
commencement of licensing proceeding to be June 12, 2007, and 
soliciting comments on the PAD and the scoping document, as well as 
study requests. All comments on the PAD and the scoping document, and 
study requests should be sent to the address above in paragraph h. In 
addition, all comments on the PAD and the scoping document, 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: 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, Natural Dam Project) and number (P-2851-014), 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 the scoping document, and any agency 
requesting cooperating status must do so by August 11, 2007.
    Comments on the PAD and the 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. 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 time and place 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: Tuesday, June 26, 2007.
    Time: 6 p.m.
    Location: Cellu Tissue Corporation, Natural Dam Mill, 4921 Route 
58N, Gouverneur, NY 13642, Phone: (315) 287-7190.

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2007.
    Time: 10 a.m.
    Location: Cellu Tissue Corporation, Natural Dam Mill, 4921 Route 
58N, Gouverneur, NY 13642, Phone: (315) 287-7190.
    The scoping document, 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 the scoping 
document 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, Scoping Document 2 may or may not be 
issued.

Site Visit

    Cellu Tissue Corporation will conduct a site visit of the project 
at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, 2007. All participants should meet at 
the Cellu Tissue Corporation Natural Dam Mill, 4921 Route 58N, 
Gouverneur, New York 13642. All participants are responsible for their 
own transportation. Anyone with questions about the site visit should 
contact Mr. Nicholas Barr of Cellu Tissue Corporation at (315) 287-7190 
on or before June 26, 2007.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Initiate scoping of the 
issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions and resource 
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 the appropriateness of 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 the scoping 
document are included in item n of this document.

[[Page 31318]]

Meeting Procedures

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

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-10806 Filed 6-5-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P