[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 149 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43268-43270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15089]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


 Project No. 2850-013; Hampshire Paper Company; 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

July 30, 2007.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2850-013.
    c. Date Filed: May 31, 2007.

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    d. Submitted by: Hampshire Paper Company.
    e. Name of Project: Emeryville Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Oswegatchie River in the hamlet of Emeryville, 
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: Michael R. McDonald, Emeryville 
Hydroelectric Project, P.O. Box 339, Gouverneur, NY 13642, (315) 287-
1990.
    i. FERC Contact: Patrick Murphy, [email protected], (202) 
502-8755.
    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 Hampshire Paper Company 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. Hampshire Paper Company 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 its Scoping Document on July 30, 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 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, Emeryville Hydroelectric Project) and number 
(P-2850-013), 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 
September 28, 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 National Environmental Policy Act 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, August 28, 2007.
Time: 6 p.m. (EST).
Location: Gouverneur Library, 60 Church Street, Gouverneur, New York 
13642, (315) 287-0191.

Daytime Scoping Meeting

Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2007.
Time: 1 p.m. (EST).
Location: Gouverneur Library, 60 Church Street, Gouverneur, New York 
13642, (315) 287-0191.

    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

    Hampshire Paper Company will conduct a site visit of the project at 
3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28, 2007. All participants should meet at the 
Emeryville Project dam on Route 58N, in Emeryville, New York. Those 
wishing to participate should meet at the Emeryville Project dam on 
Route 58N, in Emeryville, New York. All participants are responsible 
for their own transportation. Anyone with questions about the site 
visit should contact Mr. Michael R. McDonald, Emeryville Hydroelectric 
Project, P.O. Box 339, Gouverneur, NY 13642, (315) 287-1990.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Initiate scoping of the 
issues; (2) review

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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.

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. E7-15089 Filed 8-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P