[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 62 (Monday, March 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16851-16852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6534]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2479-010]


Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement 
of Licensing Proceeding, Scoping, Solicitation of Comments on the Pad 
and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study 
Requests

March 25, 2008.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2479-010.
    c. Dated Filed: February 21, 2008.
    d. Submitted by: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
    e. Name of Project: French Meadows Transmission Line Project.
    f. Location: The French Meadows Transmission Line Project (Project) 
is located in Placer County, California and is entirely within the 
boundaries of the El Dorado and Tahoe National Forests. The Project 
includes three sections: (1) The French Meadows Transmission Line, a 
60-kilovolt (kV) transmission line extending from Placer County Water 
Agency's (PCWA) French Meadows power plant to PCWA's Middle Fork power 
plant; (2) the Oxbow Tap, a 60-kV tap to PCWA's Oxbow power plant, and 
(3) the Ralston Tap, a 230-kV tap entirely contained within the 
switchyard of PCWA's Ralston power plant. Each of PCWA's facilities are 
associated with their Middle Fork Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 2079, 
and are not included as part of the Project. The combined length of the 
Project is 13.37 miles with a right-of-way 40 feet in width.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR Part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Forrest Sullivan, Senior Project Manager, 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 5555 Florin Perkins Road, Room 100, 
Sacramento, CA 95826, 916-386-5580.
    i.FERC Contact: Carolyn Templeton at 202-502-8785 or e-mail 
[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. 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 California 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 PG&E 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. PG&E 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. A copy of the PAD is 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 
Scoping Document 1 (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 and from Commission staff related to the merits of 
the potential application (an 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.

[[Page 16852]]

All filings with the Commission must include on the first page, the 
project name (French Meadows Transmission Line Project) and number (P-
2479-010), 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 April 11, 2008.
    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.
    p. Our intent is to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
which the below meetings satisfied the NEPA scoping requirements.

Scoping Meetings

    Because of the interconnection between the French Meadows 
Transmission Line Project and PCWA's Middle Fork American Project, the 
scoping meetings for these projects were held concurrently on March 4, 
2008, at the Auburn Recreation District-Canyon View Community Center. 
Commission staff held two scoping meetings; one daytime meeting focused 
on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental organization 
concerns, and one evening meeting focused primarily on receiving input 
from the public. We invited 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 
meetings were recorded by a stenographer and became part of the formal 
record of the Commission proceeding on the projects. Transcripts from 
these meetings may be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov, using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions for accessing information 
in paragraph (n).
    SD1, 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 SD1 were available at the 
scoping meetings, and may be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov, 
using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions for accessing 
information in paragraph (n). Based on all oral and written comments, a 
Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a revised 
process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues, identified 
through the scoping process.

Site Visit

    Typically, a site visit is held together with the scoping meeting. 
However, because most of the project sites were not be accessible in 
early March, the licensees (PCWA and PG&E) and Commission staff will 
visit the project sites on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, starting at 8 a.m. 
All participants should meet at Auburn Recreation District Canyon View 
Community Center, located at 471 Maidu Drive, Auburn, California. PCWA 
and PG&E will provide transportation for participants. Anyone 
interested in attending the site visit should contact Mr. Forrest 
Sullivan of PG&E at 916-386-5580 by June 11, 2008. Depending on 
interest, a second day (Thursday, June 26, 2008) of site visits may be 
added to the schedule. Should this be the case, a notice will be issued 
in June stating as such.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-6534 Filed 3-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P