[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 177 (Thursday, September 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52853-52854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21065]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 12589-001]


Public Service Company of Colorado; Notice of Application 
Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, 
Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, 
Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary 
Fishway Prescriptions

September 4, 2008.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: P-12589-001.
    c. Date Filed: June 25, 2008.
    d. Applicant: Public Service Company of Colorado (d/b/a Xcel 
Energy).
    e. Name of Project: Tacoma Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on Cascade Creek, 
Little Cascade Creek and Elbert Creek in La Plata and San Juan 
Counties, Colorado. The Tacoma Project occupies 221 acres of the San 
Juan National Forest.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Randy Rhodes, Public Service Company of 
Colorado, 4653 Table Mountain Drive, Golden, Colorado 80403; telephone 
(720) 497-2123.
    i. FERC Contact: David Turner (202) 502-6091 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    j. The deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, 
comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and 
preliminary fishway prescriptions is November 3, 2008; reply comments 
are due December 18, 2008.
    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 require all intervenors 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 
intervenor 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.
    Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, 
preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 
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.
    k. This application has been accepted for filing and is ready for 
environmental analysis.
    l. The existing project consists of the following: (1) A 30-foot-
long, 10-foot-high concrete diversion dam on Cascade Creek; (2) a 
4,200-foot-long, 10-foot-diameter, semi-circular, elevated wooden 
flume; (3) a 1,400-foot-long, 60-inch-diameter steel inverted siphon; 
(4) a 14,500-foot-long, 64-inch-diameter steel pipeline; (5) the open 
channel of Little Cascade Creek; (6) a 0.5-mile-long, 5-foot-deep lake 
(Columbine Lake) formed by a small, partially breached timber dam on 
Little Cascade Creek; (7) the open channel of Little Cascade Creek 
downstream of Columbine Lake; (8) the 4-acre Aspaas Lake; (9) a 274-
foot-long, 27-foot-high, earth-filled Aspaas dam; (10) a 14-foot-wide, 
rock-cut open diversion channel that diverts flow from Aspaas Lake to 
Electra Lake; (11) the 800-acre Electra Lake; (12) a 140-foot-long, 20-
foot-high, rock-filled, timber crib dam (Stagecoach dam) serving as the 
spillway for Electra Lake; (13) a 1,270-foot-long, 62-foot-high, rock-
filled dam (Terminal dam), with an impermeable asphalt membrane on the 
upstream face and an asphalt-paved crest; (14) a 429-foot-long, 54-
inch-diameter steel pipe intake under the Terminal dam that leads 
project flows from Electra Lake to a valve vault; (15) the valve vault; 
(16) a 9,590-foot-long, 66-inch-diameter welded steel penstock, with a 
12-foot-diameter, 116-foot-high surge tank; (17) a bifurcated penstock 
structure that diverts flow to a 2,050-foot-long, 30-inch-diameter 
welded steel penstock that enters the powerhouse and a 2,050-foot-long, 
54-inch diameter welded steel penstock that branches to a 46-inch 
diameter pipe immediately prior to entering the powerhouse; (18) a 108-
foot-long, 64-foot-wide, steel frame, brick powerhouse containing three 
generating units with a total installed capacity of 8 megawatts (MW), 
one of which is currently disabled due to a catastrophic failure and 
proposed to be replaced; (19) a 44 kV substation adjacent to the 
powerhouse; and (20) appurtenant facilities.
    The project is operated both as a base-load plant and a peaking 
plant depending on the time of the year. The applicant proposes the 
following changes to project facilities: (1) Project boundary 
modifications to reflect lands needed for project operations; (2) 
rehabilitation and addition of the 6-foot-high Canyon Creek diversion 
to supply potable water, emergency cooling water, and fire protection; 
(3) the addition of a 4 MW turbine-generator (Unit 4); and (4) several 
recreation and environmental measures.
    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.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm 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. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene 
in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 
18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to 
take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments 
filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any 
comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
    All filings must (1) Bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY PRESCRIPTIONS''; (2) set forth in the heading the 
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to 
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone 
number of the person

[[Page 52854]]

protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, 
recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must set forth 
their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the requirements of 
18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly 
from the applicant. A copy of any protest or motion to intervene must 
be served upon each representative of the applicant specified in the 
particular application. A copy of all other filings in reference to 
this application must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons 
listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this 
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    o. Procedural Schedule:
    The application will be processed according to the following Hydro 
Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of Interventions,                November 3, 2008.
 Recommendations, Preliminary Terms
 and Conditions, and Fishway
 Prescriptions.
Reply Comments Due....................  December 18, 2008.
Issue Draft EA........................  March 18, 2009.
Comments on Draft EA Due..............  April 17, 2009.
Filing of Modified Mandatory Terms and  June 16, 2009.
 Conditions.
Issue Final EA........................  September 14, 2009.
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    p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of the notice of acceptance and ready for 
environmental analysis provided for in Sec.  5.22: (1) A copy of the 
water quality certification; (2) a copy of the request for 
certification, including proof of the date on which the certifying 
agency received the request; or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality 
certification.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-21065 Filed 9-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P