[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77663-77664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30144]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 1256-029-Nebraska]


Loup River Public Power District; Notice of Scoping Meetings and 
Site Visits

December 12, 2008.
    a. Type of Filings: Notice of Intent to File License Applications 
for New Licenses; Pre-Application Documents; Commencement of Licensing 
Proceedings.
    b. Project No.: 1256-029.
    c. Dated Filed: October 16, 2008.
    d. Submitted By: Loup River Public Power District (Loup Power 
District).
    e. Name of Project: Loup River Hydroelectric Project No. 1256.
    f. Location: The Loup River Hydroelectric Project is located on the 
Loup River in Nance and Platte Counties, Nebraska.

[[Page 77664]]

    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR Part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Neal Suess, President/CEO, Loup 
Power District, P.O. Box 988, 2404 15th Street, Columbus, Nebraska 
68602 (866) 869-2087.
    i. FERC Contact: Kim Nguyen (202) 502-6015 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    j. Loup Power District filed Pre-Application Document (PAD) for the 
Loup River Project, including proposed process plan and schedule, with 
the Commission pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    k. 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 filings and issuances related to these or other 
pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    l. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on SD1. All 
comments on SD1 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 applications (original and eight 
copies) must be filed with the Commission at the following address: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. All filings with the Commission relevant to the 
Loup River Hydroelectric Project must include on the first page, the 
project name (Loup River Project), and number (P-1256-029), and bear 
the heading, as appropriate, ``Comments on Scoping Document 1.'' Any 
individual or entity interested in commenting on SD1 must do so by 
February 10, 2009.
    Comments on SD1 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.
    m. At this time, Commission staff intends to prepare a single 
Environmental Assessment for the project, in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act.

Scoping Meetings

     We will hold two scoping meetings for each project at the times 
and places noted below. The daytime meetings will focus on resource 
agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental organization concerns, 
while the evening meetings are primarily for receiving input from the 
public. We invite all interested individuals, organizations, Indian 
tribes, and agencies to attend one or all 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:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
    Time: 9 a.m.
    Location: Holiday Inn Express, 524 E. 23rd Street, Columbus, 
Nebraska 68601, (402) 564-2566.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Monday, January 12, 2009.
    Time: 7 p.m.
    Location: same as daytime meeting.
    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 k. Depending on the extent of 
comments received, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may or may not be issued.

Site Visits

    The Loup Power District and Commission staff will conduct a site 
visit of the key project facilities on Monday, January 12, 2009, 
starting at 9 a.m. Those wishing to participate should meet at 8:45 
a.m. at: Loup Power District Main Office, 2404 15th Street, Columbus, 
Nebraska 68602.
    To appropriately accommodate persons interested in attending the 
site visit, participants should contact Ron Ziola at (402) 564-3171 or 
e-mail [email protected] by January 5, 2009. The Loup Power District will 
provide transportation from their Main Office to the project site and 
lunch for the site visit. Participants should dress appropriately for 
outdoor, winter elements. In the event of inclement weather, 
participants can check the Loup Power District's Relicensing Hotline at 
(866) 869-2087 for updates on the site visit.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, 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 
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 meetings. Directions on how to obtain a 
copy of the PAD and SD1 are included in item k of this notice.

Scoping Meeting Procedures

    The scoping meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will 
become part of the formal Commission records for the projects.
    n. A notice of intent to file license application, filing PAD, 
solicitation of comments on the PAD and SD1, solicitation of study 
requests, and commencement of proceedings will be issued by December 
19, 2008, setting the date for filing comments on the PAD and study 
requests in accordance with Commission regulations and the proposed 
process plan.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-30144 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P