[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 84 (Monday, May 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20478-20479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10107]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2467-019]


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

April 24, 2009.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2467-019.
    c. Dated Filed: February 23, 2009.
    d. Submitted by: Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
    e. Name of Project: Merced Falls Hydroelectric.
    f. Location: Merced River on the border of Merced and Mariposa 
counties, California, immediately downstream of the Merced River 
Hydroelectric Project (No. 2179), operated by the Merced Irrigation 
District.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Pacific Gas and Electric Company c/o Randal 
S. Livingston, Vice President--Power Generation. P.O. Box 770000, MC 
N11E-1103. San Francisco, CA 94177-0001.
    i. FERC Contact: Matt Buhyoff at (202) 502-6824 or e-mail at 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the 
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such 
requests described in item 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 Pacific Gas and Electric 
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. Pacific Gas and Electric 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

[[Page 20479]]

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 (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, the project name (Merced Falls Hydroelectric Project) 
and number (P-2467-019), 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 June 
23, 2009.
    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/docs-filing/ferconline.asp) under the ``e-filing'' link. For a simpler method of 
submitting text only comments, click on ``Quick Comment.''
    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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-10107 Filed 5-1-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P