[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34969-34970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14823]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Extension of Scoping Period for the Northern Pass Transmission 
Line Project Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Reopening of scoping period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is reopening the public 
scoping period for the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (DOE/EIS-0463). In anticipation of 
additional alternative route information being provided by Northern 
Pass, DOE is reopening the scoping period. DOE will determine the close 
of the scoping period once the additional routing information is 
received from Northern Pass, and DOE will provide at least 45 days for 
public review and scoping comments on any such routing information.

DATES: The reopened public scoping period starts with the publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register and will remain open until DOE 
provides further notice of its closing.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the scope of the EIS and requests to be added to 
the document mailing list should be addressed to: Brian Mills, Office 
of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20), U.S. Department 
of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; by 
electronic mail to [email protected]; or by facsimile to 202-586-
8008. For general information on the DOE NEPA process contact: Ms. 
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-
54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585; by electronic mail at [email protected]; by 
facsimile at 202-586-7031; or by phone at 202-586-4600, or leave a 
message at 800-472-2756.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on DOE's proposed 
action, contact Brian Mills by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES 
above, or at 202-586-8267. For general information on the DOE NEPA 
process, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom by one of the methods listed in 
ADDRESSES above. For information on the Forest Service's role as a 
cooperating agency, contact Tiffany Benna by electronic mail at 
[email protected]; by phone at 603-536-6241; by facsimile at 603-536-
3685; or by mail at 71 White Mountain Drive, Campton, NH 03223. For 
information on the Army Corps of Engineers' permit process, contact 
Erika Mark at 978-318-8250; by electronic mail at 
[email protected]; or by mail at 696 Virginia Road, Concord, 
MA 01742. For information on the EPA role in the EIS, contact Timothy 
L. Timmermann by electronic mail at [email protected]; by 
phone at 617-918-1025; or by mail at 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, 
Boston, MA 02109-3912. Information on the EIS also is available at 
DOE's Web site for

[[Page 34970]]

the proposed action at http://www.northernpasseis.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 11, 2011, DOE announced in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 7828) its intention to prepare an EIS to assess 
the potential environmental impacts from its proposed action of 
granting a Presidential Permit to Northern Pass Transmission, LLC, to 
construct, operate, maintain, and connect a new electric transmission 
line across the U.S.-Canada border in northern New Hampshire. The EIS 
will address the potential environmental impacts from the proposed 
action, no action and the range of reasonable alternatives. The U.S. 
Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest, the Army Corps of 
Engineers, New England District, and the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency Region 1 are cooperating agencies.
    DOE held seven public scoping meetings from March 14 to 20, 2011, 
in New Hampshire. The public scoping period closed on April 12, 2011. 
On April 15, 2011, DOE reopened the public scoping period until June 
14, 2011, in response to public requests and to ensure that the public 
had ample opportunity to provide comments (76 FR 21338).
    On April 12, 2011, Northern Pass submitted scoping comments stating 
that it was working to identify additional routing alternatives in the 
northern portion of the proposed route (the area within approximately 
40 miles of the U.S.-Canada border). Northern Pass has not yet provided 
additional routing alternatives to DOE, but in anticipation of this 
information, DOE is reopening the public scoping period for an 
indefinite period. DOE will determine the close of the scoping period 
once any additional routing information is received from Northern Pass. 
DOE will announce in the Federal Register any additional proposed 
routing alternatives submitted by Northern Pass, the locations, dates 
and times of any additional scoping meetings, as well as the end of the 
scoping period. The scoping period will close no sooner than 45 days 
after DOE publishes the above notice in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 9, 2011.
Anthony J. Como,
Director, Permitting and Siting, Office of Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2011-14823 Filed 6-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P