[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 149 (Thursday, August 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46087-46089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18858]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14066-002]


Inside Passage Electric Cooperative; Notice of Application 
Accepted for Filing With the Commision, Soliciting Motions To Intervene 
and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To Waive 
Scoping, Soliciting Comments, Terms and Conditions, Recommendations, 
and Prescriptions, and Establishing an Expedited Schedule for 
Processing

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Original Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 14066-002.
    c. Date filed: May 25, 2012.
    d. Applicant: Inside Passage Electric Cooperative.
    e. Name of Project: Gartina Falls Hydropower Project.
    f. Location: On Gartina Creek, near the Town of Hoonah, Alaska. The 
project would not occupy any federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r) 
(2006).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Peter A. Bibb, Operations Manager, Inside 
Passage Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 210149, 12480 Mendenhall Loop 
Road, Auke Bay, AK 99821, (907) 789-3196, [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Ryan Hansen, (202) 502-8074, or email at 
[email protected].
    j. 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 (P-14066). For assistance, 
contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll free 
at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY (202) 502-8659.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    k. This application has been accepted for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    l. The proposed Gartina Falls project would consist of: (1) A 56-
foot-long, 14-foot-high concrete diversion structure at the head of 
Gartina Falls; (2) a sluiceway constructed on the left side of the 
center diversion section to convey flow to an intake chamber; (3) an 
approximately 54-inch-diameter, 225-foot-long steel penstock that would 
convey water from the intake chamber to the powerhouse; (4) a 
powerhouse containing a single 445-kilowatt cross-flow turbine/
generator unit, discharging flows directly to Gartina Creek; (5) an 
approximately 3.8-mile-long, 12.5-

[[Page 46088]]

kilovolt transmission line; (6) an approximately 0.5-mile-long access 
road; and (7) appurtenant facilities. The estimated annual generation 
output for the project is 1.81 gigawatt-hours.
    m. Due to the small size and remote location of this project, the 
applicant's close coordination with tribal, state, and federal agencies 
during the preparation of the application, and the lack of any study 
requests submitted during pre-filing consultation and in response to 
the Commission's tendering notice, we intend to waive scoping and 
shorten the filing and comment date on final terms and conditions, 
recommendations, and prescriptions. Based on a review of the 
application, resource agency consultation letters, and comments filed 
to date, Commission staff intends to prepare a single environmental 
assessment (EA). The issues that need to be addressed in its EA have 
been adequately identified during the pre-filing period for the 
application, which included a public meeting and site visit, and no new 
issues are likely to be identified through additional scoping.
    n. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
terms and conditions, recommendations, and prescriptions: Due to the 
small size and remote location of this project, as well as the 
applicant's close coordination with the National Marine Fisheries 
Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, City of Hoonah, Huna Totem 
Corporation, Sealaska Corporation, Hoonah Indian Association, Alaska 
Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, 
and the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office in the preparation of 
the application, the 60-day timeframe specified in 18 CFR 4.34(b) for 
filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, terms and 
conditions, recommendations, and prescriptions is shortened to 30 days 
from the issuance date of this notice. All reply comments must be filed 
with the Commission within 45 days from the date of this notice.
    All documents may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu 
of paper. 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 ``eFiling'' link. For a simpler method of submitting text 
only comments, click on ``Quick Comment.'' For assistance, please 
contact FERC Online Support at [email protected]; call toll-
free at (866) 208-3676; or, for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. Although 
the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may 
also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and eight copies 
to: 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.
    o. Any qualified applicant desiring to file a competing application 
must submit to the Commission, on or before the specified intervention 
deadline date, a competing development application, or a notice of 
intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of 
intent allows an interested person to file the competing development 
application no later than 120 days after the specified intervention 
deadline date. Applications for preliminary permits will not be 
accepted in response to this notice.
    A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, 
and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an 
unequivocal statement of intent to submit a development application. A 
notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this 
public notice.
    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, and .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,'' ``NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE 
COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``COMMENTS,'' 
``REPLY COMMENTS,'' ``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``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 protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. 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.
    p. Procedural schedule and final amendments: We intend to accept 
the consultation that has occurred on this project during the pre-
filing period as satisfying our requirements for the standard 3-stage 
consultation process under 18 CFR 4.38 and for National Environmental 
Policy Act scoping and the application will be processed according to 
the following procedural schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be 
made as appropriate.

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            Milestone                           Target date
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Comments, recommendations, and     August 27, 2012.
 terms and conditions due.
Reply comments due...............  September 11, 2012.
Notice of the availability of the  November 14, 2012.
 EA.
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[[Page 46089]]

    Dated: July 27, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-18858 Filed 8-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P