[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 108 (Thursday, June 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34426-34427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12051]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 4026-053]


Androscoggin Reservoir Company; Notice of Intent To File License 
Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), Commencement of 
Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Waiving Parts of the Pre-Filing 
Process; Request for Comments on the PAD and Scoping Document, and 
Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
    b. Project No.: 4026-053.
    c. Dated Filed: March 30, 2020.
    d. Submitted By: Androscoggin Reservoir Company (ARCO).
    e. Name of Project: Aziscohos Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Magalloway River in Oxford County, Maine. The 
project does not occupy any federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Randy Dorman, Brookfield Renewable, 
150 Main Street, Lewiston, ME 04240; phone at (207) 755-5605, or email 
at [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Dr. Nicholas Palso at (202) 502-8854 or email 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 Maine State 
Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) as required by section 106 of the 
National Historic 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 ARCO 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. ARCO filed with the Commission a Pre-Application Document (PAD; 
including a proposed process plan and schedule), pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 
of the Commission's regulations.
    n. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents via the internet through 
the Commission's Home Page (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. At this time, the 
Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public Reference 
Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning 
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on 
March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(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, please 
contact FERC Online Support.
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
Commission staff's 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 must be filed with the Commission.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
all documents using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief 
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the 
eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You 
must include your name and contact information at the end of your 
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected]. In lieu of electronic filing, please send a 
paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing 
should include docket number P-4026-053.
    All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate 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 within 60 days 
of the date of this notice.
    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. The scoping process will satisfy the 
NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is 
issued by the Commission.

[[Page 34427]]

Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review

    Due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning 
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on 
March 13, 2020, we are waiving section 5.8(b)(viii) of the Commission's 
regulations and do not intend to conduct a public scoping meeting or 
site visit in this case. Instead, we are soliciting written comments, 
recommendations, and information on the SD1. Any individual or entity 
interested in submitting scoping comments must do so by the date 
specified in item o. SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals 
and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 may be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov, using the eLibrary link. 
Follow the directions for accessing information in paragraph n. Based 
on all written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 
may include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of 
issues, identified through the scoping process.
    We may conduct the site visit, if needed, later in the process, 
such as in conjunction with the study plan meeting required by section 
5.11(e) of the Commission's regulations, which is required to occur by 
October 11, 2020. Further revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

    Dated: May 29, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-12051 Filed 6-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P