[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 72 (Friday, April 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 20144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07842]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 5124-022]


Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment

    On October 30, 2020, Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. filed an 
application for a subsequent minor license to continue operating the 
existing 933-kilowatt North Branch No. 3 Hydroelectric Project No. 5124 
(North Branch 3 Project or project). The project is located on the 
North Branch Winooski River in Washington County, Vermont. The project 
does not occupy federal land.
    In accordance with the Commission's regulations, on January 28, 
2021, Commission staff issued a notice that the project was ready for 
environmental analysis (REA notice). Based on the information in the 
record, including comments filed on the REA notice, staff does not 
anticipate that licensing the project would constitute a major federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. 
Therefore, staff intends to prepare a draft and final Environmental 
Assessment (EA) on the application to license the North Branch 3 
Project.
    The EA will be issued and circulated for review by all interested 
parties. All comments filed on the EA will be analyzed by staff and 
considered in the Commission's final licensing decision.
    The application will be processed according to the following 
schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commission issues Draft EA..............  October 2021.
Comments on Draft EA....................  November 2021.
Commission issues Final EA..............  April 2022.\1\
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\1\ The Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations under 40
  CFR 1501.10(b)(1) require that EAs be completed within 1 year of the
  federal action agency's decision to prepare an EA. This notice
  establishes the Commission's intent to prepare an EA for the North
  Branch 3 Project. Therefore, in accordance with CEQ's regulations, the
  Final EA must be issued within 1 year of the issuance date of this
  notice.

    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Michael Tust 
at (202) 502-6522 or [email protected].

    Dated: April 12, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-07842 Filed 4-15-21; 8:45 am]
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