[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 117 (Friday, June 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 36483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13119]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 1971-079]


Idaho Power Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement

    On July 21, 2003, Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power) filed an 
application for a new license for the Hells Canyon Project,\1\ FERC No. 
1971. The project is located on the Snake River in Washington and Adams 
Counties, Idaho, and Wallowa and Baker Counties, Oregon. The Hells 
Canyon Project consists of three developments (dams, reservoirs, and 
powerhouses) on the segment of the Snake River forming the border 
between Idaho and Oregon.\2\ The three developments are Brownlee, 
Oxbow, and Hells Canyon, which combined provide 1,167 megawatts of 
power generating capacity and 6,562,244 megawatt hours of electricity 
annually. The project occupies approximately 5,640 acres of federal 
land, including land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and 
the U.S. Forest Service.
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    \1\ Referred to in Idaho Power's license application as the 
Hells Canyon Complex.
    \2\ The current license expired on July 31, 2005, and the 
project is operating under an annual license.
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    On August 31, 2007, the Commission issued a final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hells Canyon Project. On December 30, 
2019, Idaho Power filed an Offer of Settlement (settlement) with the 
Commission for the Hells Canyon Project.\3\ The settlement, which was 
executed on April 22, 2019, includes, among other items, spring Chinook 
salmon and summer steelhead fish passage measures. In addition, the 
Oregon and Idaho Departments of Environmental Quality each issued a 
water quality certification under section 401 of the Clean Water Act 
for the Hells Canyon Project on May 24, 2019.
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    \3\ On January 7, 2020, the Commission issued notice of the 
offer of settlement's filing.
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    On July 1, 2020, Idaho Power supplemented the final license 
application for the project with additional information on its 
proposal, including an analysis of the new and revised fish-related 
protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures proposed under the 
settlement, and updated information on project resources. Additionally, 
Idaho Power filed on October 14, 2020, draft biological assessments for 
species managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National 
Marine Fisheries Service, which included an analysis of the effects of 
the new and revised measures on fish and wildlife listed under the 
Endangered Species Act.
    In order to assess the new and revised fish-related protection, 
mitigation, and enhancement measures proposed under the settlement, the 
Oregon and Idaho water quality certificates, and the draft biological 
assessments, Commission staff intends to prepare a draft and final 
supplemental EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act. The supplemental EIS will describe and evaluate the effects of the 
proposed action and alternatives. The focus of the supplemental EIS 
will be on the new and revised measures proposed by the settlement, the 
conditions contained in the Oregon and Idaho water quality 
certificates, and the information provided in the draft biological 
assessments. For the resource areas not affected by the new and revised 
proposed measures or new environmental information, the supplemental 
EIS will either include or incorporate by reference analyses from the 
Commission's final EIS.
    With this notice, we are reinitiating informal consultation with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries 
Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint 
agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402.
    The draft supplemental EIS will be sent to all persons and entities 
on the Commission's service and mailing lists for the Hells Canyon 
Project. Recipients will then have 60 days to review the draft 
supplemental EIS and file written comments with the Commission. All 
comments filed with the Commission on the final supplemental EIS will 
be considered in the Order taking final action on the license 
application. The application will be processed according to the 
following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be 
made as appropriate.

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Draft supplemental EIS Issued..........  June 2023.
Comments Due on draft supplemental EIS.  August 2023.
Final supplemental EIS Issued..........  December 2023.
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    This notice informs all interested individuals, organizations, and 
agencies with environmental expertise and concerns, that: (1) the 
Commission staff has decided to prepare a supplemental EIS addressing 
the settlement; and (2) the comments, recommendations, and terms and 
conditions already on file with the Commission on the application will 
be taken into account in the supplemental EIS.
    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Nicholas 
Ettema at 312-596-4447, or by email at [email protected].

    Dated: June 13, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-13119 Filed 6-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P