[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 170 (Friday, September 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54211-54212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19060]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2705-037]


Seattle City Light; Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Application for surrender of license.
    b. Project No.: P-2705-037.
    c. Date filed: January 28, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Seattle City Light.
    e. Name of Project: Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on Newhalem Creek, 
near Newhalem, Whatcom County, Washington. The project occupies 6.4 
acres of lands managed by the National Park Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Michael Haynes, Assistant General 
Manager, Seattle City Light, P.O. Box 3402, Seattle, WA 98124-4023; 
206-684-3618.
    i. FERC Contact: Diana Shannon at (202) 502-6136; or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: September 28, 2022.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
scoping comments using the Commission's eFiling system at https://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 https://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], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. 
Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via 
any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should include the docket 
number P-2705-037. Comments emailed to Commission staff are not 
considered part of the Commission record.
    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.
    k. Description of Application: Seattle City Light has concluded 
that the anticipated cost of relicensing, as well as costs associated 
with needed repairs and upgrades to project equipment and to the access 
road exceed the estimated future value of the Project. Seattle City 
Light proposes to decommission and remove the diversion dam and 
associated headworks, tailrace fish barrier, and certain overhead 
transmission lines. The rock shaft and power tunnel would be sealed, 
and the access road above elevation 840 feet would be decommissioned. 
The powerhouse, tailrace, and penstock would remain, and the powerhouse 
equipment would be de-energized. Electrical service to the powerhouse 
would remain to provide heating and lighting.
    l. This filing may also be viewed on the Commission's website at 
https://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. You may also register online at https://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, call 1-866-208-3676 or email 
[email protected], for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Agencies may 
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
    m. You may also 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.
    n. Scoping Process.
    The Commission staff intends to prepare a draft and final 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The EAs will consider site-specific 
effects and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.
    At this time, we do not anticipate holding on-site public or agency 
scoping

[[Page 54212]]

meetings. Instead, we are soliciting your comments and suggestions on 
the preliminary list of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the 
NEPA document, as described in scoping document 1 (SD1), issued Aug 29, 
2022.
    Copies of the SD1 outlining the subject areas to be addressed in 
the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing 
list. Copies of SD1 may be viewed on the web at https://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. For 
assistance, call 1-866-208-3676 or for TTY, (202) 502-8659.

    Dated: August 29, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-19060 Filed 9-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P