[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 88073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27984]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2466-037]


Appalachian Power Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment

    On February 28, 2022, Appalachian Power Company (Appalachian) filed 
an application for a new major license for the 2.4-megawatt Niagara 
Hydroelectric Project (Niagara Project; FERC No. 2466). The Niagara 
Project is located on the Roanoke River, in Roanoke County, Virginia. 
The project is adjacent to and partially within the Blue Ridge Parkway.
    In accordance with the Commission's regulations, on February 7, 
2023, 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. On 
April 26, 2023, the Commission issued a notice indicating that staff 
intended to prepare a draft and final Environmental Assessment (EA). 
However, upon further review, staff intends to prepare a single EA on 
the application to relicense the Niagara 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 Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
    By this notice, Commission staff is updating the procedural 
schedule for completing the EA. The revised schedule is shown below. 
Further revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.
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    \1\ The Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations 
under 40 CFR 1501.10(b)(1) (2022) require that EAs be completed 
within 1 year of the federal action agency's decision to prepare an 
EA. See National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., 
as amended by section 107(g)(1)(B)(iii) of the Fiscal Responsibility 
Act of 2023, Public Law 118-5, 4336a, 137 Stat. 42.

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Commission issues EA...................  April 2024.\1\
Comments on EA.........................  May 2024.
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    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Laurie Bauer 
at (202) 502-6519 or [email protected].

    Dated: December 14, 2023.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-27984 Filed 12-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P