[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6101-6102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01840]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project Nos. 20-117; 703-001]


PacifiCorp; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Assessment

    On March 16, 2023, PacifiCorp filed an application for a non-
capacity amendment for the Bear River Hydroelectric Project No. 20 and 
an application for surrender of the conduit exemption for the Paris 
Hydroelectric Project No. 703. The Bear River Project is located on 
Bear River in Franklin and Caribou counties, Idaho, and occupies 
Federal lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau 
of Land Management. The Paris Project is located on Paris Creek in Bear 
Lake County, Idaho, and does not occupy Federal lands.
    PacifiCorp's proposal to surrender the Paris Project conduit 
exemption (P-703) is part of a larger habitat restoration effort 
proposed by PacifiCorp and the parties to a relicensing settlement 
agreement for PacifiCorp's Bear River Hydroelectric Project (P-20). 
PacifiCorp proposes to decommission the Paris Project and stop the 
diversion of water from Paris Creek into the irrigation canal that 
serves the Paris Project. After decommissioning and surrender, flows 
currently diverted through the canal would be returned to Paris Creek 
for the enhancement and restoration of approximately 3.5 miles of cold-
water habitat for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in the currently bypassed 
reach of Paris Creek. To partially mitigate the cost of the proposed 
decommissioning of the Paris Project, PacifiCorp proposes to amend the 
license for the Bear River Project to reduce the minimum instream flow 
requirement in the Grace Development's bypassed reach. This reduction 
in required minimum instream flow would allow PacifiCorp to

[[Page 6102]]

increase hydroelectric generation at the Grace Development to offset 
lost generation associated with the Paris Project decommissioning. A 
Notice of Amendment and Surrender Applications Accepted for Filing and 
Soliciting Comments, Motions to Intervene, and Protests was issued on 
July 21, 2023. The State of Idaho filed comments and a motion to 
intervene.
    This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an 
environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed action. The planned 
schedule for the completion of the EA is May 2024.\1\ Revisions to the 
schedule may be made as appropriate. The EA will be issued and made 
available for review by all interested parties. All comments filed on 
the EA will be reviewed by staff and considered in the Commission's 
final decision on the proceeding.
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    \1\ 42 U.S.C. 4336a(g)(1)(B) requires lead Federal agencies to 
complete EAs within 1 year of the agency's decision to prepare an 
EA.
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    With this notice, the Commission is inviting Federal, State, local, 
and Tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with 
respect to environmental issues affected by the proposal to cooperate 
in the preparation of the EA planned to be issued May 2024. Agencies 
wishing to cooperate, or further discuss the benefits, 
responsibilities, and obligations of the cooperating agency role, 
should contact staff listed at the bottom of this notice by February 
14, 2024. Cooperating agencies should note the Commission's policy that 
agencies that cooperate in the preparation of any environmental 
document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
    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 to 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].
    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Jennifer 
Ambler at (202) 502-8586 or [email protected], or Holly Frank at 
(202) 502-6833 or [email protected].

    Dated: January 24, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-01840 Filed 1-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P