[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 53 (Thursday, March 20, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13159-13160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04701]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2832-023]
Boise-Kuna, Nampa & Meridian, Wilder and Big Bend Irrigation
Districts; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-
Application Document (Pad), Commencement of ILP Pre-Filing Process and
Scoping, Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and
Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Licensing Process.
b. Project No.: 2832-023.
c. Dated Filed: January 31, 2025.
d. Submitted By: Boise-Kuna, Nampa & Meridian, Wilder and Big Bend
Irrigation Districts.
e. Name of Project: Lucky Peak Hydroelectric Project (Lucky Peak
Project or project).
f. Location: The project is located on the Boise River in Ada
County, Idaho, approximately 10 miles southeast of the City of Boise,
in a region known as the ``Treasure Valley''. It is located 69.2 miles
upstream of the Boise River's confluence with the Snake River and is
integrated into the Corps' Lucky Peak Dam.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
regulations.
h. Applicant Contact: Sarah Higer, Hydropower License Manager, 9731
E Highway 21, Boise, ID 83716; phone: (208) 343-2091, ext. 9; email at
[email protected].
i. FERC Contact: Golbahar Mirhosseini, (202) 502-6820
[email protected].
j. Cooperating Agencies: Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such
requests described in item o below. Cooperating agencies should note
the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation
of the environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ]
61,076 (2001).
k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with:
(a) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries under section
7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency regulations
thereunder at 50 CFR part 402; (b) NOAA Fisheries under section 305(b)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and
implementing regulations at 50 CFR 600.920; and (c) the Idaho State
Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National
Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
l. With this notice, we are designating the Districts as the
Commission's non-federal representative for carrying out informal
consultation, pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act, and section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
m. The Districts filed with the Commission a Pre-Application
Document (PAD; including a proposed process plan and schedule),
pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
n. A copy of the PAD is available for review on the Commission's
website (http://www.ferc.gov), using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the
docket number, excluding the last three digits of the sub-docket in the
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact
FERC Online Support at [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll
free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). A copy is also available via the
contact in paragraph h.
You may register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
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,
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 at [email protected].
o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and
Commission staff's Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests.
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to
the address above in
[[Page 13160]]
paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD and SD1, study
requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and all
communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits of
the potential application must be filed with the Commission.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
documents using the Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. You
must include your name and contact information at the end of your
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online. In lieu of
electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via
the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on
the first page: Lucky Peak Project (P-2832-023).
All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading:
``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,''
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests,
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating
status must do so by May 12, 2025.
p. Scoping Process: In accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), Commission staff will prepare either an
environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement
(EIS) (collectively referred to as the ``NEPA document''). The NEPA
document will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental
effects, and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. The
Commission's scoping process will help determine the required level of
analysis and satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of
whether the Commission prepares an environmental assessment or
Environmental Impact Statement.
Scoping Meetings
Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings for the project to
receive input on the scope of the NEPA document. An evening meeting
will focus on receiving input from the public and a daytime meeting
will focus on concerns of resource agencies, Native American tribes,
and non-governmental organizations (NGO). We invite all interested
agencies, Native American tribes, NGOs, and the public to attend one or
both meetings to assist us in identifying the scope of environmental
issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. The dates and
times of the scoping meetings are listed below.
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).
Location: Hyatt Place Boise/Downtown, 1024 West Bannock Street,
Boise, ID 83702.
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MDT.
Location: Hyatt Place Boise/Downtown, 1024 West Bannock Street,
Boise, ID 83702.
Copies of SD1, outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the
environmental document, was mailed to the individuals and entities on
the Commission's mailing list and Districts' PAD distribution list.
Copies of SD1 may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov, using
the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions for accessing information
in paragraph m. Based on all oral and written comments, a Scoping
Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a revised process plan
and schedule, as well as a list of issues, identified through the
scoping process.
Environmental Site Visit
The Districts and Commission staff will hold an environmental site
visit of the Lucky Peak Project on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m. MDT.
Meeting Location: Powerplant address: 9731 E Highway 21, Boise, ID
83716; Coordinates: 43.528971, -116.057076.
Directions: From ID-21 turn onto East Sandy Point Road. Pass the
entrance to Lucky Peak powerplant and continue driving on East Sandy
Point Road until you reach the parking lot. The meeting spot is located
near the circular driveway at the west side of the parking lot. Please
arrive by 10:15 a.m.
Meeting Procedures
Agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals with
environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the
meetings and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues
to be addressed in the NEPA document. At the start of each meeting,
Commission staff will provide a brief overview of the meeting format
and objectives. Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one
basis with a court reporter (with Commission staff present). This
format is designed to receive the maximum number of oral comments in a
convenient way during the timeframe allotted. If you wish to speak,
Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of your arrival. If
all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to
do so, Commission staff may conclude the meeting a half hour earlier
than the scheduled time. Please see appendix C of the SD1 for
additional information on the session format and conduct.\1\
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\1\ The appendix referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendix were sent to all those
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the ``eLibrary'' link. For assistance, contact FERC at
[email protected], or (866) 208-3676 (toll free) or (202)
502-8659 (TTY).
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Scoping comments will be recorded by the court reporter and become
part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be
publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system. If a significant number
of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one
settings, a time limit may be implemented for each commentor.
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in writing or
provided orally at a scoping session. Although there will not be a
formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the
scoping meeting(s) to answer your questions about the environmental
review process. Representatives from Districts will also be present to
answer project-specific questions.
Dated: March 13, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-04701 Filed 3-19-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P