[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 85 (Friday, May 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25431-25432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09319]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2513-090]
Green Mountain Power Corporation; Notice of Intent To File
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD),
Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Waiving Parts of the
Pre-Filing Process; 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
[[Page 25432]]
License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
b. Project No.: 2513-090.
c. Dated Filed: February 27, 2020.
d. Submitted By: Green Mountain Power Corporation.
e. Name of Project: Essex No. 19 Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Winooski River, in Chittenden County, Vermont.
The project does not occupy federal lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
Regulations.
h. Licensee Contact: Mr. John Greenan, Green Mountain Power
Corporation, 1252 Post Road, Rutland, Vermont 05701; phone: (802) 770-
2195 or email at John.Greenan@greenmountainpower.com;.
i. FERC Contact: Michael Tust at (202) 502-6522 or email at
michael.tust@ferc.gov.
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/or NOAA Fisheries under
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency
regulations thereunder at 50 CFR, Part 402 and (b) the 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 Green Mountain Power
Corporation (Green Mountain Power) as the Commission's non-federal
representatives for carrying out informal consultation, pursuant to
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act.
m. Green Mountain Power filed a Pre-Application Document (PAD;
including a proposed process plan and schedule) with the Commission,
pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
n. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents via the internet through
the Commission's Home Page (http://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. At this time, the
Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public Reference
Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on
March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at
FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TYY,
(202) 502-8659.
Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filing and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and
Commission's staff 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 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
all documents using the Commission's eFiling system at http://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 http://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]
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 June 26, 2020.
p. Although our current intent is to prepare an environmental
assessment (EA), there is the possibility that an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) will be required. Nevertheless, this scoping document
will satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether an
EA or EIS is issued by the Commission.
Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review
Due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on
March 13, 2020, we are waiving section 5.8(b)(viii) of the Commission's
regulations and do not intend to conduct a public scoping meeting or
site visit in this case. Instead, we are soliciting written comments,
recommendations, and information, on the SD1. Any individual or entity
interested in submitting scoping comments must do so by the date
specified in item o. SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals
and entities on the Commission's mailing 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 n. Based
on all 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.
We may conduct the site visit, if needed, later in the process,
such as in conjunction with the study plan meeting required by section
5.11(e) of the Commission's regulations which is required to occur by
September 9. 2020. Further revisions to the schedule may be made as
appropriate.
Dated: April 27, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-09319 Filed 4-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P