[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 173 (Friday, September 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55279-55280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19602]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 1869-060]
NorthWestern Energy; 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 License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
b. Project No.: 1869-060.
c. Dated Filed: July 1, 2020.
d. Submitted By: NorthWestern Energy.
e. Name of Project: Thompson Falls Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Clark Fork River in Sanders County in the city
of Thompson Falls, Montana. The project includes 103.78 acres of
federal lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
Regulations.
h. Licensee Contact: Mary Gail Sullivan, Director, Environmental &
Lands Permitting & Compliance, NorthWestern Energy, 11 East Park
Street, Butte, Montana 59701; phone: (406) 497-3382 or (406) 490-1838.
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 NorthWestern Energy 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. NorthWestern Energy 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 https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx 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 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
[[Page 55280]]
Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. 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.
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 October 27, 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.
Further revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.
Dated: August 28, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-19602 Filed 9-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P