

[Federal Register: December 9, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 236)]
[Notices]               
[Page 73226-73227]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09de05-67]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2485-028 Massachusetts]

 
Northeast Generation Company; Notice of Availability of 
Environmental Assessment

December 2, 2005.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
as amended, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) 
regulations (18 CFR part 380), Commission staff have reviewed the 
application, filed November 16, 2005, by the project licensee, 
Northeast Generation Company, for a temporary amendment of license for 
the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project. The request is for a 
deviation from required project operating limits to allow additional 
operating flexibility this winter. The project is located on the east 
side of the Connecticut River, in the towns of Northfield and Erving, 
in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
    The proposal would modify the upper reservoir's water surface 
elevation limits from 938 and 1000.5 feet mean sea level (msl), to 920 
and 1004.5 feet msl, respectively, and allow a maximum daily generation 
of 10,465 megawatt hours (MWh) under certain ISO-NE emergency operating 
conditions from December 1, 2005, through March 31, 2006. At all other 
times, the upper reservoir would be operated within existing limits, 
and generation would be within the existing maximum limit of 8,475 MWh. 
The project uses the reservoir at the Turners Falls Project (FERC No. 
1889) on the Connecticut River as its lower reservoir, and proposes no 
changes in its operating elevations.
    In the environmental assessment (EA), Commission staff has analyzed 
the probable environmental effects of the proposed amendment and has 
concluded that approval, with the addition of staff-recommended 
measures, would not constitute a major Federal action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment.
    A copy of the EA is attached to the Commission order titled ``Order 
Granting Temporary Amendment of License,'' issued November 30, 2005, 
and is available at the Commission's Public Reference Room. A copy of 
the EA may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov
 using the ``elibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (P-

2485) in the docket number field to access the

[[Page 73227]]

document. For assistance, call (202) 502-8222, or (202) 502-8659 (for 
TTY).

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E5-7141 Filed 12-8-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
