
[Federal Register: September 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 186)]
[Notices]               
[Page 49367-49368]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28se09-44]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13272-001]

 
Alaska Village Electric Cooperative; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement 
of Licensing Proceeding, and Scoping; Request for Comments on the PAD 
and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study 
Requests

September 21, 2009.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent To File Application for an 
Original License and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 13272-001.
    c. Dated Filed: August 24, 2009.
    d. Submitted By: Alaska Village Electric Cooperative.
    e. Name of Project: Old Harbor Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On Mountain Creek, near the town of Old Harbor, Kodiak 
Island Borough, Alaska.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Brent Petrie, Alaska Village 
Electric Cooperative, 4831 Eagle Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-7497, 
(907) 565-5358 or e-mail at bpetrie@avec.org.
    i. FERC Contact: John Mudre at (202) 502-8902 or e-mail at 
john.mudre@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 Historical 
Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    l. Alaska Village Electric Cooperative 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.
    m. A copy of the PAD is available for review at the Commission in 
the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site 
(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. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at 
FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, of for TTY, 
(202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and 
reproduction at the address in paragraph h.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filing and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    n. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
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 (original and eight copies) must be filed 
with the Commission at the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. All filings with the Commission must include on 
the first page, the project name (Overton Lock and Dam Hydroelectric 
Project) and number (P-13160-002), and bear the heading ``Comments on 
Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,'' ``Comments on Scoping 
Document 1,''

[[Page 49368]]

``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 November 20, 2009.
    Comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for 
cooperating agency status, and other permissible forms of 
communications with the Commission may be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions 
on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ferconline.asp) under the ``e-filing'' link. For a simpler method of 
submitting text-only comments, click on ``Quick Comment.''
    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, the scoping meetings 
described below will satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, 
irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is issued by the Commission.

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project at the times and places noted below. The daytime meeting 
will focus on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental 
organization concerns, while the evening meeting is primarily for 
receiving input from the public. We invite all interested individuals, 
organizations, and agencies to attend one or both of the meetings, and 
to assist staff in identifying particular study needs, as well as the 
scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental 
document. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows:

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009.
    Time: 6:30 p.m.
    Location: Old Harbor Native Corporation Office Building, 12 
Elderberry Drive, Old Harbor, AK 99643.
    Phone: (907) 286-2286.

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Thursday October 22, 2009.
    Time: 3 p.m.
    Location: Alaska Village Electric Cooperative Office, 4831 Eagle 
Street, Anchorage, AK 99503-7497.
    Phone: (907) 565-5358.
    Scoping Document 1 (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 will be 
available at the scoping meetings, or 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 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 Review

    The potential applicant and Commission staff will conduct an 
environmental site review of the project area on Wednesday, October 21, 
2009 beginning at 1 p.m. at the Old Harbor Native Corporation office. 
Those wishing to participate should contact Dan Hertrich by October 11, 
2009 [e-mail, dan@polarconsult.net or phone, (907) 258-2420] for 
details on how to participate. The environmental site review will 
include a strenuous hike to the proposed project intake and other 
features; proper footwear and gear is strongly recommended.

Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Initiate scoping of the 
issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions and resource 
management objectives; (3) review and discuss existing information and 
identify preliminary information and study needs; (4) review and 
discuss the process plan and schedule for pre-filing activity that 
incorporates the time frames provided for in part 5 of the Commission's 
regulations and, to the extent possible, maximizes coordination of 
Federal, state, and tribal permitting and certification processes; and 
(5) discuss the appropriateness of any Federal or State agency or 
Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for development of an 
environmental document.
    Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues 
and/or concerns. Please review the PAD in preparation for the scoping 
meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are 
included in item n. of this document.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will become 
part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-23288 Filed 9-25-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
