[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 71 (Monday, April 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 20491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07700]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2221-039]


Empire District Electric Company; Notice of Availability of 
Environmental Assessment

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) regulations, 
18 CFR part 380 (Order No. 486, 52 FR 47897), the Office of Energy 
Projects has reviewed an application submitted by Empire District 
Electric Company (licensee) to allow the City of Branson, Missouri, the 
use of Ozark Beach Hydroelectric Project No. 2221, to use project lands 
and waters for municipal water supply. The Ozark Beach Hydroelectric 
Project is located on the White River in Taney County, Missouri and 
partially utilizes federal lands administered by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (Corps).
    An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared as part of 
Commission staff's review of the proposal. In the application, the 
licensee proposes to grant the City of Branson, Missouri permission to 
continue operating two existing raw water intake facilities 
(facilities) on Lake Taneycomo, the project's storage reservoir; and, 
increase the withdrawal from one of the two facilities by 5.0 million 
gallons per day (mgd). Approval of the licensee's request would 
authorize the total combined withdrawal of 11.2 mgd from the reservoir. 
This EA contains Commission staff's analysis of the potential 
environmental impacts of the continued operation of the existing 
facilities and the proposed increase in water withdrawal volume, and 
concludes that approval of the proposal would not constitute a major 
federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment.
    The EA may be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (P-
2221) in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov 
or toll-free at (866) 208-3372 or for TTY, (202) 502-8659.
    For further information, contact Robert Ballantine at (202) 502-
6289 or by email at robert.ballantine@ferc.gov.

    Dated: April 7, 2020.
 Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-07700 Filed 4-10-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


