[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


