[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7089-7090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01612]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 15055-000]


Northern States Power Company--Wisconsin; Notice of Intent To 
File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), 
Commencement of Pre-Filing Process and Scoping; 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 and 
Commencing Pre-Filing Process.
    b. Project No.: 15055-000.
    c. Date Filed: November 17, 2020.
    d. Submitted By: Northern States Power Company--Wisconsin (Northern 
States).
    e. Name of Project: Gile Flowage Storage Reservoir Project (Gile 
Project).
    f. Location: The project is located on the West Fork Montreal River 
in Iron County, Wisconsin.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 of the Commission's regulations.
    h. Potential Applicant Contact: James M. Zyduck, Director of Hydro 
Plants, Northern States Power Company, 1414 West Hamilton Ave., P.O. 
Box 8, Eau Claire, WI 54702-0008; email at James.Zyduck@XcelEnergy.com.
    i. FERC Contact: Lee Emery at (202) 502-8379; or email at 
lee.emery@ferc.gov.
    j. Northern States filed its request to use the TLP on November 17, 
2020. Northern States provided public notice of its request on November 
13, 2020. In a letter dated January 19, 2021, the Director of the 
Division of Hydropower Licensing denied Northern States' request to use 
the TLP and instead requires the use of the ILP to prepare the license 
application for the Gile Project.
    k. 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 m 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).
    l. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act and the joint agency regulations thereunder at

[[Page 7090]]

50 CFR part 402. We are also initiating consultation with the Wisconsin 
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.
    m. With this notice, we are designating Northern States as the 
Commission's non-federal representative for carrying out informal 
consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act; and 
consultation pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act.
    n. Northern States 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.
    o. A copy of the PAD may be viewed on the Commission's website 
(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.
    p. Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filing and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    q. 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 http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief 
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the 
eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You 
must include your name and contact information at the end of your 
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] 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 March 17, 2021.
    r. Scoping Process: The Commission's scoping process will help 
determine the required level of analysis and satisfy the NEPA scoping 
requirements, irrespective of whether the Commission prepares an 
environmental assessment or Environmental Impact Statement.
    Due to restrictions on mass gatherings related to COVID-19, we are 
waiving section 5.8(b)(viii) of the Commission's regulations and do not 
intend to conduct a public scoping meeting and site visit in this case. 
Instead, we are soliciting written comments, recommendations, and 
information, on SD1. Any individual or entity interested in submitting 
scoping comments must do so by the date specified in item q. SD1, which 
outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the environmental 
document, was mailed to the individuals and entities on the 
Commission's official 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 o. 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. Further revisions to 
the schedule may be made as appropriate.

    Dated: January 19, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-01612 Filed 1-25-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


