[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 20511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07207]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2628-066]


Alabama Power Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement

    On November 23, 2021, Alabama Power Company filed an application 
for a new major license to operate its 137.5-megawatt (MW) \1\ R.L. 
Harris Hydroelectric Project (Harris Project; FERC No. 2628). The 
project is located on the Tallapoosa River near the City of Lineville 
in Randolph, Clay, and Cleburne Counties, Alabama. The Harris Project 
also includes land within the James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife 
Management Area located approximately 110 miles north of Harris Lake in 
Jackson County, Alabama. The project occupies 4.90 acres of federal 
land administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ This capacity includes a proposed 2.5-MW increase in 
generation that would be provided through a new minimum flow unit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On July 31, 2018, Commission staff issued Scoping Document 1, 
initiating the scoping process for the project in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Commission regulations. On 
November 16, 2018, Commission staff issued a revised scoping document 
(Scoping Document 2). In accordance with the Commission's regulations, 
on January 17, 2023, Commission staff issued a notice that the project 
was ready for environmental analysis (REA Notice). Based on the 
information in the record, including comments filed during scoping and 
in response to the REA Notice, staff has determined that relicensing 
the project may constitute a major federal action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment. Therefore, staff 
intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Harris Project.
    A draft EIS will be issued and circulated for review by all 
interested parties. All comments filed in response to the REA notice, 
and on the draft EIS will be analyzed by staff in a final EIS. The 
staff's conclusions and recommendations will be available for the 
Commission's consideration in reaching its final licensing decision.
    The application will be processed according to the following 
schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue draft EIS........................  September 2023.
Draft EIS Public Meeting...............  October 2023.
Comments on draft EIS due..............  November 2023.
Commission issues final EIS............  April 2024.\2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Sarah 
Salazar at (202) 502-6863 or [email protected].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations 
under 40 CFR 1501.10(b)(2) require that a Record of Decision be 
completed within 2 years of the federal action agency's decision to 
prepare an EIS. This notice establishes the Commission's intent to 
prepare a draft and final EIS for the Harris Project. Therefore, in 
accordance with CEQ's regulations, the Commission must reach a 
licensing decision within 2 years of the issuance date of this 
notice.

    Dated: March 31, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-07207 Filed 4-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


