[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 27498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09244]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2466-037]


Appalachian Power Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment

    On February 28, 2022, Appalachian Power Company (Appalachian) filed 
an application for a new major license for the 2.4-megawatt Niagara 
Hydroelectric Project (Niagara Project; FERC No. 2466). The Niagara 
Project is located on the Roanoke River, in Roanoke County, Virginia. 
The project is adjacent to and partially within the Blue Ridge Parkway.
    In accordance with the Commission's regulations, on February 7, 
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 on the REA Notice, staff does not 
anticipate that licensing the project would constitute a major federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. 
Therefore, staff intends to prepare a draft and final Environmental 
Assessment (EA) on the application to relicense the Niagara Project.
    The EA will be issued and circulated for review by all interested 
parties. All comments filed on the EA will be analyzed by staff and 
considered in the Commission's final licensing decision.
    The application will be processed according to the following 
schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations 
under 40 CFR 1501.10(b)(1) require that EAs be completed within 1 
year of the federal action agency's decision to prepare an EA. This 
notice establishes the Commission's intent to prepare a draft and 
final EA for the Niagara Project. Therefore, in accordance with 
CEQ's regulations, the final EA must be issued within 1 year of the 
issuance date of this notice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commission issues draft EA................  November 2023.
Comments on draft EA......................  December 2023.
Commission issues final EA................  April 2024.\1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Laurie Bauer 
at (202) 502-6519 or [email protected].

    Dated: April 26, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-09244 Filed 5-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


