02-836. Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms, Conditions, and Prescriptions

January 7, 2002.

Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.

a. Type of Application: New Major License 5 Megawatts or Less.

b. Project No.: P-2835-005.

c. Date filed: October 27, 2000.

d. Applicant: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation.

e. Name of Project: Rainbow Falls Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Ausable River, within the townships of Ausable and Chesterfield, in Clinton and Essex counties, New York. This project does not utilize any federal lands.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).

h. Applicant Contact: Mrs. Carol Howland, Project Environmental Specialist, New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Corporate Drive—Kirkwood Industrial Park, P.O. Box 5224, Binghamton, NY 13902-5224, or call [phone].

i. FERC Contact: Jarrad Kosa at [phone] or via e-mail at [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms, conditions, and prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance of this notice.

All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: Linwood A. Watson, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.

The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency.

Comments, recommendations, terms, conditions, and prescriptions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) under the “e-Filing” link.

k. This application has been accepted and is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. Description of the Project: The existing Rainbow Falls Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) A 19-acre reservoir having a gross storage capacity of 234 acre-feet at 310 m.s.l.; (2) a 19-foot-high by 435-foot-long concrete gravity dam having (i) 3-foot-high flashboards and (ii) a concrete 345-foot-long spillway between the dam abutments with an average height of 16 feet and an average width of 21 feet; (3) a 77-foot-long by 22-foot to 49-foot-wide forebay intake structure, and (4) a 20-foot-long by 16-foot-wide sluiceway section containing a gate well located at the west end of the spillway section; (5) a 260-foot-long by 25.5-foot-deep concrete power canal leading to (6) a stone rack house containing trash racks and rakes; (7) two 6-foot-in-diameter steel riveted penstocks extending 401 feet and 411 feet, respectively, from the rack house to a (8) 67-foot-long by 40-foot-wide reinforced concrete powerhouse, housing two 1,320-kW generating units for a total installed capacity of 2,640-kW; (9) a 200-foot-long, 2.3-kV transmission line; and (10) appurtenant facilities. The project has an annual average generation of 13,991,000 kilowatt-hour (kWh). The purpose of the project is to produce electric power generation for distribution on the licensee's transmission and distribution facilities.

m. A copy of the application is on file with the Commission and is available for public inspection. This filing may also be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the “RIMS” link—select “Docket #” and follow the instructions (call 202-208-2222 for assistance). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

n. The Commission directs, pursuant to Section 4.34(b) of the Regulations (see Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56 FR 23108, May 20, 1991) that all comments, recommendations, terms, conditions and prescriptions concerning the application be filed with the Commission within 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. All reply comments must be filed with the Commission within 105 days from the date of this notice.

Anyone may obtain an extension of time for these deadlines from the Commission only upon a showing of good cause or extraordinary circumstances in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2008.

All filings must: (1) bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “REPLY COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS”, “TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, or “PRESCRIPTIONS”; (2) set forth in the heading the name of the applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, recommendations, terms, conditions or prescriptions must set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b), and 385.2010.

C.B. Spencer,

Acting Secretary.