E3-00129. Sturgeon Falls Hydro; Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

October 23, 2003.

Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) and is available for public inspection.

a. Type of Application: New Major License.

b. Project No.: 2720-036.

c. Date Filed: July 29, 2002.

d. Applicant: City of Norway, Michigan.

e. Name of Project: Sturgeon Falls Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Menominee River in Dickinson County, Michigan and Marinette County, Wisconsin. The project does not utilize lands of the United States.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Ray Anderson, City Manager, City of Norway, City Hall, 915 Main Street, Norway, Michigan 49870, [phone].

i. Commission Staff Contact: Patti Leppert, [phone], or [e-mail].

j. Status of Environmental Analysis: This application has been accepted for filing and is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

k. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice, reply comments must be filed with the Commission within 105 days from the date of this notice.

All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: Magalie R. Salas, 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 resources agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency.

Comments, recommendations, terms and 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. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings.

l. Description of the Project: The existing Sturgeon Falls Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) A 270-foot-long concrete dam with spillway equipped with a 16.7-foot-high by 24-foot-wide Taintor gate and a 16.7-foot-high by 16-foot-wide Taintor gate; (2) a 126.5-foot-long concrete head-works structure; (3) a 400-acre impoundment with a normal pool elevation of 829.8 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum; (4) a 300-foot-long, 60-foot-wide power canal; (5) a powerhouse containing four generating units with a total installed capacity of 5,136 kilowatts; (6) a 300-foot-long, 7.2-kilovolt transmission line; and (7) appurtenant facilities.

m. A copy of the application is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the “e-Library” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail] or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, [phone]. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/​esubscribenow.htm to be notified via e-mail of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. To view upcoming Commission events, please go to www.ferc.gov and click on “View Entire Calendar”.

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 and 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.

n. Procedures Schedule: The Commission staff proposes to issue one environmental assessment (EA), rather than issuing a draft and final EA. The staff intends to allow at least 30 days for entities to comment on the EA, and will take into consideration all comments received on the EA before final action is taken on the license application. If any person or organization objects to the staff proposed alternative procedure, they should file comments as stipulated in item k above, briefly explaining the basis for their objection. The application will be processed according to the following schedule, but revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate:

Issue Notice of availability of EA: February 2004.

Ready for Commission decision on the application: April 2004.

Magalie R. Salas,

Secretary.