E9-26632. CRD Hydroelectric, LLC; Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments

October 29, 2009.

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

a. Type of Application: Original Major License.

b. Project No.: P-12576-004.

c. Date filed: February 24, 2009.

d. Applicant: CRD Hydroelectric, LLC.

e. Name of Project: Red Rock Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Des Moines River, in Marion County, Iowa. The project would be located at U.S. Army Corps of Engineer facilities.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Douglas A. Spaulding, Nelson Energy LLC, 8441 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 101, Golden Valley, MN 55426; [phone].

i. FERC Contact: Timothy Konnert, [e-mail], [phone].

j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: November 30, 2009.

All documents may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​ferconline.asp) under the “eFiling” link. For a simpler method of submitting text only comments, click on “Quick Comment.” For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail]; call toll-free at [phone]; or, for TTY, contact [phone]. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and eight copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, 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.

k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this time.

The proposed Red Rock Hydroelectric Project would be located at the existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Red Rock dam, which was constructed by the Corps in 1969 for flood control. The existing Corps facilities consist of: (1) A 110-foot-high, 6,260-foot-long earth-fill dam with a 241-foot-long gated ogee spillway equipped with five 45-foot-high tainter gates; and (2) a 15,253-acre reservoir with a normal conservation pool water surface elevation of 742.0 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.

The proposed project would utilize the head created by the existing Corps dam and consist of: (1) A new 127-foot-long by 19-foot-wide intake structure connected to; (2) three new 19-foot-diameter, 211-foot-long penstocks passing through the left side of the spillway leading to; (3) a new 59-foot-long by 132-foot-wide powerhouse located directly downstream of the existing spillway structure containing three new 12.13-megawatt (MW) generating units with a total generating capacity of 36.4 MW; (4) a new 8.4-mile-long, 69-kilovolt transmission line; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The estimated average annual generation would be 158,000 megawatt-hours.

The project would be operated in run-of-river mode and use flows released by the Corps in accordance with its present operations.

l. 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 “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to addess the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. A copy is available for inspection and reproduction at the address in Item h above.

m. You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

n. Scoping Process

The Commission staff intends to prepare a single Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.

Commission staff does not propose to conduct any on-site scoping meetings at this time. Instead, we are soliciting comments, recommendations, and information, on the Scoping Document (SD) issued on October 29, 2009.

Copies of the SD outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing list and the applicant's distribution list. Copies of the SD may be viewed on the Web at 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. For assistance, call 1-866-208-3676 or for TTY, [phone].

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.