[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5685]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: March 11, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Project No.'s 2528-ME, 2527-ME, 2194-ME, 2531-ME, 2529-ME, 2530-ME, and
11365-ME
Central Maine Power, et al.; Intention To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Saco River Basin, Conduct
Project Site Visits, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings
March 7, 1994.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is reviewing
applications for new licenses for the continued operation of two
hydropower projects and an exemption for an existing unlicensed project
on the Saco River, Maine. The Commission's Staff (Staff) also
anticipates applications for amendments to license will be filed within
the next year on four additional mainstem Saco River projects as a
consequence of the ``Draft Saco River Fish Passage Agreement''
(Agreement) which will affect all seven projects on the Saco River.
The Staff has determined that issuance of new licenses for the
Bonny Eagle and Skelton Projects, the issuance of an exemption for the
unlicensed Swans Falls Project, and the issuance of amendments to the
Hiram, West Buxton, Bar Mills, and Cataract Projects as a result of the
Agreement would constitute a major federal action significantly
affecting the quality of the human environment under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Commission's regulations.
Therefore, the Staff intends to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) before any licensing decision by the Commission. The
preparation of the EIS will continue to be supported by a vigorous and
ongoing scoping process to ensure the identification and analysis of
all pertinent issues.
The purpose of the scoping process is to identify significant
issues related to the proposed actions and the continued operation of
hydropower projects in the basin and to determine what issues should be
covered in the EIS. The document enclosed, entitled ``Scoping Document
I'' is being circulated to enable appropriate federal, state, and local
resource agencies, developers, Indian tribes, non-governmental
organizations, and other interested parties to effectively participate
in and contribute to the scoping process. This scoping document
provides a brief description of the proposed actions, the potential
alternatives, the geographic and temporal scope of a cumulative effects
analysis, and a preliminary schedule for preparing the EIS.
The staff's EIS will consider both site specific and cumulative
environmental effects to the proposed actions and reasonable
alternatives, and will include an economic, financial and engineering
analysis. A draft EIS will be issued and circulated for review by all
interested parties. All comments filed on the draft EIS will be
analyzed by the Commission staff and considered in a final EIS.
Project Site Visit
The applicants and Commission staff will conduct project site
visits of the Swans Falls, Hiram, Bonny Eagle, West Buxton, Bar Mills,
Skelton, and Cataract Projects. The site visits will be held starting
at 1 p.m. March 22, 1994, and at 9 a.m. on March 23, 1994. All
interested individuals, organizations, agencies are invited to attend.
All participants are responsible for their own transportation to the
starting point. For more details, interested parties should contact Ms.
Wendy Bley at (207) 626-9600, extension 2999 prior to the site visit
date.
Scoping Meetings
The Commission staff will conduct one evening scoping meeting and
one morning scoping meeting. All interested individuals, organizations,
and agencies are invited to attend and assist the staff in identifying
the scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EIS.
The evening meeting will be held on March 23, 1994, from 7 p.m. to
10 p.m. (or later) at the Saco Elks Club, on Route #1, Saco, Maine.
The morning agency meeting will be held on March 24, 1994, from 10
a.m. to 1 p.m. at Alfred Restaurant, 281 Civic Center Drive, Augusta,
Maine.
Objectives
At the scoping meetings, the Commission staff will: (1) Summarize
the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the
planned EIS: (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available
information, especially quantified data, on the resources at issue, and
(3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that
should be analyzed in the EIS.
Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental
expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meetings and to
assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed
in the EIS.
Meeting Procedures
The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and, thereby, will
become a part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the
Saco River projects under consideration. Individuals presenting
statements at the meetings will be asked to identify themselves for the
record.
Concerned parties are encouraged to offer us verbal guidance during
public meetings. Speaking time allowed for individuals will be
determined before each meeting, based on the number of persons wishing
to speak and the approximate amount of time available for the session,
but all speakers will be provided at least five minutes to present
their views.
Persons choosing not to speak but wishing to express an opinion, as
well as speakers unable to summarize their positions within their
allotted time, may submit written statements for inclusion in the
public record.
Written scoping comments may also be filed with the Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, until April 15, 1994. All filings should contain
an original and 8 copies. Failure to file an original and 8 copies may
result in appropriate staff not receiving the benefit of your comments
in a timely manner. See 18 CFR 4.34(h).
All correspondence should clearly show one or more of the following
captions on the first page: Swans Falls Project, FERC No. 11365; Hiram
Project, FERC No. 2530; Bonny Eagle Project, FERC No. 2529; West Buxton
Project, FERC No. 2531; Bar Mills Project, FERC No. 2194; Skelton
Project, FERC No. 2527; and Cataract Project, FERC No. 2528.
All those attending the meeting are urged to refrain from making
any communications concerning the merits of the application to any
member of the Commission staff outside of the established process for
developing the record as stated into the record of the proceeding.
Further, interested persons are reminded of the Commission's Rules
of Practice and Procedures, requiring parties or interceders (as
defined in 18 CFR 385.2010) to file documents on each person whose name
is on the official service list for this proceeding. See 18 CFR
4.34(b).
For further information, please contact Ron W. Kokel, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Hydropower Licensing, 825 North
Capitol Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 (Telephone 202 219-2840), J.
Rich McGuire (Telephone 202 219-3084), or Bob Bell (Telephone 202 219-
2806).
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-5685 Filed 3-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
