E4-567. Wisconsin Public Service Corporation; Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

March 8, 2004.

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.

b. Project No.: 1979-012.

c. Date Filed: June 21, 2002.

d. Applicant: Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.

e. Name of Project: Alexander Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Wisconsin River near the City of Merrill, Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The project occupies 3.59 acres of public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. David W. Harpole, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, 700 N. Adams Street, P.O. Box 19002, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54307 [phone].

i. FERC Contact: Michael Spencer, [e-mail], [phone].

j. Pursuant to § 4.34(b) of the Commission's Regulations (see Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56 FR 23108, May 20, 1991), the deadline for filing comments, interventions, protests, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions is 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. Reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance 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 and Procedure 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 and conditions, and prescriptions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) under the “eFiling” link.

k. Status of environmental analysis: This application is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. Description of Project: The existing project consists of: (1) A dam, described from east to west side as comprised of a gated spillway controlled by 11 Taintor gates each measuring 26-feet-wide and 15-feet-high, the powerhouse, a 385-foot-long concrete wall with earth backfill, and a 515-foot-long, 20-foot-high earthen embankment dam; (2) a reservoir with a surface area of 803 acres and, a 7,000 acre-foot storage volume at normal pond elevation; (3) the powerhouse contains three generating units with an total installed capacity of 4,200-kilowatts (4) a transmission substation; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The applicant estimates that the average annual generation is 23,550 megawatt-hours.

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 “eLibrary” 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 email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

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”, “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, “PROTEST”, “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. 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 j 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: June 2004.

Magalie R. Salas,

Secretary.