2011-8301. Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, and Preliminary Terms and Conditions

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

a. Type of Application: Subsequent License—Transmission Line Only.

b. Project No.: P-2479-011.

c. Date filed: February 22, 2011.

d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

e. Name of Project: French Meadows Transmission Line Project.

f. Location: The French Meadows Transmission Line Project is located in Placer County, California, within the boundaries of the Eldorado and Tahoe National Forests.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Forrest Sullivan, Senior Project Manager, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 5555 Florin Perkins Road, Sacramento, CA, 95826. Tel: [phone].

i. FERC Contact: Mary Greene, [phone] or [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice.

Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 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/​efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, [phone]. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and seven 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 has been accepted for filing and is now is ready for environmental analysis.

l. The Project is connected with The Middle Fork American River Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 2079, owned and operated by the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA). The project consists of a 3-phase, 60-kilovolt (kV), wood-pole transmission line extending 13.27 miles from PCWA's French Meadows powerhouse switchyard to PCWA's Middle Fork powerhouse (feature of Project 2079). The project includes a 3-phase, 60-kV transmission line extending approximately 900 feet from PCWA's Oxbow powerhouse (feature of project No. 2079) to the interconnection at PG&E's Weimar #1 60-kV transmission line. The transmission line right-of-way is 40 feet in width for its entire length. The project also includes a 230-kV tap at PCWA's Ralston powerhouse. The tap is wholly contained within the switchyard at Ralston powerhouse.

The French Meadows 60-kV transmission line is entirely within the boundaries of the Eldorado National Forest, and the Oxbow 60-kV tap is entirely within the boundaries of the Tahoe National Forest. The combined length of the two 60-kV transmission lines on National Forest System lands is 6.58 miles: 6.42 miles in the Eldorado National Forest and 0.16 mile in the Tahoe National Forest. Approximately 6.69 miles of the French Meadows 60-kV transmission line are located on private lands within the boundary of the Eldorado National Forest. The Oxbow tap is located entirely on National Forest System lands.

PG&E is not proposing to modify the existing project and does not plan any changes to the operation or maintenance of the transmission line.

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. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

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

n. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application.

All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title “PROTEST”, “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, “COMMENTS,” “REPLY COMMENTS,” “RECOMMENDATIONS,” or “PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS;” (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 protesting or intervening; 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. A copy of any protest or motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the applicant specified in the particular application. A copy of all other filings in reference to this application must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.

o. Procedural Schedule:

The application will be processed according to the following revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

Milestone	Target date
Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions	May 31, 2011.
Commission issues EA	September 28, 2011.
Comments on EA or EIS	November 14, 2011.
Modified terms and conditions	January 13, 2012.

p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.

Dated: April 1, 2011.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.