03-12827. Notice of Application Tendered for Filing with the Commission, Soliciting Additional Study Requests, and Establishing Procedural Schedule for Relicensing and a Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments

May 15, 2003.

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

a. Type of Application: Subsequent Minor License.

b. Project No.: 6514-009.

c. Date Filed: May 2, 2003.

d. Applicant: City of Marshall, Michigan.

e. Name of Project: City of Marshall Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Kalamazoo River near the City of Marshall, in Calhoun County, Michigan. The project does not affect federal lands.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Keith Zienert, Power Plant Superintendent, City of Marshall, 906 S. Marshall, Marshall, MI 49068, [phone]; or John Fisher, Chairman, Lawson-Fisher Associates P.C., 525 West Washington Avenue, South Bend, IN 46601, [phone].

i. FERC Contact: Peter Leitzke, [phone] or [e-mail].

j. Cooperating agencies: We are asking Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation of the environmental document. Agencies who would like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments described in item l below.

k. Pursuant to section 4.32(b)(7) of 18 CFR of the Commission's regulations, if any resource agency, Indian Tribe, or person believes that an additional scientific study should be conducted in order to form an adequate factual basis for a complete analysis of the application on its merit, the resource agency, Indian Tribe, or person must file a request for a study with the Commission not later than 60 days from the date of filing of the application, and serve a copy of the request on the applicant.

l. Deadline for filing additional study requests and requests for cooperating agency status: July 2, 2003.

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. Please include the project number (P-6514) on any documents filed.

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.

Additional study requests may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. 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. After logging into the e-Filing system, select “Comment on Filing” from the Filing Type Selection screen and continue with the filing process.”

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

n. The existing City of Marshall Hydroelectric Project consists of the following existing facilities: (1) The 12-foot-high, 215-foot-long Perrin No. 1 Dam; (2) the 12-foot-high, 90-foot-long Perrin No. 2 Dam; (3) a 130-acre reservoir with a normal pool elevation of 899 feet msl; (4) a 140-foot-long canal-type forebay; (5) a powerhouse containing three generating units with a total installed capacity of 463 kW; and (6) other appurtenances.

o. 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 “FERRIS” 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 [phone], or for TTY, contact [phone]. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

p. With this notice, we are initiating consultation with the Michigan State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), as required by section 106, National Historic Preservation Act, and the regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, 36 CFR 800.4.

q. Procedural schedule and final amendments: The application will be processed according to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate.

Issue Acceptance or Deficiency Letter—October 2003

Issue Scoping Document—November 2003

Notice that application is ready for environmental analysis—February 2004

Notice of the availability of the EA July 2004

Ready for Commission decision on the application—September 2004

Unless substantial comments are received in response to the EA, staff intends to prepare a single EA in this case. If substantial comments are received in response to the EA, a final EA will be prepared with the following modifications to the schedule.

Notice of the availability of the final EA—October 2004

Ready for Commission's decision on the application—November 2004

Final amendments to the application must be filed with the Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of the notice of ready for environmental analysis.

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 at [e-mail] or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, [phone].

Magalie R. Salas,

Secretary.