02-11264. Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Solicitation of Comments, Terms and Conditions, Recommendations, and Prescriptions

May 1, 2002.

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.: P-401-027.

c. Date Filed: September 14, 2001.

d. Applicant: Indiana Michigan Power Company.

e. Name of Project: Mottville Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the St. Joseph River, in Mottville Township, St. Joseph 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: J.F. Norris, Jr., American Electric Power Service Corporation, 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215, [phone], or [e-mail].

i. FERC Contact: Lee Emery, [phone] or [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing comments, final terms and conditions, recommendations, and prescriptions: 60 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. Comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions may be filed electronically via the internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's web site under the “e-Filing” link.

The Commission's Rules of Practice require all interveners 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 intervener 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. The license application has been accepted for filing and is now ready for environmental analysis. No additional information or studies are needed to prepare the Commission's environmental assessment. Comments are now being requested from interested parties. The applicant will have 45 days following the end of this comment period to respond to any comments filed within the comment period.

l. Description of Project: The existing Mottville Project consists of: (1) two 17-foot high earth-filled embankments extending towards the center of the river from both riverbanks, (I) a west embankment that is 140 feet long and has a crest width of 15 feet and extends to the powerhouse, (ii) an east embankment that is 365 feet long and has a crest width of 8 feet and extends from the east riverbank to the spillway; (2) a 237-foot long, reinforced concrete spillway with 10 steel Taintor gates along the crest of the spillway, which are separated by 2.5-foot wide piers between Bays 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1.5-foot-wide piers between the remaining Bays, (I) Taintor gates are 22 feet wide and 13 feet high in Bays 1 and 2 and 22 feet wide and 7.5 feet high in Bays 3 through 10; (3) a combined powerhouse-intake structure, made of brick and concrete, that is 118 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 25 feet long; (4) 4 vertical shaft, single runner, propeller type generating units with an installed generating capacity of 420 kW each; (5) a 14.5-foot-long, 28-foot-wide, and 25-foot-long switchboard bay attached to the west end of the powerhouse; (6) a 50 horsepower, 460-volt, 3-phase air bubbler system; (7) a 15-ton overhead traveling crane; (8) a 20-foot-wide stilling basin extending across the length of the spillway; (9) a 12-inch thick, reinforced concrete spillway apron; (10) an inoperable 4-foot-wide by 150-foot-long concrete fishway with a slope of about 25 percent; (11) sets of angled steel intake trashracks that are 3-feet 2-inches wide by 14-feet-high with 3/8-inch steel bars with 4-inch spacing between the bars; (12) a five-mile-long, 378-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 2,900-acre-feet at the normal operating pool surface elevation of 770.4 NGVD; (13) a three phase, 2.4/34.5 kV transformer; and (14) other appurtenant facilities. The applicant estimates that the total average annual generation would be 7,800 MWh. All generated power is sold to Indiana Michigan Power Company's customers.

m. Copies of this filing are on file with the Commission and are available for public inspection. This filing may also be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the “RIMS” link, select “Docket#”:and follow the instructions (call 202-208-2222 for assistance). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction by contacting the applicant identified in item “h” above.

n. The Commission directs, pursuant to Section 4.34(b) of the Regulations (see Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56 FR 23108, May 20, 1991) that all comments, recommendations, terms and conditions and prescriptions concerning the application be filed with the Commission within 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. All reply comments must be filed with the Commission within 105 days from the date of this notice.

These deadlines may be extended by the Commission, but 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,” “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 pertains; (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. Each filing 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.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Deputy Secretary.