03-15560. Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments

June 13, 2003.

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-287-009.

c. Date filed: April 8, 2002.

d. Applicant: Midwest Hydro Inc.

e. Name of Project: Dayton Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Fox River, near the City of Dayton, in La Salle County, Illinois. The project does not affect any federal lands.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Charles Alsberg, Executive Vice President, North American Hydro, P.O. Box 167, Neshkoro, WI 54960, [phone] ext. 11.

i. FERC Contact: Tom Dean, [phone], [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: July 25, 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.

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.

Scoping comments 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 “e-Filing” link.

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

l. The existing Dayton Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) 594-foot-long arch-buttress uncontrolled fixed crest overflow concrete dam; (2) a 200-foot-long earthen embankment on the east side; (3) a 200 acre impoundment with a normal pool elevation of 498.90 msl; (4) a concrete head gate structure with four 15.5-foot-wide and 9.5 foot-high wooden gates located at the west abutment; (5) a 900-foot-long, 135-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep power canal; (6) a powerhouse containing three turbines with a total installed capacity of 3,680 kW; (7) a 150-foot-long, 2.4 kV transmission line; and (8) appurtenant facilities. The average annual generation is 14,200 megawatthours.

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 “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 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, [phone]. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

n. You may also 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.

o. Scoping Process: The Commission staff intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Dayton Hydroelectric Project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.

Commission staff does not propose to conduct any on-site scoping meetings at this time. Instead, we will solicit comments, recommendations, information, and alternatives in the Scoping Document (SD).

Copies of the SD outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of the SD may be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the “FERRIS” link.

Magalie R. Salas,

Secretary.