01-17196. Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene, Protests, and Comments

July 3, 2001.

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

a. Type of Application: Preliminary Permit.

b. Project No.: 12046-000.

c. Date filed: June 4, 2001.

d. Applicant: The Empire District Electric Company.

e. Name of Project: Spring River Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On Spring River, Shoal Creek and Empire Lake, in Cherokee County, Kansas. No federal facilities or lands would be used.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Tom Snyder, Plant Manager, Ozark Beach Plant, The Empire District Electric Company, 602 Joplin Street, Joplin, MO 64801 [phone] ext. 2580.

i. FERC Contact: Regina Saizan, [phone].

j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene, protests and comments: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice.

All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comments, protests and interventions 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 at http://www.ferc.gov. under the link to the User's Guide. If you have not yet established an account, you will need to create a new account by clicking on “Login to File” and then “New User Account.”

Please include the Project Number (12046-000) on any comments, protests, or motions filed.

The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all interveners filing a document with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person in 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. Description of Project: The proposed project would consist of: (1) an existing concrete dam section (south abutment) approximately 25 feet high, 56 feet long; (2) an existing spillway section 267-feet long with five stop logs; (3) 2 existing water box sections each approximately 102-feet long, integral with 4 draft tubes; (4) an existing earth dam section (north abutment) approximately 10 feet high, 800 feet long, with 3-feet wide and 10-feet high concrete core; (5) an existing auxiliary dam approximately 1100-feet long, 25-feet high that acts as an overflow spillway; (6) an existing 69-foot-long, 40-foot-high powerhouse integral with the dam housing 3 new 600 kW generating units for a total installed capacity of 1.8 MW; (7) a new 12.47 kV transmission line approximately 150 feet long; and (8) appurtenant facilities.

The project would have an annual generation of 8 GWh.

l. A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling [phone]. This filing may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov. using the “RIMS” link, select “Docket #” from the RIMS Menu and follow the instructions (please call [phone] for assistance). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

m. Preliminary Permit—Anyone desiring to file a competing application for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36.

n. Preliminary Permit—Any qualified development applicant desiring to file a competing development application must submit to the Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular application, either a competing development application or a notice of intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of intent to file a development application allows an interested person to file the competing application no later than 120 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36.

o. Notice of intent—A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary permit application or a development application (specify which type of application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this public notice.

p. Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit—A preliminary permit, if issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to construct and operate the project.

q. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene—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.

r. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents—Any filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE COMPETING APPLICATION”, “COMPETING APPLICATION”, “PROTEST”, “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, as applicable, and the Project Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. An additional copy must be sent to Director, Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, at the above-mentioned address. A copy of any notice of intent, competing application or motion to intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application.

s. Agency Comments—Federal, state, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.