[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 41559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20667]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project Nos. 2004-073 and 11607-000]
Holyoke Water Power Company, Holyoke Gas & Electric Department,
Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale
Electric Company; Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Meeting for the
Holyoke Project on the Connecticut River
July 29, 1998.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is reviewing
the Holyoke Water Power Company's application for a new license for the
continued operation of the Holyoke Project on the Connecticut River,
Massachusetts. The Commission is similarly reviewing a competing
application for the Holyoke Project by the Holyoke Gas & Electric
Department, the Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and the Massachusetts
Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. The Commission will hold a public
meeting on August 25, 1998, in preparation for completing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), and assessing the competing applications for
relicensing the Holyoke Project.
Commission staff will hold the public meeting in the vicinity of
the Holyoke Project. The purpose of the meeting is to entertain further
comments on the environmental issues to be included in the EIS. The
staff will also consider arguments regarding which of the two competing
applications present the best adapted plan for use of the resources of
the waterway. We invite all interested agencies, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), and individuals to attend the meeting. The time
and location of the meeting is shown below.
DATE: Tuesday, August 25, 1998
TIME: 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
PLACE: Holiday Inn, 245 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, MA 01040.
At the meeting, the staff will: (1) summarize the status of the
relicense proceeding(s) and the environmental issues identified in
Scooping Document 2; (2) receive statements on environmental issues
that should be analyzed in the EIS; and (3) receive statements by the
applicants, agencies, NGOs, and general public on which applicant has
proposed the best adapted plan for use of resources of the waterway,
and how the favored application is superior. Statements on the merits
of the competing applications should indicate how the project plans of
each applicant will be adapted to a comprehensive plan for improving or
developing the waterway. Speakers favoring one competing application
over the other should direct their arguments to a comparison of the
merits of the respective proposals.
The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter, and all
statements (oral and written) will become part of the Commission's
public record for the project. Before the meeting starts, all
individuals who attend, will be asked to identify themselves by signing
in. Individuals that intend to make statements during the meeting will
be asked to sign in and clearly identify themselves for the record
prior to speaking. Time allotted for presentations will be determined
by staff based on the length of the meeting and the number of people
wanting to speak. All individuals wishing to speak will be provided at
least five minutes to present their views.
Interested parties who choose not to speak, or who are unable to
attend the public meeting, may provide written comments to the
Commission until September 11, 1998. Written comments should be
submitted to the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
The first page of all filings should indicate ``Holyoke Project,
FERC. No. 2004-073'' and/or ``Holyoke Project, FERC. No. 11607-000'' at
the top of the page. All filings sent to the Secretary of the
Commission should contain an original and eight copies. Failure to file
an original and eight copies may result in appropriate staff not
receiving the benefit of your comments in a timely manner. Furthermore,
participants in this proceeding are reminded that if they file comments
with the Commission, they must serve a copy of their filing to the
parties on the Commission's service list.
For further information, please contact Allan Creamer at (202) 219-
0365.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-20667 Filed 8-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
