01-22585. Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

September 4, 2001.

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

a. Type of Application: A New Major License.

b. Project No.: P-2042-013.

c. Date filed: January 21, 2000.

d. Applicant: Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend Oreille County.

e. Name of Project: Box Canyon Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Pend Oreille River, in Pend Oreille County, Washington and Bonner County, Idaho. About 709 acres within the project boundary are located on lands of the United States, including Kalispel Indian Reservation (493 acres), U.S. Forest Service Colville National Forest (182.93 acres), U.S. Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (24.14 acres), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2.45 acres), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (5.29 acres), and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (1.44 acres).

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

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Mark Cauchy, Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend Oreille County, 130 North Washington St., Newport, WA 99156; [phone]

i. FERC Contact: Mr. Timothy Welch, E-mail: [e-mail] or telephone [phone].

j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and conditions and prescriptions: 60 days from the date of issuance 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, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions may be filed electronically, as well as protests and interventions, via the Internet in lieu of paper. 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.

The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person whose name appears 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.

k. This application has been accepted and is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. Description of the Project: The Box Canyon Project is located in the northeast corner of Washington state in Pend Oreille County. The project dam is located at river mile 34.4 from the Pend Oreille River's confluence with the Columbia River. The site is 13 miles from the Canadian border, 14 miles from the Idaho border, and 90 miles north of city of Spokane, WA. The existing Box Canyon Project consists of : (1) 46-foot-high, 160-foot-long reinforced concrete dam with integral spillway, (2) 217-foot-long, 35-foot-diameter diversion tunnel, (3) 1,170-foot-long forebay channel, (4) auxiliary spillway, (5) powerhouse containing four generating units with a combined capacity of 72 MW, (6) 8,850-acre reservoir at maximum operating pool elevation of 2030.6 feet, and other associated facilities. PUD No.1 operates the project in a run-of-river mode.

PUD No.1 proposes to upgrade all four turbines with new high efficiency, fish-friendly runners and to rewind the four generators to increase generating capacity to 90 MW. No new structures will be built and no construction in the river will be required. No operational changes will be needed although peak flow through each turbine will be increased from 6,850 cfs to 8,100 cfs which will ultimately result in an 8% increase in average annual energy output.

m. A copy of the application is on file with the Commission and is 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 [phone] for assistance). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address 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.

Anyone may obtain an extension of time for these deadlines from the Commission 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 responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the filing; 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 on 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.,

Acting Secretary.