01-22719. Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission, Establishing Procedures for Relicensing and Deadlines for Commenting on Alternative Procedures, and Submission of Final Amendments

September 5, 2001.

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.: 346-037.

c. Date Filed: August 23, 2001.

d. Applicant: Minnesota Power Inc.

e. Name of Project: Blanchard Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Mississippi River near the City of Little Falls, in Morrison County, MN. The project occupies federal lands of the Bureau of Land Management.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Bob Bohm, Minnesota Power, Inc., P.O. Box 60, Little Falls, MN 56345, [e-mail] 320-632-2318, ext. 5042.

i. FERC Contact: Tom Dean, [e-mail], 202-219-2778.

j. Deadline for filing comments: 30 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 Commissions, 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 under the “e-Filing” link.

k. The existing Blanchard Project consists of: (1) A 750-foot-long, 62-foot-high concrete gravity dam comprising: (a) a 190-foot-long non-overflow section; (b) a 437-foot-long gated spillway section; (c) eight 44-foot-wide by 14.7-foot-high Taintor gates; and (d) a 124-foot-wide integral powerhouse; (2) approximately 3,540-foot-long earth dikes extending from both sides of the concrete dam; (3) a 1,152-acre reservoir at normal water surface elevation of 1,081.7 feet NGVD; (4) a powerhouse containing three generating units with a total installed capacity of 18,000 kW; and (5) other appurtenances.

l. A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2-A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling [phone]. 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.

m. Alternative procedures schedule and final amendments: The Commission staff proposes to issue one Environmental Assessment (EA) rather than issuing a draft and final EA. Staff intends to allow at least 30 days for entities to comment on the EA before final action is taken on the license application. If any person or organization objects to the staff proposed alternative procedure, they should file comments as stipulated in item j above, briefly explaining the basis for their objection. The application will be processed according to the following milestones, some of which may be combined to expedite processing:

Notice of application has been accepted for filing

Notice soliciting final terms and conditions

Notice of the availability of the NEPA document

Order issuing the Commission's decision on the application

Final amendments to the application must be filed with the Commission no later than 45 days from the issuance date of the notice soliciting final terms and conditions.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.