Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 151 / Wednesday, August 6, 1997 / Notices 42239

make determinations regarding

continued eligibility.

[FR Doc. 97–20626 Filed 8–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

(DOE/SEIS/PEIR–0158S)

Public Hearings on Draft Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement/

Program Environmental Impact Report;

Naval Petroleum Reserves

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Public Hearings on the

Draft Supplemental Environmental

Impact Statement/Program

Environmental Impact Report (SEIS/

PEIR).

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA) and the California

Environmental Quality Act of 1970

(CEQA), the Department of Energy

(DOE) and Kern County, California,

have prepared a draft SEIS/PEIR to

assess the environmental effects of the

sale of all rights, title, and interest of the

Federal government in Naval Petroleum

Reserve Numbered 1 (NPR–1) pursuant

to the National Defense Authorization

Act for Fiscal Year 1996 (Pub. L. 104–

106).

INVITATION TO COMMENT: To ensure that

the full range of issues related to these

actions is addressed, comments on the

content of the draft SEIS/PEIR are

invited from all interested parties.

Agencies, organizations, and the general

public are also invited to present

comments at the public hearing as

indicated below. Written comments will

be addressed in the final SEIS/PEIR.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or

questions concerning the

aforementioned actions should be

directed to: Mr. Anthony J. Como, NEPA

Document Manager, U.S. Department of

Energy, Fossil Energy, (FE–27), Room

3H–087, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586–

5935.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information on the EIS process,

please contact: Carol Borgstrom,

Director, Office of NEPA Policy and

Assistance, (EH–42) U.S. Department of

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586–

4600 or 1–800–472–2756.

The scheduled public hearing is:

August 26, 1997 at 2 p.m.–4 p.m. and

7 p.m.–9 p.m., Double Tree Inn, 3100

Camino del Rio Court, Bakersfield, CA

93308.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE

prepared an EIS in 1979 (DOE/EIS–

0012) which analyzed operation of

NPR–1, including construction, drilling,

pumping and maintenance activities to

achieve a maximum efficient rate of

production. In 1993, DOE prepared a

supplemental EIS (DOE/SEIS–0158) that

updated the analysis of the impacts of

oil and gas production at NPR–1 under

continued Federal ownership and

operation.

The DOE has determined that the sale

of NPR–1, as required by P.L. 104–106,

constitutes a major Federal action which

may have a significant impact upon the

environment within the meaning of

NEPA. As a result of this determination,

the DOE is preparing a second

supplemental EIS in compliance with

NEPA. Further, after consultation with

Kern County, California, both agencies

determined that the proposed action

could have a significant effect on the

environment within the meaning of

CEQA. Significant impacts may occur

because private-sector operation of

NPR–1 could result in accelerated levels

of development and different types of

activities than under continued

government ownership. The sale of

NPR–1 was not analyzed until the 1993

SEIS. In addition, action to be

undertaken by California state

government and local agencies in

conjunction with the proposed action

fall under the requirements of CEQA.

Kern County is serving as the lead

agency for the CEQA process. For these

reasons, and others spelled out in the

document, DOE and Kern County are

preparing this joint Supplement to the

1993 SEIS under NEPA and a PEIR

under CEQA to cover foreseeable

impacts from the proposed sale as well

as reasonable alternatives.

Comments and Hearing

The purpose of the public hearing is

to obtain information from interested

parties for the final SEIS/PEIR. This

meeting will be conducted informally;

however, a transcript of the meeting will

be prepared. The presiding officer will

establish the order of speakers and

provide any additional procedures

necessary for the conduct of the hearing.

Speakers will be allotted

approximately 20 minutes for their oral

statement. Written comments will be

incorporated into the final SEIS/PEIR.

The meeting will commence at the time

specified above and will continue until

those present who wish to speak have

had an opportunity to do so.

A transcript of the hearing will be

retained by the DOE and, upon request,

made available for inspection and

copying at the Freedom of Information

Library, room 1E–090, Forrestal Bldg.,

1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20585, between the

hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday. A copy of the hearing

transcript also will be retained by Kern

County and, upon request, made

available for inspection and copying at

the office of the Special Projects

Division Chief, County of Kern Planning

Department, 2700 ‘‘M’’ Street, Suite 100,

Bakersfield, CA 93301, between the

hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday.

Draft SEIS/PEIR Availability

Those individuals who would like to

receive a copy of the draft SEIS/PEIR

should notify Mr. Anthony Como at the

address given above.

Members of Congress, State and local

officials, and interested and affected

persons, organizations, and agencies

have been sent copies of the draft SEIS/

PEIR. Copies also have been placed in

Kern County Public Libraries.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on July , 1997.

Anthony J. Como,

NEPA Document Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–20670 Filed 8–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration

Pre-Subscription, Post 2001 Contracts

AGENCY: Bonneville Power

Administration (BPA), Department of

Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Record

of Decision (ROD).

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability of the ROD for PreSubscription, Post 2001 Contracts. This

ROD relies on BPA’s Business Plan

Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/

EIS–0183, June 1995 and the Business

Plan ROD (August 15, 1995).

BPA has decided to enter into a

limited number of power sales contracts

extending beyond 2001, in advance of

the subscription process recommended

by the Comprehensive Review of the

Northwest Energy System. This decision

is consistent with BPA’s market-driven

approach for participation in the

increasingly competitive electric power

market. BPA will be responsive to its

customers’ needs while ensuring the

financial strength necessary to produce

public benefits.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Business Plan

EIS, Business Plan ROD, and this ROD

are available from BPA’s

Communications Office, P.O. Box