[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5522-5523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01638]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2221-041]


Empire District Electric Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment

    On February 28, 2020, Empire District Electric Company (Empire 
District) filed an application for a new major license to continue 
operating the existing, 16-megawatt Ozark Beach Hydroelectric Project 
No. 2221 (Ozark Beach Project). Empire District filed an amended 
application on August 28, 2020. The project is located on the White 
River, near the Town of Forsyth, in Taney County, Missouri. The project 
occupies 5.1 acres of federal land administered by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers.
    In accordance with the Commission's regulations, on November 9, 
2023, Commission staff issued a notice that the project was ready for 
environmental analysis (REA notice). Based on the information in the 
record staff does not anticipate that licensing the project would 
constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment. Therefore, staff intends to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) on the application to license the Ozark 
Beach Project.
    The EA will be issued and circulated for review by all interested 
parties. All comments filed on the EA will be analyzed by staff and 
considered in the Commission's final licensing decision.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#602f303020060512034e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aae5fafaeacccfd8c984cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>.

[[Page 5523]]

    The application will be processed according to the following 
schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
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Commission issues EA......................  June 2024.\1\
Comments on EA............................  July 2024.
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    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Colleen 
Corballis at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#23404c4f4f46464d0d404c5141424f4f4a5063454651400d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dab9b5b6b6bfbfb4f4b9b5a8b8bbb6b6b3a99abcbfa8b9f4bdb5ac">[email protected]</span></a> or call at 202-502-8598.
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    \1\ The Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations 
under 40 CFR 1501.10(b)(1) require that EAs be completed within 1 
year of the federal action agency's decision to prepare an EA. This 
notice establishes the Commission's intent to prepare an EA for the 
Ozark Beach Project. Therefore, in accordance with CEQ's 
regulations, the EA must be issued within 1 year of the issuance 
date of this notice.

    Dated: January 22, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-01638 Filed 1-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


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