[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 17528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8431]



[[Page 17528]]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Project Nos. 2318, 2482, 2616, 2539, 2554, 2385]


Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., et al.; Notice of Public Scoping 
Meetings

March 31, 1995.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has received 
applications for new licenses (relicenses) for the existing projects 
operated by the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NiMo), Moreau 
Manufacturing Corporation, and Finch Pruyn, Incorporated in the Hudson 
River Basin in New York. The projects include eight developments. The 
projects and developments are: School Street Project No. 2539; Hoosic 
Project No. 2616 (Schaghticoke and Johnsonville developments); Hudson 
River Project No. 2482 (Sherman Island and Spier Falls developments); 
Glens Falls Project No. 2385; Feeder Dam Project No. 2554; and E.J. 
West Project No. 2318.
    Upon review of the applications, supplemental filings, agency 
comments and intervenor submittals, the Commission staff concluded 
that, given the location and interaction of the projects, we will 
proceed with scoping for a Multiple Project Environmental Impact 
Statement (MEIS) on the Hudson River. If determined appropriate after 
scoping, we will prepare separate Environmental Assessments (Eas) for 
the School Street and the Hoosic (Schaghticoke and Johnsonville 
developments) projects and a MEIS for the remaining E.J. West, Hudson 
River (Sherman Island and Spier Falls developments), Glens Falls, and 
Feeder Dam projects, that describe and evaluate the probable impacts of 
the applicant's proposals and alternative for the projects.
    One element of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process 
is scoping. Scoping activities are initiated early to:
    <bullet> Identify reasonable alternative operational procedures and 
environmental enhancement measures that should be evaluated in the 
documents;
    <bullet> Identify significant environmental issues related to the 
operation of the existing projects;
    <bullet> Determine the depth of analysis for issues that will be 
discussed in the documents; and
    <bullet> Identify resource issues that are of lesser importance 
and, consequently, do not require detailed analysis.

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will conduct four public meetings for the Hudson 
River Multiple Project EIS (MEIS). All interested individuals, 
organizations, and agencies are invited to attend either or all of the 
planned meetings and help staff identify the scope of environmental 
issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA documents.
    The first scoping meeting, primmarily for agencies and covering all 
projects, will be held at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, April 25, 1995, at the 
William K. Sanford Town Library, 629 Albany Shaker Road, Loudonville, 
New York.
    The first evening scoping meeting, primarily for the public and 
directed at the School Street Project, will be conducted at 7:00 PM on 
Tuesday, April 25, 1995, at Cohoes High School, Tiger Circle, Cohoes, 
New York.
    The second evening meeting, directed at the Hoosic Project, will be 
held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, April 26, 1995, at Mechanicville High 
School, Kniskern Avenue, Mechanicville, New York.
    The third evening meeting, directed at the Glens Falls, Feeder Dam, 
Hudson, and E.J. West projects, will be held at 7:00 PM on Thursday, 
April 27, 1995, at Glens Falls Senior High School, 10 Quade Street, 
Glens Falls, New York.

Procedures

    The meetings, which will be recorded by a stenographer, will become 
part of the formal record of the Commission's proceeding on the MEIS. 
Individuals presenting statements at the meeting need to sign in before 
the meeting starts and to identify themselves for the record.
    Concerned parties are encouraged to speak during the public 
meetings. Speaking time allowed for individuals will be determined 
before the meeting, based on the number of persons wishing to speak and 
the approximate amount of time available for the session, but all 
speakers will be provided at least five minutes to present their views.

Scoping Meeting Objectives

    At each scoping meeting, the staff will:
    <bullet> Summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified 
for analysis in the documents;
    <bullet> Identify resource issues that the staff believes are of 
lesser importance and, therefore, do not require detailed analysis;
    <bullet> Solicit from the meeting participants all available 
information, especially quantifiable data, concerning significant local 
resources; and
    <bullet> Encourage statements from experts and the public on issues 
that should be analyzed in the NEPA documents.

Information Requested

    Federal and state resource agencies, local government officials, 
interested groups, area residents, and concerned individuals are 
requested to provide any information they believe will assist the 
Commission staff to analyze the environmental impacts associated with 
relicensing the projects. The types of information sought include the 
following:
    <bullet> Data, reports, and resource plans that characterize the 
baseline physical, biological, or social environments in the vicinity 
of the projects.
    <bullet> Information and data that helps staff identify or evaluate 
significant environmental issues.
    Scoping information and associated comments should be submitted to 
the Commission no later than 60 days after the date of this notice. 
Written comments should be provided at the scoping meeting or mailed to 
the Commission, as follows: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    All filings sent to the Secretary of the Commission should contain 
an original and 8 copies. Failure to file an original and 8 copies may 
result in appropriate staff not receiving the benefit of your comments 
in a timely manner. See 18 CFR 4.34(h).
    All correspondence should clearly show the following caption on the 
first page:

FERC No. 2318, 2482, 2554, 2385, 2616, and 2539
Hudson River Multiple Project EIS and Eas

    Intervenors and interceders (as defined in 18 CFR 385.2010) who 
file documents with the Commission are reminded of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure requiring them to serve a copy of all 
documents filed with the Commission on each person whose name is listed 
on the official service list for this proceeding.
    For further information, please contact Edward R. Meyer at (202) 
208-7998.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-8431 Filed 4-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M