Document ID: FERC-2010-1342-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.: Seattle City Light, Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend Orielle County
Posted Date: 2010-09-22T04:00Z

[Federal Register: September 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 183)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57759]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se10-47]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2144-038; Project No. 2225-015]

 
Seattle City Light; Public Utility District No.1 of Pend Orielle 
County; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

September 16, 2010.
    On September 9, 2009, the City of Seattle, Washington (City) filed 
an application for a new license for the continued operation of the 
1,003-megawatt Boundary Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2144). On March 
29, 2010, the City and the Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend 
Oreille, County, Washington (District) filed a joint comprehensive 
settlement agreement (Settlement), explanatory statement and a request 
to consolidate the processing of the City's relicensing of the Boundary 
Hydroelectric Project No. 2144-038, and the District's surrender of its 
license for the Sullivan Creek Hydroelectric Project No. 2225-013. On 
April 2, 2010, the District filed an application to surrender the 
Sullivan Creek Project. Parts of both projects occupy lands within the 
Colville National Forest.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the Commission's regulations, Commission staff held public scoping 
meetings for the relicensing of the Boundary Project on July 18 and 19, 
2006 in Spokane and Metaline Falls, Washington, respectively. On May 
11, 2010, the Commission solicited scoping comments on the surrender of 
the Sullivan Creek Project and noticed a June 10, 2010, technical 
conference to discuss the Settlement and the scope of issues to be 
addressed in a combined environmental assessment for both projects. 
Based on the comments received at the technical conference and in 
response to the Commission's July 6, 2010 Notice of Application Ready 
for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, 
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions 
(REA notice) for both projects, Commission staff has determined that 
relicensing of the Boundary Project may constitute a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. 
Therefore, staff now intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) that addresses both the relicensing of the Boundary 
Project and the surrender of the Sullivan Creek Project.
    A draft EIS will be issued and circulated for review by all 
interested parties. All comments filed on the draft EIS will be 
analyzed by the staff and considered in the final EIS. The staff's 
conclusions and recommendations will be available for the Commission's 
consideration in reaching its final licensing decision.
    The application will be processed according to the following Hydro 
Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of Recommendations, Preliminary      September 6, 2010.
 Terms and Conditions, and Fishway
 Prescriptions.
Reply Comments due........................  October 19, 2010.
Issue Draft EIS...........................  March 3, 2011.
Comments on Draft EIS Due.................  April 18, 2011.
Filing of Modified Mandatory Terms and      June 17, 2011.
 Conditions.
Issue Final EIS...........................  September 15, 2011.
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    This notice informs all interested individuals, organizations, and 
agencies with environmental expertise and concerns, that: (1) The 
Commission staff has decided to prepare an EIS addressing both the 
relicensing of the Boundary Project and the surrender of the Sullivan 
Creek Project; and (2) the prior scoping conducted on these projects by 
Commission staff and comments filed with the Commission on the 
applications will be taken into account in the EIS.
    Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to David Turner 
at (202) 502-6091, or by e-mail at david.turner@ferc.gov.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-23685 Filed 9-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P