Proposed Alterations to Pawtucket Dam on the Merrimack River in Lowell, MA; Public Meeting, 7439-7440 [2013-02210]

Agencies

• Historic Preservation, Advisory Council

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7439-7440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02210]


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ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION


Proposed Alterations to Pawtucket Dam on the Merrimack River in 
Lowell, MA; Public Meeting

AGENCY: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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    Overview Information: Public meeting to inform the drafting of 
formal

[[Page 7440]]

comments of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, under Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act, regarding proposed alterations to Pawtucket 
Dam on the Merrimack River in Lowell, MA.

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has terminated 
consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act regarding a proposal by the Lowell Hydroelectric Project (Lowell 
Hydro) to modify the Pawtucket Dam on the Merrimack River in Lowell, 
Massachusetts. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) 
will issue advisory comments to FERC regarding this project on February 
22, 2013. The ACHP will hold a public meeting in Lowell on February 5, 
2013 to receive stakeholder and public views regarding the effects of 
the project on historic properties.

DATES: February 5, 2013, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (E.S.T).

ADDRESSES: Special Events Center, Lowell National Historical Park, 
Boott Mills, Second Floor, 115 John Street, Lowell, MA 01852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John T. Eddins, Program Analyst/
Archaeologist, Office of Federal Agency Programs, Advisory Council on 
Historic Preservation, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Suite 803, 
Washington, DC 20004; Telephone: 202-606-8553; or Email: 
pdcomments@achp.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FERC is in the final stages of review of a 
proposal by the Lowell Hydroelectric Project to modify the Pawtucket 
Dam on the Merrimack River in the city of Lowell, Middlesex County, 
Massachusetts. In 2010, Boott Hydropower, Inc. and the Eldred L. Field 
Hydroelectric Facility Trust (Boott), co-licensees for the Lowell Hydro 
Project, filed a non-capacity amendment for its license with FERC, 
proposing modifications to the dam that would address concerns 
expressed by local residents about flooding associated with Pawtucket 
dam operations and also more efficiently maintain an operating pool for 
the hydroelectric facility.
    As part of that review process, FERC must comply with Section 106 
of the National Historic Preservation Act and its implementing 
regulations (Section 106), ``Protection of Historic Properties'' at 36 
CFR part 800, which require that federal agencies take into account the 
effects of undertakings they carry out, financially assist, or license 
on historic properties. When, as is the case here, an undertaking may 
adversely affect a historic property but certain parties cannot reach 
an agreement to resolve such effects, the ACHP issues formal comments 
to the head of the relevant agency. The public meeting that is the 
subject of this notice will provide an opportunity for FERC, all 
consulting parties, and the public to provide their views to the ACHP 
on this undertaking. The ACHP will consider such views as it develops 
and finalizes its formal comments.
    The Pawtucket Dam is a nationally significant historic engineering 
resource listed in the National Register of Historic Places (National 
Register) and as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) within the Lowell 
Locks and Canals Historic District (LLCHD). The LLCHD is nationally 
significant as representative of America's first great industrial city 
and today encompasses the most historically significant extant 
aggregation of early 19th-century industrial structures and artifacts 
in the United States. The Pawtucket Dam is also included as a 
nationally significant structure in the Lowell Historic Preservation 
District (LHPD) and the National Park Service's List of Classified 
Structures (LCS) for Lowell National Historic Park (LNHP), both listed 
on the National Register. Stakeholders and members of the public have 
expressed concerns about the effects of the project on Pawtucket Dam 
itself, the LLCHD, LHPD, and LNHP.
    On January 8, 2013, FERC determined that agreement on how to 
resolve adverse effects to these historic properties could not be 
reached among consulting parties, and requested that the ACHP provide 
comments in order to conclude the Section 106 review process. A panel 
of ACHP members will issue comments to the head of the agency within 45 
days of the request (i.e., on or before February 22, 2013). Once the 
head of FERC considers the ACHP comments and responds to them in 
accordance with the Section 106 regulations and Section 110(l) of the 
National Historic Preservation Act, FERC will have concluded the 
Section 106 process and may make a final decision on the project. The 
head of FERC must provide a summary of the decision that contains a 
rationale for the decision and evidence of consideration of the ACHP's 
comments, providing a copy of the summary to the ACHP and all 
consulting parties, and notifying the public.
    Priority for speaking at the public meeting will be given to FERC, 
the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer, the National 
Park Service, and Boott, and then to those who notify the ACHP of their 
desire to speak in advance of the meeting via email to 
pdcomments@achp.gov or fax to 202-606-5072. Those interested in 
speaking should provide the name and the organization the speaker 
officially represents (if any). Speakers may be given prescribed time 
limits. Requests to speak will also be taken at the meeting. People who 
have not preregistered will be allowed to speak as time permits.
    The ACHP also welcomes written comments from any party. Written 
comments may be sent via mail (addressed to the attention of John T. 
Eddins, Program Analyst/Archaeologist, Office of Federal Agency 
Programs, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, 1100 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW., Suite 803, Washington, DC 20004), fax (at 202-606-8672), or 
via email (addressed to pdcomments@achp.gov). All written comments 
received by the ACHP on or before 5 p.m. February 15, 2013, will be 
part of the public record and reviewed by the ACHP prior to the 
transmittal of its formal comments.

    Authority:  36 CFR 800.7.

    Dated: January 29, 2013.
Reid Nelson,
Acting Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-02210 Filed 1-31-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-K6-P