Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement of Licensing Proceeding, Scoping Meetings, Solicitation of Scoping Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests, 57495-57496 [E6-16007]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 189 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57495-57496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16007]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2106-047--California]


Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, Commencement 
of Licensing Proceeding, Scoping Meetings, Solicitation of Scoping 
Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues 
and Associated Study Requests

September 25, 2006.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File a License Application 
and Pre-Filing Document (PAD) under the Commission's Integrated 
Licensing Process and Commencing Licensing Proceeding.
    b. Project No.: 2106-047.
    c. Dated Filed: July 27, 2006.
    d. Submitted By: Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
    e. Name of Project: McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project is located on 
the McCloud and Pit Rivers in Shasta County, California. The project 
occupies lands of the United States, managed by the United States 
Department of Agriculture-Forest Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's Regulations
    h. Applicant Contact: Randal Livingston, Senior Director, Power 
Generation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, P.O. Box 770000, N11E/
1137, San Francisco, CA 94177; (415) 973-6950, facsimile (415) 973-
5323.
    i. FERC Contact: Emily Carter at (202) 502-6512 or e-mail at 
emily.carter@ferc.gov.
    j. We are asking Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies with 
jurisdiction and/or expertise with respect to environmental issues to 
cooperate with

[[Page 57496]]

us in the preparation of the environmental document. Agencies who would 
like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for 
filing comments described in paragraph ``n'' below.
    k. With this notice we are initiating informal consultation with: 
(a) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Marine 
Fisheries under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint 
agency regulations there under at 50 CFR Part 402; and (b) the State 
Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106 of the 
National Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 50 CFR 800.2.
    l. Pacific Gas and Electric Company filed a Pre-Application 
Document (PAD) including a proposed process plan and schedule with the 
Commission, pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    m. A copy of the PAD is available for review at the Commission in 
the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site 
(https://www.ferc.gov), using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket 
number (P-2106-047), excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-
3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for 
inspection and reproduction at the address in paragraph ``h.''
    Register online at https://ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm to be notified 
via e-mail of new filing and issuances related to this or other pending 
projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    n. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the Scoping 
Document 1 (SD1). All comments on SD1 should be sent to the address 
above in paragraph ``h.'' In addition, all comments on SD1, and all 
communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits of 
the potential application (original and eight copies) must be filed 
with the Commission at the following address: Magalie R. Salas, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. All filings with the Commission must include on 
the first page, the project name (McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project) 
and number (P-2106-047), and bear the heading ``Comments on Pre-
Application Document,'' ``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Study 
Requests,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency Status,'' or 
``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any individual or 
entity interested in commenting on the PAD or SD1, submitting study 
requests, or any agency requesting cooperating status must do so by 
October 25, 2006.
    Comments on SD1and other permissible forms of communications with 
the Commission may be filed electronically via the Internet, in lieu of 
paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings.
    See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the 
Commission's Web site (https://www.ferc.gov) under the ``e-filing'' 
link.
    o. At this time, Commission staff intends to prepare and 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project, in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). There is the possibility, 
however, that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be required. 
Nevertheless, the scoping meetings will satisfy the NEPA scoping 
requirements, irrespective of whether an EA or EIS is issued by the 
Commission.

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project at the times and place noted below. The agenda for each 
meeting is also listed below. We invite all interested individuals, 
organizations, and agencies to attend one or all of the meetings, and 
to assist staff in identifying particular study needs, as well as the 
scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental 
document. We encourage all attendees to review the PAD before the 
meetings to facilitate effective discussion.
    The times, location, and agendas of these meetings are as follows:
    All meetings will be held in the same location: Holiday Inn Hotel, 
1900 Hilltop Dr., Redding, CA.

Day 1--Evening Scoping Meeting

Date: Monday, October 23, 2006.
Time: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. (PST).

Agenda:
    Session 1--6-7 p.m.:
    --``Open House'' atmosphere.
    --All interested parties bring forth issues for discussion on a 
one-on-one basis with FERC staff.
    --All issues and comments will be summarized.

    Session 2--7-9 p.m.:
    --Brief overview of the identified issues.
    --Summary of the Open House Session.
    --Open discussion of issues, management objectives, existing 
information, data gaps, and information needs.
    --Discussion of integrated process plan.

Day 2--Morning Scoping Meeting

Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2006.
Time: 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Agenda:
    --Brief overview of the identified issues and summary of evening 
meeting and open house session.
    --Open discussion of issues, management objectives, existing 
information, data gaps, and information needs.
    --Discussion and Finalization of integrated process plan.

    SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the 
environmental document, will be mailed to the individuals and entities 
on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 will be available at 
the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the Web at https://
www.ferc.gov, using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions for 
accessing information in paragraph ``m'' above. Based on all oral and 
written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may 
include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a revised list 
of issues identified through the scoping process.

Meeting Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Initiate scoping of the 
issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions and resource 
management objectives; (3) review and discuss existing information and 
identify preliminary information and study needs; (4) review and 
discuss the process plan and schedule for pre-filing activity that 
incorporates the time frames provided for in Part 5 of the Commission's 
regulations and, to the extent possible, maximizes coordination of 
Federal, State, and Tribal permitting and certification processes; and 
(5) discuss the appropriateness of any federal or state agency or 
Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for development of an 
environmental document.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will become 
part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-16007 Filed 9-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P