83 FR 2982 - Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Joint Scoping With the California State Water Resources Control Board; Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 14 (January 22, 2018)

Page Range		2982-2983
FR Document		2018-01014
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 14 (Monday, January 22, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 14 (Monday, January 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2982-2983]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01014]



[[Page 2982]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 96-045]


Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), 
Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Joint Scoping With the 
California State Water Resources Control Board; Request for Comments on 
the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and 
Associated Study Requests

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process
    b. Project No.: 96-045
    c. Dated Filed: November 16, 2017
    d. Submitted By: Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)
    e. Name of Project: Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project
    f. Location: On the San Joaquin River, in Fresno and Madera 
Counties, California, about 25 miles northeast of the city of Fresno, 
California. The majority of the project is located on lands owned by 
PG&E, National Forest System Lands administered by the U.S. Forest 
Service, Sierra National Forest, and on lands managed by the U.S. 
Bureau of Land Management.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Debbie Powell, Senior Director, Power 
Generation--Operations, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, P.O. Box 
770000, MCN11D-1138, San Francisco, CA 94177-0001
    i. FERC Contact: Evan Williams at (202) 502-8462 or 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the 
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such 
requests described in item o below. Cooperating agencies should note 
the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation 
of the environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC 61,076 
(2001).
    k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with: 
(a) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency 
regulations thereunder at 50 CFR, Part 402, (b) NOAA Fisheries under 
section 305(b)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and 
Management Act; and (c) the State Historic Preservation Officer, as 
required by section 106, National Historic Preservation Act, and the 
implementing regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic 
Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    l. With this notice, we are designating PG&E as the Commission's 
non-federal representatives for carrying out informal consultation, 
pursuant to: Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act; section 305(b)(2) 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act; and 
section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    m. On November 16, 2017, PG&E filed with the Commission a Pre-
Application Document (PAD; including a proposed process plan and 
schedule), pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    n. 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 website 
(http://www.ferc.gov), using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket 
number, excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to 
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at 
the address in paragraph h.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filing and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
Commission's staff Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests. 
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to 
the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD 
and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and 
all communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits 
of the potential application must be filed with the Commission. Scoping 
comments should be filed separately with the Commission and California 
State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), as noted 
below.
    Commission:
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
all documents using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief 
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the 
eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You 
must include your name and contact information at the end of your 
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected]. In lieu of electronic filing, please send a 
paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing 
should include docket number P-96-045.
    All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading: 
Comments on Pre-Application Document, Study Requests, Comments on 
Scoping Document 1, Request for Cooperating Agency Status, or 
Communications to and from Commission Staff. Any individual or entity 
interested in submitting study requests, commenting on the PAD or SD1, 
and any agency requesting cooperating status must do so by March 17, 
2018.
    State Water Board:
    Written comments should be provided as noted below. When submitting 
your comments, provide the contact person's name and phone number. The 
State Water Board is seeking information regarding what type of 
environmental document should be prepared (i.e., negative declaration, 
mitigated negative declaration, or environmental impact report), as 
well as scoping comments.
    State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights--
Water Quality Certification Program, Attention: Philip Choy, P.O. Box 
2000, Sacramento, CA 95812-2000, Phone: (916) 341-5408, Fax: (916) 341-
5400, Email: [email protected].

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project at the times and places noted below. The daytime meeting 
will focus on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental 
organization concerns, while the evening meeting is primarily for 
receiving input from the public. We invite all interested individuals, 
organizations, and agencies to attend one or both 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.
    These scoping meetings are being coordinated with the State Water 
Board and are considered joint scoping meetings for the purposes of 
both the National Environmental Policy Act

[[Page 2983]]

(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), should the 
State Water Board prepare an environmental impact report (EIR). (See 
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, 15083, 15223, 15226.) This notice is intended 
to provide notice of the State Water Board's informal consultation with 
responsible and trustee agencies pursuant to section 15063 of the CEQA 
Guidelines as to the potential for the proposed action to cause a 
significant impact to the environment. (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, Sec.  
15063, subd. (g).) Recipients of this notice are invited to comment on 
whether an EIR, negative declaration, or mitigated negative declaration 
should be prepared. In addition, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 
15083, subdivision (c), these meetings are intended to simultaneously 
serve the purposes identified in California Code of Regulations, title 
14, section 15082, subdivision (c). Any responsible or trustee agency 
or other interested parties that believes an EIR should be prepared 
should identify the scope and content of any environmental information 
it believes should be required, should the State Water Board prepare an 
EIR.
    The times and locations of these meetings are as follows:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2018.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.
    Location: Piccadilly Inn Airport, 5115 E McKinley Ave., Fresno, CA.
    Phone: (559) 375-7760.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2018.
    Time: 6:00 p.m.
    Location: Piccadilly Inn Airport, 5115 E McKinley Ave., Fresno, CA.
    Phone: (559) 375-7760.
    SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the 
environmental document, was 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 http://www.ferc.gov, 
using the eLibrary link. Follow the directions for accessing 
information in paragraph n. 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 list of issues, identified 
through the scoping process.

Environmental Site Review

    The potential applicant and Commission staff will conduct an 
Environmental Site Review (site visit) of the project at 8:00 a.m., 
Wednesday, February 14, 2018. Participants are responsible for their 
own transportation. Persons planning on participating in the site visit 
must RSVP to Ms. Lisa Whitman of PG&E at [email protected] or (415) 
973-7465, on or before February 1, 2018. Additional details concerning 
the site visit are provided in SD1.

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 participants should come prepared to discuss their issues 
and/or concerns. Please review the PAD in preparation for the scoping 
meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are 
provided in item n. of this document.

Meeting Procedures

    The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will be placed 
in the public record of the Commission and State Water Board 
proceedings for this project.

    Dated: January 16, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-01014 Filed 1-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
2982 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2018 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries submit brief comments up to 6,000
Conservation and Management Act; and characters, without prior registration,
Federal Energy Regulatory (c) the State Historic Preservation using the eComment system at http://
Commission Officer, as required by section 106, www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
[Project No. 96–045] National Historic Preservation Act, and ecomment.asp. You must include your
the implementing regulations of the name and contact information at the end
Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Advisory Council on Historic of your comments. For assistance,
Notice of Intent To File License Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2. please contact FERC Online Support at
Application, Filing of Pre-Application l. With this notice, we are designating FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. In lieu of
Document (Pad), Commencement of PG&E as the Commission’s non-federal electronic filing, please send a paper
Pre-Filing Process, and Joint Scoping representatives for carrying out informal copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy
With the California State Water consultation, pursuant to: Section 7 of Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
Resources Control Board; Request for the Endangered Species Act; section NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first
Comments on the Pad and Scoping 305(b)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens page of any filing should include docket
Document, and Identification of Issues Fisheries Conservation and Management number P–96–045.
and Associated Study Requests Act; and section 106 of the National All filings with the Commission must
Historic Preservation Act. bear the appropriate heading: Comments
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to m. On November 16, 2017, PG&E filed on Pre-Application Document, Study
File License Application for a New with the Commission a Pre-Application Requests, Comments on Scoping
License and Commencing Pre-filing Document (PAD; including a proposed Document 1, Request for Cooperating
Process process plan and schedule), pursuant to Agency Status, or Communications to
b. Project No.: 96–045 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission’s and from Commission Staff. Any
c. Dated Filed: November 16, 2017 regulations. individual or entity interested in
d. Submitted By: Pacific Gas & n. A copy of the PAD is available for submitting study requests, commenting
Electric Company (PG&E) review at the Commission in the Public on the PAD or SD1, and any agency
e. Name of Project: Kerckhoff Reference Room or may be viewed on requesting cooperating status must do so
Hydroelectric Project the Commission’s website (http:// by March 17, 2018.
f. Location: On the San Joaquin River, www.ferc.gov), using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ State Water Board:
in Fresno and Madera Counties, link. Enter the docket number, Written comments should be
California, about 25 miles northeast of excluding the last three digits in the provided as noted below. When
the city of Fresno, California. The docket number field to access the submitting your comments, provide the
majority of the project is located on document. For assistance, contact FERC contact person’s name and phone
lands owned by PG&E, National Forest Online Support at number. The State Water Board is
System Lands administered by the U.S. FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) seeking information regarding what type
Forest Service, Sierra National Forest, 208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 of environmental document should be
and on lands managed by the U.S. (TTY). A copy is also available for prepared (i.e., negative declaration,
Bureau of Land Management. inspection and reproduction at the mitigated negative declaration, or
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of address in paragraph h. environmental impact report), as well as
the Commission’s Regulations. Register online at http:// scoping comments.
h. Applicant Contact: Debbie Powell, www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ State Water Resources Control Board,
Senior Director, Power Generation— esubscription.asp to be notified via Division of Water Rights—Water Quality
Operations, Pacific Gas and Electric email of new filing and issuances Certification Program, Attention: Philip
Company, P.O. Box 770000, MCN11D– related to this or other pending projects. Choy, P.O. Box 2000, Sacramento, CA
1138, San Francisco, CA 94177–0001 For assistance, contact FERC Online 95812–2000, Phone: (916) 341–5408,
i. FERC Contact: Evan Williams at Support. Fax: (916) 341–5400, Email:
(202) 502–8462 or evan.williams@ o. With this notice, we are soliciting Philip.Choy@waterboards.ca.gov.
ferc.gov. comments on the PAD and
j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, Commission’s staff Scoping Document 1 Scoping Meetings
local, and tribal agencies with (SD1), as well as study requests. All Commission staff will hold two
jurisdiction and/or special expertise comments on the PAD and SD1, and scoping meetings in the vicinity of the
with respect to environmental issues study requests should be sent to the project at the times and places noted
that wish to cooperate in the address above in paragraph h. In below. The daytime meeting will focus
preparation of the environmental addition, all comments on the PAD and on resource agency, Indian tribes, and
document should follow the SD1, study requests, requests for non-governmental organization
instructions for filing such requests cooperating agency status, and all concerns, while the evening meeting is
described in item o below. Cooperating communications to and from primarily for receiving input from the
agencies should note the Commission’s Commission staff related to the merits of public. We invite all interested
policy that agencies that cooperate in the potential application must be filed individuals, organizations, and agencies
the preparation of the environmental with the Commission. Scoping to attend one or both of the meetings,
document cannot also intervene. See 94 comments should be filed separately and to assist staff in identifying
FERC 61,076 (2001). with the Commission and California particular study needs, as well as the
k. With this notice, we are initiating State Water Resources Control Board scope of environmental issues to be
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

informal consultation with: (a) The U.S. (State Water Board), as noted below. addressed in the environmental
Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Commission: document.
Fisheries under section 7 of the The Commission strongly encourages These scoping meetings are being
Endangered Species Act and the joint electronic filing. Please file all coordinated with the State Water Board
agency regulations thereunder at 50 documents using the Commission’s and are considered joint scoping
CFR, Part 402, (b) NOAA Fisheries eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/ meetings for the purposes of both the
under section 305(b)(2) of the docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can National Environmental Policy Act

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:00 Jan 19, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22JAN1.SGM 22JAN1
Document Created: 2018-01-23 21:35:58
Document Modified: 2018-01-23 21:35:58
Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Dates		Tuesday, February 13, 2018.
FR Citation		83 FR 2982
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 14 (January 22, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
