In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission or FERC) regulations, 18 CFR part 380, Commission staff reviewed Public Service Company of Colorado's application to decommission and surrender the license for the Salida Hydro Nos. 1 & 2 Project No. 2275 and have prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project.^[1] The licensee is proposing to surrender the project license and decommission and remove certain Salida U2 facilities and the remaining decommissioned Salida U1 powerhouse and adjacent substation. After decommissioning the site would be restored. The project is located on the South Arkansas River and Fooses Creek in Chaffee County, Colorado. The project is partially located on federal lands administered by U.S. Forest Service's Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands—Salida Ranger District.

The EA contains Commission staff's analysis of the potential environmental effects of the proposed surrender, alternatives to the proposed action, and concludes that the proposed decommissioning and surrender of license for the Salida Hydro Nos. 1 & 2 Project would not constitute a major federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment. ( printed page 65206)

The EA may be viewed on the Commission's website at www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number (P-2275) 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.

You may also register online at www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

All comments must be filed by November 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments using the Commission's eFiling system at 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 www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​ecomment.asp. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-2275-052.

For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.

For further information, contact Rebecca Martin at 202-502-6012 or rebecca.martin@ferc.gov.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

Footnotes