Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, Washington; Notice of Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County's Request for Alternative Procedures in Preparing a License Application

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9511-9512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4734]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2114, WA]


Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, Washington; Notice 
of Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County's Request for 
Alternative Procedures in Preparing a License Application

February 19, 1998.
    By letter dated January 22, 1998, Public Utility District No. 2 of 
Grant County, Washington (Grant) has asked to use an alternative 
procedure in preparing to relicense their Priest

[[Page 9512]]

Rapids Project No. 2114.\1\ Specifically, Grant is asking for a waiver 
of Section 16.6(c)(1) of the Commission's regulations, and for early 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping.
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    \1\ The 1,946-megawatt Priest Rapids project is located on the 
Columbia River in Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Grant, Yakima, and 
Benton Counties, Washington. The project consists of two 
developments; Priest Rapids Dam and Wanapum Dam.
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    Section 16.6(c)(1) of the Commission's regulations requires an 
applicant to file a notice of intent to relicense a project no earlier 
than five and one-half years before license expiration.\2\ Grant 
intends to negotiate pre-filing settlements during the 3-stage 
consultation period before filing their relicense application, and in 
order to do so would like to start formal consultation before the year 
2000. Grant is also asking that Commission staff conduct NEPA scoping 
during the pre-filing stages to facilitate the early identification of 
issues.
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    \2\ The license for the Priest Rapids project was issued on 
November 4, 1955 (14 FPC 1067), effective November 1, 1995, and 
expires by its terms on October 31, 2005.
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    Grant has demonstrated that they have made an effort to contact 
resource agencies, Indian tribes, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), 
and others affected by their proposal, and that a consensus exists that 
the use of an alternative procedure is appropriate in this case.
    The purpose of this notice is to invite comments on Grant's request 
to use the alternative procedure, as required under the final rule for 
Regulations for the Licensing of Hydroelectric Projects.\3\ Additional 
notices seeking comments on the specific project proposal, 
interventions and protests, and recommended terms and conditions will 
be issued at a later date.
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    \3\ 81 FERC para. 61,103 (1997).
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Comments

    Interested parties have 30 days from the date of this notice to 
file with the Commission, any comments on Grant's proposal to use the 
alternative procedures to prepare an application to relicense the 
Priest Rapids Project.

Filing Requirements

    The comments must be filed by providing an original and 8 copies as 
required by the Commission's regulations to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Office of the Secretary, Dockets--Room 1A, 888 First 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    All comment filings must bear the heading ``Comments on the 
Alternative Procedure,'' and include the project name and number 
(Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project, No. 2114).
    For further information, please contact Vince Yearick of the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at 202-219-3073.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-4734 Filed 2-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M