[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7439-7440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing 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:
[email protected].
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
[email protected] 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 [email protected]). 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]
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