[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 16, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-28210] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: November 16, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [Docket Nos. 2318, 2482, 2616 & 2539, 2318 and 2554] Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., et al; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and to Conduct Site Visits November 9, 1994. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has received applications for new license (relicense) from the current owners and operators of six existing hydropower projects located on the Hudson River and its tributaries, the Sacandaga, Hoosic, and Mohawk rivers, in Warren, Saratgoa, Albany, Rensselaer, and Washington counties, New York. The Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NiMO) filed applications for four projects: the E.J. West Project, FERC No. 2318, located in Saratoga County on the Sacandaga River; the Hudson River Project, FERC No. 2482, consisting of the Spier Falls and Sherman Island developments in Warren and Saratoga counties on the Hudson River; the Hoosic River Project, FERC No. 2616, consisting of the Johnsonville and Schaghticoke developments in Rensselaer and Washington counties on the Hoosic River, and the School Street Project, FERC No. 2539, located Albany and Saratoga counties on the Mohawk River. Finch, Pruyn and Company, Inc. filed an application for the Glens Falls Project, FERC No. 2385, located in Warren and Saratoga counties on the Hudson River. Moreau Manufacturing Corporation filed an application for the Feeder Dam Project, FERC No. 2554, located in Warren and Saratoga counties on the Hudson River. Upon review of the applications, supplemental filings, and intervenor submittals, the Commission staff has concluded that relicensing these six projects would constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Moreover, given the location and interaction of the projects, staff is considering preparing one multi-project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that describes and evaluates the probable impacts of the applicants' proposed and alternative operating procedures, new generating facilities, environmental enhancement measures, and associated facilities for the eight developments that comprise the six hydropower projects. The staffs EIS will consider both site specific and cumulative environmental impacts of relicensing the six projects, and will include economic and financial analyses. A draft EIS will be issued and circulated for review by all interested parties. All comments filed on the draft EIS will by analyzed by the Commission staff and considered in a final EIS. One element of the EIS process is scoping and site visits. These activities are initiated early to:Identify reasonable alternative operational procedures and environmental enhancement measures that should be evaluated in the EIS; Identify significant environmental issues related to the operation of the existing projects; Determine the depth of the analysis for issues that will be discussed in the EIS; and Identify resource issues that are of lesser importance and, consequently, do not require detailed analysis in the EIS. Site Visits Site visits to the eight developments that comprise the six projects will be held during the three-day period, December 12, 13, and 14, 1994. The purpose of these visits is for interested persons to observe existing area resources and site conditions, learn the locations of proposed new facilities, and discuss project operational procedures with representatives of NiMO, Finch, Pruyn and Company, Inc., Moreau Manufacturing Corporation, and the Commission. For details concerning the site visits, please contact Jerry Sabattis of NiMO in Syracuse, New York at (315) 428-5582, David Manny of Finch, Pruyn and Company, Inc. in Glens Falls, New York at (518) 793-2541, and Kenneth Oriole of Moreau Manufacturing Corporation in Syracuse, New York at (315) 471-2881. Scoping Meetings The Commission staff will conduct two scoping meetings: the evening meeting will be designed to obtain input from the general public, while the morning meeting will focus on resource agency concerns. These meetings will be held in Glens Falls, New York, sometime in March, 1995. The dates and locations of these meetings will be the subject of future announcement. For further information, please contact Edward R. Meyer in Washington D.C. at (202) 208-7998. Lois D. Cashell, Secretary. [FR Doc. 94-28210 Filed 11-15-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M