[Federal Register: April 8, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 67)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17166-17167]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08ap98-67]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 469-MN]

 
Minnesota Power & Light Company; Notice of Minnesota Power & 
Light Company's Request for Waiver and to Use Alternative Procedures in 
Filing a License Application

April 2, 1998.
    On March 30, 1998, the existing licensee, Minnesota Power & Light 
Company (Minnesota Power), filed a request to waive certain Commission 
regulations and to use alternative procedures for submitting an 
application for new license for the existing Winton Hydroelectric 
Project No. 469. The project is located on the Kawishiwi River, in Lake 
and St. Louis Counties, Minnesota, and consists of the Winton Dam and a 
4.0-MW powerhouse, Garden Lake Reservoir, Birch Lake Dam, and Birch 
Lake Reservoir. The project occupies lands of the United States within 
the Superior National Forest.
    Minnesota Power has demonstrated that it has made an effort to 
contact all resource agencies, Indian tribes, nongovernmental 
organizations (NGOs), and others affected by the proposal, and that a 
consensus exists that the use of alternative procedures is appropriate 
in this case. Further, waiving the Commission's regulations will be 
automatic upon approval of the alternative procedures stipulated in 
Order No. 596.\1\
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    \1\ Order No. 596, Regulations for the Licensing of 
Hydroelectric Projects, 81 FERC para. 61,103 (1997).
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    Minnesota Power has submitted a communications protocol that is 
supported by the interested entities.
    The purpose of this notice is to invite any additional comments on 
Minnesota Power's request to use the alternative procedures, pursuant 
to Section 4.34(i) of the Commission's regulations. Additional notices 
seeking comments on the specific project proposal, interventions and 
protests, and recommended terms and conditions will be issued at a 
later date.
    The alternative procedures being requested here combine the 
prefiling consultation process with the environmental review process, 
allowing Minnesota Power to complete and file an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) in lieu of Exhibit E of the license application. This 
differs from the traditional process, in which an applicant consults 
with agencies, Indian tribes, and NGOs during preparation of the 
application for the license and before filing it, but the Commission 
staff performs the environmental Project No. 469 review after the 
application is filed. The alternative procedures are intended to 
simplify and expedite the licensing process by combining the prefiling 
consultation and environmental review processes into a single process, 
to facilitate greater participation, and to improve communication and 
cooperation among the participants.

Applicant Prepared EA Process and Winton Project Schedule

    Minnesota Power has distributed an Initial Consultation Packet for 
the proposed project to state and federal resource agencies and NGOs. 
Minnesota Power has submitted a proposed schedule for the alternative 
procedures that leads to the filing of a license application by October 
2001.

Comments

    Interested parties have 30 days from the date of this notice to 
file with the Commission, any comments on Minnesota Power's proposal to 
use the alternative procedures to file an application for the Winton 
Hydroelectric Project.

Filing Requirements

    The comments must be filed by providing an original and 8 copies as 
required by the Commission's

[[Page 17167]]

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 Procedures,'' and include the project name and number 
(Winton Hydroelectric Project No. 469).

    For further information on this process, please call Tom Dean of 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at 202-219-2778.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-9159 Filed 4-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M