[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 232 (Friday, December 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63747-63748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28921]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 1864-003]
Upper Peninsula Power Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Document and Soliciting Comments
November 25, 2009.
Take notice that the following material addressing required dam
safety measures has been filed with the Commission and is available for
public inspection:
a. Filing: Environmental report to support replacement of the
spillway at the Bond Falls Development which is being required under
Part 12 of the Commission's regulations.
b. Project No: 1864-003.
c. Date Filed: August 21, 2009, and supplemented on November 17,
2009.
d. Licensee: Upper Peninsula Power Company.
e. Name of Project: Bond Falls Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The Bond Falls Hydroelectric Project is located on the
Ontonagon River in Ontonagon and Gogebic Counties, Michigan, and Vilas
county, Wisconsin, partially on lands within the Ottawa National
Forest. The Bond Falls Development is located on the Middle Branch of
the Ontonagon River in Ontonagon County, Michigan, and occupies 73.5
acres of land within the Ottawa National Forest.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
h. Licensee Contact: Rick Moser, Upper Peninsula Power Company, 700
North Adams Street, P.O. Box 19001, Green Bay, WI 54307-9001, (920)
433-2290.
i. FERC Contact: Rachel Price, (202) 502-8907, and e-mail:
[email protected].
j. Deadline for filing comments: December 28, 2009.
All documents should be filed with: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426. Comments may be filed electronically via the
Internet, see 18 CFR 385.2001 (a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the
Commission's Web site under the ``e-filing'' link. The Commission
strongly encourages electronic filings. In lieu of electronic filing,
an original and eight copies of all documents may be mailed to the
Secretary at the address above.
k. Description of material: Upper Peninsula Power Company has filed
an Environmental Report in support of its plan to replace the spillway
at the Bond
[[Page 63748]]
Falls Development, part of the Bond Falls Hydroelectric Project (FERC
No. 1864). The project consists of four separate developments: Bond
Falls, Bergland, Cicso, and Victoria. The proposed work at the Bond
Falls spillway would take place within the Bond Falls Development which
is on the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River. The Bond Falls
reservoir is operated to store water and divert river flow from the
Middle Branch to the South Branch of the Ontonagon River. A recent
hydraulic study determined that the existing spillway capacity is
inadequate to pass the flows associated with the calculated Probable
Maximum Flood (PMF) for the project location. To ensure the licensee's
compliance with FERC engineering guidelines and safety regulations,
modifications to the spillway are necessary. The licensee plans to
replace the existing spillway with a new spillway incorporating two
larger tainter gates at a lower sill elevation. In addition, the
licensee plans to replace the existing low level outlet with a new low
level structure incorporated into the new spillway, and raise the
embankment crest in low areas of the main, auxiliary, and control dams
of the Bond Falls Development. In order to complete construction, the
licensee plans to drawdown the reservoir to an elevation of 1455.8 feet
North American Vertical Datum of 1988, and maintain the reservoir at
that elevation during all of 2010. In addition the spillway replacement
construction activities will result in the temporary closure of some of
the project's recreational facilities during 2010.
The Commission intends to prepare an environmental document under
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the planned Bond Falls
spillway replacement. The NEPA document will be used by the Commission
to identify environmental impacts and to identify measures that would
help mitigate the impacts caused by the activities associated with the
spillway replacement.
l. Locations of the Filing: A copy of the filing is available for
inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public Reference Room,
located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426. This
filing may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number
excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access
the document. You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filings and
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance,
call 1-866-208-3676 or e-mail [email protected], for TTY, call
(202) 502-8659.
m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
n. Comments: Anyone may submit comments on the material described
in this notice. In completing its environmental review, the Commission
will consider all comments filed. Any comments must be received on or
before deadline for filing comments specified above.
o. Any filing made with the Commission in response to this notice
must bear in all capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'' and the Project
Number: P-1864-003.
p. Agency Comments: Federal, state, and local agencies are invited
to file comments on the material described in this notice. A copy of
the filing may be obtained by agencies directly from the licensee. If
an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing
comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an
agency's comments must also be sent to the licensee's representatives.
q. Comments may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of
paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``e-Filing''
link.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-28921 Filed 12-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P