Notice of Paper Scoping and Soliciting Scoping Comments

Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:

a. Type of Application: New Minor License.

b. Project No.: 1273-009.

c. Date filed: November 15, 2002.

d. Applicant: Parowan City.

e. Name of Project: Center Creek Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: At the confluence of Center Creek (aka Parowan Creek) and Bowery Creek (a tributary to Parowan Creek) near the City of Parowan, in Iron County, Utah. The project occupies 21.43 acres of land managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).

h. Applicant Contact: Alden C. Robinson, P.E., Sunrise Engineering, Inc., 25 East 500 North, Fillmore, Utah 84631, (435) 743-6151 and/or Clark Gates II, City Manager, Parowan City, PO Box 576, Parowan, Utah 84761, (435) 477-3331.

i. FERC Contact: Gaylord Hoisington, (202) 502-6032, gaylord.hoisington@ferc.gov.

j. Deadline for filing scoping comments is April 4, 2003. All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all interveners filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervener files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency.

Scoping 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, http://www.ferc.gov , under the “e-Filing” link.

k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. Description of the Project: (1) a 15-foot-high, 54-foot-long concrete overflow type diversion dam; (2) a radial gate; (3) trash racks; (4) a 19.9 acre-foot de-silting pond; (5) an 18 to 26-inch-diameter, 19,300-foot-long steel penstock; (5) a 600-kilowatt powerhouse; and (6) appurtenant facilities.

m. A copy of the application is on file with the Commission and is available for public inspection. This filing is available for review at the Commission or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov , using the “FERRIS” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

n. Scoping Process—Scoping is intended to advise all parties regarding the proposed scope of the environmental analysis and to seek additional information pertinent to this analysis. The Commission intends to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.

At this time, the Commission staff do not propose to conduct any formal public or agency meetings or an on-site visit. Instead, we will solicit comments, recommendations, information, and alternatives by conducting paper scoping through issuing Scoping Document 1 (SD1).

Copies of SD1 outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 are available for review at the Commission or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov , using the “FERRIS” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

As part of scoping the staff will: (1) summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from comments all available information, especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; (3) encourage comments from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA, including viewpoints in opposition to, or in support of, the staff's preliminary views; (4) determine the resource issues to be addressed in the EA; and (5) identify those issues that require a detailed analysis, as well as those issues that do not require a detailed analysis. Consequently, interested entities are requested to file with the Commission any data and information concerning environmental resources and land uses in the project area and the subject project's impacts to the aforementioned.

o. The tentative schedule for preparing the Center Creek EA is:

Major Milestone—Target Date

Ready for Environmental Analysis Notice—April 23, 2003

Draft EA Issued—July 16, 2003

Final EA Issued—September 17, 2003

Note:

The schedule is going to vary depending upon the circumstances of the project (deficiencies, additional information, etc.) See Guidance for Publishing Hydro Licensing Schedules.