Ford Motor Company; Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

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

a. Type of Application: New major license.

b. Project No.: 362-004.

c. Date Filed: June 1, 2001.

d. Applicant: Ford Motor Company.

e. Name of Project: Ford Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Mississippi River, in the city of St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Lock and Dam No. 1. The project is partially located on Federal lands administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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

h. Applicant Contact: George Waldow, HDR Engineering, Inc., 6190 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416, or telephone (763) 591-5485.

i. FERC Contact: Sergiu Serban, e-mail address sergiu.serban@ferc.gov, or telephone (202) 502-6211.

j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions is 60 days from the issuance of this notice. Reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice.

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 require all intervenors 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 intervenor 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.

Comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. 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 has been accepted, and is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. Description of the Project: The proposed project would utilize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Lock and Dam No. 1 and would consist of the following facilities: (1) An existing powerhouse integral with the dam having a total installed capacity of 18,000 kilowatts; and (2) appurtenant facilities. The average annual generation is estimated to be 97 gigawatthours.

m. A copy of the application is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may 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. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “REPLY COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS”, “TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, or “PRESCRIPTIONS”; (2) set forth in the heading the name of the applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b), and 385.2010.

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, contact FERC Online Support.

n. Procedural Schedule and Final Amendments: The application will be processed according to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. To expedite the schedule, we will forgo the draft EA and prepare a final EA. However, we'll reconsider preparation of a draft EA if warranted by the complexity and controversy of the comments filed in response to this notice. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate.

Notice of application ready for environmental analysis: December 2003.

Notice of the availability of the final EA: July 2004.

Ready for Commission's decision on the application: September 2004.

Final amendments to the application must be filed with the Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.