Daytime and Evening Scoping Meetings for the Ketchikan Lakes Hydroelectric Project (P-420-115)

With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and Commission staff’s Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests.  All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to the address above in paragraph h.  In addition, all comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and all communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits of the potential application must be filed with the Commission. 

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing.  Please file documents using the Commission’s eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx.  Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx.  You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments.  For assistance, please contact FERC Online.  In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy.  Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to:  Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC  20426.  Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to:  Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.  All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on the first page: Ketchikan Lakes Hydroelectric Project (P-420-115).

All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading:  “Comments on Pre-Application Document,” “Study Requests,” “Comments on Scoping Document 1,” “Request for Cooperating Agency Status,” or “Communications to and from Commission Staff.”  Any individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating status must do so by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, July 28, 2025.

Agencies, Tribes, NGOs, and individuals with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meetings and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed in the NEPA document.  At the start of each meeting, Commission staff will provide a brief overview of the meeting format and objectives.  Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter (with Commission staff present).  This format is designed to receive the maximum number of oral comments in a convenient way during the timeframe allotted.  If you wish to speak, Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of your arrival.  If all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do so, Commission staff may conclude the meeting a half hour earlier than the scheduled time.  Please see appendix C of the SD1 for additional information on the session format and conduct.[1]

Scoping comments will be recorded by the court reporter and become part of the public record for this proceeding.  Transcripts will be publicly available on FERC’s eLibrary system.  If a significant number of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one settings, a time limit may be implemented for each commentor.

It is important to note that the Commission provides equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in writing or provided orally at a scoping session.  Although there will not be a formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the scoping meeting(s) to answer your questions about the environmental review process.  Representatives from KPU will also be present to answer project-specific questions.