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Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document
ARLIS Uniform Cover Page
Title:
Revised study plan determination schedule
SuWa 86
Author(s) – Personal:
Jeff Wright
Author(s) – Corporate:
AEA-identified category, if specified:
Correspondence
AEA-identified series, if specified:
Series (ARLIS-assigned report number):
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document number 86
Existing numbers on document:
Published by:
[2012]
Date published:
December 31, 2012
Published for:
Wayne Dyok
Date or date range of report:
Volume and/or Part numbers:
Final or Draft status, as indicated:
Document type:
Letter
Pagination:
4 p.
Related work(s):
This letter has a response: SuWa 87.
Pages added/changed by ARLIS:
Notes:
Has attachment: Revised study plan determination schedule for December 14, 2012, revised study
plan studies 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5, 7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
All reports in the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document series include an ARLIS-
produced cover page and an ARLIS-assigned number for uniformity and citability. All reports
are posted online at http://www.arlis.org/resources/susitna-watana/
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20426
December 31, 2012
OFFICE OF ENERGY PROJECTS
Project No. 14241-000—Alaska
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project
Alaska Energy Authority
Wayne Dyok
Susitna-Watana Project Manager
Alaska Energy Authority
813 West Northern Lights Boulevard
Anchorage, AK 99503
Reference: Revised Study Plan Determination Schedule
Dear Mr. Dyok:
On December 14, 2012, Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) filed its revised study
plan for the Susitna-Watana Project No. 14241 as required by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission’s (Commission’s) regulations for the Integrated Licensing
Process. The revised study plan includes 58 individual studies that AEA proposes to
implement to study environmental resources that may be affected by the project.
Commission staff have reviewed the revised study plan and conclude that, of the
58 studies, 45 contain sufficient detail such that the Commission’s study plan
determination (SPD) on those studies can be completed by February 1, 2013, as set forth
in the September 17, 2012, “Notice of Extension of Time To File Comments On AEA’s
Proposed Study Plan.” However, the remaining 13 studies, which are related to water
resources, instream flows, and fish and aquatic resources, contain insufficient detail.
Therefore, I am modifying the SPD schedule for those studies, pursuant to section
5.29(f)(2) of the Commission’s regulations.
In the 13 studies, AEA only provides conceptual details on sampling methods,
techniques, analytical approaches, and study site selection (e.g., focus areas). AEA
proposes to refine and finalize these details by March 15, 2013, after selecting focus areas
and after reviewing the results of open-water flow routing model and initial habitat
mapping efforts that will be completed in December 2012.
20121231-3016 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 12/31/2012
2
These study details are integral to determining whether the studies would gather
the needed information to process AEA’s license application. Consequently, these study
details must be finalized prior to the Commission issuing its SPD. Therefore, in order to
allow AEA sufficient time to develop these details, AEA must file by March 15, 2013,
the following additional information: (1) the implementation plans described in section
9.5.4 of study 9.5, Study of Fish Distribution and Abundance in the Upper Susitna River;
section 9.6.4 of study 9.6, Study of Fish Distribution and Abundance in the Middle and
Lower Susitna River; and section 9.8.4 of study 9.8, River Productivity Study; and (2) the
final site selection for focus areas for all studies to be implemented in the middle and
lower Susitna River (study 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5, 7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9).
Furthermore, because the results of the open-water flow routing model and initial habitat
mapping will be important in developing the above details, these study results must be
filed with the Commission by January 21, 2013, and a meeting must be held with
interested stakeholders by February 15, 2013, to discuss the study results, the proposed
implementation plans, and the selected focus areas.
By copy of this letter, interested stakeholders are notified of the modification to
the process schedule described in Attachment A, and that comments on the 45 other study
plans included in AEA’s December 14, 2012, revised study plan, are still due by January
18, 2013. The Commission’s study plan determination for these 45 studies is scheduled
to be issued by February 1, 2013. Agencies with mandatory conditioning authority
pursuant to sections 4(e) and 18 of the Federal Power Act or under section 401 of the
Clean Water Act may file a notice of study dispute on the Commission’s determination
on any of these 45 studies relating to their mandatory conditioning authority within 20
days of the study plan determination. The initial and updated study reports for all studies
are still due February 3, 2014, and February 2, 2015, respectively.
If you have any questions, please contact David Turner at (202) 502-6091.
Sincerely,
Jeff Wright
Director
Office of Energy Projects
Enclosure:Attachment A—Revised Study Plan Determination Schedule for
December 14, 2012, revised study plan studies 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5,
7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
cc:Mailing List
Public Files
20121231-3016 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 12/31/2012
3
ATTACHMENT A
REVISED STUDY PLAN DETERMINATION SCHEDULE FOR
DECEMBER 14, 2012, REVISED STUDY PLAN STUDIES 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6,
7.5, 7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
A study plan determination will be issued for the following studies in accordance
with the schedule below: (1) Baseline Water Quality (study 5.5), (2) Water Quality
Modeling Study (study 5.6), (3) Mercury Assessment and Potential for Bioaccumulation
Study (study 5.7), (4) Geomorphology Study (study 6.5), (5) Fluvial Geomorphology
Modeling Below Watana Dam Study (study 6.6), (6) Groundwater Study (study 7.5), (7)
Ice Processes in the Susitna River Study (study 7.6), (8) Fish and Aquatics Instream Flow
Study (study 8.5), (9) Riparian Instream Flow Study (study 8.6), (10) Study of Fish
Distribution and Abundance in the Upper Susitna River (study 9.5), (11) Study of Fish
Distribution and Abundance in the Middle and Lower Susitna River (study 9.6), (12)
River Productivity Study (study 9.8), and (13) Characterization and Mapping of Aquatic
Habitats (study 9.9).
Shaded milestones are unnecessary if there are no study disputes filed by any agency with
mandatory conditioning authority. If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the due
date is the following business day.
Responsible
Party
Pre-Filing Milestone Date FERC
Regulation
AEA AEA files results of open-water flow
routing model and habitat mapping.
January 21, 2013 N/A
AEA AEA holds meeting to discuss the study
results, proposed implementation plans,
and selected focus area sampling sites in
the middle and lower Susitna River.
February 15,
2013
N/A
AEA AEA files studies 9.5 and 9.6, Fish
Distribution and Abundance
Implementation Plan; study 9.8, River
Productivity Implementation Plan; and
description of final site selection for any
focus areas in the middle and lower
Susitna River as described in study 8.5
March 15, 2013 5.13(a)
waived
20121231-3016 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 12/31/2012
4
(including studies 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5,
6.6, 7.5, 7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9).
All Stakeholders Revised Study Plan Comments Due for
studies 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5, 7.6,
8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
April 14, 2013 5.13(b)
waived
FERC Director’s Study Plan Determination for
studies 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5, 7.6,
8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
May 14, 2013 5.13(c)
waived
Mandatory
Conditioning
Agencies only
Any Study Disputes Due for studies 5.5,
5.6, 5.7, 6.5, 6.6, 7.5, 7.6, 8.5, 8.6, 9.5,
9.6, 9.8, and 9.9.
June 3, 2013 5.14(a)
Dispute Panel Third Dispute Panel Member Selected June 18, 2013 5.14(d)
Dispute Panel Dispute Resolution Panel Convenes June 23, 2013 5.14(d)(3)
AEA Applicant Comments on Study Disputes
Due June 28, 2013
5.14(i)
Dispute Panel Dispute Resolution Panel Technical
Conference July 3, 2013
5.14(j)
Dispute Panel Dispute Resolution Panel Findings Issued July 23, 2013 5.14(k)
FERC Director's Study Dispute Determination August 12, 2013 5.14(l)
20121231-3016 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 12/31/2012