FERC Prepares Final EIS For Duke Power's Catawba-Wateree Hydroelectric Project

Published: 23-Jul-2009

By: Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the relicensing of the existing Duke Power Company, LLC (Duke Power) Catawba-Wateree Project. The developments analyzed in the document are located in the counties of Burke, McDowell, Caldwell, Catawba, Alexander, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Lincoln, and Gaston in North Carolina, and the counties of York, Lancaster, Chester, Fairfield, and Kershaw in South Carolina.

Duke Energy used the Traditional Licensing Process and filed the license application for the Catawba-Wateree project on August 29, 2006, and filed a Revised Comprehensive Relicensing Agreement on December 28, 2006. Duke Energy requested that the measures included in the Revised CRA be considered by the FERC as their proposed action, which FERC staff did in its scoping documents. Duke Energy proposes no new capacity or operating changes, but does propose measures for the protection and enhancement of environmental resources, including increased minimum flows, measures to increase dissolved oxygen levels and water quality, measures to improve aquatic habitat and protect threatened and endangered species, and measures to maintain and enhance recreational opportunities.

The draft EIS was issued March 9, 2009. Public meetings were held on April 21 and April 22, 2009 in Mooresville North Carolina and Rock Hill South Carolina, respectively.

In the final EIS, FERC staff recommended the staff alternative, which consisted of the proposed action, with some recommended changes to the proposed settlement articles.

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