Scoping Comment Sessions and Environmental Site Review: Pontook Operating LP; New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Pontook Operating Limited Partnership, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services; Notice of Scoping Comment Sessions and Environmental Site Review

On September 15, 2026, Commission staff issued a Notice of Intent to File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), Commencement of Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Request for Comments on the PAD and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests for the Pontook Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 2861-056). That notice set a deadline of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 16, 2026, for filing written comments on the PAD and Scoping Document 1 (SD1), and contained specific instructions on how to file comments electronically or to mail written comments to the Commission. The notice and SD1 also indicated Commission staff would hold public scoping sessions and an environmental site review for the project. This notice provides the location, date, and time for those scoping sessions and the site environmental site review.

All interested individuals, agencies, Indian Tribes, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are invited to attend one or both of the following scoping sessions, and the environmental site review.

Daytime Scoping Session

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Location: Dummer Town Hall.

Address: 75 Hill Road, Dummer, New Hampshire 03588.

Phone: (603) 449-2468.

Evening Scoping Session

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT.

Location: Dummer Town Hall.

Address: 75 Hill Road, Dummer, New Hampshire 03588.

Phone: (603) 449-2468.

Environmental Site Review

The applicant and Commission staff will conduct an environmental site review of the project on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. EDT. All interested individuals, agencies, Indian Tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend. Please meet at Hydro Station Drive, Dummer, NH 03588, no later than 9:45 a.m. All participants are responsible for their own transportation. Anyone who wishes to attend the environmental site review must RSVP to Mr. Sean McDermott of Pontook Partnership at [email protected] no later than October 1, 2026. For any questions about the environmental site review, please contact Mr. McDermott at [email protected] or (603) 326-4718.

Scoping Session Objectives

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Commission staff will prepare either an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) (collectively referred to as the "NEPA document"). The primary goal of the scoping process is to identify the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in the NEPA document. The Commission's scoping process will help determine the required level of analysis and satisfy NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the Commission prepares an EA or EIS. SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in Commission staff's NEPA document, was mailed to the individuals and entities on the Commission's mailing list and Pontook Partnership's PAD distribution list. Copies of SD1 will be available at the scoping sessions or may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov, using the "eLibrary" link.

Scoping session participants should come prepared to discuss their issues and/or concerns. Please review the PAD and SD1 in preparation for the scoping sessions.

Based on all oral and written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues identified through the scoping process.

It is important to note that the Commission provides equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form or provided orally at a scoping session .

For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].

Meeting Procedures

The scoping sessions will begin promptly at their respective start times listed above. There will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when the session opens, and you may arrive any time after the scheduled start time. Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter. 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 a significant number of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one setting, a time limit may be implemented for each commentor. If all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do so, staff may conclude the session half an hour earlier than the scheduled time.

Your oral comments will be recorded by a court reporter and become part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be made publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system.

Although there will not be a formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the scoping session to answer your questions about the environmental review process. Representatives from Pontook Partnership will also be present to answer project-specific questions.

Proper conduct will help the sessions maintain a respectful atmosphere for attendees to provide comments effectively. Loudspeakers, lighting, oversized visual aids, other visual or audible disturbances, and disruptive video and photographic equipment are not permitted. Recorded interviews are also not permitted within the session space. FERC reserves the right to end the session if disruptions interfere with the opportunity for individuals to provide oral comments or if there is a safety or security risk. Please see Appendix C of the SD1 for additional information on the session format and conduct.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)