Rocky Reach Relicensing Timeline

The Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project license expires in June 2006. Chelan PUD has been working on the relicensing process since 1999.  In accordance with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations, Chelan PUD submitted a license application and preliminary draft environmental assessment for the Project on June 29, 2004. 

After submission of the application, Chelan PUD proceeded to enter settlement negotiations with stakeholders, including federal and state agencies, tribes, and the city of Entiat.  The settlement process occurred in parallel with the FERC review of the license application.  A Comprehensive Settlement Agreement was reached and submitted to FERC on March 20, 2006.  The package was presented to FERC in place of agency terms and conditions as a more collaborative way of resolving the relicensing proceeding.  The settlement parties include Chelan PUD, federal and state agencies, tribes, and the city of Entiat.

The agreement is currently undergoing review by FERC, which expects to issue a final environmental impact statement in July, 2006.  Since the current license expires on June 30, 2006, FERC is expected to issue an annual license for the Project to extend current operating conditions while the new license is being finalized.

The following captures a history of important milestones in the process to date, and identifies the remaining “next steps.” 

Task Name

Start

Finish

Informal Consultation Process

1/5/99

 11/1/99

Meet with Interested Parties

1/5/99

 3/5/99

Request Use of Alternative Relicensing Process

3/5/99

3/5/99

Conduct Baseline Studies

3/5/99

11/1/99

Identify Issues and Scope Studies - Year 1

1/5/99

 5/1/00

Prepare Initial Consultation Document (ICD)

1/5/99

 7/7/99

Submit Review copy ICD

7/7/99

 7/7/99

Informal Informational Meeting to Discuss ICD

7/8/99

8/6/99

Parties Review ICD

 8/7/99

10/5/99

Identify Issues and Needed Studies

 4/1/99

 10/5/99

Prepare Scoping Document No. 1 (SD1)

10/6/99

 11/4/99

Submit Review copy SD1

11/4/99

11/4/99

Informal Scoping Meeting

11/5/99

12/4/99

Parties Review SD1

12/5/99

 1/3/00

Revise SD1 (if necessary)

 1/3/00

 2/1/00

Submit Final SD1

2/1/00

 2/1/00

File Notice of Intent

1/28/00

1/28/00

Formal Scoping Meeting

 2/2/00

 3/2/00

Parties Review SD1

3/3/00

4/1/00

Revise SD1 (if necessary)

4/2/00

5/1/00

Conduct Studies - Year 2

1/3/00

1/26/01

Prepare Detailed Study Plans

1/3/00

3/2/00

Parties Review Study Plans

 3/3/00

5/1/00

Conduct Field Work

5/2/00

 9/28/00

Summarize Study Results

 9/29/00

 11/27/00

Prepare Study Reports

11/28/00

12/27/00

Meet with Parties

 12/28/00

1/26/01

Re-evaluate Issues and Conduct Studies - Year 3

1/29/01

 1/23/02

Prepare Study Plans

1/29/01

 2/27/01

Meet with Parties

 2/28/01

3/29/01

Revise Study Plans

3/30/01

4/28/01

Conduct Field Work

4/29/01

9/25/01

Summarize Study Results

9/26/01

11/24/01

Prepare Study Reports

11/25/01

12/24/01

Meet with Parties

12/25/01

1/23/02

Evaluate Conflicting Resource Issues - Year 4

1/23/02

6/21/02

Develop Enhancement Proposals

1/23/02

3/23/02

Submit Review copy of Settlement Terms

3/24/02

4/22/02

Meet with Parties

4/23/02

 5/22/02

Revise Settlement Terms

5/23/02

6/21/02

Prepare drafts of Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment (PDEA) and License Application (LA)

7/1/02

0/03/03

Prepare first drafts of LA and PDEA

7/1/02

1/26/03

Submit first drafts of LA and PDEA

1/26/03

1/26/03

Agencies review first drafts of LA and PDEA

1/26/03

 3/27/03

Joint Agency Meeting

5/22/03

5/22/03

Prepare second draft of PDEA

 3/27/03

10/21/03

Submit second draft of PDEA

 10/21/03

10/21/03

Agencies review second draft of PDEA

10/21/03

 12/22/03

Prepare and submit applications

12/22/03

6/30/04

Prepare final LA and PDEA

12/22/03

6/30/04

Submit final LA and PDEA

6/29/04

6/29/04

Request state water quality certification

6/29/04

6/29/04

FERC environmental review

1/12/05

TBD

FERC request for agency terms and conditions on PDEA and license application

1/12/05

1/12/05

Agency response to FERC request for terms and               conditions

3/14/05

3/14/05

Chelan PUD response to FERC request for terms and conditions

4/27/05

4/27/05

FERC issues draft environmental assessment

8/31/05

8/31/05

Comments on draft EA due to FERC

10/31/05

10/31/05

FERC issues final environmental assessment

7/06

TBD

State water quality certification

6/29/04

3/17/06

Chelan PUD applies for a water quality certification

 6/29/04 6/29/04

Ecology holds public meeting and workshop

12/16/04

12/16/04

Ecology holds an open house and public hearing

4/28/05 4/28/05

Chelan PUD withdraws and reapplies for certification

 7/13/2005 7/13/2005

Ecology holds public meeting and workshop

 10/12/05 10/12/05

Ecology issues first draft certification

 10/12/05 10/12/05

Comments due on first draft certification

11/11/05 11/11/05

Ecology issues second draft certification

 12/19/05 12/19/05

Chelan PUD withdraws and reapplies for certification

 2/8/06 2/8/06

Ecology issues final certification

3/17/06 3/17/06

Settlement negotiations

1/28/04

1/31/06

Meet with Settlement Parties

1/29/04

1/31/06

Sign Comprehensive Settlement Agreement

2/03/06

2/28/06

Submit Comprehensive Settlement Agreement to FERC

3/17/06

3/20/06

Comments due on Comprehensive Settlement Agreement

 4/12/06 4/12/06

Reply comments due to FERC

 4/24/06 4/24/06

Agencies' revised terms and conditions due to FERC

 5/24/06 5/24/06

Section 7 ESA consultation

TBD

TBD

FERC issues new license

TBD

TBD

Implementation begins

TBD

TBD