Environmental Assessment for Ruedi Hydroelectric Project Non-Capacity Amendment

Regs.gov: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Published March 26th, 2026

Detected April 1st, 2026

Summary

FERC staff prepared an Environmental Assessment for City of Aspen's non-capacity amendment of license for the Ruedi Hydroelectric Project No. 3603 in Colorado. The proposed modifications include a new 22x28-foot powerhouse, 110 feet of new penstock, a 1.2-megawatt turbine/generator unit, concrete tailrace, bypass line, and electrical system modernization. Staff concluded the amendment would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the human environment.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

FERC staff completed an Environmental Assessment for City of Aspen's non-capacity license amendment for Project No. 3603 located at the Bureau of Reclamation's Ruedi Dam on the Fryingpan River in Colorado. The proposed modifications include a new powerhouse, 110 feet of 30-inch penstock, a 1.2-megawatt turbine/generator unit, 60-foot concrete tailrace, 24-inch bypass line, and electrical system modernization. The EA concludes that with appropriate environmental protective measures, the project would not significantly affect environmental quality.

The public comment period closes April 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties may submit comments electronically via the Commission's eFiling or eComment systems, or by paper submission to the Secretary. The EA may be accessed on FERC's eLibrary website using docket number P-3603.

What to do next

Review the Environmental Assessment on FERC's eLibrary using docket P-3603
Submit comments by April 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time via eFiling, eComment, or paper filing
For assistance with interventions, comments, or rehearing requests, contact the Office of Public Participation

Source document (simplified)

Content

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission
or FERC) regulations, 18 CFR part 380, Commission staff reviewed City of Aspen's application for a non-capacity amendment
of license for the Ruedi Hydroelectric Project No. 3603 and have prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project. (1) The licensee proposes to build a 22 by 28-foot powerhouse, add an additional 110 feet of new 30-inch penstock, install a second
turbine and generator unit with the capacity of 1.2-megawatts, (2) construct a new 48 by 48-inch, 60-foot concrete tailrace, add a 24-inch diameter bypass line within the powerhouse, and modernize
the electrical system. The project is located at the Ruedi Dam and reservoir of the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of
Reclamation on the Fryingpan River in Pitkin and Eagle counties, Colorado.

The EA contains Commission staff's analysis of the potential environmental effects of the proposed amendment, alternatives
to the proposed action, and concludes that the proposed amendment, with appropriate environmental protective measures, would
not constitute a major federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment.

The EA may be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number (P-3603) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance,
contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659.

You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.

All comments must be filed by April 27, 2026 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. 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. The first page
of any filing should include docket number P-3603-018.

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 OPP@ferc.gov.

For further information, contact Maryam Akhavan at (202) 502-6110 or Maryam.Akhavan@ferc.gov.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1.)

Dated: March 26, 2026. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-06200 Filed 3-30-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P