Blue Earth County; Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Assessment

---
identifier: "/us/fr/2026-05426"
source: "fr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "Blue Earth County; Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Assessment"
title_number: 0
title_name: "Federal Register"
section_number: "2026-05426"
section_name: "Blue Earth County; Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Assessment"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-19"
last_updated: "2026-03-19"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
agency: "Energy Department"
document_number: "2026-05426"
document_type: "notice"
publication_date: "2026-03-19"
agencies:
  - "Energy Department"
  - "Federal Energy Regulatory Commission"
fr_citation: "91 FR 13301"
fr_volume: 91
docket_ids:
  - "Project No. 3071-008"
---


#  Blue Earth County; Notice of Revised Schedule for Environmental Assessment

On March 18, 2025, [^1] and supplemented on April 24, 2025 and February 24, 2026, Blue Earth County, Minnesota (exemptee) filed an application for surrender of exemption for the Rapidan Hydroelectric Project No. 3071. The project is located on the Blue Earth River, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The project does not occupy federal lands.

[^1] The March 18, 2025 filing supersedes the exemptee's original surrender application filed on April 14, 2023.

On September 30, 2025, Commission staff issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to evaluate the effects of the proposed surrender. The notice included an anticipated schedule for issuing the EA by April 1, 2026. Commission staff is continuing to review the application including the most recent information filed on February 24, 2026. In order for staff to fully consider this updated information, Commission staff is revising the schedule to issue the EA [^2] by August 10, 2026. The EA will be issued for a 30-day comment period. All comments filed on the EA will be reviewed by staff and considered in the Commission's final decision on the proceeding. Further revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

[^2] The unique identification number for documents relating to this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-1758885949.

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].*

Any questions regarding this notice may be directed to Diana Shannon at (202) 502-6136, or by email at *[email protected].*

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1.)

Dated: March 16, 2026.

Debbie-Anne A. Reese,

Secretary.