Relicensing Effort
The Tapoco Project is licensed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as Project No. 2169. The current license for the project expires February, 2005. Tapoco has declared its intention to relicense the project and is conducting an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment (APEA) relicensing process. Tapoco will file an application for new license with FERC no later than February, 2003.
In 1999, Tapoco began its efforts to relicense the Tapoco Project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Tapoco, in consultation with local governments, agencies, non-governmental organizations and other interested parties decided to utilize a relicensing process alternative known as the Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment (APEA). The APEA is a relatively new process which provides several improvements over the traditional FERC relicensing process. First, the APEA process provides opportunity for state and federal agencies, conservation and recreation organizations, civic entities and the public to participate in the relicensing from the outset. Second, under the APEA the environmental review portion of the relicensing effort, required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is integrated earlier in the process, and is completed prior to filing an application for new license with FERC. Current participants in the Tapoco APEA process can be found in the participants list. Anyone interested in participating in the APEA process may contact Tapoco. Under the APEA process, Tapoco anticipates filing a new application with FERC by February, 2003.
Tapoco Relicensing Schedule
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Tapoco relicensing legislation could add 6000 Alcoa acres to Great Smoky Mountain National Park
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