(PUBLISHED IN THE TIMES, MAYES...

(Published In THE TIMES, Mayes County, Oklahoma January 19, 2017) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Grand River Dam Authority Project No. 1494-437 Oklahoma NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (January 6, 2017) In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (Commission or FERC’s) regulations, 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 380, the Office of Energy Projects has reviewed an application filed by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) to permanently amend the reservoir elevation rule curve contained in Article 401 of the license for the Pensacola Hydroelectric Project No. 1494. The amendment would allow GRDA to keep water levels in the project’s reservoir, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees (Grand Lake), up to two feet higher August 16 through October 31 each year. The project is located on the Grand (Neosho) River in Craig, Delaware, Mayes, and Ottawa Counties, Oklahoma. Staff prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the application which analyzes the potential environmental effects of approving the requested permanent change to the Article 401 rule curve and concludes that such an approval, with specified environmental protection measures, would not constitute a major federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment. A copy of the draft EA is available for review at the Commission’s Public Reference Room or may it be viewed on the Commission’s website at www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number P-1494 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 register online at www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscri ption.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. Any comments on the draft EA should be filed by February 6, 2017. Comments may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission’s website at http://www.ferc. gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can also submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/e comment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail a paper copy to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426. The first page of any filing should include the docket number P-1494-437. For further information, contact B. Peter Yarrington at (202) 502-6129 or peter.yarrington@ferc.gov or contact Jeremy Jessup at (202) 502-6779 or Jeremy.jessup@ferc. gov. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary