Environmental Assessment available for Spokane River Hydroelectric Project amendment.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
Avista Corporation
Project No. 2545-205
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
(April 2, 2026)

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission or FERC) regulations, 18 C.F.R. Part 380, Commission staff reviewed Avista Corporation's application for non-capacity amendment of the Spokane River Hydroelectric Project No. 2545 and have prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project.1 The licensee proposes to rehabilitate the North Channel Dam by replacing all existing gates on the spillway. The project is located on the Spokane River in Spokane, Lincoln, and Stevens counties, Washington, and in Kootenai and Benewah counties, Idaho. The project occupies federal and tribal lands, including parts of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation.

The EA contains Commission staff's analysis of the potential environmental effects of the proposed action, alternatives to the proposed action, and concludes that the proposed amendment, with appropriate environmental 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-2545) 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 May 4, 2026 5:00 pm 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.

1 The unique identification number for documents relating to this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-176233835

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-2545-205.

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 Woohee Choi at 202-502-6336 or woohee.choi@ferc.gov.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
SR238538