Story details
A notice published in the Federal Register on 28 October sets out FERC’s intention to prepare an environmental assessment for the Hayward Hydroelectric Project in Wisconsin. Northern States Power applied to relicense the 0.168-megawatt facility on 30 November 2023. The project is on the Namekagon River in Sawyer County.
The underlying notice is dated 23 October 2026. FERC staff had previously declared the application ready for environmental analysis on 7 July. The October publication advances the review procedure; it is not a new licence or an authorisation for additional generating capacity.
Staff do not currently anticipate that relicensing would significantly affect the quality of the human environment and therefore intend to prepare an environmental assessment. This is the stated basis for the review approach, rather than a final licensing decision or a guarantee about every environmental effect.
The assessment is targeted for 30 July 2027 and will be circulated for review. Staff will consider comments on it in the final licensing decision, and the schedule may be revised. The next milestone is publication and review of the assessment, while the ultimate relicensing outcome remains pending.