FERC-587, Land Description (Public Land States/Non-Public Land States)

The Commission uses the information collected within the FERC-587 to verify the accuracy of the information provided and to coordinate with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) States Offices (Department of the Interior) to ensure that United States (US) lands may be reserved as hydropower sites and withdrawn from other prospective uses. The Commission gives equal consideration to all licensing purposes related to the potential efficacy of a river or stream. These purposes might include hydroelectric development, energy conservation, fish/wildlife resources (to include spawning habitats), visual resources, cultural resources, recreational opportunities, irrigation, flood control, water supply, and geographic boundaries. To obtain approval, the Commission requires the project owner (licensee/exempted entity) to submit drawings illustrating all project features, project boundaries, and all plans relevant to development of the project (e.g., recreational plans). The licensee must then submit the plans to the Commission for approval. The Commission monitors the licensee's compliance with the licensing conditions throughout the term subsequent to approval. FERC's Office of Energy Projects (OEP) assigns and tracks exhibit drawings for proposed, licensed, and exempted hydropower projects. Along with the authorizing document (e.g., preliminary permit, license, exemption), exhibit drawings serve as the primary source of information about a hydropower project. OEP needs the drawings or exhibits to track the boundary of a project for land withdrawal from other prospective, public use. OEP coordinates with the US Department of the Interior BLM for any projects proposed on federal land. The FPA requires the FERC-587 data to fulfill the requirements of Section 24 which withdraws federal lands upon receipt of a hydropower project application. BLM must be notified of the land's withdrawal and receive a copy of the application, boundary exhibits, and FERC's Form 587. The aforementioned information aids the Commission in ascertaining that the proposal is economically, technically, and environmentally sound. Additionally, the proposal must be found to improve and develop affected waterways.

The latest form for FERC-587, Land Description (Public Land States/Non-Public Land States) expires 2021-11-30 and can be found here.