81 FR 51195 - Pine Creek Mine, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 149 (August 3, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51195-51196]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18362]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. P-12532-006]


Pine Creek Mine, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, 
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental 
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and 
Conditions, and Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 12532-006.
    c. Date filed: February 12, 2016.
    d. Applicant: Pine Creek Mine, LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Pine Creek Mine Tunnel Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The project is located at Pine Creek Mine adjacent to 
Morgan and Pine Creeks in Inyo County, California. The project's mine 
access tunnel, mine plug, mine water storage cavity, penstock, 
generator, and most of its primary transmission line would be located 
under approximately 60 acres of federal land managed by the United 
States Forest Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Craig Rossell, 228 West Bonita Avenue, 
Claremont, California 91711, (909) 482-1000.
    i. FERC Contact: Joseph Hassell, (202) 502-8079 or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, and prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this 
notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this 
notice.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions 
using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. 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. You must include your 
name and contact information at the end of your comments. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include 
docket number P-12532-006.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing 
documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each 
person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an 
intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to 
the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a 
particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document 
on that resource agency.
    k. This application has been accepted and is now ready for 
environmental analysis.
    l. The proposed Pine Creek Tunnel Hydroelectric Project would 
utilize the groundwater discharge of Pine Creek Mine and consist of: 
(1) The existing Pine Creek Mine site, mine entrance tunnels, mine 
shafts, and concrete plug; (2) an existing 30-foot-long steel pipe that 
runs through the concrete plug, to be used as a proposed penstock; (3) 
a proposed Pelton turbine generating unit located in the mine tunnel 
with a total installed capacity of 1.5 megawatts; (4) a proposed 
underground power line that would run approximately 2,500 feet from the 
generating unit to the mine portal; and (5) another proposed 60-foot-
long transmission line from the mine portal to an existing substation 
on the mine site. The proposed project would have an average annual 
generation of 5.6 gigawatt-hours.
    m. A copy of the application is available for review at the 
Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' 
link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the 
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact 
FERC Online Support. A copy is also available for inspection and 
reproduction at the address in item h above.
    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.
    n. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene 
in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 
18 CFR 385.210, .211, and .214. In determining the appropriate action 
to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments 
filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any 
comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (2) set forth in the heading the 
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to 
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone 
number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply 
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must 
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the 
application directly from the applicant. A copy of all other filings in 
reference to this application must be accompanied by proof of service 
on all persons listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in 
this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b), and 385.2010.
    o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the 
schedule may be made as appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of recommendations, preliminary      September 2016.
 terms and conditions, and preliminary
 fishway prescriptions.
Commission issues Draft EA or EIS.........  March 2017.
Comments on Draft EA or EIS...............  April 2017.
Modified Terms and Conditions.............  June 2017.
Commission Issues Final EA or EIS.........  September 2017.
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    p. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of this notice: (1) A copy of the water quality 
certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including

[[Page 51196]]

proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; 
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
    q. Any qualified applicant desiring to file a competing application 
must submit to the Commission, on or before the specified intervention 
deadline date, a competing development application, or a notice of 
intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of 
intent allows an interested person to file the competing development 
application no later than 120 days after the specified intervention 
deadline date. Applications for preliminary permits will not be 
accepted in response to this notice.
    A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, 
and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an 
unequivocal statement of intent to submit a development application. A 
notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this 
public notice.

    Dated: July 28, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-18362 Filed 8-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P