82 FR 16822 - Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 65 (April 6, 2017)

Page Range		16822-16823
FR Document		2017-06838

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 65 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 65 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16822-16823]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06838]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14834-000]


Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit 
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On January 18, 2017, Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC, filed an 
application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the 
Stony Creek Pumped Storage Hydro Project to be located near the town of 
Somerset in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The sole purpose of a 
preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority 
to file a license application during the permit term. A preliminary 
permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-
disturbing activities or

[[Page 16823]]

otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by others without the 
owners' express permission.
    The proposed project would consist of the following: (1) A new 
upper reservoir having a surface area of 100 acres and a storage 
capacity of 1,500 acre-feet at a surface elevation of approximately 
2,540 feet above mean sea level (msl) created through construction of 
new roller-compacted concrete or rock-filled dams; (2) a new lower 
reservoir having a surface area of 40 acres and a storage capacity of 
1,800 acre-feet at a surface elevation of approximately 1,800 feet msl 
created through construction of new roller-compacted concrete or rock-
filled dams; (3) a new 2,560-foot-long, 48-inch-diameter penstock 
connecting the upper and lower reservoirs; (4) a new 150-foot-long, 50-
foot-wide powerhouse containing two turbine-generator units with a 
total rated capacity of 91 megawatts; (5) a new transmission line 
connecting the powerhouse to a nearby electric grid interconnection 
point with options to evaluate multiple grid interconnection locations; 
and (6) appurtenant facilities. Possible initial fill water and make-up 
water would come from Stony Creek Lake. The proposed project would have 
an annual generation of 332,152 megawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Adam Rousselle, Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC, 
5710 Oak Crest Drive, Doylestown, PA 18902; phone: (267) 254-6107.
    FERC Contact: Tim Looney; phone: (202) 502-6096.
    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing 
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file 
competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice. 
Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements 
of 18 CFR 4.36.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing 
applications 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-14834-000.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. 
Enter the docket number (P-14834) in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: March 30, 2017.
 Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-06838 Filed 4-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

16822 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 65 / Thursday, April 6, 2017 / Notices

inspection and reproduction at the below. The daytime meeting will focus greenmountainpower.com) on or before
address in paragraph h. on resource agency, Indian tribes, and April 11, 2017.
Register online at http:// non-governmental organization
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ Meeting Objectives
concerns, while the evening meeting is
esubscription.asp to be notified via primarily for receiving input from the At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1)
email of new filing and issuances public. We invite all interested Initiate scoping of the issues; (2) review
related to this or other pending projects. individuals, organizations, and agencies and discuss existing conditions and
For assistance, contact FERC Online to attend one or both of the meetings, resource management objectives; (3)
Support. and to assist staff in identifying review and discuss existing information
o. With this notice, we are soliciting particular study needs, as well as the and identify preliminary information
comments on the PAD and scope of environmental issues to be and study needs; (4) review and discuss
Commission’s staff Scoping Document 1 addressed in the environmental the process plan and schedule for pre-
(SD1), as well as study requests. All document. The times and locations of filing activity that incorporates the time
comments on the PAD and SD1, and these meetings are as follows: frames provided for in Part 5 of the
study requests should be sent to the Commission’s regulations and, to the
address above in paragraph h. In Evening Scoping Meeting extent possible, maximizes coordination
addition, all comments on the PAD and Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2017. of federal, state, and tribal permitting
SD1, study requests, requests for Time: 6:00 p.m. and certification processes; and (5)
cooperating agency status, and all Location: Waterbury Municipal discuss the appropriateness of any
communications to and from Complex, 28 North Main Street, federal or state agency or Indian tribe
Commission staff related to the merits of Waterbury, VT 05676. acting as a cooperating agency for
the potential application must be filed Phone: (802) 244–7033. development of an environmental
with the Commission. document.
The Commission strongly encourages Daytime Scoping Meeting Meeting participants should come
electronic filing. Please file all Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2017. prepared to discuss their issues and/or
documents using the Commission’s Time: 9:00 a.m. concerns. Please review the PAD in
eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/ Location: Capitol Plaza Hotel and preparation for the scoping meetings.
docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can Conference Center, 100 State Street, Directions on how to obtain a copy of
submit brief comments up to 6,000 Montpelier, VT 05602. the PAD and SD1 are included in item
characters, without prior registration, Phone: (802) 223–5252. n. of this document.
using the eComment system at http:// Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which
outlines the subject areas to be Meeting Procedures
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your addressed in the environmental The meetings will be recorded by a
name and contact information at the end document, was mailed to the stenographer and will be placed in the
of your comments. For assistance, individuals and entities on the public records of the project.
please contact FERC Online Support at Commission’s mailing list. Copies of Dated: March 31, 2017.
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. In lieu of SD1 will be available at the scoping Kimberly D. Bose,
electronic filing, please send a paper meetings, or may be viewed on the web Secretary.
copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy at http://www.ferc.gov, using the [FR Doc. 2017–06846 Filed 4–5–17; 8:45 am]
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Follow the directions
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
NE., Washington, DC 20426. The first for accessing information in paragraph
page of any filing should include docket n. Based on all oral and written
number P–2879–011. comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
All filings with the Commission must may be issued. SD2 may include a
bear the appropriate heading: revised process plan and schedule, as Federal Energy Regulatory
‘‘Comments on Pre-Application well as a list of issues, identified Commission
Document,’’ ‘‘Study Requests,’’ through the scoping process.
[Project No. 14834–000]
‘‘Comments on Scoping Document 1,’’ Environmental Site Review
‘‘Request for Cooperating Agency Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC;
Status,’’ or ‘‘Communications to and The potential applicant and
Notice of Preliminary Permit
from Commission Staff.’’ Any Commission staff will conduct an
Application Accepted for Filing and
individual or entity interested in Environmental Site Review (site visit) of
Soliciting Comments, Motions To
submitting study requests, commenting the project on Tuesday, April 25,
Intervene, and Competing Applications
on the PAD or SD1, and any agency starting at 2:00 p.m., and ending at or
requesting cooperating status must do so about 3:30. All participants should meet On January 18, 2017, Merchant Hydro
by May 30, 2017. at 1:45 p.m. at 341 Power Plant Road, Developers, LLC, filed an application for
p. Although our current intent is to Duxbury, Vermont, at the parking lot a preliminary permit, pursuant to
prepare an environmental assessment located to the left off Power Plant Road section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act
(EA), there is the possibility that an before you reach the substation and (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) powerhouse. Participants are of the Stony Creek Pumped Storage
will be required. Nevertheless, this responsible for their own transportation. Hydro Project to be located near the
Persons with questions about the site town of Somerset in Somerset County,
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meeting will satisfy the NEPA scoping
requirements, irrespective of whether an visit should contact John Greenan (802– Pennsylvania. The sole purpose of a
EA or EIS is issued by the Commission. 770–3213) or Gary Lemay (603–428– preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant
4960). Persons planning on participating the permit holder priority to file a
Scoping Meetings in the site visit should contact Gary license application during the permit
Commission staff will hold two Lemay (603–428–4960; glemay@ term. A preliminary permit does not
scoping meetings in the vicinity of the gomezandsullivan.com) or Sharon Lucia authorize the permit holder to perform
project at the times and places noted (Sharon.Lucia@ any land-disturbing activities or

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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 65 / Thursday, April 6, 2017 / Notices 16823

otherwise enter upon lands or waters More information about this project, may do so at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-
owned by others without the owners’ including a copy of the application, can filing/docs-filing.asp.
express permission. be viewed or printed on the ‘‘eLibrary’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The proposed project would consist of link of the Commission’s Web site at Ellen Brown may be reached by email
the following: (1) A new upper reservoir http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
having a surface area of 100 acres and elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number at (202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273–
a storage capacity of 1,500 acre-feet at a (P–14834) in the docket number field to 0873.
surface elevation of approximately 2,540 access the document. For assistance,
feet above mean sea level (msl) created contact FERC Online Support. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
through construction of new roller- Title: FERC–725E, Mandatory
Dated: March 30, 2017.
compacted concrete or rock-filled dams; Reliability Standards for the Western
Kimberly D. Bose,
(2) a new lower reservoir having a Electric Coordinating Council.
surface area of 40 acres and a storage Secretary.
OMB Control No.: 1902–0246.
capacity of 1,800 acre-feet at a surface [FR Doc. 2017–06838 Filed 4–5–17; 8:45 am]
Type of Request: Revision to the
elevation of approximately 1,800 feet BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
FERC–725E information collection
msl created through construction of new requirements, as discussed in Docket
roller-compacted concrete or rock-filled No. RD16–10.
dams; (3) a new 2,560-foot-long, 48- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Abstract: On March 23, 2016 (and
inch-diameter penstock connecting the
Federal Energy Regulatory supplemented on November 16, 2016),
upper and lower reservoirs; (4) a new
Commission the North American Electric Reliability
150-foot-long, 50-foot-wide powerhouse
Corporation (NERC) and Western
containing two turbine-generator units [Docket No. RD16–10–000]
Electricity Coordinating Council
with a total rated capacity of 91
Commission Information Collection (WECC) filed a joint petition to retire
megawatts; (5) a new transmission line
Activities (FERC–725e); Comment regional Reliability Standard TOP–007–
connecting the powerhouse to a nearby
Request; Revision WECC–1a—System Operating Limits
electric grid interconnection point with
(‘‘SOL’’). The purpose of the proposed
options to evaluate multiple grid
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory retirement is to shift away from the
interconnection locations; and (6)
Commission, Department of Energy. path-centric model and allow entities in
appurtenant facilities. Possible initial
fill water and make-up water would ACTION: Notice of revised information the Western Interconnection to align
come from Stony Creek Lake. The collection and request for comments. their operating practices with the
proposed project would have an annual framework established in the continent-
SUMMARY: In compliance with the wide TOP/IRO Reliability Standards
generation of 332,152 megawatt-hours. requirements of the Paperwork
Applicant Contact: Adam Rousselle, approved in Order No. 817,1 which,
Reduction Act the Federal Energy according to NERC and WECC, achieve
Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC, 5710
Regulatory Commission (Commission or the objective of operating within
Oak Crest Drive, Doylestown, PA 18902;
FERC) is soliciting public comment on acceptable pre- and post-contingency
phone: (267) 254–6107.
FERC Contact: Tim Looney; phone: a revision to the information collection, reliability criteria (i.e., within SOLs and
(202) 502–6096. FERC–725E (Mandatory Reliability Interconnection Reliability Operating
Deadline for filing comments, motions Standards for the Western Electric Limits (‘‘IROL’’). On March 10, 2017,
to intervene, competing applications Coordinating Council) which will be the Commission approved the
(without notices of intent), or notices of submitted to the Office of Management retirement of regional Reliability
intent to file competing applications: 60 and Budget (OMB) for a review of the Standard TOP–007–WECC–1a.2
days from the issuance of this notice. information collection requirements. The remaining reporting requirements
Competing applications and notices of DATES: Comments on the collection of included in FERC–725E are not being
intent must meet the requirements of 18 information are due June 5, 2017. revised.3
CFR 4.36. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Type of Respondents: Public utilities.
The Commission strongly encourages (identified by Docket No. RD16–10–000) Estimate of Annual Burden 4: The
electronic filing. Please file comments, by either of the following methods: Commission estimates the reduction in
motions to intervene, notices of intent, • eFiling at Commission’s Web site: the annual public reporting burden for
and competing applications using the http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ the FERC–725E (due to the retirement of
Commission’s eFiling system at http:// efiling.asp
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. • Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: 1 The burdens related to Order No. 871 are
Commenters can submit brief comments Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, included in FERC–725Z (Mandatory Reliability
up to 6,000 characters, without prior Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Standards: IRO Reliability Standards, OMB Control
registration, using the eComment system Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. No. 1902–0276), and FERC–725A Mandatory
at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ Instructions: All submissions must be Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System,
OMB Control No. 1902–0244).
ecomment.asp. You must include your formatted and filed in accordance with 2 The Delegated Letter Order is posted in FERC’s
name and contact information at the end submission guidelines at: http:// eLibrary at https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/
of your comments. For assistance, www.ferc.gov/help/submission- common/opennat.asp?fileID=14515285.
please contact FERC Online Support at guide.asp. For user assistance contact 3 In the current OMB-approved inventory for

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) FERC Online Support by email at FERC–725E, the total remaining requirements are
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

estimated annually at 7,038 burden hours for
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone reporting and 771 burden hours for recordkeeping.
(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please at: (866) 208–3676 (toll-free), or (202) 4 Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or

send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal 502–8659 for TTY. financial resources expended by persons to
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 Docket: Users interested in receiving generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide
information to or for a Federal agency. For further
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. automatic notification of activity in this explanation of what is included in the information
The first page of any filing should docket or in viewing/downloading collection burden, refer to 5 Code of Federal
include docket number P–14834–000. comments and issuances in this docket Regulations 1320.3.

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Document Created: 2017-04-06 01:46:38
Document Modified: 2017-04-06 01:46:38

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
FR Citation		82 FR 16822

82 FR 16822 - Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 65 (April 6, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission