82 FR 23239 - Great River Hydro, LLC; Notice of Applications Tendered for Filing With the Commission and Establishing Procedural Schedule for Licensing and Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 97 (May 22, 2017)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 97 (May 22, 2017)
| Page Range | 23239-23240 | |
| FR Document | 2017-10385 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 23239-23240] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-10385] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 1892-030; Project No. 1855-050; Project No. 1904-078] Great River Hydro, LLC; Notice of Applications Tendered for Filing With the Commission and Establishing Procedural Schedule for Licensing and Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection. a. Type of Applications: New Major Licenses. b. Project Nos.: 1892-030, 1855-050, and 1904-078. c. Date Filed: May 1, 2017. d. Applicant: Great River Hydro, LLC (Great River Hydro). e. Names of Projects: Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Hydroelectric Projects. f. Location: The existing projects are located on the Connecticut River in Orange, Windsor, and Windham Counties, Vermont, and Grafton, Cheshire, and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire. There are no federal lands within the project boundaries. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r). h. Applicant Contact: John Ragonese, FERC License Manager, Great River Hydro, LLC, One Harbour Place, Suite 330, Portsmouth, NH 03801; Telephone: (603) 559-5513 or [email protected]. i. FERC Contact: Brandon Cherry, (202) 502-8328 or [email protected]. j. These applications are not ready for environmental analysis at this time. k. Project Descriptions: Wilder Project The existing Wilder Project consists of: (1) A 1,546-foot-long, 59- foot-high, concrete dam that includes: (a) A 400-foot-long non- overflow, earthen embankment (north embankment); (b) a 232-foot-long non-overflow, concrete bulkhead; (c) a 208-foot-long concrete forebay; (d) a 526-foot-long concrete, gravity spillway that includes: (i) six 30-foot-high, 36-foot-long tainter gates; (ii) four 17-foot-high, 50- foot-wide stanchion flashboards; (iii) a 15-foot-high, 20-foot-long skimmer gate (north gate); and (iv) a 10-foot-high, 10-foot-long skimmer gate (south gate); and (e) a 180-foot-long non-overflow, earthen embankment (south embankment); (2) a 45-mile-long, 3,100-acre impoundment with a useable storage volume of 13,350 acre-feet between elevations 380 and 385 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29); (3) four approximately 25-foot-high, 20-foot-wide trashracks with 5-inch clear bar spacing and one approximately 28-foot-high, 20- foot-wide trashrack with 1.625-inch clear bar spacing; (4) a 181-foot- long, 50-foot-wide, 50-foot-high steel frame, brick powerhouse containing two 16.2-megawatt (MW) adjustable-blade Kaplan turbine- generator units and one 3.2-MW vertical Francis turbine-generator unit for a total project capacity of 35.6 MW; (5) three concrete draft tubes ranging from 9.5 to 20.5 feet in diameter; (6) 13.8-kilovolt (kV) generator leads that connect the turbine-generator units to two substation transformers; (7) an approximately 580-foot-long, 6-foot- wide fishway; and (8) appurtenant facilities. Bellows Falls Project The existing Bellows Falls Project consists of: (1) A 643-foot- long, 30-foot-high concrete dam that includes: (a) two 18-foot-high, 115-foot-wide steel roller gates; (b) two 13-foot-high, 121-foot-wide stanchion flashboards; and (c) a 13-foot-high, 100-foot-wide stanchion flashboard; (2) a 26-mile-long, 2,804-acre impoundment with a useable storage volume of 7,467 acre-feet between elevations 288.63 and 291.63 feet NGVD 29; (3) a 1,700-foot-long, 36- to 100-foot-wide, 29-foot-deep stone-lined power canal; (4) a 130.25-foot-wide concrete forebay that includes trashracks with 4-inch clear bar spacing; (5) a 186-foot-long, 106-foot-wide, 52-foot-high steel frame, brick powerhouse containing three 13.6-MW vertical Francis turbine-generator units for a total project capacity of 40.8 MW; (6) three approximately 20-foot-high, 31- foot-wide concrete draft tubes; (7) a 900- [[Page 23240]] foot-long tailrace; (8) a 12-foot-wide, 10-foot-high ice sluice; (9) three 80-foot-long, 6.6-kV generator leads that connect the turbine- generator units to two step-up transformers; (10) a 920-foot-long, 8- foot-wide fishway; (11) a concrete fish barrier dam in the bypassed reach; and (12) appurtenant facilities. Vernon Project The existing Vernon Project consists of: (1) a 956-foot-long, 58- foot-high concrete dam that includes: (a) 356-foot-long section integral to the powerhouse; and (b) a 600-foot-long overflow spillway section that includes: (i) a 9-foot-high, 6-foot-wide fishway sluice; (ii) a 13-foot-high, 13-foot-wide trash/ice sluice; (iii) two 20-foot- high, 50-foot-wide tainter gates; (iv) four 10-foot-high, 50-foot-wide tainter gates; (v) two 10-foot-high, 50-foot-wide hydraulic panel bays; (vi) two 10-foot-high, 50-foot-wide stanchion bays; (vii) a 10-foot- high, 42.5-foot-wide stanchion bay; and (viii) eight 7-foot-high, 9- foot-wide hydraulic flood gates; (2) a 26-mile-long, 2,550-acre impoundment with a useable storage volume of 18,300 acre-feet between elevations 212.13 and 220.13 feet NGVD 29; (3) eight approximately 30- foot-high trashracks with 1.75-inch clear bar spacing and two approximately 30-foot-high trashracks with 3.625-inch clear bar spacing; (4) a 356-foot-long, 55-foot-wide, 45-foot-high reinforced concrete, steel, and brick powerhouse containing four 2-MW vertical Francis turbine-generator units, four 4-MW vertical Kaplan turbine- generator units, and two 4.2-MW vertical Francis turbine-generator units for a total project capacity of 32.4 MW; (5) ten concrete draft tubes ranging from 16 to 27 feet in diameter; (6) a 500-foot-long, 13.8-kV underground generator lead that connects the turbine-generator units to two step-up transformers; (7) a 984-foot-long, 15-foot-wide fishway; (8) downstream fish passage facilities; and (9) appurtenant facilities. Great River Hydro operates all three projects in coordination and in a peaking mode. Average annual generation is approximately 161,739; 247,373; and 162,557 MW-hours at the Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Projects, respectively. Great River Hydro is not proposing any new project facilities or changes to operation of these projects at this time. l. Locations of the Applications: Copies of the applications are 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, please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502- 8659 (TTY). Copies are also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above. m. 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 these or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. n. Procedural Schedule: In the final license applications, Great River Hydro states that it will file amended final license applications after it completes additional field work for two studies, conducts additional consultation with stakeholders on the study results, and models operational alternatives. After Great River Hydro completes and files the revised study reports and amended final license applications, Commission staff will issue a revised procedural schedule with target dates for the post-filing milestones listed below. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Milestone Target date ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amended Final License Applications.......... TBD. Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for TBD. Environmental Analysis. Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms TBD. and conditions, and fishway prescriptions. Commission issues Draft Environmental Impact TBD. Statement (EIS). Comments on Draft EIS....................... TBD. Modified terms and conditions............... TBD. Commission issues Final EIS................. TBD. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ o. Final amendments to the applications must be filed with the Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of the notice of ready for environmental analysis. Dated: May 15, 2017. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017-10385 Filed 5-19-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices 23239
preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 k. Project Descriptions:
the permit holder priority to file a First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Wilder Project
license application during the permit The first page of any filing should
term. A preliminary permit does not include docket number P–14832–000. The existing Wilder Project consists
authorize the permit holder to perform More information about this project, of: (1) A 1,546-foot-long, 59-foot-high,
any land-disturbing activities or including a copy of the application, can concrete dam that includes: (a) A 400-
otherwise enter upon lands or waters be viewed or printed on the ‘‘eLibrary’’ foot-long non-overflow, earthen
owned by others without the owners’ link of the Commission’s Web site at embankment (north embankment); (b) a
express permission. http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 232-foot-long non-overflow, concrete
The proposed project would consist of elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number bulkhead; (c) a 208-foot-long concrete
the following: (1) A new upper reservoir (P–14832) in the docket number field to forebay; (d) a 526-foot-long concrete,
with a surface area of 100 acres and a access the document. For assistance, gravity spillway that includes: (i) six 30-
storage capacity of 1,500 acre-feet at a contact FERC Online Support. foot-high, 36-foot-long tainter gates; (ii)
surface elevation of approximately 2,960 four 17-foot-high, 50-foot-wide
Dated: May 15, 2017. stanchion flashboards; (iii) a 15-foot-
feet above mean sea level (msl) created
through construction of a new roller- Kimberly D. Bose, high, 20-foot-long skimmer gate (north
compacted concrete or rock-filled dam Secretary. gate); and (iv) a 10-foot-high, 10-foot-
and/or dike; (2) excavating a new lower [FR Doc. 2017–10372 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am] long skimmer gate (south gate); and (e)
reservoir with a surface area of 33 acres BILLING CODE 6717–01–P a 180-foot-long non-overflow, earthen
and a total storage capacity of 1,800 embankment (south embankment); (2) a
acre-feet at a surface elevation of 1,800 45-mile-long, 3,100-acre impoundment
feet msl; (3) a new 5,920-foot-long, 48- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY with a useable storage volume of 13,350
inch-diameter penstock connecting the acre-feet between elevations 380 and
upper and lower reservoirs; (4) a new Federal Energy Regulatory 385 feet National Geodetic Vertical
150-foot-long, 50-foot-wide powerhouse Commission Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29); (3) four
containing two turbine-generator units [Project No. 1892–030; Project No. 1855– approximately 25-foot-high, 20-foot-
with a total rated capacity of 143 050; Project No. 1904–078] wide trashracks with 5-inch clear bar
megawatts; (5) a new transmission line spacing and one approximately 28-foot-
connecting the powerhouse to a nearby Great River Hydro, LLC; Notice of high, 20-foot-wide trashrack with 1.625-
electric grid interconnection point at the Applications Tendered for Filing With inch clear bar spacing; (4) a 181-foot-
Shaffer Wind Farm; and (6) appurtenant the Commission and Establishing long, 50-foot-wide, 50-foot-high steel
facilities. Possible initial fill water and Procedural Schedule for Licensing and frame, brick powerhouse containing two
make-up water would come from the Deadline for Submission of Final 16.2-megawatt (MW) adjustable-blade
nearby Raystown Branch Juniata River, Amendments Kaplan turbine-generator units and one
including groundwater. The proposed 3.2–MW vertical Francis turbine-
project would have an annual Take notice that the following generator unit for a total project capacity
generation of 520,671 megawatt-hours. hydroelectric applications have been of 35.6 MW; (5) three concrete draft
Applicant Contact: Adam Rousselle, filed with the Commission and are tubes ranging from 9.5 to 20.5 feet in
Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC, 5710 available for public inspection. diameter; (6) 13.8-kilovolt (kV)
Oak Crest Drive, Doylestown, PA 18902; a. Type of Applications: New Major generator leads that connect the turbine-
phone: 267–254–6107. Licenses. generator units to two substation
FERC Contact: Monir Chowdhury; b. Project Nos.: 1892–030, 1855–050, transformers; (7) an approximately 580-
phone: (202) 502–6736. and 1904–078. foot-long, 6-foot-wide fishway; and (8)
Deadline for filing comments, motions c. Date Filed: May 1, 2017. appurtenant facilities.
to intervene, competing applications d. Applicant: Great River Hydro, LLC
(without notices of intent), or notices of (Great River Hydro). Bellows Falls Project
intent to file competing applications: 60 e. Names of Projects: Wilder, Bellows The existing Bellows Falls Project
days from the issuance of this notice. Falls, and Vernon Hydroelectric consists of: (1) A 643-foot-long, 30-foot-
Competing applications and notices of Projects. high concrete dam that includes: (a) two
intent must meet the requirements of 18 f. Location: The existing projects are 18-foot-high, 115-foot-wide steel roller
CFR 4.36. located on the Connecticut River in gates; (b) two 13-foot-high, 121-foot-
The Commission strongly encourages Orange, Windsor, and Windham wide stanchion flashboards; and (c) a
electronic filing. Please file comments, Counties, Vermont, and Grafton, 13-foot-high, 100-foot-wide stanchion
motions to intervene, notices of intent, Cheshire, and Sullivan Counties, New flashboard; (2) a 26-mile-long, 2,804-
and competing applications using the Hampshire. There are no federal lands acre impoundment with a useable
Commission’s eFiling system at http:// within the project boundaries. storage volume of 7,467 acre-feet
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power between elevations 288.63 and 291.63
Commenters can submit brief comments Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). feet NGVD 29; (3) a 1,700-foot-long, 36-
up to 6,000 characters, without prior h. Applicant Contact: John Ragonese, to 100-foot-wide, 29-foot-deep stone-
registration, using the eComment system FERC License Manager, Great River lined power canal; (4) a 130.25-foot-
at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ Hydro, LLC, One Harbour Place, Suite wide concrete forebay that includes
ecomment.asp. You must include your 330, Portsmouth, NH 03801; Telephone: trashracks with 4-inch clear bar spacing;
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
name and contact information at the end (603) 559–5513 or jragonese@ (5) a 186-foot-long, 106-foot-wide, 52-
of your comments. For assistance, greatriverhydro.com. foot-high steel frame, brick powerhouse
please contact FERC Online Support at i. FERC Contact: Brandon Cherry, containing three 13.6–MW vertical
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) (202) 502–8328 or brandon.cherry@ Francis turbine-generator units for a
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 ferc.gov. total project capacity of 40.8 MW; (6)
(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please j. These applications are not ready for three approximately 20-foot-high, 31-
send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal environmental analysis at this time. foot-wide concrete draft tubes; (7) a 900-
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![23240 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices
foot-long tailrace; (8) a 12-foot-wide, 10- number excluding the last three digits in DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
foot-high ice sluice; (9) three 80-foot- the docket number field to access the
long, 6.6-kV generator leads that document. For assistance, please contact Federal Energy Regulatory
connect the turbine-generator units to FERC Online Support at Commission
two step-up transformers; (10) a 920- FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) [Project No. 14831–000]
foot-long, 8-foot-wide fishway; (11) a 208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
concrete fish barrier dam in the (TTY). Copies are also available for Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC;
bypassed reach; and (12) appurtenant inspection and reproduction at the Notice of Preliminary Permit
facilities. address in item (h) above. Application Accepted for Filing And
Vernon Project Soliciting Comments, Motions To
m. You may also register online at Intervene, and Competing Applications
The existing Vernon Project consists http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
of: (1) a 956-foot-long, 58-foot-high esubscription.asp to be notified via On January 18, 2017, Merchant Hydro
concrete dam that includes: (a) 356-foot- email of new filings and issuances Developers, LLC, filed an application for
long section integral to the powerhouse; related to these or other pending a preliminary permit, pursuant to
and (b) a 600-foot-long overflow projects. For assistance, contact FERC section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act
spillway section that includes: (i) a 9- Online Support. (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility
foot-high, 6-foot-wide fishway sluice; of the Savage Mountain Pumped Storage
(ii) a 13-foot-high, 13-foot-wide trash/ice n. Procedural Schedule: In the final Hydroelectric Project to be located in
sluice; (iii) two 20-foot-high, 50-foot- license applications, Great River Hydro Allegany County, Maryland. The sole
wide tainter gates; (iv) four 10-foot-high, states that it will file amended final purpose of a preliminary permit, if
50-foot-wide tainter gates; (v) two 10- license applications after it completes issued, is to grant the permit holder
foot-high, 50-foot-wide hydraulic panel additional field work for two studies, priority to file a license application
bays; (vi) two 10-foot-high, 50-foot-wide conducts additional consultation with during the permit term. A preliminary
stanchion bays; (vii) a 10-foot-high, stakeholders on the study results, and permit does not authorize the permit
42.5-foot-wide stanchion bay; and (viii) models operational alternatives. After holder to perform any land-disturbing
eight 7-foot-high, 9-foot-wide hydraulic Great River Hydro completes and files activities or otherwise enter upon lands
flood gates; (2) a 26-mile-long, 2,550- the revised study reports and amended or waters owned by others without the
acre impoundment with a useable final license applications, Commission owners’ express permission.
storage volume of 18,300 acre-feet staff will issue a revised procedural The proposed project would consist of
between elevations 212.13 and 220.13 schedule with target dates for the post- the following: (1) A new upper reservoir
feet NGVD 29; (3) eight approximately filing milestones listed below. with a surface area of 75 acres and a
30-foot-high trashracks with 1.75-inch storage capacity of 1,125 acre-feet at a
clear bar spacing and two approximately Target surface elevation of approximately 2,800
Milestone feet above mean sea level (msl) created
30-foot-high trashracks with 3.625-inch date
clear bar spacing; (4) a 356-foot-long, 55- through construction of a new roller-
foot-wide, 45-foot-high reinforced Amended Final License Applica- TBD. compacted concrete or rock-filled dam
concrete, steel, and brick powerhouse tions. and/or dike; (2) excavating a new lower
containing four 2–MW vertical Francis Notice of Acceptance/Notice of TBD. reservoir with a surface area of 50 acres
turbine-generator units, four 4–MW Ready for Environmental Anal- and a total storage capacity of 1,350
ysis.
vertical Kaplan turbine-generator units, acre-feet at a surface elevation of 1,820
Filing of recommendations, prelimi- TBD.
and two 4.2–MW vertical Francis nary terms and conditions, and
feet msl; (3) a new 6,762-foot-long, 48-
turbine-generator units for a total project fishway prescriptions. inch-diameter penstock connecting the
capacity of 32.4 MW; (5) ten concrete Commission issues Draft Environ- TBD. upper and lower reservoirs; (4) a new
draft tubes ranging from 16 to 27 feet in mental Impact Statement (EIS). 150-foot-long, 50-foot-wide powerhouse
diameter; (6) a 500-foot-long, 13.8-kV Comments on Draft EIS .................. TBD. containing two turbine-generator units
underground generator lead that Modified terms and conditions ........ TBD. with a total rated capacity of 90
connects the turbine-generator units to Commission issues Final EIS ......... TBD. megawatts; (5) a new transmission line
two step-up transformers; (7) a 984-foot- connecting the powerhouse to a nearby
long, 15-foot-wide fishway; (8) electric grid interconnection point at the
o. Final amendments to the
downstream fish passage facilities; and Savage Mountain Wind Farm; and (6)
applications must be filed with the
(9) appurtenant facilities. appurtenant facilities. Possible initial
Great River Hydro operates all three Commission no later than 30 days from
fill water and make-up water would
projects in coordination and in a the issuance date of the notice of ready
come from the nearby Casselman River,
peaking mode. Average annual for environmental analysis. including groundwater. The proposed
generation is approximately 161,739; Dated: May 15, 2017. project would have an annual
247,373; and 162,557 MW-hours at the Kimberly D. Bose, generation of 329,908 megawatt-hours.
Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Applicant Contact: Adam Rousselle,
Secretary.
Projects, respectively. Great River Hydro Merchant Hydro Developers, LLC, 5710
[FR Doc. 2017–10385 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am]
is not proposing any new project Oak Crest Drive, Doylestown, PA 18902;
facilities or changes to operation of BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
phone: 267–254–6107.
these projects at this time. FERC Contact: Monir Chowdhury;
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
l. Locations of the Applications: phone: (202) 502–6736.
Copies of the applications are available Deadline for filing comments, motions
for review at the Commission in the to intervene, competing applications
Public Reference Room or may be (without notices of intent), or notices of
viewed on the Commission’s Web site at intent to file competing applications: 60
http://www.ferc.gov using the days from the issuance of this notice.
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket Competing applications and notices of
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Document Created: 2018-11-08 08:51:11
Document Modified: 2018-11-08 08:51:11
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
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| Section | Notices | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 23239 |
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