83 FR 6550 - Algonquin Power (Beaver Falls), 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 83, Issue 31 (February 14, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6550-6551]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03007]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project Nos. 2593-031; 2823-020]


Algonquin Power (Beaver Falls), 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: Subsequent Major License.
    b. Project Nos.: 2593-031 and 2823-020.
    c. Date filed: December 30, 2015, supplemented by a settlement 
agreement filed August 24, 2017.
    d. Applicant: Algonquin Power (Beaver Falls), LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Upper Beaver Falls and Lower Beaver Falls 
Hydroelectric Projects.
    f. Location: On the Beaver River, in the towns of Croghan and New 
Bremen, Lewis County, New York. The projects do not occupy lands of the 
United States.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Robert Gates, Executive Vice President, Eagle 
Creek Renewables Energy, LLC, 116 N. State Street P.O. Box 167, 
Neshkoro, WI 54960-0167; (973) 998-8400; [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Andy Bernick, (202) 502-8660 or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, 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 
motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, and prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling system at 
http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. 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 numbers P-2593-031 and 
P-2823-020.
    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 for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    l. The existing project works are as follows:
    The Upper Beaver Falls Project consists of: (1) A 328-foot-long, 
25-foot-high concrete gravity dam with an uncontrolled overflow 
spillway; (2) a 48-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 800 acre-
feet at elevation 799.4 feet North American Vertical Datum of 1988 
(NAVD 88); (3) a 17-foot-high, 26.5-foot-wide, 27.5-foot-long intake 
structure with a steel trash rack ; (4) a 90-foot-long, 16-foot-wide, 
8-foot-high concrete penstock; (5) a powerhouse containing one turbine-
generator with a nameplate rating of 1,500 kilowatts (kW); (6) a 
tailrace excavated in the riverbed; (7) a 2,120-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt 
(kV) overhead transmission line connecting to an existing National Grid 
substation; and (8) other appurtenances. The project generates about 
8,685 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually.
    The Lower Beaver Falls Project consists of: (1) A 400-foot-long 
concrete gravity dam with a maximum height of 14 feet, including: (i) a 
240-foot-long non-overflow section containing an 8-foot-wide spillway 
topped with flashboards ranging from 6 to 8 inches in height and (ii) a 
160-foot-long overflow section with an ice sluice opening; (2) a 4-acre 
reservoir with a storage capacity of 27.9 acre-feet at a normal 
elevation of 769.6 feet NAVD 88; (3) an intake structure with a steel 
trash rack, integral with a powerhouse containing two 500-kW turbine 
and generator units; (4) a tailrace; (5) a 250-foot-long, 2.4-kV 
transmission line connected to the Upper Beaver Falls powerhouse; and 
(6) appurtenant facilities. The project generates about 5,617 MWh 
annually.
    The Lower Beaver Falls Project is located approximately 600 feet 
downstream of the Upper Beaver Falls Project. The dams and existing 
project facilities for both projects are owned by the applicant. As 
described in its August 24, 2017, settlement agreement with the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation (New York DEC), the applicant proposes the 
following changes to project facilities and operation: (1) both 
projects would be consolidated under a single license; (2) the 
consolidated project would operate in strict run-of-river mode; (3) a 
year-round minimum flow of 30 cubic feet per second (cfs) would be 
maintained in the Upper Project bypassed reach and at the Lower 
Project; (4) trash racks would be replaced at the Upper Project to 
provide 1-inch clear spacing, and a seasonal overlay system would be 
placed at the Lower Project; and (5) recreational enhancements, 
including a boat launch, fishing access, canoe take-out, and parking 
area, would be provided at a location determined through consultation 
with FWS and New York DEC.
    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 website 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.
    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, 385.211, and 385.214. 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 deadline date for the particular 
application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title PROTEST, 
MOTION TO INTERVENE, COMMENTS, REPLY COMMENTS, RECOMMENDATIONS, TERMS 
AND CONDITIONS, or 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 protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR

[[Page 6551]]

385.2001 through 385.2005. Agencies may obtain copies of the 
application directly from the applicant. A copy of any protest or 
motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the 
applicant specified in the particular application.
    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 this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. 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 
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; 
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
    p. 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 comments, recommendations,     April 2018.
 terms and conditions, and
 prescriptions.
Reply comments due.....................  May 2018.
Commission issues EA...................  October 2018.
Comments on EA due.....................  November 2018.
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    Dated: February 8, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-03007 Filed 2-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P