83 FR 7032 - Black Bear Hydro Partners, 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 33 (February 16, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7032-7033]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03204]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2727-092]


Black Bear Hydro Partners, 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 license application 
has been filed with the Commission and is available for public 
inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2727-092.
    c. Date filed: December 30, 2015.
    d. Applicant: Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC (Black Bear Hydro).
    e. Name of Project: Ellsworth Hydroelectric Project (Ellsworth 
Project).
    f. Location: On the Union River in Hancock County, Maine. There are 
no federal or tribal lands within the project boundary.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Kelly Maloney, Manager of Licensing and 
Compliance, Brookfield Renewable Energy Group, 150 Main Street, 
Lewiston, ME 04240; Telephone: (207) 755-5606.
    i. FERC Contact: Dr. Nicholas Palso, (202) 502-8854 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. 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-2727-092.
    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 Ellsworth Project consists of two developments 
(Graham Lake and Ellsworth) with a total installed capacity of 8.9 
megawatts (MW). The project's average annual generation is 30,511 
megawatt-hours. The power generated by the project is sold to the 
regional power pool administered by ISO New England, Inc.

Graham Lake Development

    The existing Graham Lake Development consists of: (1) A 630-foot-
long, 58-foot-high dam that includes: (i) An 80-foot-long, 58-foot-high 
concrete spillway section with three 20-foot-wide, 22.5-foot-high 
spillway gates and one 8-foot-wide sluice gate used for downstream fish 
passage; and (ii) a 550-foot-long, 45-foot-high earthen embankment 
section with a concrete and sheet pile core wall; (2) an approximately 
10,000-acre impoundment (Graham Lake) with a useable storage volume of 
133,150 acre-feet at a normal maximum elevation of 104.2 National 
Geodetic Vertical Datum 1929 (NGVD); (3) a 720-foot-long, 58-foot-high 
concrete gravity flood control structure and a 65-foot-diameter, 55-
foot-high stone-filled sheet pile retaining structure; (4) a 71-foot-
long, 36.5-foot-high concrete wing wall; and (5) appurtenant 
facilities.

Ellsworth Development

    The existing Ellsworth Development consists of: (1) A 377-foot-
long, 60-foot-high dam that includes: (i) A 102-foot-long, 60-foot-high 
concrete bulkhead section; and (ii) a 275-foot-long, 57-foot-high 
concrete overflow spillway with 1.7-foot-high flashboards; (2) an 85-
foot-long, 71-foot-high concrete non-over flow wall at the west end of 
the bulkhead section; (3) a 26-foot-high abutment at the east end of 
the spillway; (4) a 90-acre impoundment (Lake Leonard) with a gross 
storage volume of 2,456 acre-feet at a normal maximum elevation of 66.7 
feet NGVD; (5) generating facility No. 1 that includes: (i) a 15-foot-
wide, 10-foot-high headgate with a 15-foot-wide, 12.5-foot-high 
trashrack; (ii) a 10-foot-diameter, 74-foot-long penstock; and (iii) a 
26-foot-long, 28-foot-wide concrete and masonry powerhouse that is 
integral to the concrete non-overflow dam section and contains a single 
2.5-MW turbine-generator unit; (6) generating facility No. 2 that 
includes: (i) an 88.4-foot-wide, 32-foot-high intake structure with 
two, 8-foot-wide, 15-foot-high headgates with 8-foot-wide, 14-foot-high 
trashracks, and one 12-foot-wide, 15-foot-high headgate with a 12-foot-
wide, 14-foot-high trashrack; (ii) an 8-foot-diameter, 164-foot-long 
penstock, an 8-foot-diameter, 195-foot-long penstock, and a 12-foot-
diameter, 225-foot-long penstock; and

[[Page 7033]]

(iii) a 52.5-foot-long, 68-foot-wide concrete and masonry powerhouse 
that is attached to a 15-foot-long, 30-foot-wide switch house and that 
contains two 2.0-MW and one 2.4-MW turbine-generator units; (7) 
downstream fish passage facilities that include three 3-foot-wide 
surface weirs and an 18-inch-diameter transport pipe; (8) upstream fish 
passage facilities that include a 120-foot-long, 8-foot-wide fishway 
with a 3-foot-wide opening and collection station; (9) a 450-foot-long, 
2.3 kilovolt generator lead line and step-up transformer connecting the 
turbine-generator units to the local utility's electric distribution 
system; and (10) appurtenant facilities.
    The Ellsworth Project operates as a water storage facility and a 
peaking generation facility, depending on available inflows. Water is 
stored at the Graham Lake Development to reduce downstream flooding 
during periods of high flow, and is released during periods of low flow 
so that minimum flows can be maintained in the Union River below Graham 
Lake Dam. The ability to store and release water at the Graham Lake 
Development makes it possible for the Ellsworth Development to operate 
in a peaking mode during periods of high electric demand.
    The existing license requires an instantaneous minimum flow release 
of 250 cubic feet per second (cfs), or inflow (whichever is less), 
downstream of each development from May 1 to June 30 each year. The 
minimum flow release from each development is reduced to 105 cfs from 
July 1 to April 30 each year. In addition to the minimum flows, the 
existing license requires Black Bear Hydro to maintain Graham Lake and 
Lake Leonard between elevations 93.4 and 104.2 feet NGVD and 65.7 and 
66.7 feet NGVD, respectively. Black Bear Hydro proposes to continue the 
current licensed mode of operation, including minimum flow releases. 
Black Bear Hydro also proposes to install upstream eel passage 
facilities at the Graham Lake and Ellsworth Developments, construct a 
canoe portage trail at the Graham Lake Development, and improve angler 
access at the Graham Lake Development.
    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 the Commission's 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,'' ``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 
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 
any protest or motion to intervene must be served upon each 
representative of the applicant specified in the particular 
application. A copy of all other filings in reference to this 
application must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons 
listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this 
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    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. Procedural Schedule:
    The application will be processed according to the following 
revised schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of interventions, protests,           April 2018.
 comments, recommendations, preliminary
 terms and conditions, and preliminary
 fishway prescriptions.
Commission issues Draft Environmental        August 2018.
 Assessment.
Comments on Draft Environmental Assessment.  October 2018.
Modified terms and conditions, and fishway   December 2018.
 prescriptions.
Commission issues Final Environmental        March 2019.
 Assessment.
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    Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than the comment period listed in item j above.
    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 
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; 
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.

    Dated: February 9, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-03204 Filed 2-15-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P