Badger Mountain Hydro, LLC; Notice of Declaration of Intention and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene

Take notice that the following application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:

a. Application Type: Declaration of Intention.

b. Docket No.: DI26-5-000.

c. Date Filed: July 31, 2026.

d. Applicant: Badger Mountain Hydro, LLC.

e. Name of Project: Badger Mountain Pumped Storage Project.

f. Location: The proposed Badger Mountain Pumped Storage Project would be located near the town of East Wenatchee, in Douglas County, Washington.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Section 23(b)(1) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 817(b).

h. Applicant Contact: Badger Mountain Hydro, LLC; 201 S Main St., Ste. 2100, Salt Lake City, UT 84111; telephone: (208) 246-9925; email: mshapiro@rplusenergies.com; Agent Contact: Matthew Shapiro, rPlus Energies, LLC, 201 S Main St., Ste. 2100, Salt Lake City, UT 84111; telephone: (208) 246-9925; email: mshapiro@rplusenergies.com.

i. FERC Contact: Maryam Akhavan, (202) 502-6110, or Maryam.Akhavan@ferc.gov.

j. Deadline for filing comments, protests, and motions to intervene is: November 6, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, protests, and motions to intervene using the Commission's eFiling system at 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 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should include docket number DI26-5-000. Comments emailed to Commission staff are not considered part of the Commission record.

k. Description of Project: The proposed project will be a closed-loop pumped storage project with initial fill and make up water coming from treated wastewater obtained from Douglas County Sewer District No. 1's Wastewater Treatment Plant. The proposed project would consist of: (1) a 15 to 75-foot-high, 8,000-foot-long earthen embankment forming a 78-acre upper reservoir with a storage capacity of 3,090 acre-feet; (2) a 40-foot-high, 650-foot-long earthen dam forming a lower reservoir with a storage capacity of 3,380 acre-feet, with a potential 15-foot-high, 900-foot-long secondary earthen embankment on the eastern end; (3) underground tunnels connecting the upper and lower reservoirs consisting of: (a) a 17-foot diameter, 200-foot-high vertical shaft; (b) a 17-foot diameter, 5,600-foot-long concrete/steel-lined headrace tunnel; and (c) a 17-foot diameter, 200-foot-long tailrace tunnel; (4) a powerhouse located in a vertical 220-foot-high, 100-foot-diameter shaft located next to the lower reservoir containing two 250 megawatt (MW) reversible pump-turbines for a total ( printed page 64915) installed capacity of 500 MW, with a surface building above the shaft composed of concrete and steel, with tentative dimensions of 120-foot-long, 90-foot-wide, and 40-foot-high; (5) a 0.25-mile-long transmission line interconnecting with several transmission lines; and (6) appurtenant facilities. The estimated average annual generation of the project would be 832,200 megawatt-hours.

When a Declaration of Intention is filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Federal Power Act requires the Commission to investigate and determine if the project would affect the interests of interstate or foreign commerce. The Commission also determines whether or not the project: (1) would be located on a navigable waterway; (2) would occupy public lands or reservations of the United States; (3) would utilize surplus water or water power from a government dam; or (4) would be located on a non-navigable stream over which Congress has Commerce Clause jurisdiction and would be constructed or enlarged after 1935.

l. Locations of the Application: This filing may be viewed on the Commission's website at www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. You may also register online at 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, call 1-866-208-3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659.

m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.

n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: 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.

o. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “PROTESTS”, and “MOTIONS TO INTERVENE”, as applicable; (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 commenting, protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, motions to intervene, or protests must set forth their evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an intervenor 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 385.2010.

p. Agency Comments: Federal, state, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives.

q. For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202)502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)