[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41976-41977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15512]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions 
To Intervene, Protests, and Comments

June 14, 2002.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: Preliminary Permit.
    b. Project No.: 12152-000.
    c. Date filed: March 11, 2002.
    d. Applicant: Moriah Hydro Corporation.
    e. Name of Project: Mineville Pumped Storage Project.
    f. Location: In the existing mines within the Fisher Hill / Harmony 
Mine complex within Moriah in Essex County, New York. The Mines are 
owned by X-Earth Corporation of Elizabethtown, New York.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC 791(a)--825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. James A. Besha, P.E., Moriah Hydro 
Corporation, c/o Albany Engineering Corporation, 455 New Karner Road, 
Albany, NY 12205, (518) 456-7712.
    i. FERC Contact: Robert Bell, (202) 219-2806.
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene, protests and comments: 
60 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426. Comments, protests and 
interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of 
paper; see 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the 
Commission's web site under the ``e-Filing'' link. Please include the 
project number (P-12152-000) on any comments or motions filed.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
interveners filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of 
that document on each person in the official service list for the 
project. Further, if an intervener 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. Description of Project: The proposed pumped storage project 
would consist of one of the following alternatives:
Alternative 1
    (1) An upper reservoir using underground 3rd level of the Fisher 
Hill Mine having a surface area of 88 acres, with a storage capacity of 
1,762 acre-feet and a normal water surface elevation of 1200 feet NGVD, 
(2) a lower reservoir using underground 8th, 9th and 10th levels of the 
Fisher Hill Mine having a surface area of 46 acres, with a storage 
capacity of 2,299 acre-feet and a normal water surface elevation of 200 
feet NGVD, (3) three identical 1000-foot-long, 96-inch-diameter 
vertical bored penstocks with grouted steel casings, (4) a proposed 
powerhouse containing three generating units having a total installed 
capacity of 63 MW; (5) a proposed 1-mile-long, 115 kV transmission 
line; and (6) appurtenant facilities.
Alternative 2
    (1) An upper reservoir using underground 2nd level of the Harmony 
Mine having a surface area of 99 acres, with a storage capacity of 
1,900 acre-feet and a normal water surface elevation of 1100 feet NGVD, 
(2) a lower reservoir using underground 7th, level of the Harmony Mine 
having a surface area of 75 acres, with a storage capacity of 2,500 
acre-feet and a normal water surface elevation of 100 feet NGVD, (3) 
three identical 1000-foot-long, 96-inch-diameter vertical bored 
penstocks with grouted steel casing, (4) a proposed powerhouse 
containing three generating units having a total installed capacity of 
63 MW; (5) a proposed 1-mile-long, 115 kV transmission line; and (6) 
appurtenant facilities.
    The project would have an annual generation of 175 GWh that would 
be sold to a local utility.
    l. A copy of the application is available for inspection and 
reproduction at the Commission's Public Reference Room, located at 888 
First Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 
208-1371. The application may be viewed on http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call (202)208-2222 for assistance). A copy is also 
available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h 
above.
    m. Preliminary Permit--Anyone desiring to file a competing 
application

[[Page 41977]]

for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing 
application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, 
to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the 
particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice 
of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary 
permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment 
date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit 
application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36.
    n. Preliminary Permit--Any qualified development applicant desiring 
to file a competing development application must submit to the 
Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular 
application, either a competing development application or a notice of 
intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of 
intent to file a development application allows an interested person to 
file the competing application no later than 120 days after the 
specified comment date for the particular application. A competing 
license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36.
    o. Notice of Intent--A notice of intent must specify the exact 
name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective 
applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to 
submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary 
permit application or a development application (specify which type of 
application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) 
named in this public notice.
    p. Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit--A preliminary permit, if 
issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed 
preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the 
preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of 
preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. 
Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide 
whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to 
construct and operate the project.
    q. 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, 
.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.
    r. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents--Any filings must 
bear in all capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``NOTICE OF INTENT 
TO FILE COMPETING APPLICATION'', ``COMPETING APPLICATION'', 
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', as applicable, and the Project 
Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of 
the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and 
the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. An additional copy must be sent to Director, 
Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, at the above-mentioned address. A copy of any 
notice of intent, competing application or motion to intervene must 
also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in 
the particular application.
    s. 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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-15512 Filed 6-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P