[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 13 (Monday, January 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2678-2679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-789]



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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

January 12, 2007.
    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.: 12743-000.
    c. Date filed: September 20, 2006.
    d. Applicant: Douglas County, Oregon.
    e. Name of Project: Douglas County Wave and Tidal Energy Project.
    f. Location: The project would be located in the Pacific Ocean in 
Douglas County, Oregon.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contacts: Mr. Ronald S. Yocum, Douglas County, Oregon, 
430 SE Main Street, P.O. Box 2456, Roseburg, OR 97470, phone: (541) 
957-5900.
    i. FERC Contact: Robert Bell, (202) 502-6062.
    j. Deadline for filing comments, protests, and motions to 
intervene: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
intervenors 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 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. Description of Project: Oregon's offshore conditions present the 
most optimal wave environment for extracting potential useful energy 
according to the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI). The wave 
energy project would be bounded on the north and south by a 3-mile-long 
line, on the east by the shoreline defined by the border of Douglas 
County, and on the west by a parallel line 3 miles offshore. Within 
this area Douglas County together with the Central Lincoln People's 
Utility District (CLPUD), has identified potential interconnections 
between the existing CLPUD near shore substations on the power 
distribution grid and possible ``wave energy park'' locations off the 
coast of Lincoln County. A Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) can 
distribute power beyond the county on the electrical grid. Douglas 
County's project will comply with all interconnection requirements as 
specified by CLPUD and BPA. In addition, there are potentially other 
connections including utilizing an existing outfall for a major power 
user and possible interconnections with Pacific Power in the northern 
portion of Douglas County.
    Such wave parks have the potential of generating from 20 to 180 
megawatts (MW) of power or more. Multiple sites would be beneficial to 
the immediate area and to the Pacific Northwest in supplementing the 
region's hydropower capacity and in providing generation to the west of 
the Cascade Mountain Range, thereby easing congestion on the east-west 
transmission grid in region. While recognizing that wave energy will be 
an intermittent energy source, and mindful of integration needs, waves 
are far less intermittent than wind energy and are predictable many 
hours ahead of their occurrence.
    Douglas County will examine all the available wave power 
technologies for each location within the project boundary. All the 
alternative Wave and Tidal Energy Conversion devices capable of 
generating commercially viable energy will be explored.
    Douglas County will seek investment of available economic 
development dollars to locate businesses to both support wave parks off 
our county shores and to create and test new technologies. The Port of 
Umpqua has dock and facilities to support vessels servicing the wave 
and tidal parks. Adequate industrial lands adjacent to those terminals, 
with full infrastructure improvements including water, sewer, and 
highways, are available to develop local wave park technology, 
manufacturing, maintenance and repair businesses. Oregon State 
University, which has launched an initiative to create the U.S. Ocean 
Wave Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Center, maintains 
the Hatfield Marine Science Center on Yaquina Bay in Newport, which 
could become a primary center for creating and field testing new wave 
power technologies.
    This project has amended its project boundary so that it does not 
compete with the Reedsport OPT Wave Park Project No. 12713-000.
    The project is estimated to have an annual generation of 87.5 to 
790 gigawatt-hours.
    l. Locations of Applications: A copy of the application is 
available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission in the 
Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, 
Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 502-8371. This filing may 
also 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, call toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or e-mail 
[email protected]. For TTY, call (202) 502-8659. A copy is 
also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h 
above.
    m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    n. Competing Preliminary Permit: Anyone desiring to file a 
competing application 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.
    o. Competing Development Application: 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.
    p. 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.

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    q. 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.
    r. 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.
    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 ``e-filing'' link. 
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing.
    s. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: Any filings must 
bear in all capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``RECOMMENDATIONS 
FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS'', ``PROTEST'',``COMPETING APPLICATION'' OR 
``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. A copy of any motion to intervene must also be 
served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the 
particular application.
    t. 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. E7-789 Filed 1-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P