[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27330-27332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11526]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2615-037]


FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, Madison Paper Industries, and Merimil 
Limited Partnership; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, 
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental 
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms 
and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions

May 6, 2010.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2615-037.
    c. Date Filed: March 31, 2010.
    d. Applicant: FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC, Madison Paper Industries, 
and Merimil Limited Partnership.
    e. Name of Project: Brassua Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the Moose River in 
Somerset County, Maine. The project does not occupy federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 USC 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Frank H. Dunlap, FPL Energy Maine Hydro 
LLC, 26 Katherine Drive, Hallowell, Maine 04347; Telephone (207) 629-
1817.
    i. FERC Contact: John Costello (202) 502-6119 or 
[email protected]
    j. The deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, 
comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and 
preliminary fishway prescriptions is 60 days from the issuance date of 
this notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of 
this notice.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    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.
    Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations,

[[Page 27331]]

preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 
may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The 
Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. See 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site 
(http://www.ferc.gov) under the ``eFiling'' link. For a simpler method 
of submitting text-only comments, click on ``Quick Comment.''
    k. This application has been accepted for filing and is ready for 
environmental analysis.
    l. The existing Brassua Project includes: (1) A 1,789-foot-long dam 
consisting of: (a) An earth dike 410 feet long with 100 feet of 
concrete core wall; (b) a concrete-faced earth dike 342.5 feet long; 
(c) a concrete Ambursen dam 284 feet long with a height of 52 feet 
above the stream bed; (d) a 18.5-foot fishway (inactive); and (e) a 
734-foot earth dike with a concrete core wall; (2) a 9,700-acre 
reservoir (known as Brassua Lake) with a normal pool elevation 1,074.0 
feet (U.S.G.S. datum) and maximum drawdown of 31 feet, extending 7.75 
miles upstream; (3) a reinforced-concrete intake structure; (4) a 110-
foot-long, 13-foot square penstock; (5) a 32-foot-high, 32-foot-wide 
and 60-foot-long powerhouse; (6) a 4.18-MW generating unit; (7) a 40-
foot-wide, 15-foot-deep and 60-foot-long tailrace; (8) a substation; 
(9) a 0.5-mile-long, 34.5-kV (kilovolt) transmission line; and (10) 
appurtenant facilities. The earth sections of the dam are topped with 
33.5-inch-high wave barriers (Jersey barriers).
    The Brassua Project is operated as a seasonal storage facility 
where water releases are determined by downstream demands for 
hydroelectric generation in the Kennebec River and for flood control. 
Reservoir fluctuations follow an annual cycle under which reservoir 
levels are reduced during the fall and winter to provide additional 
flows downstream as well as to make storage volume available for spring 
snow melt and runoff. After the spring refill, flow is released for the 
Brassua reservoir to provide summer minimum instream flows as well as 
water for industrial and municipal uses. Specific project operation 
requirements are discussed below.
    The current license allows the licensees to operate the Brassua 
Project in peaking mode from July 1st through August 31st and from 
November 6th through the start of spring freshnet (normally mid-May) of 
each year. The licensee is required to cease peaking operation and 
resume normal operation in which flows through the project are 
maintained constant on a daily basis from spring freshnet through June 
30th and from September 1st through November 5th of each year.
    The current license requires the licensee to release the following 
minimum flows and maintain the following target water levels to protect 
fish and aquatic habitat and to benefit the reproductive efforts of the 
landlocked salmon population in the Moose River. All Minimum flow 
releases are maintained through the turbine or deep gates and 
discharged in the lower Moose River below the dam.
    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 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, contact 
FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-
866-208-3676, or for TTY, 202-502-8659. A copy is also available for 
inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm to be 
notified via e-mail of new filings and issuances related to this or 
other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    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, .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.
    All filings must (1) Bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY 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.
    o. Procedural Schedule:
    The application will be processed according to the following Hydro 
Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of interventions,           July 5, 2010.
 comments, recommendations,
 preliminary terms and
 conditions, and fishway
 prescriptions.
Commission issues EA.............  December 17, 2010.
Filing of comments on EA.........  January 16, 2011.
Filing of modified terms and       March 17, 2011.
 conditions.
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    p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of the notice of acceptance and ready for 
environmental analysis provided for in Sec.  5.22: (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)

[[Page 27332]]

evidence of waiver of water quality certification.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-11526 Filed 5-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P