[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5582-5583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2146]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13305-001]


Whitestone Power and Communications; Notice of Intent To File 
License Application, Filing of Draft Application, Request for Waivers 
of Integrated Licensing Process Regulations Necessary for Expedited 
Processing of a Hydrokinetic Pilot Project License Application, and 
Soliciting Comments

January 21, 2011.
    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent To File a License Application 
for an Original License for a Hydrokinetic Pilot Project.
    b. Project No.: 13305-001.
    c. Date Filed: January 18, 2011.
    d. Submitted By: Whitestone Power and Communications.
    e. Name of Project: Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.\1\
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    \1\ The project was named the Microturbine Hydrokinetic River-
In-Stream Energy Conversion Power Project in the preliminary permit 
for Project No. 13305.
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    f. Location: On the Tanana River within the Unorganized Borough, 
near Delta Junction, Alaska.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 of the Commission's regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Steven M. Selvaggio, Whitestone Power and 
Communications, P.O. Box 1630, Delta Junction, Alaska 99737; (907) 895-
4938.
    i. FERC Contact: Dianne Rodman (202) 502-6077.
    j. Whitestone Power and Communications (Whitestone) has filed with 
the Commission: (1) A notice of intent (NOI) to file an application for 
an original license for a hydrokinetic pilot project and a draft 
license with monitoring plans; (2) a request for waivers of the 
integrated licensing process regulations necessary for expedited 
processing of a hydrokinetic pilot project license application; (3) a 
proposed process plan and schedule; (4) a request to be designated as 
the non-Federal representative for section 7 of the Endangered Species 
Act consultation; and (5) a request to be designated as the non-Federal 
representative for section 106 consultation under the National Historic 
Preservation Act (collectively the pre-filing materials).
    k. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the pre-filing 
materials listed in paragraph j above, including the draft license 
application and monitoring plans. All comments should be sent to the 
address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments must be filed 
with the Commission. Documents may be filed electronically via the 
Internet. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the 
Commission's Web site 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://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. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, 
documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and 
seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    All filings with the Commission must include on the first page, the 
project name (Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project) and number (P-13305-
001), and bear the heading ``Comments on the proposed Whitestone 
Poncelet RISEC Project'' Any individual or entity interested in 
submitting comments on the pre-filing materials must do so by March 21, 
2011.
    l. With this notice, we are approving Whitestone's request to be 
designated as the non-Federal representative for section 7 of the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its request to initiate consultation 
under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; and 
recommending that it begin informal consultation with: (a) The U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service as 
required by section 7 of ESA; and (b) the Alaska State Historic 
Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, National Historical 
Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    m. This notice does not constitute the Commission's approval of 
Whitestone's request to use the Pilot Project Licensing Procedures. 
Upon its review of the project's overall characteristics relative to 
the pilot project criteria, the draft license application contents, and 
any comments filed, the Commission will determine whether there is 
adequate information to conclude the pre-filing process.
    n. The proposed Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project would consist of: 
(1) A 12-foot-wide, 16-foot-diameter Poncelet undershot water wheel; 
(2) a 34-foot-long, 19- to 24.5-foot-wide, aluminum-frame floatation 
platform mounted on a 34-foot-long, 3.5-foot-diameter high-density-
polyethylene (HDPE) pontoon and a 34-foot-long, 3-foot-diameter HDPE 
pontoon; (3) a 100-kilowatt turbine/generator unit; (4) a 33-foot-long, 
3.5-foot-wide gangway from the shore to the floating pontoon; (5) 
anchoring and transmission cables from the floatation platform to the 
shore; and (6) appurtenant facilities. The project is anticipated to 
operate from April until October, with an estimated annual generation 
of 200 megawatt-hours.
    o. A copy of the draft license application and all pre-filing 
materials are available for review at the Commission in the Public 
Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site (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, of for TTY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    p. Pre-filing process schedule. The pre-filing process will be 
conducted pursuant to the following tentative schedule. Revisions to 
the schedule below may be made based on staff's review of the draft 
application and any comments received.

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                  Milestone                                                   Date
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Comments on pre-filing materials due.........  March 21, 2011.
Issuance of meeting notice (if needed).......  April 5, 2011.
Public meeting/technical conference (if        May 5, 2011.
 needed).

[[Page 5583]]

 
Issuance of notice concluding pre-filing       April 20, 2011 (if no meeting is needed).
 process and ILP waiver request determination.
                                               May 20, 2011 (if meeting is needed).
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    q. Register online at http://ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm to be 
notified via e-mail of new filing and issuances related to this or 
other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-2146 Filed 1-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P