[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 97 (Thursday, May 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 28968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12300]



[[Page 28968]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2985-000]


MeadWestvaco; Notice of Authorization for Continued Project 
Operation

    On April 14, 2006 MeadWestvaco, licensee for the Willow Mill 
Hydroelectric Project, filed an Application for a New License pursuant 
to the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Commission's regulations 
thereunder. The Willow Mill Hydroelectric Project is on the Housatonic 
River in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
    The license for Project No. 2985 was issued for a period ending 
April 30, 2011. Section 15(a)(1) of the FPA, 16 U.S.C. 808(a)(1), 
requires the Commission, at the expiration of a license term, to issue 
from year-to-year an annual license to the then licensee under the 
terms and conditions of the prior license until a new license is 
issued, or the project is otherwise disposed of as provided in section 
15 or any other applicable section of the FPA. If the project's prior 
license waived the applicability of section 15 of the FPA, then, based 
on section 9(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 USC 558(c), and 
as set forth at 18 CFR 16.21(a), if the licensee of such project has 
filed an application for a subsequent license, the licensee may 
continue to operate the project in accordance with the terms and 
conditions of the license after the minor or minor part license 
expires, until the Commission acts on its application. If the licensee 
of such a project has not filed an application for a subsequent 
license, then it may be required, pursuant to 18 CFR 16.21(b), to 
continue project operations until the Commission issues someone else a 
license for the project or otherwise orders disposition of the project.
    If the project is subject to section 15 of the FPA, notice is 
hereby given that an annual license for Project No. 2985 is issued to 
MeadWestvaco for a period effective May 1, 2011 through April 30, 2012, 
or until the issuance of a new license for the project or other 
disposition under the FPA, whichever comes first. If issuance of a new 
license (or other disposition) does not take place on or before April 
30, 2012, notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 18 CFR 16.18(c), an 
annual license under section 15(a)(1) of the FPA is renewed 
automatically without further order or notice by the Commission, unless 
the Commission orders otherwise.
    If the project is not subject to section 15 of the FPA, notice is 
hereby given that MeadWestvaco is authorized to continue operation of 
the Willow Mill Hydroelectric Project, until such time as the 
Commission acts on its application for a subsequent license.

    Dated: May 13, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-12300 Filed 5-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P