[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 175 (Friday, September 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55893-55894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23017]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13583-001]


Crane & Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With 
the Commission, Intent To Waive Scoping, Soliciting Motions To 
Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Soliciting 
Comments, Terms and Conditions, Recommendations, and Prescriptions, and 
Establishing an Expedited Schedule for Processing

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.

    a. Type of Application: Exemption from Licensing.
    b. Project No.: 13583-001.
    c. Date filed: March 9, 2011.
    d. Applicant: Crane & Company.
    e. Name of Project: Byron Weston Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the East Branch of the Housatonic River, in the 
Town of Dalton, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The project would not 
occupy lands of the United States.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 
1978, 16 U.S.C. 2705, 2708.
    h. Applicant Contact: Chad Cox, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., One 
Edgewater Drive, Norwood, MA 02062, (781) 278-5787.
    i. FERC Contact: Brandon Cherry, (202) 502-8328.
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
terms and conditions, recommendations, and prescriptions: Due to the 
small size and particular location of this project and the close 
coordination with state and federal agencies during the preparation of 
the application, the 60-day timeframe in 18 CFR 4.34(b) for filing 
motions to intervene and protests, comments, terms and conditions, 
recommendations, and prescriptions is shortened. Instead, motions to 
intervene and protests, comments, terms and conditions, 
recommendations, and prescriptions will be due 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice. All reply comments must be filed with the 
Commission within 45 days from the date of this notice.
    All 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://www.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 at [email protected] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, 
or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. 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.
    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

[[Page 55894]]

particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document 
on that resource agency.
    k. This application has been accepted for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    l. Project Description: The Byron Weston Hydroelectric Project 
would consist of: (1) The existing 90-foot-long, 30-foot-high Byron 
Weston Dam No. 2; (2) an existing 0.94-acre impoundment with a normal 
water surface elevation of 1,116.7 feet NAVD (1988); (3) an existing 
intake structure, trashrack, and headgate; (4) an existing 6.5-foot-
long, 6-foot-diameter penstock that conveys flow to an existing 50-
foot-long, 9.5-foot-wide headrace canal connected to a new 15-foot-
long, 4.4-foot-diameter penstock; (5) an existing powerhouse containing 
one new 250-kilowatt turbine generating unit; (6) a new steel draft 
tube placed within the existing tailrace; and (7) a new 100-foot-long, 
600-volt transmission line connected to the Crane & Company mill 
complex. The proposed project is estimated to generate an average of 
938,000 kilowatt-hours annually.
    m. Due to the project works already existing and the limited scope 
of proposed rehabilitation of the project site described above, the 
applicant's close coordination with federal and state agencies during 
the preparation of the application, completed studies during pre-filing 
consultation, and agency-recommended preliminary terms and conditions, 
we intend to waive scoping, shorten the notice filing period, and 
expedite the exemption process. Based on a review of the application, 
resource agency consultation letters including the preliminary 30(c) 
terms and conditions, and comments filed to date, Commission staff 
intends to prepare a single environmental assessment (EA). Commission 
staff determined that the issues that need to be addressed in its EA 
have been adequately identified during the pre-filing period, which 
included a public meeting and site visit, and no new issues are likely 
to be identified through additional scoping. The EA will consider 
assessing the potential effects of project construction and operation 
on geology and soils, aquatic, threatened and endangered species, land 
use, aesthetic, and cultural and historic resources.
    n. 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.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. 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, and .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,'' ``Terms and Conditions,'' or ``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.
    p. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following procedural schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be 
made as appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target Date
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Notice of the availability of the EA......  February 2012.
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    Dated: September 1, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-23017 Filed 9-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P