[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 232 (Friday, December 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 75543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30972]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13254-001]


Castle Creek Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit 
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On November 1, 2011, the City of Aspen, Colorado, filed an 
application for a successive preliminary permit, pursuant to section 
4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility 
of the Castle Creek Hydroelectric Project to be located on Castle 
Creek, near the town of Aspen, Pitkin County, Colorado. The project 
would affect federal lands administered by the Forest Service. The sole 
purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit 
holder priority to file a license application during the permit term. A 
preliminary permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any 
land-disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters 
owned by others without the owners' express permission.
    The proposed project would consist of the existing Thomas 
reservoir, Castle Creek and Maroon Creek diversions, a recently 
constructed penstock, and a 25-kilovolt transmission line. The 
reservoir, formed by a 13-foot-high upstream heel and 30-foot-high 
downstream toe, has a total storage capacity of 15 acre-feet and a 
water surface area of 0.6 acre at full pool elevation of 8,175 feet 
above mean sea level. The penstock consists of a 42-inch-diameter, 
4,000-foot-long pipeline connecting the reservoir to the proposed 
powerhouse.
    The proposed powerhouse would be located adjacent to the original 
hydroelectric plant, with a single shaft Pelton turbine, producing 
1.175 megawatts of generating capacity. The annual energy output would 
be approximately 7.7 gigawatthours.
    Applicant Contact: David Hornbacher, The City of Aspen, 130 South 
Galena Street, Aspen, CO 81611; phone (970) 429-1983.
    FERC Contact: Brian Csernak; phone: (202) 502-6144.
    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing 
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file 
competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice. 
Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements 
of 18 CFR 4.36. Comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and 
competing applications 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.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. 
Enter the docket number (P-13254-001) in the docket number field to 
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: November 25, 2011.
 Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-30972 Filed 12-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P