[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26001-26002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10530]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14381-000]


 Qualified Hydro 15, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit 
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On April 9, 2012, Qualified Hydro 15, LLC filed an application for 
a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the Blue River Dam 
Hydroelectric Project (Blue River Dam project) to be located on the 
Blue River in the vicinity of Blue River, in Lane County, Oregon. 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 utilize flows from the existing 1,265-
foot-long earth-fill dam on the Blue River, which is owned and operated 
by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Additional existing project 
features would be modified for use by the proposed project. The 
existing concrete intake structure would have trash racks added. The 
existing 1,800-foot-long concrete-lined outlet tunnel would be lined 
with steel. The existing stilling basin would be extended 70 feet and 
modified to accommodate a new bifurcation chamber and gatehouse.
    New project features would consist of the following: (1) A steel 
bifurcation chamber and concrete gatehouse in the stilling basin that 
would provide flow to the penstock and directly back into the Blue 
River when incoming flows exceed plant capacity or when the project is 
not operating; (2) a powerhouse gate that would control flow into the 
penstock; (3) a 600-foot-long, 12-foot diameter steel penstock from the 
stilling basin to the powerhouse; (4) a 70-foot by 50-foot reinforced 
concrete powerhouse containing two turbine/generators units for a total 
capacity of 20 megawatts; (5) a 125-foot-long, 60-foot-wide tailrace 
that would return flow back to the Blue River; (6) a substation; (7) an 
approximately 1.5-mile-long, 115-kilovolt transmission line which would 
tie into the existing Bonneville Power Administration Blue River 
substation; and (8) appurtenant facilities. The estimated annual 
generation of the Blue River Dam project would be 50 gigawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Ramya Swaminathan, Qualified Hydro 15, LLC, 239 
Causeway St., Suite 300, Boston, MA; phone: (978) 283-2822.
    FERC Contact: Ryan Hansen (202) 502-8074 or [email protected].
    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. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, 
documents may also be

[[Page 26002]]

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-14381-000) in the docket number field to 
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: April 24, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-10530 Filed 5-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P