[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 135 (Friday, July 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41396-41397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17044]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13953-002]


Mahoning Hydropower, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for 
Filing With the Commision, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and 
Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To Waive Scoping, 
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: New Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 13953-002.
    c. Date filed: November 22, 2011.
    d. Applicant: Mahoning Hydropower, LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Lake Milton Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The project would be located on the Mahoning River, in 
Mahoning County, Ohio at an existing dam owned by the Ohio Department 
of Natural Resources. The project would not occupy federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mahoning Hydropower, LLC, c/o Anthony J. 
Marra III, General Manager, 11365 Normandy Lane, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 
44023, Phone (440) 804-6627.
    i. FERC Contact: Isis Johnson, (202) 502-6346, 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
terms and conditions, recommendations, and prescriptions: 60 days from 
the issuance date of this notice; reply comments are due 105 days from 
the issuance 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 
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 project would be located at the 
existing Lake Milton Dam, currently owned by the Ohio Department of 
Natural Resources. Water releases through Lake Milton Dam would 
continue to be controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). 
Lake Milton Dam is a concrete gravity dam about 54 feet high and 760 
feet long, with a 650-foot-long spillway and four, 60-inch-diameter 
gate valves. The project would also consist of the following new 
facilities: (1) A tubular S-Type propeller, 650-kilowatt turbine-
generating unit; (2) a trash rack with a 1-inch clear bar spacing that 
would be placed over the existing trashrack; and (3) a 25-foot by 35-
foot powerhouse that would be built below the crest of the dam and over 
the existing discharge pipe exiting the dam. No new penstock or 
tailrace are proposed as the proposed turbine would utilize the 
existing 70-foot-long by 60-inch diameter cast iron conduit that 
currently passes through the dam, and the flows exiting the turbine 
would be discharged directly into an existing concrete stilling basin. 
The proposed project would also include a new 12.5-kilovolt, 320-foot-
long underground transmission line that would interconnect with an 
existing distribution line located west of the dam.
    The two-mile-long reservoir (Lake Milton) has a surface area of 
1,685 acres at a normal pool elevation of 948 feet above mean sea 
level. The project would operate in a run-of-release mode, based on 
Corp releases upstream, using flows that range between 25 cubic feet 
per second (cfs) and 250 cfs. When higher flows need to be released 
from the reservoir, flows above 250 cfs can be discharged through any 
of the three remaining 60-inch discharge pipes. The estimated annual 
generation of the Lake Milton Project would be 3,659 megawatt-hours 
based on a head range at the dam of between 26 and 40 feet.
    m. We intend to waive scoping and expedite the review process based 
on several factors: (1) The dam already exists, (2) there is limited 
construction proposed at the project site, (3) the applicant 
coordinated closely with federal and state resource agencies during the 
preparation of the application, and (4) the studies conducted by the 
applicant were completed during pre-filing consultation. Based on a 
review of the application and resource agency consultation letters, 
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 assess the potential effects of project construction and 
operation on geology and soils, aquatic resources, terrestrial 
resources, threatened and endangered species, recreation and land use, 
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 at [email protected].
    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

[[Page 41397]]

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'', ``NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE 
COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``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. 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 Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule 
will be made as appropriate (e.g., if scoping is not waived, the 
schedule would be lengthened).

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Notice of the availability of the EA...  Sept. 2012.
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    Dated: July 6, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-17044 Filed 7-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P