[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 66 (Monday, April 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19063-19064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07691]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 12721-006]


Pepperell Hydro Company, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for 
Filing With the Commission, Intent To Waive Scoping, Soliciting Motions 
To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and 
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: Original Major License.
    b. Project No.: 12721-006.
    c. Date filed: October 9, 2013.
    d. Applicant: Pepperell Hydro Company, LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Pepperell Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the Nashua River, in the town of Pepperell, 
Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The project would not occupy lands of 
the United States.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Dr. Peter B. Clark, 823 Bay Road, P.O. Box 
149, Hamilton, MA 01936; (978) 468-3999; or 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Brandon Cherry at (202) 502-8328 or 
[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.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and protests, comments, terms and conditions, 
recommendations, and prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling 
system at 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], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or 
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper 
copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should 
include docket number P-12721-006.
    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. The existing, unlicensed Pepperell Hydroelectric Project 
consists of: (1) The 23.5-foot-high, 251-foot-long concrete gravity 
ogee Pepperell Paper dam that includes a 244-foot-long spillway with a 
crest elevation of 197.0 feet North American Vertical Datum 1988 
(NAVD88) and 3-foot-high wooden flashboards; (2) a 3.5-mile-long, 294-
acre impoundment with a normal water surface elevation of 200.0 feet 
NAVD88; (3) a 25-foot-long, 26-foot-wide intake structure with two 
7.75-foot-wide, 14-foot-high leaf intake gates; (4) a 12-foot-diameter, 
565.5-foot-long penstock; (5) a 14- to 58-foot-wide, 25.5-foot-long 
forebay structure that includes a 1.5-foot-diameter gate with low level 
drain pipe and a 4.25-foot-wide, 3.5-foot-high trash sluice gate; (6) 
six 8-foot-wide, 10-foot-high turbine bay headgates with 17.33-foot-
high trashracks with 1.75-inch clear bar spacing; (7) a 62-foot-wide, 
41-foot-long powerhouse containing a 640-kilowatt (kW) turbine-
generating unit, an approximately 735-kW turbine-generating unit, and 
an approximately 764-kW turbine-generating unit for a total installed 
capacity of 2,139 kW; (8) three 11.5-foot-long turbine draft tubes; (9) 
three 30-foot-long, 600-volt transmission lines connecting the turbine-
generating units to National Grid's Massachusetts Electric Company's 
distribution system; and (10) appurtenant facilities.
    The existing project also includes a downstream fish passage 
facility that consists of: (1) A 3-foot-wide, 23-foot-long concrete 
intake with a 4-foot-wide, 8-foot-high entrance gate; (2) a collection 
channel with a 2-foot-high, 2-foot-wide overflow stoplog notch; and (3) 
a 5-foot-deep plunge pool.
    The existing project bypasses approximately 700 feet of the Nashua 
River.
    Pepperell Hydro Company, LLC proposes to install a new low flow 
turbine-generating unit at the dam. The proposed project features would 
consist of: (1) A 15-foot-long, 8-foot-wide, and 22-foot-high intake 
tower that includes a 4-foot-wide, 4.5-foot-high low level drain; (2) a 
14-foot-long, 3.25-foot-wide trashrack with 0.5-inch clear bar spacing; 
(3) a 3.5-foot-diameter, 24-foot-long penstock; (4) a 67.5-kW low flow 
turbine-generating unit; (5) a 4-foot-long turbine draft tube; and (6) 
a 650-foot-long, 600-volt transmission line connecting the low flow 
turbine-generating unit to the existing powerhouse.
    Pepperell Hydro Company, LLC proposes to operate the project in a 
run-of-river mode and release: (1) 46 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 
inflow to the bypassed reach from March 1 through November 30, which 
would include 17 cfs or inflow through the existing downstream fish 
passage facility from June 15 through October 30; and (2) 15 cfs or 
inflow to the bypassed reach from December 1 through February 28. The 
project would have an estimated average annual generation of 7,997 
megawatt-hours.
    m. Due to the project works already existing and the limited scope 
of proposed modifications to the project site described above, the 
applicant's coordination with federal and state agencies during the 
preparation of the application, and completed studies during pre-filing 
consultation, we intend to waive scoping and expedite the licensing 
process. Based on a review of the application, resource agency 
consultation letters, 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, 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, terrestrial, 
threatened and endangered species, recreation and 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

[[Page 19064]]

related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. Any qualified applicant desiring to file a competing application 
must submit to the Commission, on or before the specified intervention 
deadline date, a competing development application, or a notice of 
intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of 
intent allows an interested person to file the competing development 
application no later than 120 days after the specified intervention 
deadline date. Applications for preliminary permits will not be 
accepted in response to this notice.
    A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, 
and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an 
unequivocal statement of intent to submit a development application. A 
notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this 
public notice.
    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,'' ``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. 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. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of this notice: (1) A copy of the water quality 
certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including 
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; 
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
    q. 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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Issue Notice of the Availability of the    August 2014.
 EA.
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    Dated: April 1, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-07691 Filed 4-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P