[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 223 (Thursday, November 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72429-72430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29513]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 77-275]


Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests

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

    a. Type of Application: Application for Temporary Variance of 
Minimum Flow Requirement.
    b. Project No.: 77-275.
    c. Date Filed: November 10, 2015.
    d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (licensee).
    e. Name of Project: Potter Valley Project.
    f. Location: Eel River and East Fork Russian River in Lake and 
Mendocino Counties, California.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Elizabeth Rossi, License Coordinator, 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Mail Code: N13E, P.O. Box 770000, San 
Francisco, CA 94177, (415) 973-2032.
    i. FERC Contact: Mr. John Aedo, (415) 369-3335, or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, protests, 
and recommendations is November 27, 2015. The Commission strongly 
encourages electronic filing. Please file

[[Page 72430]]

motions to intervene, protests, comments, or recommendations 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. Please include the project number (P-77-275) on 
any comments, motions to intervene, protests, or recommendations filed.
    k. Description of Request: The licensee requests an extension of a 
previous temporary variance of the minimum flow requirements in the Eel 
River and East Branch Russian River. On June 18, 2015, the Commission 
issued an order approving a temporary variance of the minimum flow 
requirements in the Eel River below Scott Dam (gage E-2), the Eel River 
below Cape Horn Dam (gage E-11), and East Branch Russian River (gage E-
16). Specifically, the order granted the licensee's request to operate 
under a dry water year scenario through December 1, 2015, in order to 
preserve limited water resources during the current drought. In its 
November 10, 2015 request, the licensee states that the project 
reservoir (Lake Pillsbury) is projected to drain by mid-January. 
Consequently, the licensee requests Commission approval to operate as 
low as the critically dry year minimum flow requirements in the Eel 
River below Scott Dam (20 cubic feet per second (cfs) release) and the 
East Branch Russian River (5 cfs release) and the exceptionally low 
minimum flow requirements in the Eel River below Cape Horn Dam (9 cfs 
release) in order to preserve water storage. In addition, the licensee 
requests Commission approval for a modified minimum flow compliance 
criteria of a 24-hour average, rather that an instantaneous 
requirement. The licensee requests the temporary variance through 
January 31, 2016, or when storage in Lake Pillsbury reaches 27,000 
acre-feet, whichever comes first.
    l. Locations of the Application: A copy of the application is 
available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, located at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington, 
DC 20426, or by calling (202) 502-8371. This filing may also be viewed 
on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits 
in the docket number field to access the document. You may also 
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, call 1-866-208-3676 or email 
[email protected], for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. A copy is 
also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item 
(h) above.
    m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: 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, 
.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.
    o. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: Any filing must (1) 
bear in all capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``PROTEST'', or 
``MOTION TO INTERVENE'' as applicable; (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, motions to intervene, or protests must set forth their 
evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 
4.34(b). All comments, motions to intervene, or protests should relate 
to project works which are the subject of the license surrender. 
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. If an intervener 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. 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.

    Dated: November 13, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-29513 Filed 11-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P