[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 227 (Wednesday, November 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73750-73751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29960]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD16-3-000]


Susan Raymond; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a 
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and 
Motions To Intervene

    On November 12, 2015, Susan Raymond filed a notice of intent to 
construct a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, pursuant to section 
30 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by section 4 of the 
Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (HREA). The proposed 
Powell Mesa Micro-Hydropower Project would have an installed capacity 
of 7.6 kilowatts (kW), and would be located at the end of an existing 
12-inch pipeline used to control overflow from Susan Raymond's 
irrigation system. The project would be located near the Town of 
Hotchkiss, in Delta County, Colorado.
    Applicant Contact: Susan Raymond, 34670 Powell Mesa Road, 
Hotchkiss, CO 81419, Phone No. (970) 250-3714.
    FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, Phone No. (202) 502-6778, email: 
[email protected].
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) A proposed powerhouse, approximately 8 
feet by 10 feet, at the end of the existing 12-inch overflow pipeline; 
(2) two short penstocks teeing off the existing 12-inch-diameter 
overflow pipeline; (3) two Turgo turbine/generator units with a total 
installed capacity of 7.6 kW; (4) an approximately 4 feet by 8 feet 
underground tailrace, discharging to a short, 8-inch-diameter pipeline 
that discharges to the same pond as the existing 12-inch overflow 
pipeline; and (5) appurtenant facilities.
    The proposed project would have a total installed capacity of 7.6 
kW.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all of the criteria shown in the table below.

      Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Satisfies
       Statutory provision               Description            (Y/N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by    The conduit the facility            Y
 HREA.                             uses is a tunnel,
                                   canal, pipeline,
                                   aqueduct, flume, ditch,
                                   or similar manmade
                                   water conveyance that
                                   is operated for the
                                   distribution of water
                                   for agricultural,
                                   municipal, or
                                   industrial consumption
                                   and not primarily for
                                   the generation of
                                   electricity.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i), as amended    The facility is                     Y
 by HREA.                          constructed, operated,
                                   or maintained for the
                                   generation of electric
                                   power and uses for such
                                   generation only the
                                   hydroelectric potential
                                   of a non-federally
                                   owned conduit.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii), as amended   The facility has an                 Y
 by HREA.                          installed capacity that
                                   does not exceed 5
                                   megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as amended  On or before August 9,              Y
 by HREA.                          2013, the facility is
                                   not licensed, or
                                   exempted from the
                                   licensing requirements
                                   of Part I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: The primary purpose of the overflow 
pipeline is to assist the operation of Susan Raymond's irrigation 
system, not for the generation of electricity. Therefore, based upon 
the above criteria, Commission staff preliminarily determines that the 
proposal satisfies the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower 
facility, which is not required to be licensed or exempted from 
licensing.
    Comments and Motions to Intervene: Deadline for filing comments 
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 45 
days from the issuance date of this notice.
    Deadline for filing motions to intervene is 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice.
    Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance 
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
    Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1) 
bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR 
A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' as 
applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the applicant and the 
project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) 
state the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing; and 
(4) otherwise comply with the requirements of sections 385.2001 through 
385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\ All comments contesting 
Commission staff's preliminary determination that the facility meets 
the qualifying criteria must set forth their evidentiary basis.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2015).
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    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and comments 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. A copy of all other filings in 
reference to this application must be accompanied

[[Page 73751]]

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.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies of the notice of intent can 
be obtained directly from the applicant or such copies can be viewed 
and reproduced at the Commission in its Public Reference Room, Room 2A, 
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing may also be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (i.e., CD16-3) in the 
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call toll-
free 1-866-208-3676 or email [email protected]. For TTY, call 
(202) 502-8659.

    Dated: November 19, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-29960 Filed 11-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P