[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27424-27425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10673]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD16-11-000]


St. Charles Mesa Water District; Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and 
Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene

    On April 26, 2016, the St. Charles Mesa Water District (SCMWD) 
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 Hydro-Electric Station at the SCMWD Treatment 
Plant Project would have an installed capacity of 40 kilowatts (kW), 
and would be located adjacent to the outlet of an existing raw water 
supply pipeline at the SCMWD's existing raw water storage reservoir. 
The project would be located near Pueblo, in Pueblo County, Colorado.
    Applicant Contact: David Simpson, District Manager, 1397 Aspen 
Road, Pueblo, CO 81006, Phone No. (719) 542-4380.
    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 new powerhouse, approximately 20 feet 
by 62 feet, along an existing 18-inch-diameter raw water supply 
pipeline; (2) three turbine/generating units, two units with installed 
capacities of 10 kW each and one unit with an installed capacity of 20 
kW, for a total installed capacity of 40 kW, and a potential future 
fourth unit with an installed capacity of 20 kW; (3) three short intake 
pipes with diameters of 8 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches, and a 
potential future 12-inch-diameter intake pipe; (4) three short 
discharge pipes with diameters of 8 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches, 
and a potential future 12-inch-diameter discharge pipe; and (5) 
appurtenant facilities.
    The proposed project would have a total installed capacity of 40 
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Statutory provision              Description       Satisfies (Y/N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by   The conduit the                      Y
 HREA.                            facility 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         On or before August 9,               Y
 amended by HREA.                 2013, the facility is
                                  not licensed, or
                                  exempted from the
                                  licensing
                                  requirements of Part
                                  I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: The proposed addition of the 
hydroelectric project along the existing raw water supply pipeline will 
not alter its primary purpose of supplying water to the water treatment 
plant's storage reservoir. 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

[[Page 27425]]

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 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., CD16-11) 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: April 29, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-10673 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P