[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 98 (Friday, May 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31921-31922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11897]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2335-039]


Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for 
Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, 
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2335-039.
    c. Date filed: December 11, 2015.
    d. Applicant: Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC (White Pine Hydro).
    e. Name of Project: Williams Hydroelectric Project (Williams 
Project).
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the Kennebec River 
in Somerset County, Maine. The project does not occupy federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Kelly Maloney, Manager of Licensing and 
Compliance, Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC, 150 Main Street, Lewiston, 
ME 04240; Telephone: (207) 755-5606.
    i. FERC Contact: Amy Chang, (202) 502-8250 or [email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene, protests, comments, 
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary 
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, protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary 
terms and conditions, and preliminary 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-2335-039.
    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 Project Description: The Williams Project has a total 
installed capacity of 13-megawatts (MW). The project's average annual 
generation is 96,731 megawatt-hours. The power generated by the project 
is sold on the open market into the regional grid.
    The existing project consists of: (1) A 894.7-foot-long, 46.0-foot-
high dam that includes: (a) A 202-foot-long, 15-foot-high earth 
embankment section with a concrete core wall; (b) a 244-foot-long, 32-
foot-high stone masonry and concrete spillway section with six 32.5-
foot-wide, 20.5-foot-high Tainter gates; (c) a 71.3-foot-long, 19.5-
foot-high stone masonry and concrete abutment section; (d) a 203.3-
foot-long, 26.5-foot-high stone masonry and concrete stanchion bay 
section with two 65.9-foot-wide, 17.5-foot-high and one 46.8-foot-wide, 
17.5-foot-high stanchion bays; (e) a 27-foot-long, 46-foot-high 
bulkhead section with a 20.5-foot-wide, 7.0-foot-high surface weir gate 
and a 6.0-foot-wide, 12.3-foot-high Tainter gate at the upstream end of 
a 162-foot-long, 14-foot-wide steel-lined sluiceway; (f) a 95.5-foot-
wide, 45.5- to 49.4-foot-high intake and powerhouse section with four 
headgates and two double-bay trashracks with 3.5-inch clear-bar 
spacing; and (g) a 51.6-foot-long, 10.5-foot-high concrete cut-off 
wall; (2) a 400-acre impoundment with a gross storage volume of 4,575 
acre-feet and a useable storage volume of 2,065 acre-feet at a normal 
maximum elevation of 320 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum; (3) a 
40.5-foot-wide, 105.5-foot-long concrete powerhouse that is integral 
with the dam and contains two turbine-generator units rated at 6 and 7 
MW; (4) a 6,000-foot-long, 150- to 175-foot-wide excavated tailrace; 
(5) a 200-foot-long generator lead and a 310-foot-long generator lead 
that connect the turbine-generator units to the regional grid; and (6) 
appurtenant facilities.
    The Williams Project operates in a store-and-release mode where the 
impoundment level is fluctuated up to 6 feet on a daily basis to re-
regulate inflow from upstream hydroelectric projects, maintain 
downstream flow, and meet peak demands for hydroelectric generation. 
The existing license requires an instantaneous minimum flow of 1,360 
cubic feet per second, or inflow (whichever is less), in the tailrace. 
White Pine Hydro proposes to install an upstream eel passage facility, 
improve a canoe portage, and improve angler access. White Pine Hydro 
also proposes to remove 375.5 acres of land and water from the existing 
project boundary because it does not serve a project purpose.
    m. 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. A copy of the application is also available for 
inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via

[[Page 31922]]

email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending 
projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    n. 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,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY 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.
    o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the 
schedule may be made as appropriate.

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              Milestone                           Target date
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Filing of recommendations,             July 2016.
 preliminary terms and conditions,
 and preliminary prescriptions.
Commission Issues Environmental        November 2016.
 Assessment.
Comments on Environmental Assessment.  December 2016.
Modified terms and conditions........  February 2017.
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    p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of the notice of acceptance and ready for 
environmental analysis provided for in 18 CFR 5.22: (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.

    Dated: May 13, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-11897 Filed 5-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P