[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 75 (Thursday, April 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 18637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07995]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 3267-000]


Chasm Hydro, Inc.; Notice of Existing Licensee's Notice of Intent 
To Not File a Subsequent License Application, and Soliciting Pre-
Application Documents and Notices of Intent To File a License 
Application

    At least five years before the expiration of a license for a minor 
water power project not subject to sections 14 and 15 of the Federal 
Power Act (i.e., a project having an installed capacity of 1.5 
megawatts or less), the licensee must file with the Commission a letter 
that contains an unequivocal statement of the licensee's intent to file 
or not to file an application for a subsequent license.\1\
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    \1\ 18 CFR 16.19(b) (2016) (citing 18 CFR 16.6(b)). Section 
16.19(b) applies to licenses not subject to Parts 14 and 15 of the 
Federal Power Act.
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    If such a licensee informs the Commission that it does not intend 
to file an application for a new license, nonpower license, or 
exemption for the project, the licensee may not file an application for 
a new license, nonpower license, or exemption for the project, either 
individually or in conjunction with an entity or entities that are not 
currently licensees of the project.\2\
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    \2\ 18 CFR 16.24(b) (2016).
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    On March 3, 2017, Chasm Hydro, Inc., the existing licensee for the 
Ballard Mills Project No. 3267, filed notice of its intent to not file 
an application for a subsequent license. Therefore, pursuant to section 
16.24(b) of the Commission's regulations, Chasm Hydro, Inc. may not 
file an application for a subsequent license for the project, either 
individually or in conjunction with an entity or entities that are not 
currently licensees of the project.
    The 255-kilowatt (kW) Ballard Mills project is located on the 
Salmon River in the Town of Malone, Franklin County, New York. No 
federal lands are affected. The existing minor license for the project 
expires on March 31, 2022.
    The principal project works consist of: (1) an 8-foot-high, 110-
foot-long concrete capped timber crib overflow dam with 2-foot-high 
flashboards creating a reservoir with a surface area of 10 acres and a 
volume of 50 acre feet; (2) a 105-foot-long earth embankment dam; (3) a 
4.75-foot-wide sluice gate located at the west abutment of the dam; (4) 
two 8-foot-wide flood sluice gates located between the existing timber 
crib dam and powerhouse; (5) a 29-foot-long by 20-foot-wide concrete 
masonry powerhouse with a single horizontal shaft Kaplan turbine-
generator unit rated at 255 kW; (6) an abandoned powerhouse structure 
located at the east abutment of the dam; (7) a 150-foot-long 
underground cable connecting to a transformer pole; (8) a 0.48/13.2-
kilovolt transformer; (9) a 170-foot-long, 13.2-kilovolt overhead 
transmission line; and (10) appurtenant facilities.
    Any party interested in filing a license application for the 
Ballard Mills Project No. 3267 must first file a Notice of Intent (NOI) 
\3\ and pre-application document (PAD) \4\ pursuant to Part 5 of the 
Commission's regulations. Although the integrated licensing process 
(ILP) is the default pre-filing process, section 5.3(b) of the 
Commission's regulations allows a potential license applicant to 
request to use alternative licensing procedures when it files its 
NOI.\5\
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    \3\ 18 CFR 5.5 (2016).
    \4\ 18 CFR 5.6 (2016).
    \5\ 18 CFR 5.3(b) (2016).
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    This notice sets a deadline of 120 days from the date of this 
notice for interested applicants, other than the existing licensee, to 
file NOIs, PADs, and requests to use an alternative licensing process.
    Applications for a subsequent license from potential (non-licensee) 
applicants must be filed with the Commission at least 24 months prior 
to the expiration of the existing license.\6\ Because the existing 
license expires on March 31, 2022, applications for license for this 
project must be filed by March 31, 2020.\7\
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    \6\ 18 CFR 16.20 (2016).
    \7\ To the extent an interested applicant files an NOI and PAD 
and elects or is required to use the Commission's ILP, a process 
plan will be issued within 180 days of this notice, which 
accelerates the steps of the ILP to allow for filing a subsequent 
license application by the March 31, 2020 deadline.
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    Questions concerning this notice should be directed to Gaylord 
Hoisington (202) 502-6032 or [email protected].

    Dated: April 14, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-07995 Filed 4-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P