[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 126 (Monday, July 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30849-30850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13964]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2246-065]


Yuba County Water Agency; 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 Fishway Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2246-065.
    c. Date filed: April 28, 2014.
    d. Applicant: Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA).
    e. Name of Project: Yuba River Development Project.
    f. Location: The Yuba River Development Project facilities are 
located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada on the main stems of 
the Yuba River, the North Yuba River, the Middle Yuba River, and Oregon 
Creek (a tributary to the Middle Yuba River) in Yuba, Sierra, and 
Nevada Counties, California. Portions of the project occupy lands of 
the Plumas and Tahoe National Forests.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Curt Aikens, General Manager, Yuba County 
Water Agency, 1220 F Street, Marysville, California 95901, 530-741-
6278.
    i. FERC Contact: Alan Mitchnick at (202) 502-6074 or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and 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 fishway 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-2246-065.
    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. New Colgate Development: The New Colgate development consists of 
the following existing facilities: (1) The 70-foot-high, 368-foot-long 
Our House diversion dam with a storage capacity of 280 acre-feet, 
located on the Middle Yuba River 12.0 miles upstream of its confluence 
with the North Yuba River; (2) the 12.5-foot-high by 12.5-foot-wide, 
19,410-foot-long Lohman Ridge diversion tunnel that conveys a maximum 
flow of 860 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the Middle Yuba River to 
Oregon Creek; (3) the 42.5-foot-high and 105-foot-radius Log Cabin 
diversion dam on Oregon Creek with a storage capacity of 90 acre-feet; 
(4) the 6,107-foot-long Camptonville diversion tunnel, with the 
capacity to convey 1,100 cfs of water to New Bullards Bar reservoir on 
the North Yuba River; (5) the 645-foot-high, 2,323-foot-long New 
Bullards Bar dam located on the North Yuba River about 2.3 miles 
upstream of its confluence with the Middle Yuba River, with an actual 
release capacity of 1,250 cfs; (6) the New Bullards Bar reservoir, a 
storage reservoir on the North Yuba River formed by New Bullards Bar 
dam, with a storage area of 4,790 acres; (7) the New Bullards Bar dam 
overflow-type spillway with a width of 106 feet and a crest elevation 
of 1,902 feet; (8) the 5.2-mile-long New Colgate Power tunnel and 
penstock, with a maximum flow capacity of 3,500 cfs; (9) the New 
Colgate powerhouse, located adjacent to the Yuba River containing two 
Pelton type turbines with a total generating capacity of 315 megawatts 
(MW); (10) the New Colgate switchyard, located adjacent to the New 
Colgate powerhouse; (11) recreation facilities on New Bullards Bar 
reservoir, including Emerald Cove Marina, Hornswoggle Group Camp, 
Schoolhouse Family Camp, Dark Day Campground, Dark Day Boat Ramp, 
Garden Point Campground, Madrone Cove Campground, and Cottage Creek 
Boat Ramp; and (12) appurtenant facilities and features including 
access roads.
    YCWA proposes to: (1) Construct a flood control outlet at New 
Bullards Bar dam; (2) construct a tailwater depression system at New 
Colgate powerhouse; (3) modify the Our House diversion dam fish release 
outlet; (4) modify the Log Cabin diversion dam fish release outlet; (5) 
modify the Lohman Ridge diversion tunnel intake; (6) modify recreation 
facilities at New Bullards Bar reservoir, including construction of 
Kelly Ridge campground and recreation vehicle dump station; and (7) 
modify project roads.
    New Bullards Bar Minimum Flow Development: The New Bullards Bar 
Minimum Flow Development consists of the following existing facilities: 
(1) The 70-foot long, 12-inch-diameter New Bullards minimum flow 
powerhouse penstock with a maximum flow capacity of 6 cfs; (2) the New 
Bullards minimum flow powerhouse, containing a single Pelton turbine 
with a capacity of 150 kilowatts; (3) the New Bullards minimum flow 
transformer, located adjacent to the New Bullards minimum flow 
powerhouse; and (4) appurtenant facilities and features, including 
access roads.
    Narrows 2 Development: The Narrows 2 Development consists of the 
following

[[Page 30850]]

existing facilities: (1) The Narrows 2 powerhouse penstock, a tunnel 
that is 20 feet in diameter and concrete lined in the upper 376 feet, 
and 14 feet in diameter and steel lined for the final 371.5 feet, with 
a maximum flow capacity of 3,400 cfs; (2) the Narrows 2 flow bypass, a 
valve and penstock branch off the main Narrows 2 penstock that provides 
the capability to bypass flows of up to 3,000 cfs around the Narrows 2 
powerhouse during times of full or partial powerhouse shutdowns; (3) 
the Narrows 2 powerhouse, an indoor powerhouse located at the base of 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Englebright dam, consisting of one 
vertical axis Francis turbine with a generating capacity of 46.7 MW; 
(4) the Narrows 2 powerhouse switchyard, located adjacent to the 
powerhouse; and (5) appurtenant facilities and features, including 
access roads.
    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 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 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 FISHWAY 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, preliminary      August 2017.
 terms and conditions, and preliminary
 fishway prescriptions.
Commission issues Draft Environmental       March 2018.
 Statement (EIS).
Comments on Draft EIS.....................  May 2018.
Modified Terms and Conditions.............  July 2018.
Commission Issues Final EIS...............  October 2018.
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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 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: June 26, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-13964 Filed 6-30-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P