[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51825-51826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24276]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD18-2-000]


White River Electric Association, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and 
Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene

    On October 31, 2017, White River Electric Association, Inc., 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 Town of Meeker Hydro Project would have an 
installed capacity of up to 180 kilowatts (kW), and would be located 
along the existing Meeker Power Canal near the Town of Meeker, Rio 
Blanco County, Colorado.
    Applicant Contact: Trina Zagar-Brown, General Counsel, 233 6th 
Street, P.O. Box 958, Meeker, CO 81641, Phone No. (970) 878-5041.
    FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, Phone No. (202) 502-6778, email: 
[email protected].
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) Up to two low head turbines with a total 
generating capacity not to exceed 180 kW; (2) two approximately 20-
foot-long, 44-inch-diameter penstocks exiting an existing 25-foot by 
50-foot forebay structure; (3) a small controls structure; and (4) 
appurtenant facilities. The proposed project would have an estimated 
annual generating capacity of up to 500,000 kilowatt-hours.
    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 constructed,          Y
 by HREA.                         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, 2013,          Y
 amended by HREA.                 the facility is not
                                  licensed, or exempted from
                                  the licensing requirements
                                  of Part I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 51826]]

    Preliminary Determination: The proposed addition of the 
hydroelectric project along the existing irrigation canal will not 
alter its primary purpose.\1\ Therefore, based upon the above 
information and 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.
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    \1\ White River Electric Association, Inc. states in its Notice 
of Intent that the Meeker Power Canal was constructed in 1912 to 
supply water to a hydroelectric facility, which was decommissioned 
in the 1960's. Since then, the Meeker Power Canal has been 
continuously operated to provide water for irrigation and 
agricultural use, which is now its primary purpose.
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    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.\2\ 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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    \2\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2017).
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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., CD18-2) 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 2, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-24276 Filed 11-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P