[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 58245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25139]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RM19-6-000]


Hydroelectric Licensing Regulations Under America's Water 
Infrastructure Act of 2018; Notice Inviting Federal and State Agencies 
and Indian Tribes To Request Participation in the Interagency Task 
Force Pursuant to America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018

    On October 23, 2018, the President signed America's Water 
Infrastructure Act of 2018 (Act) into law. Sections 3003 and 3004 of 
the Act require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue rules 
establishing expedited processes for issuing and amending licenses for 
qualifying facilities at existing nonpowered dams and for closed-loop 
pumped storage projects. The processes must seek to ensure a final 
decision by the Commission on an application for a license by no later 
than two years after receipt of a completed application. These sections 
also require the Commission to convene an interagency task force (ITF) 
to coordinate the regulatory processes associated with the 
authorizations required in connection with the new processes. Because 
of the Congressionally-mandated deadline, participation in the ITF will 
be time sensitive.
    The Commission invites federal and state agencies and Indian tribes 
to request participation on the ITF. Federal and state agencies and 
Indian tribes who wish to participate on the ITF must file a statement 
of interest with the Commission by November 29, 2018. The statement of 
interest should include the following information: The name of the 
agency or tribe; the name, title, phone number, and email address of 
the contact person; a brief explanation of the agency's or tribe's 
interest in joining the ITF; and a brief description of the agency's or 
tribe's experience with hydropower license proceedings.
    In light of the Congressionally-mandated deadline and in the 
interest of facilitating an efficient and effective discussion, 
Commission staff will select a representative group of federal 
agencies, state agencies, and Indian tribes to participate on the ITF. 
The Commission will directly notify the agencies and tribes selected to 
participate on the ITF. Commission staff plans to hold a coordination 
session for ITF participants, which is scheduled for December 12, 2018. 
By concurrent notice, the Commission has established a schedule in 
order to implement the requirements of the Act.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
ITF-interest statements in Docket No. RM19-6-000 using the Commission's 
eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. 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 RM19-6-000.
    For more information about this notice, please contact: Shana 
Wiseman, Office of Energy Projects, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8736, 
[email protected].

    Dated: November 13, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-25139 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P