[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 58242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25175]



[[Page 58242]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14775-001]


Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England; Notice of 
Intent To File License Application, Filing of Draft Application, 
Request for Waivers of Integrated Licensing Process Regulations 
Necessary for Expedited Processing of a Hydrokinetic Pilot Project 
License Application, and Soliciting Comments

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File a License Application 
for an Original License for a Hydrokinetic Pilot Project.
    b. Project No.: 14775-001.
    c. Date Filed: November 6, 2018.
    d. Submitted By: Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New 
England (MRECo).
    e. Name of Project: Bourne Tidal Test Site.
    f. Location: On the Cape Cod Canal near the Town of Bourne, in 
Barnstable County, MA.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 of the Commission's regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: John Miller, Director, Marine Renewable 
Energy Collaborative of New England, P.O. Box 479, Marion, MA 02738; 
(508) 728-5825.
    i. FERC Contact: John Ramer at (202) 502-8969 or email at 
[email protected].
    j. MRECo has filed the following pre-filing materials with the 
Commission: (1) A notice of intent (NOI) to file an application for an 
original license for a hydrokinetic pilot project and a draft license 
application with monitoring plans; (2) a request for waivers of the 
integrated licensing process regulations necessary for expedited 
processing of a hydrokinetic pilot project license application; (3) a 
proposed process plan and schedule; (4) a request to be designated as 
the non-federal representative for section 7 of the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) consultation; and (5) a request to be designated as the non-
federal representative for section 106 consultation under the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    k. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the pre-filing 
materials listed in paragraph j above, including the draft license 
application and monitoring plans. All comments should also be sent to 
the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments may be 
filed electronically via the internet. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) 
and the instructions on the Commission's website 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] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 
(202) 502-8659. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic 
filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an 
original and seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 
20426. Any individual or entity interested in submitting comments on 
the pre-filing materials must do so by December 20, 2018.
    l. With this notice, we are approving MRECo's request to be 
designated as the non-federal representative for section 7 of the ESA 
and its request to initiate consultation under section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act; and recommending that it begin 
informal consultation with: (a) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
the National Marine Fisheries Service as required by section 7 of ESA; 
and (b) the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer, as 
required by section 106, National Historical Preservation Act, and the 
implementing regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic 
Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
    m. With this notice, we are also asking federal, state, local, and 
tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or expertise with respect to 
environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
environmental document. Agencies who would like to request cooperating 
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described in 
paragraph ``k'' above.
    n. This notice does not constitute the Commission's approval of 
MRECo's request to use the Pilot Project Licensing Procedures. Upon its 
review of the project's overall characteristics relative to the pilot 
project criteria, the draft license application contents, and any 
comments filed, the Commission will determine whether there is adequate 
information to conclude the pre-filing process.
    o. The proposed Bourne Tidal Test Site Project would consist of: 
(1) An existing turbine support platform mounted on two primary pilings 
that are spaced approximately 23 feet apart and embedded to a depth of 
50 feet below the seabed, and that rise approximately 45-feet above the 
seabed; (2) a proposed horizontal, axial, open-bladed turbine having a 
3-meter-diameter sweep area and an installed capacity of 100 kilowatts 
(other in-stream turbine-generators would also be tested at the site); 
(3) two proposed 500-foot-long, 13.2kilovolt transmission lines 
connecting the project turbine to a battery storage cabinet and to an 
interconnection with the regional grid; and (4) appurtenant facilities. 
The hydrokinetic project would have an estimated average annual 
generation of 100-megawatt hours.
    p. A copy of the draft license application and all pre-filing 
materials are available for review at the Commission in the Public 
Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's website (http://www.ferc.gov), using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (P-
14775), excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to 
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    q. Pre-filing process schedule. The pre-filing process will be 
conducted pursuant to the following tentative schedule. Revisions to 
the schedule below may be made based on staff's review of the draft 
application and any comments received.

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              Milestone                              Date
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Comments on pre-filing materials due  December 20, 2018.
Issuance of meeting notice (if        January 5, 2019.
 needed).
Public meeting/technical conference   February 5, 2019.
 (if needed).
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    r. Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filing and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.

    Dated: November 13, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-25175 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P