[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3676-3677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00959]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 8865-008]


Notice of Withdrawal of Existing Licensee's Notice of Intent To 
File a Subsequent License Application, and Soliciting Pre-Application 
Documents and Notices of Intent To File a License Application; N. 
Stanley Standal, Jr.

    The current license for the Stevenson No. 1 Hydroelectric Project 
No. 8865 (Stevenson No. 1 Project) was issued with an effective date of 
July 1, 1984, for a term of 40 years, ending June 30, 2024.\1\ The 70 
kilowatt (kW) project is located on an unnamed tributary to the Snake 
River. On June 28, 2019, N. Stanley Standal, Jr. (Mr. Standal) filed an 
incomplete Notice of Intent (NOI) to file an application for a 
subsequent license for the Stevenson No. 1 Project, pursuant to section 
16.6 of the Commission's regulations.\2\ Mr. Standal failed to file an 
accompanying pre-application document (PAD), pursuant to section 16.7 
of the Commission's regulations.\3\
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    \1\ Lynn E. Stevenson, 34 FERC 62,531 (1986).
    \2\ 18 CFR 16.6(c) (2019). At least five years before the 
expiration of a license for a major water power project, the 
licensee must file with the Commission an NOI that contains an 
unequivocal statement of the licensee's intention to file or not to 
file an application for a new license. See also 18 CFR 5.5 (2019).
    \3\ 18 CFR 16.7(d)(1) (2019). A licensee must, at the time it 
files an NOI pursuant to sections 5.5 and 16.6, provide a copy of 
the PAD required by section 5.6 of the Commission's regulations to 
the entities specified in that paragraph. See 18 CFR 5.6 (2019).
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    On July 17, 2019, Commission staff waived the provision of section 
5.6(a)(1) that requires the filing of a PAD at the same time that the 
NOI is filed and extended the deadline for filing a complete NOI and 
the PAD by 90 days. On October 12, 2019, Joy Heller contacted 
Commission staff on behalf of Mr. Standal and stated that more 
information would be filed before October 31, 2019. On October 30, 
2019, Mr. Standal filed a revised NOI but failed to file a PAD. On 
November 19, 2019, Commission staff informed Mr. Standal that if a PAD 
was not filed within 30 days, Commission staff would consider the lack 
of response as an indication that he is no longer interested in seeking 
a subsequent license to continue operating the project and a withdrawal 
of his NOI to seek a subsequent license. Despite repeated efforts to 
contact Mr. Standal, he has not returned staff calls or filed the 
requisite PAD. Commission staff therefore consider Mr. Standal's NOI as 
withdrawn.
    Pursuant to section 16.23(b) of the Commission's regulations, when 
an existing licensee fails to file a complete NOI and PAD within five 
years of expiration of the current license, the Commission must solicit 
applications from potential applicants other than the existing 
licensee.\4\ Any party interested in filing a license application or 
exemption (i.e., a potential applicant) for the project must file an 
NOI and PAD within 90 days from the date of this notice.\5\ While the 
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[[Page 3677]]

licensing process is the default process for preparing an application 
for a new license, a potential applicant may request to use alternative 
licensing procedures when it files its NOI.\6\
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    \4\ 18 CFR 16.23(b) (2019).
    \5\ Pursuant to section 16.24(b)(1) of the Commission's 
regulations, the existing licensee is prohibited from filing an 
application either individually or in combination with other 
entities. 18 CFR 16.24(b)(1) (2019).
    \6\ 18 CFR 5.3(b) (2019).
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    Applications for a subsequent license or exemption from potential 
applicants for the Stevenson No. 1 Project must be filed within 24 
months prior to the expiration of the existing license.\7\
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    \7\ 18 CFR 16.20(c) (2019).
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    Questions concerning the process for filing an NOI should be 
directed to Julia Kolberg at 202-502-8261 or [email protected].

    Dated: January 15, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-00959 Filed 1-21-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P