[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41029-41030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14665]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2322-069]


Brookfield White-Pine Hydro LLC; 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: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2322-069.
    c. Date filed: January 31, 2020.
    d. Applicant: Brookfield White-Pine Hydro, LLC (Brookfield).
    e. Name of Project: Shawmut Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the Kennebec River 
in Kennebec and Somerset Counties, Maine. The project does not affect 
federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Randy Dorman, 150 Main Street, Lewiston, 
Maine 04240; (207) 755-5600 or email at 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Matt Cutlip, telephone (503) 552-2762, and email 
[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).
    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. The Shawmut Project consists of the following constructed 
facilities: (1) a 24-foot-high, 1,480-foot-long concrete gravity dam 
consisting of: (i) A 380-foot-long overflow section with hinged 
flashboards, (ii) a 730-foot-long overflow section with an inflatable 
bladder, (iii) 25-foot-wide sluice section; (iv) a non-overflow 
section; and (v) a headworks containing 11 headgates that regulate flow 
into a forebay; (2) a 1,310-acre impoundment extending about 12 miles 
upstream; (3) two powerhouses adjacent to the forebay, separated by a 
10-foot-high by 7-foot-wide Tainter gate and a 6-foot-high by 6-foot-
wide deep gate; (4) eight turbine-generating units; (5) a 300-foot-long 
tailrace; (6) 250-foot-long generator leads connecting the powerhouses 
with a substation; and (7) appurtenant facilities.
    Brookfield operates the project in a run-of-river mode and 
implements specific operating procedure to facilitate upstream and 
downstream fish passage at the project. Upstream passage for American 
eel is provided by a dedicated eel passage facility located adjacent to 
one of the powerhouses. There are no constructed upstream anadromous 
fishways at the project. Currently anadromous fish are captured and 
transported upstream of the Shawmut Project via a fish lift and 
transport system at the Lockwood Dam Hydroelectric Project No. 2574, 
located about 6 miles downstream. Downstream fish passage for American 
eel and anadromous fish at the Shawmut Project is provided via a 
combination of routing flows through the project's spillways, turbines, 
and downstream fish passage facilities (e.g., deep gate and Tainter 
gate between the powerhouses).
    Brookfield proposes to construct and operate a forebay guidance 
boom to direct downstream migrating fish to a surface bypass route and 
minimize passage through the turbines.
    m. A copy of the application can viewed on the Commission's website 
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.
    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

[[Page 41030]]

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,             August 2020.
 preliminary terms and conditions,
 and preliminary fishway
 prescriptions.
Commission issues Draft EA or EIS....  April 2021.
Comments on Draft EA or EIS..........  May 2021.
Modified Terms and Conditions........  July 2021.
Commission Issues Final EA or EIS....  October 2021.
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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: July 1, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-14665 Filed 7-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P