[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8007-8008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02223]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 5124-022]


Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.; 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: Subsequent Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 5124-022.
    c. Date Filed: October 30, 2020.
    d. Applicant: Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC).
    e. Name of Project: North Branch No. 3 Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: On the North Branch Winooski River in Washington 
County, Vermont. 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: Ms. Patricia Richards, General Manager, 
Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., P.O. Box 8, 40 Church Street 
East Montpelier, Vermont 05651; phone: (802) 223-5245 or email at 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Michael Tust at (202) 502-6522; or email at 
[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 https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 
characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at 
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. 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

[[Page 8008]]

electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via 
the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier 
must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    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.
    The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a final rule on 
July 15, 2020, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1500--1518 
that federal agencies use to implement NEPA (see Update to the 
Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act, 85 FR 43,304). The Final Rule became 
effective on and applies to any NEPA process begun after September 14, 
2020. An agency may also apply the regulations to ongoing activities 
and environmental documents begun before September 14, 2020, which 
includes the proposed North Branch No. 3 Project relicensing. 
Commission staff intends to conduct its NEPA review in accordance with 
CEQ's new regulations.
    l. The existing North Branch 3 Project is located at the 115-foot-
high, 1,525-foot-long Wrightsville Dam and consists of the following 
constructed facilities: A 445-foot-long, 5-foot-diameter steel 
aboveground penstock emerging from the base of the dam that conveys 
water to a 1,320-square-foot partially-buried project powerhouse 
containing three fixed blade turbines with rated capacities of 96, 259, 
and 578-kilowatts (kW) for a total installed capacity of 933 kW; a 750 
square-foot substation located adjacent to the powerhouse that steps up 
the voltage from 4.16 kilovolts (kV) to 12.5 kV; a 450-foot-long, 12.5-
kV transmission line; and appurtenant facilities.
    WEC proposes to continue to operate its three turbine units to 
replicate near run-of-river operations and continue to maintain its 
existing minimum flows both within the bypassed reach (i.e., 3.4 cfs) 
and downstream of the powerhouse (i.e., 25 cfs). However, WEC proposes 
to modify operations by using its minimum flow gate to release more 
flow into the bypassed reach (up to 25 cfs) as generating units are 
turned on and off to reduce flow fluctuations downstream of the 
powerhouse. WEC also proposes to maintain the reservoir between an 
elevation of 634 and 635 feet year-round (rather than operating between 
633-635 feet) and would cease all generation when reservoir levels fall 
below 634 feet.
    WEC also proposes to bring the following existing facilities into 
the project boundary as project structures: The trash racks with one-
inch spacing and the 9.5-foot by 6.5-foot headgate located within the 
non-project hydropower bay at the intake; the 1.3-foot by 1.5-foot 
automated minimum flow gate located at the base of the wall separating 
the two intake chambers used to pass minimum flows to the bypassed 
reach; the 100 square-foot hydraulic house located within the dam 
housing a hydraulic pump and controls used to operate the project 
headgate and minimum flow gate; and the 550-foot-long dirt road used to 
access the intake structure.
    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 https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx 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 to the following 
preliminary Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be 
made as appropriate.

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                        Milestone                           Target date
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Deadline for filing comments, recommendations,                 3/29/2021
 preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary
 fishway prescriptions..................................
Deadline for Filing Reply Comments......................       5/13/2021
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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 Sec.  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. Please note that the certification request must be sent 
to the certifying authority and to the Commission concurrently.

    Dated: January 28, 2021.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-02223 Filed 2-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P