[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 183 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53046-53047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20776]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14775-004]


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.: 14775-004.
    c. Date Filed: September 7, 2021.
    d. Submitted By: Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New 
England (MRECo).
    e. Name of Project: Bourne Tidal Test Site Project.

[[Page 53047]]

    f. Location: In the Cape Cod Canal near the Town of Bourne, in 
Barnstable County, MA. The project would be located on approximately 
one acre of federal land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 of the Commission's regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: John Miller, Executive Director, Marine 
Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England, P.O. Box 479, Marion, MA 
02738; Phone at (508) 728-5825; email at [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Robert Haltner at (202) 502-8612, or email at 
[email protected].
    j. MRECo has filed 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 
(collectively, the pre-filing materials).
    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 be sent to the 
address above in paragraph h. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filing. Please file comments 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 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 first page of any filing should 
include docket number P-14775-004. Any individual or entity interested 
in submitting comments on the pre-filing materials must do so by 
October 20, 2021.
    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 of the 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 also are 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 56.2-foot-high, 23-foot-wide support structure; (2) a 
proposed horizontal axis, open-bladed, 50-kilowatt turbine-generator 
unit (other in-stream turbine-generators would also be tested at the 
site) having a 3-meter-diameter sweep area; (3) a proposed 13.2-
kilovolt overhead transmission line connecting the turbine-generator 
unit to the regional grid; and (4) appurtenant facilities. The 
hydrokinetic project would have an estimated average annual generation 
of 175-megawatt hours.
    p. A copy of the draft license application and all pre-filing 
materials can be viewed on the Commission's website at 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.
    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......  October 20, 2021.
Issuance of additional information request  November 4, 2021.
Issuance of meeting notice (if needed)....  November 4, 2021.
Public meeting/technical conference (if     December 4, 2021.
 needed).
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    r. Register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx 
to be notified via email of new filing and issuances related to this or 
other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: September 20, 2021.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-20776 Filed 9-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P