[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38736-38737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13894]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 9951-055]


STS Hydropower, LLC; Township of Van Buren, Michigan; Notice of 
Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document 
(Pad), Commencement of ILP Pre-Filing Process; Waiving Parts of the ILP 
Pre-Filing Process; Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping 
Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
    b. Project No.: 9951-055.
    c. Dated Filed: April 29, 2022.

[[Page 38737]]

    d. Submitted By: STS Hydropower, LLC (STS Hydropower) and Township 
of Van Buren, Michigan (Township of Van Buren).
    e. Name of Project: French Landing Hydroelectric Project (French 
Landing Project).
    f. Location: The French Landing Project is located on the Huron 
River in Wayne County, Michigan. The project does not occupy federal 
land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.
    h. Applicant Contacts: Melissa Sonnleitner, STS Hydropower, LLC, c/
o Eagle Creek RE Management, LLC, 116 N. State Street, P.O. Box 167, 
Neshkoro, WI 54960; (920) 293-4628 (extension 347); 
[email protected].
    Tim Sullivan, Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, D.P.C, 41 Liberty Hill 
Road, P.O. Box 2179, Henniker, NH 03242; (716) 402-6795; 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Aaron Liberty at (202) 502-6862 or email at 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the 
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such 
requests described in item o below. Cooperating agencies should note 
the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the preparation 
of the environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ] 
61,076 (2001).
    k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with: 
(a) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Fisheries under section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act and the joint agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 
402 and (b) the State Historic Preservation Officer, as required by 
section 106, National Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing 
regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 
800.2.
    l. With this notice, we are designating STS Hydropower and the 
Township of Van Buren as the Commission's non-federal representatives 
for carrying out informal consultation, pursuant to section 7 of the 
Endangered Species Act and section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act.
    m. STS Hydropower and the Township of Van Buren filed with the 
Commission a Pre-Application Document (PAD, including a proposed 
process plan and schedule), pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's 
regulations.
    n. A copy of the PAD may be viewed on the Commission's website 
(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. At this time, the Commission has suspended access 
to the Commission's Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation 
declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease 
(COVID-19), issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, 
contact FERC at [email protected] or call toll-free, (866) 
208-3676 or TYY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for public 
inspection during normal business hours at the Van Buren Charter 
Township Clerk's Office, 46425 Tyler Road, Van Buren Township, Michigan 
48111.
    You may 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.
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
Commission staff's Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests. 
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be emailed 
(preferred) or mailed to the addresses above in paragraph h. In 
addition, all comments on the PAD and SD1, study requests, requests for 
cooperating agency status, and all communications to and from 
Commission staff related to the merits of the potential application 
must be filed with the Commission.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
all documents 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]. 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. All filings must clearly identify 
the project name and docket number on the first page: French Landing 
Hydroelectric Project (P-9951-055).
    All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading: 
``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,'' 
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency 
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any 
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, 
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating 
status must do so by August 27, 2022.
    p. The Commission's scoping process will help determine the 
required level of analysis and satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, 
irrespective of whether the Commission prepares an environmental 
assessment or Environmental Impact Statement.

Scoping Process

    Due to ongoing concerns with large gatherings related to COVID-19, 
we do not intend to hold in-person public scoping meetings or an in-
person environmental site review. Additionally, staff's review of the 
PAD indicates that the complexity of the resource issues is minor and 
the level of anticipated controversy associated with the project is 
expected to be minimal. Therefore, we are waiving section 5.8(b)(viii) 
of the Commission's regulations and do not intend to conduct a public 
scoping meeting or environmental site review in this case. Instead, we 
are soliciting written comments on the SD1. Any individual or entity 
interested in submitting scoping comments must do so by the date 
specified in item o. SD1, which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals 
and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 may be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov, using the ``eLibrary'' link. 
Follow the directions for accessing information in paragraph n. Based 
on all written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 
may include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of 
issues, identified through the scoping process.

    Dated: June 23, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-13894 Filed 6-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P