[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 197 (Thursday, October 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62094-62095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22231]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 10853-027]


Otter Tail Power Company; Notice of Application Accepted for 
Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:

    a. Application Type: Request for temporary variance of Article 401.
    b. Project No: 10853-027.
    c. Date Filed: May 3, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Otter Tail Power Company (licensee).
    e. Name of Project: Otter Tail River Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The project is located on the Otter Tail River, in 
Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The project does not occupy federal 
lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
    h. Applicant Contact: Darin Solberg, [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Margaret Noonan, (202) 502-8971, 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and 
protests: 30 days from the date of notice issuance.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, motions to intervene, and protests 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). 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 the docket number P-10853-027. Comments emailed to Commission 
staff are not considered part of the Commission record.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of 
that document on each person whose name appears 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. Description of Request: The applicant proposes a temporary 
variance from the target water surface elevation requirements of 
Article 401 of the license for Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir (1,256.00 
mean sea level). The licensee states that over the past several months, 
it had been unable to maintain the newly established target elevation 
at the Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir due to (1) unusually low inflow 
within the past year, requiring the licensee to cease hydropower 
operations at Hoot Lake in order to maintain minimum flow in the 
bypassed reach; and (2) the decommissioning of the Hoot Lake thermal 
plant on May 31, 2021, which previously drew approximately 200 cubic 
feet per second from Hoot Lake. With no outflow from Hoot Lake, the 
reservoir levels in Hoot Lake and the Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir 
equalized. The licensee lowered the elevation at Hoot Diversion Dam 
reservoir by approximately 1.6 feet in response to prevent the water 
level in Hoot Lake from rising above its maximum allowed elevation. The 
licensee has been consulting with Minnesota Department of Natural 
Resources to discuss possible engineering solutions to resolve the 
reservoir elevation issue. To allow time for the licensee to consult, 
design, and implement a solution, the licensee requests the variance 
extend until December 31, 2022.
    l. Locations of the Application: This filing may be 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. You may also 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.

[[Page 62095]]

For assistance, call 1-866-208-3676 or email 
[email protected], for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Agencies may 
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
    m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: 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, 
.214, respectively. 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.
    o. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all 
capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``PROTEST'', or ``MOTION TO 
INTERVENE'' as applicable; (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 commenting, protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply 
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, motions to intervene, or protests must set forth their 
evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an intervenor 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 
385.2010.

    Dated: October 6, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-22231 Filed 10-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P