[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17207-17208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05894]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 803-120]


Pacific Gas and Electric 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: Application for Temporary Variance of Flow 
Requirements.
    b. Project No: 803-120.
    c. Date Filed: February 28, 2023.
    d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (licensee).
    e. Name of Project: DeSabla-Centerville Project.
    f. Location: The project is located on Butte Creek, West Branch 
Feather River, and their tributaries in Butte County, California.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Jackie Pope, License Coordinator, Pacific 
Gas and Electric Company, Mail Code: N11D, P.O. Box 770000, San 
Francisco, CA 94177, Phone: (530) 254-4007.
    i. FERC Contact: Katherine Schmidt, (415) 369-3348, 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and 
protests: April 17, 2023.
    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 17208]]

page of any filing should include the docket number P-803-120. 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 licensee requests a temporary 
variance of the instantaneous minimum flow requirements in the West 
Branch Feather River below the Hendricks Head Dam, in Philbrook Creek 
below Philbrook Reservoir, and in Butte Creek below the Butte Creek 
Head Dam, to be averaged over 48 hours. Specifically, the licensee 
requests that the instantaneous normal and dry year minimum flow 
requirements: (1) in the West Branch Feather River, of 15 or 7 cubic 
feet per second (cfs), respectively, be temporarily modified to between 
15 and 7 over 48 hours; (2) in Philbrook Creek, of 2 cfs (in both water 
year types), be temporarily modified to between 1 and 2 cfs over 48 
hours; and (3) in Butte Creek, of 16 cfs (normal water year) or 7 cfs 
(dry water year), be temporarily modified to between 16 and 7 cfs, 
respectively, over 48 hours. The licensee proposes to execute these 
changes as soon as the Commission grants approval until November 30, 
2023. The licensee states that the temporary variance would maximize 
the delivery of flows released from Philbrook to Butte Creek by 
eliminating the need to release additional buffer flows (4 to 5 cfs) to 
ensure the requisite instantaneous minimum instream flows are always 
met. The proposed variance would help preserve cold water storage in 
Philbrook Reservoir, increase flow to Butte Creek via the Hendricks 
Canal, and decrease water residence time in the DeSabla Forebay, thus 
providing additional water to Butte Creek during the hot summer months 
to minimize high temperature effects to Central Valley spring-run 
Chinook salmon, and to preserve water for release later in the summer 
months towards the end of their holding period when the situation is 
most critical.
    Decisions on when and how to implement variance flows, as well as 
any changes under the variance, will be done in consultation and 
proceed with concurrence of licensee staff, California Department of 
Fish and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service.
    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. 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: March 16, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-05894 Filed 3-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P