[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23663-23664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08134]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 15000-003]


Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing and Soliciting 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. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 15000-003.
    c. Date filed: June 30, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. (Erie).
    e. Name of Project: Franklin Falls Hydroelectric Project (Franklin 
Falls Project or project).
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the Saranac River, 
in the town of St. Armand in Essex County and the town of Franklin in 
Franklin County, New York. The project does not occupy federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Steven Murphy, Director, U.S. Licensing, Erie 
Boulevard Hydropower, L.P., 33 West 1st Street South, Fulton, New York 
13069; phone: (315) 598-6130; email: 
[email protected]; and Patrick Storms, Director of 
Operations, Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P., 800 Starbuck Avenue, Suite 
201, Watertown, New York 13601; phone: (315) 779-2410; email: 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Claire Rozdilski, 202-502-8259, or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests: 60 days 
from the issuance date of this notice.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and protests using the Commission's eFiling system 
at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. 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. All 
filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on the 
first page: Franklin Falls Hydroelectric Project (P-15000-003).
    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 but is not ready for 
environmental analysis.
    l. The Franklin Falls Project consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) a 148-foot-long, 45-foot-high concrete overflow-type 
dam at a crest elevation of 1,462.88 feet National Geodetic Vertical 
Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) with 2-foot-high flashboards; (2) a reservoir 
with a surface area of 479 acres and a gross storage capacity of 5,580 
acre-feet at pool elevation 1,464.88 feet NGVD 29; (3) an integrated 
28-foot-long gated intake structure located on the dam's right (south) 
side; (4) a 10.5-foot-diameter, 300-foot-long steel pipeline; (5) a 43-
foot-high surge tank with a 20-foot-diameter steel shaft; (6) two 10-
foot-diameter, 38-foot-long steel penstocks; (7) a powerhouse 
containing two generating units having a total rated capacity of 2.12 
megawatts; (8) 85-foot-long, 2.3-kilovolt (kV) generator leads; (9) a 
2.3/46-kV step-up transformer bank; (10) a 300-foot-long, 46-kV 
transmission line; (11) a tailrace; and (12) appurtenant facilities.
    The Franklin Falls Project operates in a modified run-of-river 
mode. If inflow exceeds the hydraulic capacity of the units, the 
project operates continuously at full load. When the inflow is less 
than the hydraulic capacity of the project, the project is operated in 
a run-of-river mode utilizing pondage as needed for daily flow 
regulation and to suit power requirements of the New York Independent 
System Operator. The project has an average annual generation of 10,349 
megawatt-hours.
    Erie does not propose changes to project facilities or operations. 
Erie proposes to continue to: (1) provide a minimum base flow of 245 
cubic feet per second (cfs) or inflow, whichever is less, from March 1 
through June 1 from the Franklin Falls powerhouse; and from June 2 to 
March 1 reservoir inflow is released from the powerhouse, as needed for 
the downstream Saranac Project to maintain a minimum base flow of 165 
cfs, or inflow, whichever is less; (2) limit the maximum total drawdown 
of the Franklin Falls impoundment to 2 feet below the top of the 
flashboards, or 1 foot below the spillway crest when flashboards are 
not in use (Erie annually installs flashboards at Franklin Falls by the 
first week of June, unless flow conditions warrant otherwise); (3) 
provide a minimum flow to the bypassed reach of 125 cfs or inflow, 
whichever is less, from March 31 through May 31 for the protection of 
walleye spawning and incubation (the release schedule may be modified 
on a year-to-year basis based on water temperatures and presence/
absence of walleye, upon mutual agreement between the licensee and the 
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; and (4) 
operate and maintain the cartop boat launch and canoe portage.
    Erie proposes to modify the project boundary by removing 
approximately 1.12 acres along the northern shoreline, which are not 
needed for project operations, and adding approximately 0.14 acre to 
include the project's existing hand-carry boat launch. In addition, 
Erie proposes to implement its proposed bald eagle management plan, 
invasive species management plan, and impoundment drawdown plan.
    m. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested individuals an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (www.ferc.gov) using the 
``eLibrary'' link. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to 
the Commission's Public Access 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, (886) 208-3676 or TTY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    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 23664]]

For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
    n. Anyone may submit a protest or a motion to intervene in 
accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 
CFR 385.210, 385.211, and 385.214. In determining the appropriate 
action to take, the Commission will consider all protests 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 protests 
or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified 
deadline date for the particular application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE;'' (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. 
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.
    o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as 
appropriate.
Issue Scoping Document 1 for comments May 2023
Scoping Document 1 comments due June 2023
Issue Scoping Document 2 (if necessary) July 2023
Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis July 2023

    Dated: April 11, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-08134 Filed 4-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P