[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64900-64901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20359]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2490-031]


Green Mountain Power Corporation; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing, 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: Subsequent Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 2490-031.
    c. Date filed: August 30, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP).
    e. Name of Project: Taftsville Hydroelectric Project (Taftsville 
Project).
    f. Location: On the Ottauquechee River, in the Village of 
Taftsville, Windsor County, Vermont.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Jason Lisai, Green Mountain Power 
Corporation, 163 Acorn Lane, Colchester VT 05446-6611; (802) 730-2468; 
or [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Monte TerHaar at (202) 502-6035; or email 
[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 
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, 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: Taftsville Hydroelectric Project (P-2490-
031).
    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.
    The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a final rule on 
April 20, 2022, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1502, 1507, 
and 1508 that Federal agencies use to implement the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (see National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Regulations Revisions, 87 FR 23453-70). The final rule 
became effective on May 20, 2022. Commission staff intends to conduct 
its NEPA review in accordance with CEQ's new regulations.
    l. Project Description: The existing Taftsville Project consists 
of: (1) an existing 220-foot-long by 16-foot-high concrete gravity dam; 
(2) a 194-foot-long spillway section with a crest elevation of 637.12 
feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29), topped with 
18-inch wooden flashboards; (3) a 4,600-foot-long, 20.5-acre 
impoundment at normal water surface elevation 638.6 feet NGVD 29; (4) a 
powerhouse containing one 0.5-megawatt vertical Kaplan generating unit, 
with a minimum hydraulic capacity of 95 cubic feet per second (cfs) and 
maximum hydraulic capacity of 370 cfs; (5) a 200-foot-long tailrace 
section; (6) a 40-foot-long transmission line, connecting the 
powerhouse to the Distribution Substation; (7) the Distribution 
Substation and Transmission West Substation; and (8) appurtenant 
facilities. Approximately 290 feet of the Ottauquechee River, between 
Taftsville Dam and the tailrace channel, are bypassed during normal 
operations. The project generates 1,038 megawatt-hours annually.
    GMP proposes no modifications to the existing project facilities. 
GMP proposes to: (1) continue to operate the project in run-of-river 
mode, where outflow approximates inflow; (2) provide a 15 cfs minimum 
flow to the bypassed reach via spillage over the crest of the spillway; 
(3) seasonally install wooden flashboards; and (4) maintain recreation 
facilities, as it has under the current license. GMP proposes the 
following modifications: (1) use no more than 10% of inflow to refill 
the impoundment after maintenance drawdowns; (2) consult with resource 
agencies prior to conducting maintenance and unplanned drawdowns and 
repair work; (3) restrict the removal of trees greater than or equal to 
3 inches in diameter at breast height in the project boundary to the 
period of November 1 through March 31 for protection of the northern-
long-eared bat; and (4) update the historic properties management plan 
to address and mitigate project effects on historic properties.
    m. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (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. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected], or call (886) 208-3676 (toll free) or (202) 
502-8659 (TTY).
    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, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members, and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595, or [email protected].
    n. 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, and .214. 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

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on or before the specified comment date for the application.
    All filings must: (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST,'' ``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. All 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, or prescriptions must 
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). A copy of any protest or motion to 
intervene must be served upon each representative of the applicant 
specified in the application. A copy of all other filings in reference 
to this application 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 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    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, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request Additional Information............  September 2023.
Additional Information responds due.......  November 2023.
Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental     November 2023.
 Analysis.
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    Dated: September 14, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-20359 Filed 9-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P