[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16557-16558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04803]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 77-320]


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: 77-320.
    c. Date Filed: February 22, 2024.
    d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (licensee).
    e. Name of Project: Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The project is located on the Eel River and East Fork 
of the Russian River in Lake and Mendocino counties, California. The 
project occupies federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
    h. Applicant Contact: Jackie Pope, License Coordinator; Pacific Gas 
and Electric Company; 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94612; Phone: 
(530) 245-4007.
    i. FERC Contact: John Aedo, (415) 369-3335, [email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: With this notice, the Commission is 
inviting federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies with jurisdiction 
and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues affected 
by the proposal, that wish to cooperate in the preparation of any 
environmental document, if applicable, to follow the instructions for 
filing such requests described in item k below. Cooperating agencies 
should note the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the 
preparation of any environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 
FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
    k. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and 
protests: April 1, 2024.
    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: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: 
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first 
page of any filing should include the docket number P-77-320. 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

[[Page 16558]]

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.
    l. Description of Request: The licensee requests a temporary 
variance of its minimum flow requirements at two project locations. Due 
to seismic risk at Scott Dam, the licensee has elected to leave the 
spillway gates at Scott Dam open indefinitely, thereby reducing the 
storage capacity in Lake Pillsbury by approximately 20,000 acre-feet. 
The licensee also states that there is a high potential for bank 
sloughing and ensuing dam safety and operational constraints should the 
reservoir recede to a pool level of between 5,000 and 12,000 acre-feet.
    To preserve water storage in Lake Pillsbury and conserve cold water 
for downstream aquatic resources, the licensee proposes to release 
flows below Scott Dam (as measured at gage E-2) to be consistent with a 
critical water year type minimum flow of 20 cubic feet per second 
(cfs). However, actual releases would be closer to the minimum facility 
limitation of 35 cfs from the low-level outlet. In addition, the 
licensee would reduce minimum flows in the East Branch Russian River 
(as measured at gage E-16) to match the dry water year minimum flow 
requirement of 25 cfs with the flexibility to further reduce flows to 
the critical water year requirement of 5 cfs, depending on water 
availability, safety concerns, and water temperature conditions in the 
Eel River. After September 16, 2024, the licensee would resume the dry 
water year flow release of 25 cfs. In addition, the licensee requests 
that compliance with the minimum flow requirement in the Eel River 
below Cape Horn Dam (as measured at gage E-11) be modified to a 24-hour 
average instead of an instantaneous requirement to allow for a tighter 
compliance buffer.
    The request licensee's request also includes provisions for water 
temperature and biological monitoring, environmental mitigation, and 
monthly consultation throughout implementation of the proposed 
variance. The licensee requests that the variance begin immediately 
upon Commission approval and conclude when Lake Pillsbury storage 
exceeds 36,000 acre-feet following October 1, 2024, or is superseded by 
another variance or license amendment.
    m. 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.
    n. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    o. 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.
    p. 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.
    q. 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].

    Dated: February 29, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-04803 Filed 3-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P