[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51513-51514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13396]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2490-031]


Green Mountain Power Corporation; Notice of Application Ready for 
Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms 
and Conditions, and Prescriptions

    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.: P-2490-031.
    c. Date filed: August 30, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP).
    e. Name of Project: Taftsville Hydroelectric 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; (802) 770-2195; or 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: David Gandy at (202) 502-8560; or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, and prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this 
notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this 
notice.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions 
using the Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 
characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at 
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. 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

[[Page 51514]]

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, 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. 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 and is ready for 
environmental analysis at this time.
    l. Project Description: The existing Taftsville Project consists 
of: (1) a 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 reservoir at a 
normal water surface elevation of 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 the dam and 
tailrace channel, are bypassed during normal operations. The project 
generates 1,038 megawatt-hours annually.
    The current license requires GMP to operate in run-of-river mode 
such that outflow from the project approximates inflow. GMP meets this 
requirement by maintaining a stable impoundment elevation at 638.6 
feet. The current license also requires GMP to provide a continuous 
minimum flow of 15 cfs over the spillway to the bypassed reach, or 
inflow, whichever is less. The project is equipped with 18-inch wooden 
flashboards which are removed in late fall and replaced in the spring. 
After re-installation the impoundment is re-filled by reducing 
downstream flows to no less than 100 cfs, or inflow.
    GMP proposes no modifications to the existing project facilities. 
GMP proposes to continue operating as it has under the existing license 
with modifications to: (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. A copy of the application is available for review at 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. For assistance, contact 
FERC Online Support at [email protected]. A copy is also 
available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h 
above.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``COMMENTS'', ``REPLY COMMENTS'', ``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND 
CONDITIONS,'' or ``PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (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 submitting the filing; 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). Agencies may obtain copies of the 
application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be 
accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service 
list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 
18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    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].
    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.
    n. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of this notice: (1) a copy of the water quality 
certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including 
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; 
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
    o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as 
appropriate.

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                Milestone                           Target date
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Deadline for filing comments,             July 2024.
 recommendations, agency terms and
 conditions, and prescriptions.
Deadline for the licensee to file reply   August 2024.
 comments.
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    Dated: June 12, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-13396 Filed 6-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P