[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99244-99245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28966]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2373-016]
Midwest Hydro, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing,
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and
Conditions, and Fishway 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 License.
b. Project No.: 2373-016.
c. Date filed: August 30, 2022.
d. Applicant: Midwest Hydro, LLC (Midwest Hydro).
e. Name of Project: Rockton Hydroelectric Project (Rockton
Project).
f. Location: On the Rock River near the Township of Rockton in
Winnebago, County, Illinois.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. David Fox, Senior Director of Regulatory
Affairs, Eagle Creek RE Management, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite
1100W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, (240) 724-8765,
[email protected].
i. FERC Contact: Laura Washington (202) 502-6072,
[email protected].
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,
recommendations, terms and conditions, and fishway 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
motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions, and fishway prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling
system at https://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 https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.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: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 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, 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: Rockton
Hydroelectric Project (P-2373-016).
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 for filing and is now ready
for environmental analysis.
l. The Rockton Project consists of the following existing
facilities: (1) a 40.67-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of
207.4 acre-feet at a maximum reservoir surface elevation of 725.48 feet
National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929; (2) a succession of dam
structures including, from left to right looking downstream: (i) an 84-
foot-long gated headworks structure located upstream of the power
canal, (ii) a 1,000-foot-long concrete overflow dam located about 300
feet upstream of the headworks structure that creates a bypassed reach
(i.e., Rockton bypassed reach), (iii) a 1,600-foot-long earthen dike
extending north from the east abutment of the concrete overflow dam,
and (iv) a 5,000-foot-long power canal dike; (3) a 5,000-foot-long
power canal running from the gated headworks structure to the
powerhouse; (4) an intake structure consisting of 64-foot-wide by 15-
foot-high trash racks with 3.5-inch clear spacing; (5) a 64.25-foot-
long, 33.25-foot-wide powerhouse; (6) two vertical-shaft turbine-
generator units, each with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 810 cubic
feet per second, for a total installed capacity of 1.10 megawatts; (7)
a 85-foot-wide tailrace that extends downstream for 215 feet where it
meets the Rockton bypassed
[[Page 99245]]
reach; (8) three 4.1-kilovolt (kV)/12.4-kV step-up transformers; and
(9) appurtenant facilities. The project interconnects with the
electrical grid via 4.1-kV bus cables and the three step-up
transformers.
Project recreation facilities at the Rockton Project include a
canoe portage, an overflow dam and power canal bank fishing area, and a
tailrace fishing area.
The Rockton Project is currently operated in a run-of-river mode
and generates an annual average of approximately 5,076 megawatt-hours.
Midwest Hydro proposes to continue operating the project as a run-of-
river facility and does not propose any new construction.
Midwest Hydro proposes modifications to the current project
boundary. The proposed project boundary would include Midwest Hydro-
owned land that includes the entire power canal dike, tailrace bank
fishing area, and tailrace that extends downstream from the powerhouse
to its confluence with the Rock River.
The current project boundary encompasses 174.1 acres, which
includes 27.72 acres of project lands and 146.38 acres of submerged
land. The proposed project boundary would include approximately 76.24
acres, which includes 22.85 acres of project land and 53.39 acres of
submerged land.
m. A copy of the application can be viewed on the Commission's
website at https://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 (i.e., P-2373). For assistance, contact
FERC Online Support.
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 on or
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,''
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or ``FISHWAY
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
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). 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. 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.
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 https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
o. The 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.
p. 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, February 2025.
recommendations, terms and conditions,
and prescriptions.
Deadline for filing reply comments........ March 2025.
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q. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
Dated: December 4, 2024.
Carlos D. Clay,
Acting Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-28966 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P