[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 93 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20659-20660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08639]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD25-4-000]


Goleta Water District; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a 
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and 
Motions To Intervene

    On May 6, 2025, Goleta Water District filed a notice of intent to 
construct a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, pursuant to section 
30 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). The proposed Edison Hydroelectric 
Energy Recovery Project would have an installed capacity of 15 
kilowatts (kW) and would be located at the Edison Pumping Station, in 
Goleta, Santa Barbara County, California.
    Applicant Contact: Gregg Semler, InPipe Energy, 830 NE Holladay 
St., Portland, OR 97232, 503-341-0004, [email protected].
    FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, 202-502-6778, 
[email protected].
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The project 
would consist of: (1) one pump as turbine generating unit with a 
capacity of 15 kW and (2) appurtenant facilities. The proposed project 
would have an estimated annual generation of approximately 88 megawatt-
hours.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all the criteria shown in the table below.

      Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Satisfies
        Statutory provision               Description           (Y/N)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPA 30(a)(3)(A)...................  The conduit the                   Y
                                     facility uses is a
                                     tunnel, canal,
                                     pipeline, aqueduct,
                                     flume, ditch, or
                                     similar manmade water
                                     conveyance that is
                                     operated for the
                                     distribution of water
                                     for agricultural,
                                     municipal, or
                                     industrial consumption
                                     and not primarily for
                                     the generation of
                                     electricity.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i)................  The facility is                   Y
                                     constructed, operated,
                                     or maintained for the
                                     generation of electric
                                     power and uses for
                                     such generation only
                                     the hydroelectric
                                     potential of a non-
                                     federally owned
                                     conduit.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii)...............  The facility has an               Y
                                     installed capacity
                                     that does not exceed
                                     40 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii)..............  On or before August 9,            Y
                                     2013, the facility is
                                     not licensed, or
                                     exempted from the
                                     licensing requirements
                                     of Part I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: The proposed Edison Hydroelectric Energy 
Recovery Project will not alter the primary purpose of the conduit, 
which is for municipal use. Therefore, based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff preliminarily determines that the operation of the 
project described above satisfies the requirements for a qualifying 
conduit hydropower facility, which is not required to be licensed or 
exempted from licensing.
    Comments and Motions to Intervene: Deadline for filing comments, 
comments contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria, 
and motions to intervene: June 9, 2025.
    Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance 
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
    Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1) 
bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS,'' ``COMMENTS CONTESTING 
QUALIFICATION FOR A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY,'' or ``MOTION TO 
INTERVENE,'' as applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the 
applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing 
responds; (3) state the name, address, and telephone number of the 
person filing; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 
sections 385.2001 through 385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\ 
All comments contesting Commission staff's preliminary determination 
that the facility meets the qualifying criteria must set forth their 
evidentiary basis.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001 through 2005 (2024).
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    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, 
community organizations, Tribal members and others, access publicly 
available information and navigate Commission processes. For public 
inquiries and assistance with making filings such as comments or 
motions to intervene, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 
502-6595 or [email protected].
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and comments 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. 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 send a 
paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be 
addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory

[[Page 20660]]

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, MD 20852. 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 385.2010.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: 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 website at 
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number 
(i.e., CD25-4) in the docket number field to access the document. You 
may also register online at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. Copies of the notice of 
intent can be obtained directly from the applicant. For assistance, 
call toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email [email protected]. For 
TTY, call (202) 502-8659.

    Dated: May 9, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-08639 Filed 5-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P