[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57865-57866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23588]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14862-001]


Douglas Leen; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Intent 
To Waive Scoping, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready 
for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Terms and 
Conditions, Recommendations, Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Exemption from Licensing.
    b. Project No.: 14862-001.
    c. Date filed: November 28, 2018.
    d. Applicant: Douglas Leen.
    e. Name of Project: Kupreanof Microhydro Project.
    f. Location: On an unnamed stream, in Petersburg Borough, Alaska. 
The project would occupy 0.651 acre of federal land managed by the U.S. 
Forest Service.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act of 
1978, 16 U.S.C. 2705, 2708.
    h. Applicant Contact: Douglas Leen, P.O. Box 341, Petersburg, 
Alaska 99833, (907) 518-0335; [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: John Matkowski, (202) 502-8576, or 
[email protected].
    j. On September 26, 2019, the applicant informed the Commission of 
its intent to convert its application for minor license filed on 
November 28, 2018 to an application for exemption from licensing and 
included additional information necessary to augment the license 
application and convert it to an application for exemption from 
licensing. Pursuant to 18 CFR 4.31(c)(2) (2019), an applicant for an 
exemption is required to have sufficient rights in any non-federal land 
required for the project prior to filing its application. On October 8, 
2019, the applicant provided documentation that it had the property 
rights for the non-federal lands necessary to develop the project.
    k. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
terms and conditions, recommendations, 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 
motions to intervene, protests, comments, terms and conditions, 
recommendations, and prescriptions 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, please send a paper 
copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should 
include docket number P-14862-001.
    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.
    l. This application has been accepted for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    m. Project Description: The proposed project would consist of: (1) 
Two surface water intakes: (a) A 3-foot-long, 1.5-foot-wide, 1.5-foot-
deep steel intake box located in the east branch of the unnamed stream; 
and, (b) a 2.5-foot-long, 1-foot-wide, 1.25-foot-deep, steel intake box 
located in the west branch of the unnamed stream; (2) a 6-inch 
diameter, 458-foot-long, plastic penstock connecting the east branch 
intake to the powerhouse; (3) a 3-inch-diameter, 30-foot-long, plastic 
penstock connecting the west branch intake to the penstock leading from 
the east branch intake; (5) a powerhouse containing 1.5-kilowatt (kW) 
turbine/generator unit; (6) a tailrace that discharges into the 
mainstem unnamed stream; (7) a 420-foot-long, partially buried 
transmission line; and (8) appurtenant facilities. The project is 
estimated to generate an average of 550 megawatt-hours annually.
    n. Due to the small size and location of this project, the 
applicant's close coordination with federal and state agencies during 
preparation of the application, and studies completed during pre-filing 
consultation, we intend to waive scoping and expedite the licensing 
process. Based on a review of the application and resource agency 
consultation letters including comments filed to date, Commission staff 
intends to prepare a single environmental assessment (EA). Commission 
staff determined that the issues that need to be addressed in its EA 
have been adequately identified during the pre-filing period, and no 
new issues are likely to be identified through additional scoping. The 
EA will consider assessing the potential effects of project operation 
on geology and soils, aquatic, terrestrial, threatened and endangered 
species, recreation, and cultural and historic resources.
    o. A copy of the application is available for review at the 
Commission in the Public Reference Room or 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. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support. A copy is also available for inspection and 
reproduction at the address in item h above.
    You may 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.
    p. Any qualified applicant desiring to file a competing application 
must submit to the Commission, on or before the specified intervention 
deadline date, a competing development application, or a notice of 
intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of 
intent allows an interested person to file the competing development 
application no later than 120 days after the specified intervention 
deadline date. Applications for preliminary permits will not be 
accepted in response to this notice.
    A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, 
and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an 
unequivocal statement of intent to submit a development application. A 
notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this 
public notice.
    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

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INTERVENE, NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE COMPETING APPLICATION, COMPETING 
APPLICATION, 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 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.

    Dated: October 23, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-23588 Filed 10-28-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


