[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 235 (Monday, December 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78847-78849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26821]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2879-012]


Green Mountain Power Corporation; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for 
Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, 
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary 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: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2879-012.
    c. Date Filed: January 30, 2020.
    d. Applicant: Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP).
    e. Name of Project: Bolton Falls Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the Winooski River 
in Washington County, Vermont. The project does not affect federal 
lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)--825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. John Greenan, P.E., Engineer, Green 
Mountain Power Corporation, 1252 Post Road, Rutland, Vermont 05701; 
phone: (802) 770-2195 or email at John.Greenan@greenmountainpower.com.
    i. FERC Contact: Michael Tust at (202) 502-6522; or email at 
michael.tust@ferc.gov.
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary

[[Page 78848]]

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, recommendations, preliminary 
terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway 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. You must include your 
name and contact information at the end of your comments. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (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: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via 
any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852.
    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.
    The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a final rule on 
July 15, 2020, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1500-1518 
that federal agencies use to implement NEPA (see Update to the 
Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act, 85 FR 43,304). The Final Rule became 
effective on and applies to any NEPA process begun after September 14, 
2020. An agency may also apply the regulations to ongoing activities 
and environmental documents begun before September 14, 2020, which 
includes the proposed Bolton Falls Project relicensing. Commission 
staff intends to conduct its NEPA review in accordance with CEQ's new 
regulations.
    l. The Bolton Falls Project consists of the following constructed 
facilities: (1) A 92-foot-high, 275-foot-wide timber crib dam with a 5-
foot-high rubber dam atop the timber crib construction with a maximum 
crest elevation of 397 feet and a 196-foot-long reinforced concrete 
spillway cap at a crest elevation of 392 feet; (2) a 59-acre 
impoundment with a total storage capacity of 300 acre-feet at a normal 
operating elevation of 397 feet; (3) a forebay with two concrete 
intakes, each with a 3-inch-spaced trashrack; (4) two 10-foot diameter, 
120-foot-long steel penstocks; (5) a 73-foot-long, 57-foot-wide 
powerhouse containing two horizontal, 3,750-kilowatt Kaplan turbines 
with a total installed capacity of 7,500 kilowatts; (6) a 36-inch 
diameter steel bypass pipe with an invert elevation of 383 feet that 
discharges near the left side of the spillway base; (7) an 
approximately 130-foot long, 5-kilovolt underground transmission line 
connecting to an adjacent switchyard; (8) a 600-foot-long, 34.5-
kilovolt overhead transmission line connecting to a second switchyard; 
and (9) appurtenant facilities. GMP also maintains day-use recreation 
facilities at the project, including a picnic area, trails, fishing 
access, and a canoe launch and portage trail.
    GMP proposes to operate in automated run-of-river mode as it does 
under its current practice but instead of providing a 300-cubic feet 
per second (cfs) minimum flow into the Winooski River through the 
powerhouse (when generating) or via spill over the dam (when not 
generating) as it does now, GMP proposes to provide a seasonal 
aesthetic spill flow of 75 cfs or inflow, whichever is less, into the 
bypassed reach via spillage over the dam during daylight hours from 
April 1 through December 15. At all other times, bypassed reach flows 
would be reduced to leakage except when inflow drops below the minimum 
hydraulic capacity (i.e., 365 cfs) or when inflow exceeds the maximum 
hydraulic capacity (2,400 cfs) of the generating units in which case 
additional flows would be released to the bypassed reach via spill over 
the dam. Under normal flow conditions when aesthetic spillage is 
required, GMP proposes to maintain the impoundment at an elevation of 
397.25 feet. When aesthetic spillage over the dam is not required, GMP 
proposes to maintain the reservoir at an elevation of 397 feet as it 
does now. GMP also proposes to: (1) Relocate recreation parking area 
out of the floodplain; (2) implement measures to protect creeping 
lovegrass at the day-use area; (3) add two picnic tables and an 
information kiosk to the day-use area; and (4) improve the portage 
landing, trail, and signage.
    m. A copy of the application can 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.
    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.
    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, 
PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS, or PRELIMINARY 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.
    o. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than thirty (30) days from the issuance date of 
this notice.

[[Page 78849]]

    p. The 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. Please note 
that the certification request must be sent to the certifying authority 
and to the Commission concurrently.
    q. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following preliminary Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the 
schedule will be made as appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deadline for Filing Comments,             January 2021.
 Recommendations, and Agency Terms and
 Conditions/Prescriptions.
Deadline for Filing Reply Comments......  March 2021.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: December 1, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-26821 Filed 12-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


