[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 136 (Monday, July 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42716-42717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15259]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 1394-081]


Southern California Edison Company; Notice of Application 
Tendered for Filing With the Commission and Establishing Procedural 
Schedule for Relicensing and Deadline for Submission of Final 
Amendments

    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.: 1394-081.
    c. Date Filed: June 29, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Southern California Edison Company.
    e. Name of Project: Bishop Creek Hydroelectric Project (project).
    f. Location: The existing project is on Bishop Creek in Inyo 
County, California. The project occupies approximately 758 acres of 
federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service and approximately 
51 acres of federal land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land 
Management.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Matthew Woodhall, Project Lead, Regulatory 
Support Services, Southern California Edison Company, 1515 Walnut Grove 
Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770, (626) 302-9596, or [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Kelly Wolcott, (202) 502-6480 or 
[email protected].
    j. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this 
time.
    k. Project Description: The existing Bishop Creek Hydroelectric 
Project generally consists of 5 powerhouses (Powerhouses 2 through 6) 
on the Middle Fork of Bishop Creek; 3 primary storage reservoirs (South 
Lake Reservoir, Lake Sabrina, and Longley Lake); 13 dams or diversions 
and flowlines that collect water from Green Creek (a tributary to 
Bishop Creek), Birch Creek, and McGee Creek; and appurtenant 
facilities. The project has an authorized capacity of approximately 29 
megawatts. The estimated average annual generation of the project is 
129,550 megawatt-hours.
    The project is operated as a storage-release facility and does not 
propose any changes to operation. Project operations are dictated by 
the current license, as well as a 1922 water rights ruling (Chandler 
Decree) and a 1933 Sales Agreement with the Los Angeles Department of 
Water and Power. The

[[Page 42717]]

Bishop Creek Project begins diverting or impounding water at five 
points: Green Creek at Bluff Lake, South Fork Bishop Creek at South 
Lake, Middle Fork Bishop Creek at Lake Sabrina, McGee Creek at Longley 
Lake, and Birch Creek at Birch-McGee diversion. Plant No. 2 receives 
water originating from Longley Lake dam and the upper portions of the 
Birch Creek watershed. Longley Lake dam discharges water to McGee 
Creek, where it flows approximately 1 mile before being intercepted by 
the McGee Creek diversion. Water is then diverted into a series of 
pipelines and open channels and delivered to Birch Creek.
    After entering Birch Creek, the water flows approximately 0.5 mile 
before being diverted again by the Birch-McGee diversion, where enters 
a pipe and descends over 1,100 feet in elevation before intercepting 
the penstock to Plant No. 2. A portion of the water flows down Bishop 
Creek while another portion is conveyed through a series of pipes and 
penstocks connecting Plants No. 2, through No. 6. Each powerhouse and 
intake controls the portion of water entering Bishop Creek and the 
portion directed into the pipe and penstock conveyances. After Plant 
No. 6, Bishop Creek flows to the community of Bishop and the Owens 
Valley. When Plant No. 6 is offline, there is an alternative take-off 
below Plant No. 5. The regulated reaches between Lake Sabrina and 
Intake No. 2 and those between South Lake and South Fork diversion 
experience similar flow fluctuations. The current license requires 
minimum flow releases into diverted reaches.
    SCE proposes to modify resource plans and measures it has 
implemented under the current license, including: (1) water management; 
(2) the Stocking Plan; (3) the Wildlife Resource Management Plans; (4) 
the Botanical Resource Management Plan; and (5) the Historic Properties 
Management Plan. In addition, SCE proposes to develop and implement the 
following new plans: (1) a sediment management plan; (2) an invasive 
species management plan; and (3) a recreation resources management 
plan.
    l. In addition to publishing the full text of this notice in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this notice, as well 
as other documents in the proceeding (e.g., license application) via 
the internet through the Commission's homepage (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 (P-
1394). For assistance, contact [email protected], or call 
toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
    m. 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.
    n. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following preliminary Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the 
schedule may be made as appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue Deficiency Letter (if necessary)....  July 2022.
Request Additional Information (if          August 2022.
 necessary).
Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for    September 2022.
 Environmental Analysis.
Filing of recommendations, preliminary      November 2022.
 terms and conditions, and fishway
 prescriptions.
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    o. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of the notice 
of ready for environmental analysis.

    Dated: July 12, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-15259 Filed 7-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


