[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67476-67477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24276]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2533-062]


Brainerd Public Utilities; 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.: 2533-062.
    c. Date filed: March 1, 2021.
    d. Applicant: Brainerd Public Utilities.
    e. Name of Project: Brainerd Hydroelectric Project (Brainerd 
Project).
    f. Location: On the Mississippi River, in the City of Brainerd, in 
Crow Wing County, Minnesota. The project does not occupy federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Scott Magnuson, Superintendent, Brainerd 
Public Utilities, 8027 Highland Scenic Road, P.O. Box 273, Brainerd, MN 
56401. Phone (218) 825-3213 or email at [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Patrick Ely at [email protected] or (202) 502-
8570.
    j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, 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 
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 [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or 
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a 
paper request. 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 first page of any filing should 
include docket number P-2533-062.
    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

[[Page 67477]]

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 
April 20, 2022, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1502, 1507, 
and 1508 that federal agencies use to implement the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (see National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Regulations Revisions, 87 FR 23,453-70). The final rule 
became effective on May 20, 2022. Commission staff intends to conduct 
its NEPA review in accordance with CEQ's new regulations.
    l. The Brainerd Project consists of the following facilities: (1) a 
short left embankment; (2) a 256-foot-long powerhouse containing five 
turbine generators with a totaled installed capacity of 2.9425 
megawatts (MW); (3) a 78-foot-long slide gate section; (4) a 207-foot-
long bascule (crest) gate section; (5) a single 20-foot-wide steel 
Tainter gate; (6) a 200-foot-long right embankment; (7) a 236-foot-
long, 2.4-kilovolt overhead transmission line; (8) a 25-foot-high dam; 
and (9) 2,500-acre impoundment.
    The Brainerd Project is operated in a run-of-river mode with an 
estimated annual energy production of approximately 19,392 megawatt 
hours. Brainerd Public Utilities proposes to continue operating the 
project as a run-of-river facility and does not propose any new 
construction to the project. A license amendment allows for a sixth 
turbine generator unit, which would increase the total installed 
capacity to 3.5425 MW. The sixth turbine generator unit has not yet 
been installed. See 156 FERC ] 62,045 (2016).
    m. A copy of the application can 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. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a 
National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), 
issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC 
at [email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or 
TTY, (202) 502-8659.
    You may also 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.
    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. 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. Please note 
that the certification request must be sent to the certifying authority 
and to the Commission concurrently.
    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 Protest, Motion to        December 2022.
 Intervene, Comments, Recommendations, and
 Agency Terms and Conditions/Prescriptions.
Deadline for Filing Reply Comments..........  February 2023.
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    Dated: November 1, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-24276 Filed 11-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


