City of Farmington, NM; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene, 52670-52671 [2016-18827]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52670-52671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18827]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD16-18-000]


City of Farmington, NM; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a 
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and 
Motions To Intervene

    On July 28, 2016, the City of Farmington, NM filed a notice of 
intent to construct a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, pursuant 
to section 30 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by section 4 
of the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (HREA). The 
proposed Animas Hydroelectric Project would have an installed capacity 
of 250 kilowatts (kW) and would be located at the end of Willet Ditch, 
the last 75 feet of which varies in depth from 5.6 feet to 10 feet. The 
Willet Ditch is used for municipal water supply and irrigation. The 
project would be located near the City of Farmington in San Juan 
County, New Mexico.
    Applicant Contact: Britt Chesnut, City of Farmington Electric 
Utility, 501 McCormick School Rd., Farmington, NM 87401, Phone No. 
(505) 599-8342.
    FERC Contact: Robert Bell, Phone No. (202) 502-6062, email: 
robert.bell@ferc.gov.
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) A proposed short 6-inch diameter pipe, 
(2) a proposed 250-kW turbine located at the end of Willet Ditch where 
it discharges into the Animas River, and (3) appurtenant facilities. 
The proposed project would have an estimated annual generating capacity 
of 1,080 megawatt-hours.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all of the criteria shown in the table below.

[[Page 52671]]



      Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Statutory provision              Description       Satisfies (Y/N)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by   The conduit is a                     Y
 HREA.                            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), as amended   The facility is                      Y
 by HREA.                         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), as amended  The facility has an                  Y
 by HREA.                         installed capacity
                                  that does not exceed
                                  5 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as         On or before August 9,               Y
 amended by HREA.                 2013, the facility is
                                  not licensed, or
                                  exempted from the
                                  licensing
                                  requirements of Part
                                  I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: Based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff has preliminarily determined that the proposal 
satisfies the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility 
under 16 U.S.C. 823a, and is exempted from the licensing requirements 
of the FPA.
    Comments and Motions to Intervene: The deadline for filing comments 
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 45 
days from the issuance date of this notice.
    The deadline for filing motions to intervene is 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice.
    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 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (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. 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.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies of the notice of intent can 
be obtained directly from the applicant or such copies can be viewed 
and reproduced at the Commission in its Public Reference Room, Room 2A, 
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing may also be 
viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (e.g., CD16-18-000) in 
the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call 
toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY, 
call (202) 502-8659.

    Dated: August 3, 2016.
Kimberly Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-18827 Filed 8-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P