Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission, Accepted for Filing With the Commission, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To Waive Solicitation of Additional Study Requests, Intent To Waive Scoping, Soliciting Comments, Terms and Conditions, Recommendations, and Prescriptions, and Establishing an Expedited Schedule for Processing; Whitman River Dam, Inc., 57724-57725 [2011-23794]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57724-57725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23794]



[[Page 57724]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 13237-003]


 Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission, 
Accepted for Filing With the Commission, Soliciting Motions To 
Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To 
Waive Solicitation of Additional Study Requests, Intent To Waive 
Scoping, Soliciting Comments, Terms and Conditions, Recommendations, 
and Prescriptions, and Establishing an Expedited Schedule for 
Processing; Whitman River Dam, Inc.

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Original Minor License.
    b. Project No.: 13237-003.
    c. Date Filed: August 29, 2011.
    d. Applicant: Whitman River Dam, Inc.
    e. Name of Project: Crocker Dam Hydro Project.
    f. Location: On the Whitman River, in the Town of Westminster, 
Worcester County, Massachusetts. The project would not occupy lands of 
the United States.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 4.61 of the Commission's regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Robert T. Francis, P.O. Box 145, 10 Tommy 
Francis Road, Westminster, MA 01473, (978) 874-1010, 
bfrancis@verizon.net.
    i. FERC Contact: Jeff Browning, (202) 502-8677, or e-mail at 
Jeffrey.Browning@ferc.gov.
    j. 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.
    All documents may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 
CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web 
site 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 or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, 
or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. Although the Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, 
mail an original and seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    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.
    l. Project Description: The Crocker Dam Hydro Project would consist 
of: (1) The existing 520-foot-long, 38.5-foot-high earthen embankment 
and masonry Crocker Pond dam equipped with a 120-foot-long arched 
spillway section topped with 26-inch-high wooden flashboards; (2) an 
existing 110 acre impoundment with a normal water surface elevation of 
752.66 feet above mean sea level; (3) an existing 8-foot-wide, 12-foot-
high floodgate located between the spillway and gate house; (4) an 
existing 3-foot-wide, 3-foot-high mud gate located at the spillway toe 
adjacent to the flood gate; (5) an existing gate house equipped with an 
existing 42-inch-diameter penstock; (6) a new 23-foot-long, 42-inch-
penstock extension; (7) a new powerhouse containing one 145-kilowatt 
turbine generating unit; and (8) a new 480-volt (V), 40-foot-long 
buried transmission line from the powerhouse to an existing power pole 
connected to a new 480-V, 200-foot-long above-ground transmission line 
to the regional grid interconnection. The proposed project is estimated 
to generate an average of 887,450 kilowatt-hours annually.
    m. Due to the project works already existing and the limited scope 
of proposed rehabilitation of the project site described above, the 
applicant's close coordination with Federal and state agencies during 
the preparation of the application, and completed studies during pre-
filing consultation, we intend to waive scoping, shorten the notice 
filing period, and expedite the review process. Based on a review of 
the application, resource agency consultation letters, and 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, which included a public 
meeting and site visit, and no new issues are likely to be identified 
through additional scoping. The EA will consider assessing the 
potential effects of project construction and operation on geology and 
soils, aquatic, terrestrial, threatened and endangered species, 
recreation and land use, aesthetic, and cultural and historic 
resources.
    n. 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 Web site at https://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 FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov.
    Register online at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filings and 
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, 
contact FERC Online Support.
    o. Cooperating Agencies: We are asking Federal, state, and local 
agencies and Indian Tribes with jurisdiction and/or special expertise 
with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the environmental document. Agencies who would like to 
request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments described in item p below.
    Cooperating agencies should note the Commission's policy that 
agencies that cooperate in the preparation of the environmental 
document cannot also intervene. See 94 FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
    p. 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'', ``NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE 
COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``COMPETING APPLICATION,'' ``COMMENTS,'' 
``REPLY COMMENTS,''

[[Page 57725]]

``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. 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.
    q. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule 
will be made as appropriate (e.g., if scoping is waived, the schedule 
would be shortened).

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                Milestone                           Target date
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Notice of the availability of the EA....  February 2012.
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    Dated: September 12, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-23794 Filed 9-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P