PE Hydro Generation, LLC; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Reviews and Soliciting Scoping Comments, 24403-24405 [2023-08319]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 76 / Thursday, April 20, 2023 / Notices intervention deadline are untimely and may be denied. Any late-filed motion to intervene must show good cause for being late and must explain why the time limitation should be waived and provide justification by reference to factors set forth in Rule 214(d) of the Commission’s Rules and Regulations. A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies (paper or electronic) of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. Comments Any person wishing to comment on the project may do so. The Commission considers all comments received about the project in determining the appropriate action to be taken. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments on or before May 4, 2023. The filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. To become a party, you must intervene in the proceeding. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 How To File Protests, Interventions, and Comments There are two ways to submit protests, motions to intervene, and comments. In both instances, please reference the Project docket number CP23–141–000 in your submission. (1) You may file your protest, motion to intervene, and comments by using the Commission’s eFiling feature, which is located on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making; first select General’’ and then select ‘‘Protest’’, ‘‘Intervention’’, or ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; or 7 (2) You can file a paper copy of your submission by mailing it to the address below. Your submission must reference the Project docket number CP23–141– 000. To mail via USPS, use the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. To send via any other courier, use the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The Commission encourages electronic filing of submissions (option 1 above) and has eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Protests and motions to intervene must be served to the applicant by mail to: Jordan Kirwin, Director, Rates & Regulatory, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Post Office Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251–1396; or by email (with a link to the document) at Jordan.Kirwin@Williams.com. Any subsequent submissions by an intervenor must be served on the applicant and all other parties to the proceeding. Contact information for parties can be downloaded from the service list at the eService link on FERC Online. Tracking the Proceeding Throughout the proceeding, additional information about the project will be available from the Commission’s Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208– FERC, or on the FERC website at https:// www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link as described above. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. For more information and to register, go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferconline/overview. Intervention Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 4, 2023. Dated: April 13, 2023. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2023–08320 Filed 4–19–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 7 Additionally, you may file your comments electronically by using the eComment feature, which is located on the Commission’s website at www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. Using eComment is an easy method for interested persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project. VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:01 Apr 19, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 24403 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2391–053, Project No. 2425– 057, Project No. 2509–051] PE Hydro Generation, LLC; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Reviews and Soliciting Scoping Comments Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection. a. Type of Applications: Subsequent Minor, New Major License, Subsequent Minor. b. Project Nos.: P–2391–053, P–2425– 057, and P–2509–051. c. Date Filed: January 3, 2022. d. Applicant: PE Hydro Generation, LLC. e. Names of Projects: Warren Hydroelectric Project, Luray and Newport Hydroelectric Project, and Shenandoah Hydroelectric Project. f. Locations: The Warren Project is on the Shenandoah River near the Town of Front Royal in Warren County, Virginia. The two-development Luray and Newport Project is located on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near the Towns of Luray (Luray Development) and Newport (Newport Development) in Page County, Virginia. The Shenandoah Project is located on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near the Town of Shenandoah in Page and Rockingham, Counties, Virginia. The projects do not occupy any federal land. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Jody Smet, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, PE Hydro Generation, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1100W, Bethesda, MD 20814; Phone at (240) 482–2700 or email at jody.smet@eaglecreekre.com. i. FERC Contact: Kristine Sillett at (202) 502–6575; or email at kristine.sillett@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: June 12, 2023. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file scoping comments 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. E:\FR\FM\20APN1.SGM 20APN1 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 24404 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 76 / Thursday, April 20, 2023 / Notices 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, MD 20852. All filings must clearly identify the following on the first page: Warren Project No. 2391–053, and/or Luray and Newport Project No. 2425–057, and/or the Shenandoah Project No. 2509–051. The Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure require all interveners 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 intervener 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. The applications are not ready for environmental analysis at this time. l. Project Descriptions: The Warren Project consists of: (1) a 15.3-foot-high, 527-foot-long, reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 105-acre impoundment with a storage capacity of 900 acre-feet; (3) a 44-foot-wide headgate structure with four 4.5-foot by 8-foot gates; (4) a 350foot-long headrace canal; (5) an 82-footlong, 30-foot-wide powerhouse containing 3 Francis turbine/generating units with a total installed capacity of 750 kW; (6) 360-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) project generator lines; (7) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/ 34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (8) other appurtenances. The project creates an approximately 550-foot-long bypassed reach of the Shenandoah River. The Luray Development of the twodevelopment Luray and Newport Project, on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, consists of: (1) a 21.9-foot-high, 530-foot-long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 126-acre impoundment with a storage capacity of 880 acre-feet; (3) a 100-foot-long, 27.5foot-wide powerhouse, adjacent to the south end of the dam, containing three Francis turbine/generating units having a total installed capacity of 1,600 kW; VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:01 Apr 19, 2023 Jkt 259001 (4) 35-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (6) other appurtenances. The Newport Development of the Luray and Newport Project consists of: (1) a 28.8-foot-high, 443-foot-long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 103-acre impoundment with a storage capacity of 1,090 acre-feet; (3) a 73.5-foot-long, 21.2-foot-wide powerhouse adjacent to the north end of the dam, with three Francis turbine/generating units with a total installed capacity of 1,400 kW; (4) 150-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (5) other appurtenances. The Shenandoah Project consists of: (1) a 15-foot-high, 495-foot-long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 30-acre impoundment with a storage capacity of 190 acre feet; (3) a 91-foot-long, 38-footwide powerhouse adjacent to the north end of the dam, with four generating units having a total installed capacity of 862 kW; (4) 180-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/ 34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (6) other appurtenances. As required by their licenses, the Warren, Luray and Newport, and Shenandoah Projects all currently operate in run-of-river mode, or inflow, whichever is less, at all times. Run-ofriver flow allowing, PE Hydro maintains each reservoir surface at an elevation at least 1.0 inches above the spillway crest, thus providing a 1-inch veil flow over each dam. When flows are in excess of the flow required to maintain the 1-inch veil flow, PE Hydro typically commences generation using the available flows. When flows exceed the combined capacity of the projects’ turbines, excess flows are passed over the spillway dam. To enhance downstream eel passage, PE Hydro provides nightly shutdowns of the projects’ generating facilities from September 15 through December 15. PE Hydro proposes to continue to operate the Warren, Luray and Newport, and Shenandoah Projects with the following environmental measures: (1) maintain run-of-river operation at the projects; (2) continue to provide a minimum 1-inch veil flow of water over each dam, or inflow to the project reservoirs, whichever is less; (3) develop a downstream operations eel passage plan for each project within one year of license issuance; (4) continue night-time PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 shutdowns at the projects from September 15 through December 15 to protect eels migrating downstream until the implementation of a downstream operations eel passage plan; (5) conduct a radio telemetry study for eels migrating upstream at the Warren Project and Luray Development; (6) develop an upstream eel passage plan for each project within six months of license issuance based on the results of the radio telemetry study; (7) continue to maintain the canoe portage trail, including the take-out and put-in areas at the Warren Project; (8) continue to maintain the Luray Development Tailwater Fishing Pier, including the parking area, fishing pier, and gravel path; (9) continue to maintain the canoe portage trail, including the take-out and put-in areas at the Newport Development; (10) continue to maintain the canoe portage trail, including the take-out and put-in areas at the Shenandoah Project; and (11) continue to implement the existing Commissionapproved Cultural Resources Management Plan for the projects. m. Copies of the applications can be viewed on the Commission’s website at https://www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the project’s docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. You may also register 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, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. n. Scoping Process Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Commission staff intends to prepare either an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) (collectively referred to as the ‘‘NEPA document’’) that describes and evaluates the probable effects, including an assessment of the sitespecific and cumulative effects, if any, of the proposed action and alternatives. The Commission’s scoping process will help determine the required level of analysis and satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the Commission issues an EA or an EIS. Scoping Meetings Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings for the projects to receive input on the scope of the NEPA document. An evening meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on May 16, 2023, at the Mimslyn Inn in Luray, Virginia, and will focus on receiving input from the E:\FR\FM\20APN1.SGM 20APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 76 / Thursday, April 20, 2023 / Notices public. A daytime meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on May 17, 2023, at the same location, and will focus on the concerns of resource agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and Native American tribes. We invite all interested agencies, Indian Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals to attend one or both of these meetings. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows: Evening Scoping Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Time: 7:00 p.m. (EDT). Place: Mimslyn Inn (Blue Ridge Room). Address: 401 W Main St., Luray, VA 22835. Daytime Scoping Meeting Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Time: 10:00 a.m. (EDT). Place: Mimslyn Inn (Blue Ridge Room). Address: 401 W Main St., Luray, VA 22835. Copies of the Scoping Document (SD1) outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the NEPA document were distributed to the parties on the Commission’s mailing list. Copies of the SD1 will be available at the scoping meeting or may be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link (see item m above). Environmental Site Reviews The applicant and Commission staff will conduct environmental site reviews of the projects. All interested individuals, agencies, tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend. All participants are responsible for their own transportation to the sites and during the site visits. Please RSVP via email to joyce.foster@eaglecreekre.com or notify Joyce Foster at 804–338–5110 on or before May 9, 2023, if you plan to attend the environmental site reviews. The times and locations of the environmental site reviews are as follows: ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Luray and Newport, and Shenandoah Hydroelectric Projects Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Time: 9:30 a.m. (EDT). Place: Luray and Newport Hydroelectric Project: Luray Development. Address: 650 Power Dam Road, Luray, VA 22835. Participants will meet in the Luray Development parking lot; after the site visit for the Luray Development, we will travel to the Newport Development, located off U.S. Highway 340 near the intersection of U.S. Highway Business VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:01 Apr 19, 2023 Jkt 259001 24405 340 and U.S. Highway 340. After the site visit for the Luray and Newport Project, we will travel to the Shenandoah Hydroelectric Project, located at 575 Long Avenue, Shenandoah, VA 22849. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Warren Hydroelectric Project Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural Gas & Oil Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Time: 1:30 p.m. (EDT). Place: Warren Hydroelectric Project. Address: 106 Bennys Beach Road, Front Royal, VA 22630. All persons attending the environmental site reviews must adhere to the following requirements: (1) all persons must wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes or boots; (2) persons with opentoed shoes/sandals/flip flops/high heels, etc. will not be allowed on the environmental site reviews; (3) persons must be 18 years or older; (4) no photography will be allowed inside the powerhouses; (5) no weapons are allowed on-site; (6) no alcohol/drugs are allowed on-site (or persons exhibiting the effects thereof); and (7) no animals (except for service animals) are allowed on the environmental site reviews. Objectives At the scoping meetings, Commission staff will: (1) summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the NEPA document; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; (3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document, including viewpoints in opposition to, or in support of, the staff’s preliminary views; (4) determine the resource issues to be addressed in the NEPA document; and (5) identify those issues that require a detailed analysis, as well as those issues that do not require a detailed analysis. Procedures The meetings are recorded by a stenographer and become part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project. Individuals, NGOs, Native American tribes, and agencies with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed in the NEPA document. Dated: April 13, 2023. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2023–08319 Filed 4–19–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings Filings Instituting Proceedings Docket Numbers: PR23–44–000. Applicants: Moss Bluff Hub, LLC. Description: § 284.123 Rate Filing: Moss Bluff—TPGS Acquisition Notification to be effective N/A. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5121. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 5/4/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–682–000. Applicants: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC. Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Negotiated Rate Agreement Filing— Amend Macquarie Energy SP149963 to be effective 4/14/2023. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5101. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 4/25/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–683–000. Applicants: Egan Hub Storage, LLC. Description: Compliance filing: Egan—TPGS Acquisition Notification to be effective N/A. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5120. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 4/25/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–684–000. Applicants: Steckman Ridge, LP. Description: Compliance filing: Steckman—TPGS Acquisition Notification to be effective N/A. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5123. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 4/25/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–685–000. Applicants: Bobcat Gas Storage. Description: Compliance filing: Bobcat—TPGS Acquisition Notification to be effective N/A. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5124. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 4/25/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–686–000. Applicants: Tres Palacios Gas Storage LLC. Description: Compliance filing: Tres Palacios Acquisition Notification Filing to be effective N/A. Filed Date: 4/13/23. Accession Number: 20230413–5127. Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 4/25/23. Docket Numbers: RP23–687–000. Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC. Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Amendment to Neg Rate Agmt (Chevron E:\FR\FM\20APN1.SGM 20APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 76 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24403-24405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08319]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2391-053, Project No. 2425-057, Project No. 2509-051]


PE Hydro Generation, LLC; Notice of Scoping Meetings and 
Environmental Site Reviews and Soliciting Scoping Comments

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Applications: Subsequent Minor, New Major License, 
Subsequent Minor.
    b. Project Nos.: P-2391-053, P-2425-057, and P-2509-051.
    c. Date Filed: January 3, 2022.
    d. Applicant: PE Hydro Generation, LLC.
    e. Names of Projects: Warren Hydroelectric Project, Luray and 
Newport Hydroelectric Project, and Shenandoah Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Locations: The Warren Project is on the Shenandoah River near 
the Town of Front Royal in Warren County, Virginia. The two-development 
Luray and Newport Project is located on the South Fork of the 
Shenandoah River near the Towns of Luray (Luray Development) and 
Newport (Newport Development) in Page County, Virginia. The Shenandoah 
Project is located on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near the 
Town of Shenandoah in Page and Rockingham, Counties, Virginia. The 
projects do not occupy any federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Jody Smet, Vice President, Regulatory 
Affairs, PE Hydro Generation, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1100W, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; Phone at (240) 482-2700 or email at 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Kristine Sillett at (202) 502-6575; or email at 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: June 12, 2023.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
scoping comments 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.

[[Page 24404]]

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 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, 
MD 20852. All filings must clearly identify the following on the first 
page: Warren Project No. 2391-053, and/or Luray and Newport Project No. 
2425-057, and/or the Shenandoah Project No. 2509-051.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all 
interveners 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 intervener 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. The applications are not ready for environmental analysis at 
this time.
    l. Project Descriptions: The Warren Project consists of: (1) a 
15.3-foot-high, 527-foot-long, reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 105-acre 
impoundment with a storage capacity of 900 acre-feet; (3) a 44-foot-
wide headgate structure with four 4.5-foot by 8-foot gates; (4) a 350-
foot-long headrace canal; (5) an 82-foot-long, 30-foot-wide powerhouse 
containing 3 Francis turbine/generating units with a total installed 
capacity of 750 kW; (6) 360-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) project 
generator lines; (7) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/34.5-kV 
transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (8) other 
appurtenances. The project creates an approximately 550-foot-long 
bypassed reach of the Shenandoah River.
    The Luray Development of the two-development Luray and Newport 
Project, on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, consists of: (1) a 
21.9-foot-high, 530-foot-long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 126-acre 
impoundment with a storage capacity of 880 acre-feet; (3) a 100-foot-
long, 27.5-foot-wide powerhouse, adjacent to the south end of the dam, 
containing three Francis turbine/generating units having a total 
installed capacity of 1,600 kW; (4) 35-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) 
project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/
34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (6) 
other appurtenances.
    The Newport Development of the Luray and Newport Project consists 
of: (1) a 28.8-foot-high, 443-foot-long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 
103-acre impoundment with a storage capacity of 1,090 acre-feet; (3) a 
73.5-foot-long, 21.2-foot-wide powerhouse adjacent to the north end of 
the dam, with three Francis turbine/generating units with a total 
installed capacity of 1,400 kW; (4) 150-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt (kV) 
project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 2.4/
34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and (5) 
other appurtenances.
    The Shenandoah Project consists of: (1) a 15-foot-high, 495-foot-
long reinforced concrete dam; (2) a 30-acre impoundment with a storage 
capacity of 190 acre feet; (3) a 91-foot-long, 38-foot-wide powerhouse 
adjacent to the north end of the dam, with four generating units having 
a total installed capacity of 862 kW; (4) 180-foot-long, 2.4-kilovolt 
(kV) project generator lines; (5) a substation containing a 3-phase, 
2.4/34.5-kV transformer where interconnection with the grid occurs; and 
(6) other appurtenances.
    As required by their licenses, the Warren, Luray and Newport, and 
Shenandoah Projects all currently operate in run-of-river mode, or 
inflow, whichever is less, at all times. Run-of-river flow allowing, PE 
Hydro maintains each reservoir surface at an elevation at least 1.0 
inches above the spillway crest, thus providing a 1-inch veil flow over 
each dam. When flows are in excess of the flow required to maintain the 
1-inch veil flow, PE Hydro typically commences generation using the 
available flows. When flows exceed the combined capacity of the 
projects' turbines, excess flows are passed over the spillway dam. To 
enhance downstream eel passage, PE Hydro provides nightly shutdowns of 
the projects' generating facilities from September 15 through December 
15.
    PE Hydro proposes to continue to operate the Warren, Luray and 
Newport, and Shenandoah Projects with the following environmental 
measures: (1) maintain run-of-river operation at the projects; (2) 
continue to provide a minimum 1-inch veil flow of water over each dam, 
or inflow to the project reservoirs, whichever is less; (3) develop a 
downstream operations eel passage plan for each project within one year 
of license issuance; (4) continue night-time shutdowns at the projects 
from September 15 through December 15 to protect eels migrating 
downstream until the implementation of a downstream operations eel 
passage plan; (5) conduct a radio telemetry study for eels migrating 
upstream at the Warren Project and Luray Development; (6) develop an 
upstream eel passage plan for each project within six months of license 
issuance based on the results of the radio telemetry study; (7) 
continue to maintain the canoe portage trail, including the take-out 
and put-in areas at the Warren Project; (8) continue to maintain the 
Luray Development Tailwater Fishing Pier, including the parking area, 
fishing pier, and gravel path; (9) continue to maintain the canoe 
portage trail, including the take-out and put-in areas at the Newport 
Development; (10) continue to maintain the canoe portage trail, 
including the take-out and put-in areas at the Shenandoah Project; and 
(11) continue to implement the existing Commission-approved Cultural 
Resources Management Plan for the projects.
    m. Copies of the applications can be viewed on the Commission's 
website at https://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the 
project's docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    You may also register 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, please 
contact FERC Online Support at [email protected].
    n. Scoping Process
    Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
Commission staff intends to prepare either an environmental assessment 
(EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) (collectively referred 
to as the ``NEPA document'') that describes and evaluates the probable 
effects, including an assessment of the site-specific and cumulative 
effects, if any, of the proposed action and alternatives. The 
Commission's scoping process will help determine the required level of 
analysis and satisfy the NEPA scoping requirements, irrespective of 
whether the Commission issues an EA or an EIS.

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings for the projects to 
receive input on the scope of the NEPA document. An evening meeting 
will be held at 7:00 p.m. on May 16, 2023, at the Mimslyn Inn in Luray, 
Virginia, and will focus on receiving input from the

[[Page 24405]]

public. A daytime meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on May 17, 2023, 
at the same location, and will focus on the concerns of resource 
agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Native American 
tribes. We invite all interested agencies, Indian Tribes, non-
governmental organizations, and individuals to attend one or both of 
these meetings. The times and locations of these meetings are as 
follows:

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
    Time: 7:00 p.m. (EDT).
    Place: Mimslyn Inn (Blue Ridge Room).
    Address: 401 W Main St., Luray, VA 22835.

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
    Time: 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
    Place: Mimslyn Inn (Blue Ridge Room).
    Address: 401 W Main St., Luray, VA 22835.
    Copies of the Scoping Document (SD1) outlining the subject areas to 
be addressed in the NEPA document were distributed to the parties on 
the Commission's mailing list. Copies of the SD1 will be available at 
the scoping meeting or may be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov 
using the ``eLibrary'' link (see item m above).

Environmental Site Reviews

    The applicant and Commission staff will conduct environmental site 
reviews of the projects. All interested individuals, agencies, tribes, 
and NGOs are invited to attend. All participants are responsible for 
their own transportation to the sites and during the site visits. 
Please RSVP via email to [email protected] or notify Joyce 
Foster at 804-338-5110 on or before May 9, 2023, if you plan to attend 
the environmental site reviews. The times and locations of the 
environmental site reviews are as follows:

Luray and Newport, and Shenandoah Hydroelectric Projects

    Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
    Time: 9:30 a.m. (EDT).
    Place: Luray and Newport Hydroelectric Project: Luray Development.
    Address: 650 Power Dam Road, Luray, VA 22835.
    Participants will meet in the Luray Development parking lot; after 
the site visit for the Luray Development, we will travel to the Newport 
Development, located off U.S. Highway 340 near the intersection of U.S. 
Highway Business 340 and U.S. Highway 340. After the site visit for the 
Luray and Newport Project, we will travel to the Shenandoah 
Hydroelectric Project, located at 575 Long Avenue, Shenandoah, VA 
22849.

Warren Hydroelectric Project

    Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
    Time: 1:30 p.m. (EDT).
    Place: Warren Hydroelectric Project.
    Address: 106 Bennys Beach Road, Front Royal, VA 22630.
    All persons attending the environmental site reviews must adhere to 
the following requirements: (1) all persons must wear sturdy, closed-
toe shoes or boots; (2) persons with open-toed shoes/sandals/flip 
flops/high heels, etc. will not be allowed on the environmental site 
reviews; (3) persons must be 18 years or older; (4) no photography will 
be allowed inside the powerhouses; (5) no weapons are allowed on-site; 
(6) no alcohol/drugs are allowed on-site (or persons exhibiting the 
effects thereof); and (7) no animals (except for service animals) are 
allowed on the environmental site reviews.

Objectives

    At the scoping meetings, Commission staff will: (1) summarize the 
environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the NEPA 
document; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available 
information, especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; 
(3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that 
should be analyzed in the NEPA document, including viewpoints in 
opposition to, or in support of, the staff's preliminary views; (4) 
determine the resource issues to be addressed in the NEPA document; and 
(5) identify those issues that require a detailed analysis, as well as 
those issues that do not require a detailed analysis.

Procedures

    The meetings are recorded by a stenographer and become part of the 
formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project. Individuals, 
NGOs, Native American tribes, and agencies with environmental expertise 
and concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting and to assist the 
staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed in the NEPA 
document.

    Dated: April 13, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-08319 Filed 4-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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