Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), Commencement of LLP Pre-Filing Process, and Scoping; Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests: Brookfield White Pine Hydro, LLC, 84569-84571 [2024-24522]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84569-84571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24522]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2528-106]


Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-
Application Document (Pad), Commencement of LLP Pre-Filing Process, and 
Scoping; Request for Comments on the Pad and Scoping Document, and 
Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests: Brookfield 
White Pine Hydro, LLC

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for 
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
    b. Project No.: 2528-106.
    c. Dated Filed: August 20, 2024.
    d. Submitted By: Brookfield White Pine Hydro, LLC (White Pine 
Hydro).
    e. Name of Project: Cataract Hydroelectric Project (Cataract 
Project or project).
    f. Location: The project is located on the Saco River in the cities 
of Saco and Biddeford, in York County, Maine.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's 
Regulations.

[[Page 84570]]

    h. Potential Applicant Contact: Michael Scarzello, Licensing 
Manager, Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC, 150 Main Street, Lewiston, 
Maine 04240; (315) 566-0197; [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: David Gandy at (202) 502-8560, or email at 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues that wish to cooperate in the preparation of the 
environmental document should follow the instructions for filing such 
requests described in item o 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).
    k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries 
Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint 
agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402; and the National 
Marine Fisheries Service under section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Management and Conservation Act and implementing regulations at 
50 CFR part 600.920. We are also initiating consultation with the Maine 
State Historic Preservation Officer, as required by section 106, 
National Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of 
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR part 800.2.
    l. With this notice, we are designating White Pine Hydro as the 
Commission's non-federal representative for carrying out informal 
consultation, pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act, and section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    m. White Pine Hydro filed with the Commission a Pre-Application 
Document (PAD; including a proposed process plan and schedule), 
pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
    n. A copy of the PAD may be viewed on the Commission's website 
(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 at 
[email protected], or call (866) 208-3676 (toll free) or (202) 
502-8659 (TTY). A copy is also available for inspection and 
reproduction at the address in paragraph h.
    You may 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.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595, or at [email protected].
    o. With this notice, we are soliciting comments on the PAD and 
Commission staff's Scoping Document 1 (SD1), as well as study requests. 
All comments on the PAD and SD1, and study requests should be sent to 
the address above in paragraph h. In addition, all comments on the PAD 
and SD1, study requests, requests for cooperating agency status, and 
all communications to and from Commission staff related to the merits 
of the potential application must be filed with the Commission.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
all documents 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. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online. In lieu of electronic filing, 
you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal 
Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: 
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. All filings must 
clearly identify the project name and docket number on the first page: 
Cataract Hydroelectric Project (P-2528-106).
    All filings with the Commission must bear the appropriate heading: 
``Comments on Pre-Application Document,'' ``Study Requests,'' 
``Comments on Scoping Document 1,'' ``Request for Cooperating Agency 
Status,'' or ``Communications to and from Commission Staff.'' Any 
individual or entity interested in submitting study requests, 
commenting on the PAD or SD1, and any agency requesting cooperating 
status must do so by December 18, 2024.
    p. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
Commission staff will 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 EIS.

Environmental Site Review

    White Pine Hydro and Commission staff will hold an environmental 
site review of the Cataract Project on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 8:30 
a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Participants interested 
in attending are encouraged to meet 15 minutes early at the Factory 
Island Parking Lot located at 146 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072 (Google 
Maps address link). Participants must register in advance to attend by 
contacting Michael Scarzello at (315) 566-0197, or by email at 
[email protected] on or before Tuesday, 
November 12, 2024.
    White Pine Hydro will provide a safety briefing at the beginning of 
the environmental site review and has indicated that persons attending 
the environmental site review will need to comply with the following 
requirements: (1) persons must be 18 years or older; (2) persons should 
wear sturdy shoes (open-toed shoes/sandals/flip flops/high heels, etc. 
will not be allowed on the environmental site review); (3) no 
photography will be allowed on-site; (4) small bags containing personal 
items for the site visit (i.e., notebooks, maps, water, etc.) will be 
allowed; (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.

Scoping Meetings

    Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of 
the project. The daytime meeting will focus on resource agencies, 
Native American Tribes, and non-governmental organization (NGO) 
concerns, while the evening meeting will primarily focus on receiving 
input from the public. We

[[Page 84571]]

invite all interested agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and 
individuals to attend one or both meetings to assist us in identifying 
the scope of environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA 
document. The dates and times of the scoping meetings are listed below.

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024.
    Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    Location: Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center, Zeigler Room.
    Address: 5 Boardwalk Drive, Saco, Maine 04072.
    Phone: (207) 282-4489.

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024.
    Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
    Location: Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center, Zeigler Room.
    Address: 5 Boardwalk Drive, Saco, Maine 04072.
    Phone: (207) 282-4489.
    Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals 
and entities on the Commission's mailing list, as well as White Pine 
Hydro's distribution list. Copies of SD1 will be available at the 
scoping meetings or may be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov, 
using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions for accessing 
information in paragraph n. Based on all oral and written comments, a 
Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. The SD2 may include a revised 
process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues, identified 
through the scoping process.

Meeting Procedures

    Agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals with 
environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the 
meetings and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues 
to be addressed in the NEPA document. At the start of each meeting, 
Commission staff will provide a brief overview of the meeting format 
and objectives. Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one 
basis with a court reporter (with Commission staff present). This 
format is designed to receive the maximum number of oral comments in a 
convenient way during the timeframe allotted. If you wish to speak, 
Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of your arrival. If 
all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to 
do so, Commission staff may conclude the meeting a half hour earlier 
than the scheduled time. Please see appendix A of the SD1 for 
additional information on the session format and conduct.\1\
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    \1\ The appendix referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendix were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov 
using the ``eLibrary'' link. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected], or (866) 208-3676 (toll free) or (202) 
502-8659 (TTY).
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    Scoping comments will be recorded by the court reporter and become 
part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be 
publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system. If a significant number 
of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one 
settings, a time limit may be implemented for each commentor.
    It is important to note that the Commission provides equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in writing or 
provided orally at a scoping session. Although there will not be a 
formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the 
scoping meeting(s) to answer your questions about the environmental 
review process. Representatives from White Pine Hydro will also be 
present to answer project-specific questions.

    Dated: October 17, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-24522 Filed 10-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P