Notice2022-12217
Springfield Water and Sewer Commission; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene
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Published
June 7, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 109 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34681-34682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12217]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CD22-7-000]
Springfield Water and Sewer Commission; Notice of Preliminary
Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and
Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene
On May 17, 2022, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, filed
a notice of intent to construct a qualifying conduit hydropower
facility, pursuant to section 30 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). The
existing Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station Project has an installed
capacity of 33 megawatts (MW) and is located at the end of the
applicant's Cobble Mountain power tunnel in Granville, Hampden County,
Massachusetts.\1\
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\1\ The Commission, in a November 30, 1988 Order Finding
Licensing of Hydroelectric Project Not Required, found that the
entire Cobble Mountain Project was built before 1935, does not
occupy any public lands or reservations of the United States, and
does not use surplus water or waterpower from a federal government
dam. City of Springfield, MA, 45 FERC ] 62,178 (1988). The Cobble
Mountain Hydroelectric Station Project is a component of the project
addressed in that order.
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Applicant Contact: Michael A. Swiger, Van Ness Feldman, LLP, 1050
Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202-298-1891,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0865697b487e666e266b6765"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="076a6674477169612964686a">[email protected]</span></a>.
FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, 202-502-6778,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2d4e455f445e59425d45485f034e454c4348546d4b485f4e034a425b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3c5f544e554f48534c54594e125f545d5259457c5a594e5f125b534a">[email protected]</span></a>.
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The project
consists of: (1) the approximately 72-feet-long by 53-feet-wide Cobble
Mountain Hydroelectric Station, containing three vertical Francis units
with a combined capacity of 33 MW; (2) three steel penstocks of varying
lengths, but approximately 600 feet long; and (3) appurtenant
facilities. The proposed project would have an estimated annual
generation of approximately 20,000 megawatt-hours.
The project discharges water to the Little River, a natural body of
water. Because a portion of the discharge would not be withdrawn
downstream by part of the same water supply system, the applicant
requests waiver of the discharge requirement under 18 CFR
4.30(b)(30)(iv).
The applicant states that it has no current plans for future units.
As the units continue to age, it will evaluate the costs and benefits
of maintaining the existing units or possible replacement.\2\
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\2\ Application at 6.
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A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined
or deemed to meet all the criteria shown in the table below.
Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
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Statutory provision Description Satisfies (Y/N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A)............................... The conduit the facility uses is a tunnel, Y
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)............................ The facility is constructed, operated, or Y
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)........................... The facility has an installed capacity that Y
does not exceed 40 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii).......................... On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is Y
not licensed, or exempted from the licensing
requirements of Part I of the FPA.
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Preliminary Determination: The Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric
Station Project is an existing project. However, as noted above, it has
not been licensed or exempted from the licensing requirements of Part I
of the FPA, is under 40 MW, and does not alter the primary purpose of
the conduit, which is to transport potable water for municipal use.
Therefore, based upon the above criteria, if the requested discharge
requirement waiver is granted, Commission staff preliminarily
determines that the operation of the project described above satisfies
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, which is
not required to be licensed or exempted from licensing. However, at
such time as the applicant plans modifications to the existing project,
it would need to reapply for a determination that the project satisfies
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility.
Comments and Motions to Intervene: Deadline for filing comments
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 30
days from the issuance date of this notice. 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.\3\ All comments contesting
Commission staff's preliminary determination that the facility meets
the qualifying criteria must set forth their evidentiary basis.
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\3\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2021).
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The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene and comments using the Commission's eFiling system
at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp</a> Commenters can submit
brief comments
[[Page 34682]]
up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment
system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp</a>. You must
include your name and contact information at the end of your comments.
For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#460003140509282a2f282315333636293432062023342568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5e3e0f7e6eacbc9cccbc0f6d0d5d5cad7d1e5c3c0d7c68bc2cad3">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may send 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. 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 385.2010.
Locations of Notice of Intent: The Commission provides all
interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the contents of
this document via the internet through the Commission's website at
<a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp</a>. Enter the docket number
(i.e., CD22-7) in the docket number field to access the document. You
may also register online at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp</a> to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. Copies of the notice of
intent can be obtained directly from the applicant. For assistance,
call toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7e1e2f5e4e8c9cbcec9c2f4d2d7d7c8d5d3e7c1c2d5c489c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6c2a293e2f2302000502093f191c1c031e182c0a091e0f420b031a">[email protected]</span></a>. For
TTY, call (202) 502-8659.
Dated: June 1, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-12217 Filed 6-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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