Notice2022-23944
Allete, Inc.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions
Primary source
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Published
November 3, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66295-66297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23944]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2361-056]
Allete, Inc.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing,
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms
and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Subsequent License.
b. Project No.: 2361-056.
c. Date filed: December 20, 2021.
d. Applicant: Allete, Inc. (Allete).
e. Name of Project: Prairie River Hydroelectric Project (Prairie
River Project).
f. Location: On the Prairie River, near the Township of Arbo in
Itasca County, Minnesota. The project does not include any federal
lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. David R. Moeller, Senior Attorney &
Director of Regulatory Compliance, ALLETE, Inc., d.b.a. Minnesota
Power, 30 West Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802, 218-723-3963,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f2b22202a23232a3d0f2e23232a3b2a612c2022"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="37535a58525b5b524577565b5b5243521954585a">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Laura Washington (202) 502-6072,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fbb79a8e899ad5ac9a889392959c8f9495bb9d9e8998d59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="733f120601125d2412001b1a1d14071c1d33151601105d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary
prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice; reply
comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary
terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 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 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#aaeceff8e9e5c4c6c3c4cff9dfdadac5d8deeacccfd8c984cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a3e5e6f1e0eccdcfcacdc6f0d6d3d3ccd1d7e3c5c6d1c08dc4ccd5">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper
request. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed
to: Kimberly
[[Page 66296]]
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,
Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should include docket
number P-2361-056.
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.
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a final rule on
April 20, 2022, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1502, 1507,
and 1508 that federal agencies use to implement the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (see National Environmental Policy Act
Implementing Regulations Revisions, 87 FR 23,453-70). The final rule
became effective on May 20, 2022. Commission staff intends to conduct
its NEPA review in accordance with CEQ's new regulations.
l. The Prairie River Project consists of the following existing
facilities: (1) a 1,305-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of
15,800 acre-feet at water surface at elevation 1,289.4 <plus-minus> 0.1
feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD); (2) a 985-foot-long dam
consisting of: (a) overflow sections, (b) 729-foot-long left embankment
with a top elevation of 1.293.6 feet NGVD, (c) a 186-foot-long right
embankment with a top elevation of 1,293.6 feet, (d) 260-foot-long
concrete emergency spillway with a crest elevation of 1,289.9 feet
NGVD, (e) a gated spillway containing two 16-foot-long, 10-foot-high
steel Tainter gates with an elevation of 1,280.05 feet NGVD, (f) one 6-
foot-long, 6-foot-high steel Tainter gate with an elevation of 1,284.0
feet NGVD, (g) and two 7-foot-long, 6-foot-high timber slide gate bays
with an elevation of 1,284.0 feet NGVD; (3) a forebay consisting of:
(a) an inlet channel from the main reservoir, (b) an earthen dam, (c) a
concrete retaining dam; (4) a 23.5-foot-wide concrete intake structure
with a 20-foot-long, 13-foot-high steel Tainter gate, (5) a 20-foot-
long, 3-inch deep trashrack with 1.5 inch bar spacing; (6) a 450-foot-
long penstock; (7) a 76-foot-long, 28-foot-wide, 43.5-foot-high
reinforced concrete powerhouse containing: (a) a steel-lined,
reinforced concrete surge tank with a top elevation of 1,301.5 feet
NGVD, and (b) two vertical shaft Francis turbines with a total
installed capacity of 1.1 megawatts; (8) a 480-foot-long tailrace; and
(5) a 2.3/23 kilovolt transmission bank.
The Prairie River Project is currently operated in a run-of-river
mode and generates an annual average of approximately 3,087 megawatt-
hours. Allete proposes to continue operating the project as a run-of-
river facility and does not propose any new construction to the
project.
m. A copy of the application can be viewed on the Commission's
website at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a> using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the
docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number
field to access the document.
At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the
Commission's Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a
National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19),
issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#75333027363a1b19191c1b10260005051a070135131007165b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5c1a190e1f133230303532390f292c2c332e281c3a392e3f723b332a">[email protected]</span></a> or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or
TTY, (202) 502-8659.
n. 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'', ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,''
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY 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. All
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). 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.
You may also register online at <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related
to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support.
o. The license applicant must file no later than 60 days following
the date of issuance of this notice: (1) a copy of the water quality
certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request;
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification. Please note
that the certification request must comply with 40 CFR 121.5(b),
including documentation that a pre-filing meeting request was submitted
to the certifying authority at least 30 days prior to submitting the
certification request. Please note that the certification request must
be sent to the certifying authority and to the Commission concurrently.
p. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as
appropriate.
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Milestone Target date
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Deadline for Filing Protest, Motion to December 2022.
Intervene, Comments, Recommendations,
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and
Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions.
Deadline for Filing Reply Comments.......... February 2023.
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[[Page 66297]]
q. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
Dated: October 28, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-23944 Filed 11-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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