Notice2023-17478
Owyhee Energy Storage, LLC; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), Commencement of ILP Pre-Filing Process and Scoping; Request for Comments on the PAD and Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study Requests
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 15, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55442-55443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17478]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 15006-001]
Owyhee Energy Storage, LLC; Notice of Intent To File License
Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (PAD), Commencement of
ILP Pre-Filing Process and Scoping; Request for Comments on the PAD and
Scoping Document, and Identification of Issues and Associated Study
Requests
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File License Application for
an Original License, Commencing Pre-filing Process, and Denial of
Request to Use the Traditional Licensing Process.
b. Project No.: 15006-001.
c. Dated Filed: April 14, 2023.
d. Submitted By: Owyhee Energy Storage, LLC (OES).
e. Name of Project: Owyhee Pumped Storage Project (Owyhee Project)
f. Location: On the northeast side of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's
(Reclamation) Owyhee Reservoir on the Owyhee River approximately 10
miles southwest of Adrian in Malheur County, Oregon. The project would
be located on Federal lands owned and/or administered by Reclamation
and Bureau of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
regulations.
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Matthew Shapiro, rPlus Hydro LLLP, 800
West Main Street, Suite 640, Boise, Idaho 83702; phone: (208) 246-9925.
i. FERC Contact: John Matkowski, (202) 502-8576,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e0401060040030f1a0501191d05072e080b1c0d40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="69030601074704081d02061e1a0200290f0c1b0a470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. OES filed its Pre-Application Document (PAD) and request to use
the Traditional Licensing Process (TLP) on April 14, 2023. OES
published public notice of its Notice of Intent to file a license
application, PAD, and request to use the TLP on the same day. After
reviewing comments submitted by stakeholders, Commission staff denied
OES's request to use the TLP on June 13, 2023. OES must use the
Integrated Licensing Process to prepare a license application for the
Owyhee Project.
k. 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).
l. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with:
(a) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA Fisheries under
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint agency
regulations thereunder at 50 CFR part 402; and (b) the Oregon 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 800.2.
m. With this notice, we are designating OES as the Commission's
non-Federal representative for carrying out informal consultation,
pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act.
n. A copy of the PAD is available for review on the Commission's
website (<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. For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#672122352428090b0e090234121717081513270102150449000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d1979483929ebfbdb8bfb482a4a1a1bea3a591b7b4a3b2ffb6bea7">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). A copy of the PAD is also available for public
inspection during normal business hours at the office of rPlus Hydro,
800 W. Main Street, Suite 640, Boise, Idaho 83702.
You may register online at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx</a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ca859a9a8aacafb8a9e4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84cbd4d4c4e2e1f6e7aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.
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
[[Page 55443]]
Commission staff related to the merits of the potential application
must be filed with the Commission.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
documents using the Commission's eFiling system at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx</a>. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx</a>. You
must include your name and contact information at the end of your
comments. 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: 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, Maryland 20852.
All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on
the first page: Owyhee Pumped Storage Project (P-15006-001).
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 October 7, 2023.
p. Scoping Process
In accordance with 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''). The NEPA document will consider both site-
specific and cumulative environmental effects, and reasonable
alternatives to the proposed action. The Commission's scoping process
will help determine the required level of analysis and satisfy the NEPA
scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the Commission prepares
an EA or EIS.
Scoping Meetings
Commission staff will hold two public scoping meetings to receive
input on the scope of the environmental issues that should be analyzed
in the NEPA document. The daytime scoping meeting will focus on
resource agency, Native American Tribes, and non-governmental
organization (NGO) concerns, while the evening scoping meeting will
focus on receiving input from the public. We invite all interested
agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals to attend one
of these meetings to assist us in identifying the scope of
environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. The
dates, times and locations of these meetings are as follows:
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)
Place: Holiday Inn Express & Suites--Ontario Meeting Room
Address: 212 SE 10th St, Ontario, OR 97914
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. MDT
Place: Holiday Inn Express & Suites--Ontario Meeting Room
Address: 212 SE 10th St, Ontario, OR 97914
Copies of SD1, outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the
environmental document, was mailed to the individuals and entities on
the Commission's mailing list and OES's PAD distribution list. Copies
of SD1 may be viewed on the web at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>, 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. SD2 may include a revised process plan and
schedule, as well as a list of issues, based on the scoping process.
Environmental Site Reviews
The applicant and Commission staff will conduct an environmental
site review of the proposed project. All interested agencies, Native
American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals are invited to attend. All
participants are responsible for their own transportation and must wear
closed-toe shoes/boots for walking in uneven/sloped terrain around the
proposed project area. If you plan to attend the environmental site
review, please contact Matthew Shapiro with rPlus Hydro at (208) 246-
9925, or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fb9688939a8b928994bb898b978e889e959e899c929e88d5989496"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0ddc3d8d1c0d9c2dff0c2c0dcc5c3d5ded5c2d7d9d5c39ed3dfdd">[email protected]</span></a>, on or before August
25, 2023. If calling to RSVP, stakeholders should provide their name,
phone number, and an email address. The time and location of the
environmental site review is as follows:
Owyhee Project On-Site Environmental Site Review
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2023
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (MDT)
Place: The location to meet for the Environmental Site Review will be
provided to those that RSVP
Meeting Objectives
At the scoping meetings, Commission staff will: (1) initiate
scoping of the issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions; (3)
review and discuss existing information and identify preliminary
information and study needs; (4) review and discuss the process plan
and schedule for pre-filing activity that incorporates the time frames
provided for in part 5 of the Commission's regulations and, to the
extent possible, maximizes coordination of Federal, State, and Tribal
permitting and certification processes; and (5) discuss the potential
of any Federal or State agency or Native American Tribe to act as a
cooperating agency for development of an environmental document.
Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues and/
or concerns. Please review the PAD in preparation for the scoping
meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are
included in item n of this document.
Meeting Procedures
The scoping meetings will be recorded by a court reporter, and all
statements will become part of the Commission's public record for the
project.
Agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals with
environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the
meetings and to assist Commission staff in defining and clarifying the
issues to be addressed in the NEPA document.
Dated: August 8, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-17478 Filed 8-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 15, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.