Notice2024-22227
White Pine Waterpower, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Scoping Meetings, and Environmental Site Review; Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests; and Soliciting Scoping Comments
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Published
September 27, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 188 (Friday, September 27, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79288-79290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22227]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 14851-003]
White Pine Waterpower, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing, Scoping Meetings, and Environmental Site Review; Soliciting
Motions To Intervene and Protests; and Soliciting Scoping Comments
Take notice that the following application has been filed with the
Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Original Major License.
b. Project No.: P-14851-003.
c. Date filed: February 27, 2023.
d. Applicant: rPlus Hydro, LLLP, on behalf of White Pine
Waterpower, LLC (White Pine Waterpower).
e. Name of Project: White Pine Pumped Storage Project (White Pine
Project or project).
f. Location: The proposed project would be located approximately 8
miles northeast of the City of Ely, in White Pine County, Nevada. The
project would occupy 1,096.01 acres of Federal land managed by the U.S.
Bureau of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Greg Copeland, Program Manager for rPlus
Hydro, LLLP. Address: White Pine Waterpower, LLC c/o rPlus Hydro, LLLP
201 S Main St., Suite 2100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Phone: (801)
759-2223. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88efebe7f8ede4e9e6ecc8faf8e4fdfbede6edfaefe1edfba6ebe7e5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f99e9a96899c9598979db98b89958c8a9c979c8b9e909c8ad79a9694">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Evan Williams, (202) 502-8462, or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cca9baada2e2bba5a0a0a5ada1bf8caaa9beafe2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d485b4c43035a444141444c405e6d4b485f4e034a425b">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: November 22, 2024.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
scoping comments and motions to intervene and protests 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>. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#296f6c7b6a66474540474c7a5c5959465b5d694f4c5b4a074e465f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4e080b1c0d01202227202b1d3b3e3e213c3a0e282b3c2d60292138">[email protected]</span></a>, (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: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting
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, Acting 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: White Pine Pumped Storage Project (P-14851-
003).
The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure 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 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. This application has been accepted for filing, but is not ready
for environmental analysis at this time.
l. Project Description: The proposed White Pine Project would
involve constructing the following new facilities: (1) a 5,695-foot-
long lined compacted rock-fill dam that would create a 4,082-acre-foot
upper reservoir that would be lined with an impermeable
polyvinylchloride liner to reduce leakage and would be surrounded by a
10-foot-high wildlife and security fence; (2) a 6,629-foot-long
compacted earth-fill embankment dam that would create a 4,241-acre-foot
lower reservoir that would be lined with an impermeable liner to reduce
leakage and would be surrounded by a 10-foot-high wildlife and security
fence; (3) a water conveyance system connecting the upper and lower
reservoirs that consists of the following structures: (a) an ungated
vertical inlet/outlet bellmouth-type structure located at the bottom of
the upper reservoir with a 65-foot-deep conical transition to provide
flow into a 20-foot-diameter, 2,260-foot-high reinforced concrete-lined
vertical headrace shaft; (b) a 20-foot-diameter, 240-foot-long
horizontal steel-lined high-pressure headrace tunnel; (c) three 11-
foot-diameter, 134- to- 200-foot-long steel-lined underground
penstocks, each with a turbine main inlet valve just upstream of each
pump-turbine unit; (d) three 13-foot-diameter, 352- to- 448-foot-long
steel-lined draft tube tunnels of, that transition to concrete-lined
tunnels of unknown length, downstream of the transformer cavern; (e) a
22-foot-diameter, 7,610-foot-long concrete-lined tailrace tunnel that
terminates at the inlet/outlet structure; and (f) an approximately
92.5-foot-wide intake/outlet structure with trashracks, designed as a
horizontal fan-shaped diffusor, that extends more than 100 feet from
the tailrace tunnel and isolates the lower reservoir from the tailrace
tunnel by a pair of 10.5-foot by 25-foot stoplogs in slots extending
down from the intake/outlet structure; (4) a 367-foot-long, 83-foot-
wide, 191-foot-high underground powerhouse cavern containing three 333-
megawatt Francis pump-turbines and three generator-motors; (5) a 300-
foot-long, 62-foot-wide, 93-foot-high underground transformer cavern
containing three-phase step-up transformers connected to the powerhouse
cavern by three busbar tunnels of unknown dimensions; (6) three 345-
kilovolt underground circuits connecting from the unit transformers in
the transformer cavern through a 4,950-foot-long, 24-foot-diameter, D-
shaped cable tunnel to the new switchyard; (7) a 400-foot-long by 370-
foot-wide fenced outdoor switchyard where the circuits would be
combined into a single 345-kilovolt transmission line; (8) a 25-mile-
long, 345 kilovolt overhead transmission line that connects to the grid
at the existing NV Energy Robinson Summit substation (the point of
[[Page 79289]]
interconnection); (9) a 5,108-foot-long 30-foot-diameter, D-shaped
shotcrete-lined main access tunnel to provide access to the powerhouse
and transformer caverns; (10) six other secondary access tunnels for
accessing the transformer and powerhouse caverns (4 tunnels), the
tailrace, and the headrace; (11) access roads, including: (a) 4,872-
foot-long lower reservoir perimeter road; (c) a 572-foot-long
switchyard access road; (d) a 37,300-foot-long, permanent, dual-lane
paved upper reservoir access road; (e) a 6,200-foot-long upper
reservoir perimeter road; and (f) an unknown number of access roads for
transmission line access; (12) a gated, signed, and signaled railroad
crossing for construction vehicle traffic across the active Nevada
Northern Railway HiLine track; (13) a permanent, approximately
1,005,000-cubic-yard spoil disposal site; (14) an unknown number of
temporary explosives storage facilities of unknown dimensions; and (15)
appurtenant facilities. A new, alternative upper reservoir access road
is being considered that would utilize an approximately 3.5-mile long,
permanent, dual-lane paved roadway that would connect the proposed
upper reservoir location to White Pine County Road 29 (NV-486), through
the Duck Creek Range and across Duck Creek. Additionally, a gated,
signed, and signaled railroad crossing for construction vehicle traffic
across the currently inactive Nevada Northern Railway Mainline track is
also being considered, if the track is reactivated.
The project would also utilize existing portions of unknown lengths
of U.S. highway 93 and an existing unimproved, unpaved vehicle track as
the proposed western access road, and an unknown number of existing
access roads and tracks of unknown length to access the proposed
transmission line and temporary explosives storage facilities.
Additionally, an unknown number of existing power distribution lines
would need to be re-routed and upgraded before construction of the
project to avoid impacts as a result of lower reservoir construction
and to facilitate crossings at the western access road. Further, an
unidentified ridge road of unknown length would need to be rerouted to
bypass construction and permanent facilities. NV Energy would also need
to design and construct a new bay at the Robinson Summit Substation for
the interconnection of the project.
The water used for construction, to initially fill the new lower
reservoir, and to provide make-up water would come from a proposed
wellfield pumping array composed of four new approximately 800-foot-
deep, 14-inch-diameter groundwater wells. Each well would contain a
submersible pump capable of continuously producing approximately 1,000
gallons per minute (gpm), resulting in 3,000 gpm for the system and a
1,000-gpm redundant reserve. Each well would connect to an
approximately 4-mile-long buried pipeline that would increase from 8-
inch to 16-inch-diameter and would connect to the lower reservoir
through a buried concrete trench near the crest of the lower reservoir
dam. The initial volume of water necessary to fill the lower reservoir
is estimated to be 5,000 acre-feet and would be filled over a 12- to
18-month period. It is estimated that the project would need
approximately 560 acre-feet of water each year to replenish water lost
through seepage, leakage, and evaporation. Once the lower reservoir is
filled, approximately 4,082 acre-feet could be cycled between the lower
reservoir and upper reservoir each day. A proposed 2,600-foot-deep, 500
gpm well and water conveyance facilities would be constructed near the
Duck Creek Range crest and upper reservoir to provide water for
construction, hydrogeologic analysis, groundwater monitoring, and
initial fill.
The project is designed to generate electricity on demand for up to
8 hours each day at the maximum generating capacity. The estimated
annual generation is 2,400 gigawatt-hours per year.
m. A copy of the application can be viewed on the Commission's
website at <a href="https://www.ferc.gov">https://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, please contact FERC
Online Support (see item j above).
You may also register 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, please
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
n. Anyone may submit a protest or a motion to intervene in
accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18
CFR 385.210, 385.211, and 385.214. In determining the appropriate
action to take, the Commission will consider all protests 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 protests
or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified
deadline date for the particular application.
When the application is ready for environmental analysis, the
Commission will issue a public notice requesting comments,
recommendations, terms and conditions, or prescriptions.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``PROTEST'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE;'' (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.
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.
o. 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#46091616062023342568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98d7c8c8d8fefdeafbb6fff7ee">[email protected]</span></a>.
p. The Commission's scoping process will help determine the
required level of analysis and satisfy the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the
Commission issues an environmental assessment or an environmental
impact statement.
Scoping Meetings
In addition to written comments solicited by this notice,
Commission staff will hold three public scoping meetings at the times
and locations noted below. All interested individuals, resource
agencies, Native American Tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend any of
the meetings to assist Commission staff in identifying the scope of
environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. The
times and locations of these meetings are as follows:
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PST.
Location: Bristlecone Convention Center.
Address: 150 6th Street, Ely, Nevada 89301.
[[Page 79290]]
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST.
Location: Bristlecone Convention Center.
Address: 150 6th Street, Ely, Nevada 89301.
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. Copies of SD1 will be
available at the scoping meetings, or 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 m.
Environmental Site Review
White Pine and Commission staff will conduct an environmental site
review of the project beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23,
2024. All interested individuals, resource agencies, Native American
Tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend the site review. Attendees are
responsible for their own vehicle transport and should wear appropriate
outdoor clothing and footwear. The existing road to the upper reservoir
site is steep and rocky; therefore, attendees wishing to see the upper
reservoir site should plan on driving their own 4x4, high clearance,
off-road capable vehicle to access that particular site. Persons
planning on participating in the site visit must RSVP to Mr. Gregory
Copeland of rPlus Energies at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7c0c4c8d7c2cbc6c9c3e7d5d7cbd2d4c2c9c2d5c0cec2d489c4c8ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b0c08041b0e070a050f2b191b071e180e050e190c020e1845080406">[email protected]</span></a> or by phone
at (801) 759-2223, no later than October 16, 2024, to register for the
environmental site review. For administrative purposes, rPlus prefers
interested persons to RSVP by email.
Meeting Procedures
Individuals, NGOs, Native American Tribes, and agencies 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 1 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 <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a> using the ``eLibrary'' link. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#561013041519383a3f383305232626392422163033243578313920"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="367073647579585a5f585365434646594442765053445518515940">[email protected]</span></a> or call
(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 of 5 minutes 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 session to answer your questions about the environmental review
process. Representatives from White Pine will also be present to answer
project-specific questions.
q. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following anticipated processing schedule. Revisions to the
schedule will be made as appropriate. The schedule for issuing draft
and final NEPA documents is consistent with the Commission's Notice of
Revised Schedule issued November 15, 2023:
Scoping Document 1 Issued--September 2024.
Acceptance and Scoping Notice Issued--September 2024.
Scoping Document 1 Comments Due--November 2024.
Issue Scoping Document 2 (if needed)--December 2024.
Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis--April 2025.
Comments, Recommendations and Agency Terms and Conditions/
Prescriptions Due--June 2025.
Applicant's Reply Comments Due--July 2025.
Commission Issues Draft NEPA Document--January 2026.
Commission Issues Final NEPA Document--July 2026.
Dated: September 23, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-22227 Filed 9-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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