Notice2024-27356
Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests
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
November 22, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 226 (Friday, November 22, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 92673-92675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27356]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 175-032]
Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Accepted
for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: New Major License.
b. Project No.: 175-132.
c. Date filed: April 18, 2024.
d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
e. Name of Project: Balch Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The existing project is located Fresno County,
California, is in the Sierra Nevada, approximately 45 miles northeast
of the City of Fresno and on the North Fork Kings River. The North Fork
Kings River drains into the Kings River, which then drains into the San
Joaquin River. PG&E's proposed FERC Project Boundary includes 694.67
acres of lands, of which 491.50 acres are United States (U.S.) lands,
all of which are National Forest System.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Dave Gabbard, Vice President Power
Generation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 300 Lakeside Drive,
Oakland, CA 94612; telephone at (650) 207-9705; email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#abefcaddc2cf85cccac9c9cad9cfebdbccce85c8c4c6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="652104130c014b02040707041701251502004b060a08">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Benjamin Mann Project Coordinator, West Branch,
Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-8127; email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4022252e2a212d292e6e2d212e2e00262532236e272f36"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="086a6d6662696561662665696666486e6d7a6b266f677e">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests: 60 days
from the issuance date of this notice.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene and protests using the Commission's eFiling system
at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERC.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERC.aspx</a>. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system
[[Page 92674]]
at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/Quick.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/Quick.aspx</a>. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eea8abbcada1808287808bbd9b9e9e819c9aae888b9c8dc0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="387e7d6a7b77565451565d6b4d4848574a4c785e5d4a5b165f574e">[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, 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: Balch Hydroelectric Project (P-175-032).
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 but is not ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
l. The existing Balch Hydroelectric Project (project) includes the
following facilities: (1) a 135-foot-high, 396-foot-long diversion dam
with a crest elevation of 4,098 feet that includes a 364-foot-long
spillway and is located on the North Fork Kings River 9.9 miles
upstream of the confluence with Kings River; (2) the 35-acre Black Rock
Reservoir with a usable storage capacity of 1,260 acre-feet at a normal
water surface elevation of 4,097 feet; (3) an 11-foot-high, concrete
tunnel intake; (4) a water conveyance system consisting of: (a) a
19,336-foot-long tunnel with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 760 cubic
feet per second (cfs) that includes the 308-foot-long Black Rock Adit,
the 350-foot-long Weir Creek Adit, an unlined surge chamber, and two
sluice channels; (5) a 4,905.6-foot-long penstock leading to the Balch
No. 1 Powerhouse and a 4,933.3-foot-long penstock leading to the Balch
No. 2 Powerhouse; (6) the 65.5- foot-long, 80.5-foot-wide Balch No. 1
Powerhouse housing one turbine-generator unit with an authorized
installed capacity of 31.02 megawatts (MW) and a maximum hydraulic
capacity of 213 cfs; (7) the 149-foot-long, 84-foot-wide Balch No. 2
Powerhouse housing two turbine-generator units with a total authorized
installed capacity of 105 MW and a maximum hydraulic capacity of 315
cfs; (8) a 165-foot-high, 238-foot-long afterbay dam with a crest
elevation of 1,704 feet that includes a 238-foot-long spillway; (9) a
7-acre afterbay with a usable storage capacity of 135 acre-feet; (10)
project roads and trails; (11) recreation facilities; (12) a 22-mile-
long, 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line connecting the project with
the grid at Piedra Junction; (13) the 76-acre Balch Camp, which is the
project operating headquarters and includes personnel housing; (14) a
6.2-mile-line, 12-kV distribution line connecting Balch Camp with the
project's diversion dam; and (15) appurtenant facilities.
The Balch Project is located downstream of PG&E's Haas-Kings River
Hydroelectric Project No. 1988 and Helms Pumped Storage Project No.
2735, which use the same reservoirs (Courtright Lake and Lake Wilshon)
for operation. The project is operated as a peaking facility to
generate power that is released from upstream storage to meet power
demand and for irrigation purposes. Project operation is coordinated
with Project No. 1988, whose releases from Lake Wilshon largely control
inflow to Black Rock Reservoir; however, spill fluctuations at the
project are possible at times when inflow exceeds powerhouse capacity
and during powerhouse outages.
The current license requires PG&E to maintain the following
continuous minimum flows in the North Kings River: (1) during normal
water years: (a) from June 1 through November 31, 5 cfs from Black Rock
Reservoir, 15 cfs from Balch Afterbay, and 30 cfs of total river flow;
and (b) from December 1 through May 31, 2.5 cfs from Black Rock
Reservoir, 10 cfs from Balch Afterbay, and 30 cfs of total river flow;
(2) during dry water years, as defined by the California Department of
Water Resources, year-round flows of 2.5 cfs from Black Rock Reservoir,
10 cfs from Balch Afterbay, and 20 cfs of total river flow.
PG&E proposes to continue operating the project in a manner that is
consistent with current operation, with the exception of the following
new proposed measures: (1) minimum flows and water year types, (2) a
recreation plan, (3) a biological resources management plan, (4) a
historic properties management plan, (5) low-level operations, (6)
flood period operations, (7) a hazardous substance plan, (8) a gaging
plan, (9) visual resources management, (10) a fire management and
response plan, and (11) a transportation system management plan.
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, contact FERC Online
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8fc9caddccc0e1e3e6e1eadcfaffffe0fdfbcfe9eafdeca1e8e0f9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="93d5d6c1d0dcfdfffafdf6c0e6e3e3fce1e7d3f5f6e1f0bdf4fce5">[email protected]</span></a> or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676
or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
You may also 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.
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.
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 submitting the filing; 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.
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#f8b7a8a8b89e9d8a9bd69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97d8c7c7d7f1f2e5f4b9f0f8e1">[email protected]</span></a>.
o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following preliminary schedule. Revisions to the schedule will
be made as appropriate.
[[Page 92675]]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milestone Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue Scoping Document 1............. December 2024.
Comments on Scoping Document 1 Due... January 2025.
Issue Request for Additional January 2025.
Information (if necessary).
Issue Scoping Document 2 (if March 2025.
necessary).
Issue Notice of Ready for November 2025.
Environmental Analysis.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: November 15, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-27356 Filed 11-21-24; 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 November 22, 2024.
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.