Notice2025-06898
Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Notice of Application for Temporary Flow Modification Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Primary source
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Published
April 22, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 76 (Tuesday, April 22, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16873-16874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06898]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 77-323]
Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Notice of Application for
Temporary Flow Modification Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments,
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. Application Type: Application for Temporary Variance of Flow
Requirements.
b. Project No: 77-323.
c. Date Filed: February 14, 2025
d. Applicant: Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
e. Name of Project: Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The project is located on the Eel River and East Fork
of the Russian River in Lake and Mendocino counties, California. The
project occupies federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Chadwick McCready, Pacific Gas and Electric
Company, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94612, (530) 685-5710.
i. FERC Contact: Katherine Schmidt, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#462d27322e23342f28236835252e2b2f2232062023342568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2d9d3c6dad7c0dbdcd79cc1d1dadfdbd6c6f2d4d7c0d19cd5ddc4">[email protected]</span></a>,
(415) 369-3348.
j. Cooperating agencies: With this notice, the Commission is
inviting federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies with jurisdiction
and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues affected
by the proposal, that wish to cooperate in the preparation of any
environmental document, if applicable, to follow the instructions for
filing such requests described in item k below. Cooperating agencies
should note the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the
preparation of any environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94
FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
k. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and
protests: May 16, 2025.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
comments, motions to intervene, and protests 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>. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbfdfee9f8f4d5d7d2d5dee8cecbcbd4c9cffbdddec9d895dcd4cd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="55131007161a3b393c3b30062025253a272115333027367b323a23">[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, MD 20852. The first page of any filing
should include the docket number P-77-323. Comments emailed to
Commission staff are not considered part of the Commission record.
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 whose name appears 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.
l. Description of Request: The licensee requests a temporary
variance of its minimum flow requirements at two project locations. Due
to seismic risk at Scott Dam, the licensee has elected to leave the
spillway gates at Scott Dam open indefinitely, thereby reducing the
storage capacity in Lake Pillsbury by approximately 20,000 acre-feet to
56,000 acre-feet water storage. The licensee also states that there is
a high potential for bank sloughing and ensuing dam safety and
operational constraints should the reservoir recede to a pool level of
between 5,000 and 12,000 acre-feet, with 12,000 acre-feet becoming the
planning minimum for water management.
To preserve water storage in Lake Pillsbury and conserve cold water
for downstream aquatic resources, the licensee proposes to release
flows below Scott Dam (as measured at gage E-2) to be consistent with a
critical water year type minimum flow of 20 cubic feet per second
(cfs). However, actual releases would be closer to the minimum facility
limitation of 35 cfs from the low-level outlet. In addition, the
licensee would reduce minimum flows in the East Branch Russian River
(as measured at gage E-16) to match the dry water year minimum flow
requirement of 25 cfs with the flexibility to further reduce flows to
the critical water year requirement of 5 cfs, depending on water
availability, safety concerns, and water temperature conditions in the
Eel River. After September 30, 2025, the licensee would resume the dry
water year flow release of 25 cfs. In addition, the licensee requests
that compliance with the minimum flow requirement in the Eel River
below Cape Horn Dam (as measured at gage E-11) be modified to a 24-hour
average instead of an instantaneous requirement to allow for a tighter
compliance buffer.
The licensee's request also includes provisions for water
temperature and biological monitoring, environmental mitigation, and
monthly consultation throughout implementation of the proposed
variance. The licensee requests that the variance begin immediately
upon Commission approval and conclude when Lake Pillsbury storage
exceeds 36,000 acre-feet following October 1, 2025, or is superseded by
another variance or license amendment.
m. Locations of the Application: This filing may 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. 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. For assistance, call 1-866-208-3676 or email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ebadaeb9a8a4858782858eb89e9b9b84999fab8d8e9988c58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2c6a697e6f6342404542497f595c5c435e586c4a495e4f024b435a">[email protected]</span></a>, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Agencies may
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
n. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
o. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: 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,
.214, respectively. 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.
p. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all
capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``PROTEST'', or ``MOTION TO
INTERVENE'' as applicable; (2) set forth
[[Page 16874]]
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 commenting, protesting or
intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR
385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, motions to intervene, or
protests must set forth their evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an
intervenor 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.
q. 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,
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#9fd0cfcfdff9faedfcb1f8f0e9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="723d222232141700115c151d04">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: April 16, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-06898 Filed 4-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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