Notice2025-08653
Lyonsdale Associates, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions
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Published
May 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 93 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 93 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20651-20653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08653]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 3255-016]
Lyonsdale Associates, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for
Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms
and Conditions, and Prescriptions
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.: 3255.
c. Date Filed: May 29, 2024.
d. Applicant: Lyonsdale Associates, LLC (Lyonsdale Associates).
e. Name of Project: Lyonsdale Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Moose River in Lewis County, New York.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: David H. Fox, Senior Director, Regulatory
Affairs, Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite
1100W, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone at (201) 306-5616; email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d090c1b0409430b02152d080c0a01080e1f0808061f08430e0200"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5c1c4d3ccc18bc3cadde5c0c4c2c9c0c6d7c0c0ced7c08bc6cac8">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Kelly Wolcott, Project Coordinator, Great Lakes
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-6480;
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ed8688818194c39a82818e829999ad8b889f8ec38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9df6f8f1f1e4b3eaf2f1fef2e9e9ddfbf8effeb3faf2eb">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,
recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions: July 8, 2025
by 5:00 p.m. (EST) (60 days from the issuance date of this notice);
reply comments are due August 22, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. (EST) (105 days
from the issuance date of this notice).
[[Page 20652]]
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions, and prescriptions 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#40060512030f2e2c292e25133530302f323400262532236e272f36"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="21676473626e4f4d484f44725451514e535561474453420f464e57">[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. All filings must clearly identify
the project name and docket number on the first page: Lyonsdale
Hydroelectric Project (P-3255-016).
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 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.
l. Project Description: The project includes a 506.3-foot-long dam
that consists of: (1) a 27.5-foot-long intake structure with two 10.5-
foot-long slide gates that are equipped with a trashrack with 2.6-inch
clear bar spacing; (2) a 57-foot-long non-overflow section with a 5-
foot-long debris sluice gate; (3) a 7-foot-long abutment; (4) a 135.3-
foot-long section that includes: (a) a 21.5-foot-long spillway with
1.7-foot-high flashboards that have a crest elevation of 1,065.9 feet
National Geodetic Vertical Dam of 1929 (NGVD 29); (b) a 28.5-foot-long
section with a 20.5-foot-long Pelican gate; and (c) an 85.3-foot-long
spillway with 3-foot-high flashboards that have a crest elevation of
1,065.9 feet NGVD 29 (Dam No. 1); (5) a 7-foot-long abutment; (6) a 4-
foot-long abutment; (7) a 33.5-foot-long spillway with 3-foot-high
flashboards that have a crest elevation of 1,065.9 feet NGVD 29 (Dam
No. 2); (8) a 2-foot-long abutment; (9) a 185-foot-long earthen
embankment; (10) a 5-foot-long abutment; (11) a 38-foot-long spillway
with 3-foot-high flashboards that have a crest elevation of 1,065.9
feet NGVD 29 (Dam No. 3); and (12) a 5-foot-long abutment.
The dam creates an impoundment that has a surface area of 9 acres
at an elevation of 1,065.9 feet NGVD 29. The impoundment includes 173-
foot-long, 50-foot-long, 45-foot-long retaining walls on the shorelines
adjacent to the intake structure. From the impoundment, water flows
through the intake structure to a 52-foot-long penstock and a 26-foot-
long penstock that convey water to a 35-foot-wide, 58-foot-long
powerhouse that includes two 1.5-megawatt (MW) vertical Kaplan turbine-
generator units, for a total installed capacity of 3 MW. Water is
discharged from the turbines to an approximately 500-foot-long tailrace
that discharges to the Moose River.
The project creates the following bypassed reach segments: (1) an
approximately 200-foot-long southern segment; and (2) an approximately
70-foot-long segment that bifurcates into: (a) an approximately 350-
foot-long middle segment and an approximately 580-foot-long northern
segment.
Electricity generated at the project is transmitted to the electric
grid via two 400-foot-long, 4.16-kilovolt (kV) generator lead lines and
a 4.16/115-kV step-up transformer located approximately 300 feet west
of the powerhouse. The minimum and maximum hydraulic capacities of the
powerhouse are 260 and 1,400 cubic feet per second (cfs), respectively.
The average annual energy production of the project from 2016 through
2023, was 10,745 megawatt-hours.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) an access trail on the
north shoreline of the impoundment that consists of an approximately
1,000-foot-long ``North Bank Recreation Trail'' and an approximately
1,000-foot-long portage trail; and (2) a parking area on the 185-foot-
long earthen embankment.
Lyonsdale Associates proposes to revise the project boundary to add
0.1 acre associated with the generator lead line, which would increase
the amount of land and water enclosed by the project boundary from 18.4
to 18.5 acres.
Lyonsdale Associates proposes to: (1) continue operating the
project in a run-of-river mode by maintaining the normal maximum
surface elevation of the impoundment at the flashboard crest elevation
of 1,065.9 feet NGVD 29; (2) release a minimum bypassed reach flow of
33 cfs or inflow, whichever is less, from April 1 through November 30;
(3) implement an Invasive Species Management Plan and Bat and Eagle
Management Plan filed in the license application; (4) consult with the
New York State Historic Preservation Officer (New York SHPO) on the
need for any measures prior to any ground-disturbing activities; and
(5) stop construction and consult with the New York SHPO on the need
for any measures if previously unidentified cultural resources are
discovered during any future construction activities at the project.
To provide recreation opportunities at the project, Lyonsdale
Associates proposes to: (1) maintain the access trail on the north
shoreline of the impoundment, including the North Bank Recreation Trail
and portage trail, pending acquisition of property rights; (2) maintain
the following existing recreation sites as project recreation
facilities, pending acquisition of property rights: (a) a hand-carry
boat access site on the north shoreline of the impoundment that is
associated with the project's portage route; (b) a picnic area that
includes a parking area, picnic table, and trash can on the north
shoreline of the impoundment; (c) a hand-carry boat access site at the
end of the project portage route, approximately 580 feet downstream of
the dam; and (d) a South Bank Recreation Area that includes a parking
area, informational signage, and shoreline access for anglers on the
south shoreline of the impoundment; (3) update and maintain project
recreation signs at the South Bank Recreation Area and picnic area to
comply with Part 8 of the Commission's regulations; (4) install new
directional signs for the portage route and North Bank Recreation
Trail; and (5) install barriers at the picnic area and portage trail to
deter all-terrain vehicle access. With regards to acquiring property
rights, Exhibit G of the license application indicates that Niagara
Mohawk Power Corporation owns the property that includes the North Bank
Recreation Trail, and Twin Rivers Paper Company, LLC owns the property
that includes the portage trail.
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 (i.e., P-3255). For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
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
[[Page 20653]]
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,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or ``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 of the person submitting the filing; 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 on the service list prepared by the Commission in this
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
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,
community organizations, 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#5d120d0d1d3b382f3e733a322b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="511e010111373423327f363e27">[email protected]</span></a>.
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, please
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
o. The 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.
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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Filing of Motions to Intervene, Protests, July 2025.
Comments, Recommendations, Terms, Conditions,
and Prescriptions.
Filing of Reply Comments........................ August 2025.
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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: May 9, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-08653 Filed 5-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 15, 2025.
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