Notice2025-10269
BIF III Holtwood, LLC; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), Commencement of 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
June 6, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 108 (Friday, June 6, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 108 (Friday, June 6, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24126-24128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10269]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 1881-122]
BIF III Holtwood, LLC; Notice of Intent To File License
Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document (Pad), Commencement of
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
a New License and Commencing Pre-filing Process.
b. Project No.: P-1881-122.
c. Dated Filed: April 2, 2025.
d. Submitted by: BIF III Holtwood, LLC (BIF III Holtwood).
e. Name of Project: Holtwood Hydroelectric Project (Holtwood
Project).
f. Location: The project is located on the Susquehanna River in
Lancaster and York counties, Pennsylvania.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of the Commission's
Regulations.
h. Potential Applicant Contact: Luke Anderson, Senior Manager,
Licensing, BIF III Holtwood, LLC, 1 Powerhouse Road, Conestoga,
Pennsylvania 17516; (207) 775-5600;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a667f616f246b646e6f787965644a68786565616c636f666e786f646f7d6b68666f24696567"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e726b757b307f707a7b6c6d71705e7c6c71717578777b727a6c7b707b697f7c727b307d7173">[email protected]</span></a>; Kirk Smith, Director of
Regulatory & Environmental, Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, D.P.C., P.O.
Box 2179, Henniker, New Hampshire 03242; (716) 402-6792;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#28435b45415c40684f47454d5249464c5b5d4444415e4946064b4745"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98f3ebf5f1ecf0d8fff7f5fde2f9f6fcebedf4f4f1eef9f6b6fbf7f5">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Claire Rozdilski at (202) 502-8259 or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fb98979a92899ed58994819f9297889092bb9d9e8998d59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4c2f202d253e29623e23362825203f27250c2a293e2f622b233a">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. 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).
k. With this notice, we are initiating informal consultation with:
(a) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA
[[Page 24127]]
Fisheries under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and the joint
agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR, Part 402; and (b) the State
Historic Preservation Office, 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.
l. With this notice, we are designating BIF III Holtwood 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.
m. BIF III Holtwood filed with the Commission a Pre-Application
Document (PAD, including a proposed process plan and schedule),
pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission's regulations.
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 of the sub-docket in the
docket number field, to access the document. For assistance, contact
FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#266063746569484a4f484375535656495452664043544508414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b3d3e293834151712151e280e0b0b14090f3b1d1e0918551c140d">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-3676 (toll
free) or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). A copy is also available via the contact
in paragraph h.
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, 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,
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#7a352a2a3a1c1f0819541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffb0afafbf999a8d9cd1989089">[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 Commission staff related to the merits
of the potential application must be filed with the Commission.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
all documents 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 at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx</a>. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. 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, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue Rockville, Maryland 20852.
The first page of any filing should include docket number P-1881-122.
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 on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on
July 31, 2025.
p. Scoping Process: Pursuant to 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.
Scoping Meetings
Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings for the project to
receive input on the scope of the NEPA document. We invite all
interested agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and the public to
attend one or both meetings to assist us in identifying the scope of
environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. The
dates and times of the scoping meetings are listed below.
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT.
Location: DoubleTree Resort, 2400 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster,
Pennsylvania.
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT.
Location: DoubleTree Resort, 2400 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster,
Pennsylvania.
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 BIF III Holtwood'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, identified
through the scoping process.
Environmental Site Review
BIF III Holtwood and Commission staff will hold an environmental
site review of the Holtwood Project from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT,
June 26, 2025. All interested individuals, agencies, Tribes, and NGOs
are invited to attend. Please RSVP to Mr. Luke Anderson of BIF III
Holtwood at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a4c8d1cfc18ac5cac0c1d6d7cbcae4c6d6cbcbcfc2cdc1c8c0d6c1cac1d3c5c6c8c18ac7cbc9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f534a545a115e515b5a4d4c50517f5d4d50505459565a535b4d5a515a485e5d535a115c5052">[email protected]</span></a> no later than June
20, 2025 to register for the environmental site review. For
administrative purposes, BIF III Holtwood prefers interested persons to
RSVP by email.
Participants will meet at 482 Old Holtwood Road, Holtwood,
Pennsylvania (coordinates: 39.83239, -76.33027). Take Route 372/
Holtwood Road and turn onto River Road. Continue on River Road for 0.4
mile. Turn left onto Old Holtwood Road and continue for 1.7 miles
downhill to arrive at the security gate. Security will provide parking
instructions inside the gated area. BIF III Holtwood employees will
greet and direct visitors to the meeting area. Please arrive by 8:45
a.m.
The site review will include the project powerhouse and dam from
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and recreation sites (Whitewater Boating Park,
Lock 12 Historic Area, Pequea Creek Recreation Area) from 12:30 p.m. to
3:30 p.m. All persons attending the environmental site review must
adhere to the following requirements: (1) all persons must wear sturdy,
closed-toe shoes or boots; (2) persons with open-toed shoes/sandals/
flip flops/high heels, etc. will not be allowed on the environmental
site
[[Page 24128]]
review; (3) persons must be 18 years or older; (4) no photography will
be allowed inside the powerhouse; (5) no weapons are allowed on-site;
(6) no alcohol/drugs are allowed on-site (or persons exhibiting the
effects thereof); and (7) no animals (except for service animals) are
allowed on the environmental site review.
Meeting Procedures
Agencies, Native American Tribes, NGOs, and individuals 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 C of the SD1 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. A copy of the appendix was sent to all those
receiving this notice in the mail and is available at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>
using the ``eLibrary'' link. For assistance, contact FERC at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bff9faedfcf0d1d3d6d1daeccacfcfd0cdcbffd9dacddc91d8d0c9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="df999a8d9c90b1b3b6b1ba8caaafafb0adab9fb9baadbcf1b8b0a9">[email protected]</span></a>, or (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 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 meeting(s) to answer your questions about the environmental
review process. Representatives from BIF III Holtwood will also be
present to answer project-specific questions.
Dated: May 30, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-10269 Filed 6-5-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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