Notice2025-13624

Joe Vavuris and Ryan Wiegel; Notice of Existing Licensee's Failure To File a Timely Notice of Intent To File a Subsequent License Application, and Soliciting Notices of Intent To File a License Application and Pre-Application Documents

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
July 21, 2025

Issuing agencies

Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 137 (Monday, July 21, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 137 (Monday, July 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 34263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13624]



[[Page 34263]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2987-000]


Joe Vavuris and Ryan Wiegel; Notice of Existing Licensee's 
Failure To File a Timely Notice of Intent To File a Subsequent License 
Application, and Soliciting Notices of Intent To File a License 
Application and Pre-Application Documents

    The current license for the Cornwell Hydroelectric Project No. 2987 
(Cornwell Project) was issued to the original licensees, Howard Wayne 
and Verna Jean Cornwell, on May 7, 1980.\1\ The license was transferred 
to the current licensees, Joe Vavuris and Ryan Wiegel on August 18, 
2008.\2\ The original license was issued for a term of 50 years, ending 
April 30, 2030. The 6-kilowatt (kW) project is located in the Klamath 
National Forest on a tributary of Merrill Creek in Siskiyou County, 
California.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Howard Wayne and Verna Jean Cornwell, 11 FERC ] 62,092 
(1980).
    \2\ See Howard and Verna Cornwell, Joe Vavuris and Ryan Wiegel, 
124 FERC ] 62,137 (2008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Cornwell Project consists of: (1) a small intake box; (2) a 
4,000-foot-long aluminum and PVC pipe, 6-inches in diameter that 
delivers water to the turbine; (3) a powerhouse that contains a 6-inch 
diameter Pelton turbine, a 12 kW single phase generator, a load 
controller and; (4) a 1.5-foot-long, 5-feet-wide and 2-feet-deep metal 
open box that delivers water back to Merrill Creek.
    At least five years before the expiration of a license for a minor 
water power project in which sections 14 and 15 of the Federal Power 
Act were waived, the Commission's regulations require the licensee to 
file with the Commission a notice of intent (NOI) that contains an 
unequivocal statement of the licensee's intention to file or not to 
file an application for a subsequent license, details on the principal 
project works and installed plant capacity, and other information.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ 18 CFR 16.19(b) (2024) (citing 18 CFR 16.6(b)). Section 
16.19(b) applies to licenses not subject to Parts 14 and 15 of the 
Federal Power Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If such a licensee does not inform the Commission that it intends 
to file an application for, in this case, a subsequent license for the 
project, the licensee may not file an application for a subsequent 
license, either individually or in conjunction with an entity or 
entities that are not currently licensees of the project.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 18 CFR 16.24(b) (2024).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because the current license expires on April 30, 2030, the NOI was 
due to be filed no later than the close of business on April 30, 2025. 
Joe Vavuris and Ryan Wiegel, the current licensee for the Cornwell 
Project, failed to file an NOI by this date.
    Any party interested in filing a license application for the 
Cornwell Project No. 2987 must first file a NOI \5\ and pre-application 
document (PAD) \6\ pursuant to Part 5 of the Commission's regulations. 
Although the integrated licensing process is the default pre-filing 
process, section 5.3(b) of the Commission's regulations allows a 
potential license applicant to request to use alternative licensing 
procedures when it files its NOI.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 18 CFR 5.5 (2024).
    \6\ 18 CFR 5.6 (2024).
    \7\ 18 CFR 5.3(b) (2024).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice sets a deadline of 120 days from the date of this 
notice for interested applicants, other than the existing licensee, to 
file NOIs, PADs, and requests to use an alternative licensing process.
    Applications for a subsequent license from potential (non-licensee) 
applicants must be filed with the Commission at least 24 months prior 
to the expiration of the current license.\8\ Because the current 
license expires on April 30, 2030, applications for license for this 
project must be filed by April 30, 2028.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ 18 CFR 16.20 (2024).
    \9\ To the extent an interested applicant files an NOI and PAD 
and elects or is required to use the Commission's ILP, a process 
plan will be issued within 180 days of this notice, which 
accelerates the steps of the ILP to allow for filing a subsequent 
license application by the April 30, 2028, deadline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Questions concerning this notice should be directed to Shannon 
Archuleta at (503) 552-2739 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#592a31383737363777382b3a312c353c2d38193f3c2b3a773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dfacb7beb1b1b0b1f1beadbcb7aab3baabbe9fb9baadbcf1b8b0a9">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

    Dated: July 16, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-13624 Filed 7-18-25; 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 July 21, 2025.

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.