Notice2025-20866
Battenkill Hydro Associates; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Upper and Middle Greenwich Hydroelectric Projects
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Published
November 25, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 225 (Tuesday, November 25, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 25, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53308-53310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20866]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 6904-043; Project No. 6903-037]
Battenkill Hydro Associates; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Upper and Middle
Greenwich Hydroelectric Projects
Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been
filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection.
a. Type of Applications: Subsequent Minor License.
b. Project Nos.: 6904-043, 6903-037.
c. Date filed: January 31, 2024.
d. Applicant: Battenkill Hydro Associates (Battenkill Hydro).
e. Name of Projects: Upper and Middle Greenwich Hydroelectric
Projects (Upper Greenwich Project and Middle Greenwich Project).
f. Location: On the Batten Kill River in the Village of Greenwich,
Washington County, New York.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Sherri Loon, Coordinator--Operations USA,
Kruger Energy, LP, 423 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner, ME 04345; (207) 203-
3026; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#97e4fff2e5e5feb9fbf8f8f9d7fce5e2f0f2e5b9f4f8fa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="14677c7166667d3a787b7b7a547f66617371663a777b79">[email protected]</span></a> or Lewis Loon, General Manager--Operations
and Maintenance USA, Kruger Energy, LP, 423 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner,
ME 04345; (207) 203-3027; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#610d041608124f0d0e0e0f210a13140604134f020e0c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cea2abb9a7bde0a2a1a1a08ea5bcbba9abbce0ada1a3">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Chris Millard, Project Coordinator, Mid-Atlantic
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-8256,
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#187b706a716b6c7768707d6a3675717474796a7c587e7d6a7b367f776e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b28233922383f243b232e3965262227272a392f0b2d2e3928652c243d">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss
the environmental effects of relicensing the Upper and Middle Greenwich
Projects. The Commission will use this environmental document in its
decision-making process to determine whether to issue subsequent
licenses for the projects.
k. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies regarding the projects. This notice is intended to advise all
participants as to the potential scope of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) document and to seek additional information pertinent
to this analysis. Commission staff does not intend to issue a separate
scoping document.
As part of the NEPA review process, the Commission takes into
account concerns the public may have about proposals and the
environmental effects that could result from its action whenever it
considers the issuance of a hydropower license. This gathering of
public input is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the environmental document
on the important environmental issues.
l. Scoping Comments: By this notice, the Commission requests
written public comments on the scope of issues to address in the
environmental document. To ensure that your comments are timely and
properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the Commission
receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
December 1, 2025.
Comments should focus on the potential environmental effects and
reasonable alternatives. Your input will help Commission staff
determine what issues to evaluate in the environmental document.
Commission staff will consider all written comments during the
preparation of the environmental document.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
scoping comments 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 10,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx</a>. You
must include your name at the end of your comments. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#73353621303c1d1f1a1d164f12531b0116154e" mailto:Support@ferc.gov"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="05567075756a777145636077662b626a73">[email protected]</span></a>">FERCOnline<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bcefc9ccccd3cec8fcdad9cedf92dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bfeccacfcfd0cdcbffd9dacddc91d8d0c9">[email protected]</span></a></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
[[Page 53309]]
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: Upper Greenwich Hydroelectric Project (P-6904-043) or
Middle Greenwich Hydroelectric Project (P-6903-037).
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 each
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.
m. The applications are not ready for environmental analysis at
this time.
n. Project Descriptions:
Upper Greenwich Project
The Upper Greenwich Project consists of a 203-foot-long, 11.5-foot-
high concrete gravity spillway dam topped with 2-foot-high flashboards.
The dam creates an impoundment that has a surface area of 20-acres at a
normal surface elevation of 334 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum
of 1929 (NGVD29). Water flows from the project impoundment through a
200-foot-long earthen power canal and trash racks with 1.0-inch clear
bar spacing before entering the project powerhouse through two intake
gates. Water passes through two vertical turbine-generator units with a
rated capacity of 300 kilowatts (kW) and is released from the
powerhouse into a tailrace channel leading to the Batten Kill River.
Interconnection to the regional electric grid is accomplished through a
0.48/4.8-kilovolt (kV) transformer connected to a 150-foot-long
transmission line.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) a canoe portage trail
around the project dam with a landing area upstream of the dam and two
river entry points, one in the bypassed reach and one just downstream
of the bypassed reach; (2) a warning sign 300 feet upstream of the
canoe landing area alerting canoeists of a necessary portage; and (3)
an off-road parking area to accommodate 8 to 10 cars.
Battenkill Hydro proposes to: (1) continue to operate the project
in a run-of-river mode, where outflow from the project approximates
inflow; (2) provide a year-round, continuous minimum flow of 80 cubic
feet per second (cfs) or inflow, whichever is less, to the bypassed
reach; (3) provide a year-round, continuous attraction flow of 20 cfs
to the project's fish bypass; (4) maintain trash racks with 1.0-inch
clear bar spacing; (5) perform a downstream fishway evaluation within
one year of restarting the project; \1\ (6) develop a stream flow
monitoring plan; (7) develop an invasive species management plan; (8)
develop a bald eagle management plan; (9) update the existing
recreation plan, and (10) provide recreational improvements, including
(a) the installation of three picnic tables on the grassy area on river
left, (b) installation of parking signage, (c) installation of canoe
portage signage, (d) conduct routine vegetation maintenance of the
canoe portage put-in area, (e) conduct routine mowing of grassy areas,
(f) provide new decking (or similar) for the trail crossing the
project's power canal intake, and (g) conduct routine maintenance of
the trail crossing the project's power canal intake and the angler
access trail to control vegetation and noxious plants.
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\1\ Both projects have operated intermittently since 2009 and,
more recently, have been offline due to National Grid's planned
upgrades to the grid and interconnection points associated with the
projects. In its December 17, 2024 response to staff's June 5, 2024
request for additional information, Battenkill Hydro stated that
National Grid's upgrades were expected to be completed by June 2025
and that project operation was expected to resume by the end of July
2025.
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Middle Greenwich Project
The Middle Greenwich Project consists of a 235-foot-long, 10-foot-
high concrete gravity spillway dam. The dam creates an impoundment that
has a surface area of 9 acres at a normal surface elevation of 318 feet
NGVD29. Water flows from the project impoundment to the powerhouse
through a 150-foot-long concrete power canal with an upstream headgate
structure containing two gates and a downstream trash rack with 1.0-
inch clear bar spacing. Water then enters a single vertical turbine-
generator unit with a rated capacity of 300 kW and is released from the
powerhouse into a tailrace channel leading to the Batten Kill River.
Interconnection to the regional electric grid is accomplished through a
0.48/4.8-kV transformer connected to a 150-foot-long transmission line.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) angler access to the
reservoir and tailrace; (2) a canoe portage area at the project dam;
and (3) an off-road parking area to accommodate six to eight cars.
Battenkill Hydro proposes to: (1) continue to operate the project
in a run-of-river mode, where outflow from the project approximates
inflow; (2) provide a year-round, continuous minimum flow of 20 cfs or
inflow, whichever is less, to the bypassed reach; (3) provide a year-
round, continuous attraction flow of 20 cfs to the project's fish
bypass; (4) maintain trash racks with 1.0-inch clear bar spacing; (5)
perform a downstream fishway evaluation within one year of restarting
the project; \2\ (6) develop a stream flow monitoring plan; (7) develop
an invasive species management plan; (8) develop a bald eagle
management plan; (9) update the existing recreation plan; and (10)
provide recreational improvements, including (a) the installation of
two picnic tables on the grassy area on river right, (b) installation
of canoe portage trail signage, (c) conduct routine vegetation
maintenance of the canoe portage put-in area, and (d) conduct routine
mowing of grassy areas.
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\2\ Ibid.
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A copy of the applications, with details of the proposed projects,
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 project's docket number, excluding the
last three digits in the docket number field, to access the document
(P-6904 or P-6903). For assistance, contact FERC at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a4c4f584945646663646f366b2a62786f6c37" mailto:Support@ferc.gov"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c390b6b3b3acb1b783a5a6b1a0eda4acb5">[email protected]</span></a>">FERCOnline<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c0f292c2c332e281c3a392e3f723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="81d2f4f1f1eef3f5c1e7e4f3e2afe6eef7">[email protected]</span></a></a>, or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or (202)
502-8659 (TTY).
o. NEPA Process and the Environmental Document: Any environmental
document issued by the Commission will discuss effects that could occur
as a result of the projects' relicensing under the relevant general
resource areas, such as:
<bullet> geology and soils;
<bullet> aquatic resources;
<bullet> terrestrial resources;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> recreation, land use, and aesthetic resources;
<bullet> cultural resources; and
<bullet> developmental resources.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
proposed projects or portions of the projects and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid effects on the various resource areas. Your
comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues
that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially
eliminate others from further discussion in the environmental document.
Following this scoping period, Commission staff will determine
whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or EIS
[[Page 53310]]
will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the issues. If
Commission staff prepares an EA, a Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment will be issued. The EA may be issued for an
allotted public comment period. The Commission will consider timely
comments on the EA before making its decision regarding the proposed
projects. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement will be issued. Staff will
then prepare a draft EIS which will be issued for public comment.
Commission staff will consider all timely comments received during the
comment period on the draft EIS and revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft and final EIS will be
available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary.
If eSubscribed, you will receive instant email notification when the
environmental document is issued (see paragraph (q) of this notice for
instructions on using eSubscription).
p. 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#f0bfa0a0b096958293de979f86"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e514e4e5e787b6c7d30797168">[email protected]</span></a>.
q. This notice is being distributed to the Commission's official
mailing list for each project and any additional entities on the
applicant's distribution lists. You can access the Commission's
official mailing list for the Upper Greenwich Project at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-6904">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-6904</a> or
the Middle Greenwich Project at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-6903">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-6903</a>. If you want to receive
future mailings for either project and are not included on the
Commission's official mailing list(s), or if you wish to be removed
from the Commission's official mailing list(s), please send your
request by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#75333027363a1b191c1b104914551d07101348" mailto:Support@ferc.gov"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="65361015150a171125030017064b020a13">[email protected]</span></a>">FERCOnline<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4e7c1c4c4dbc6c0f4d2d1c6d79ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d1e383d3d223f390d2b283f2e632a223b">[email protected]</span></a></a>. In lieu of an email
request, you may submit a paper request. 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
written or emailed requests must specify your wish to be added to or
removed from the mailing list, and must clearly identify the following
on the first page: Upper Greenwich Hydroelectric Project (P-6904-043)
or Middle Greenwich Hydroelectric Project (P-6903-037).
Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription, which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances
and submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe.
These instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive
notification and provide a link to the document files, which can reduce
the amount of time you spend researching proceedings. Go to <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to register for eSubscription.
In addition to publishing the full text of this notice in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this notice, as well
as other documents in the proceeding (e.g., license application) via
the internet through the Commission's Home Page (<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 (P-6904
or P-6903). For assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c98f8c9b8a86a7a5a0a7acf5a8e9a1bbacaff4" mailto:Support@ferc.gov"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e9ba9c9999869b9da98f8c9b8ac78e869f">[email protected]</span></a>">FERCOnline<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d5e787d7d627f794d6b687f6e236a627b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c794b2b7b7a8b5b387a1a2b5a4e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a></a>,
(866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
Dated: October 31, 2025.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-20866 Filed 11-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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