Notice2025-20917
Banister Hydro, Inc.; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Halifax Hydroelectric Project
Primary source
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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 53289-53291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20917]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 9028-012]
Banister Hydro, Inc.; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Halifax Hydroelectric
Project
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.: 9028-012.
c. Date filed: July 26, 2024.
d. Applicant: Banister Hydro, Inc. (Banister Hydro).
e. Name of Project: Halifax Hydroelectric Project (Halifax Project
or project).
f. Location: On the Banister River, near the Town of Halifax in
Halifax County, Virginia.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Sherri Loon, Coordinator of Operations--USA,
Banister Hydro, Inc. c/o KEI (USA) Power Management Inc., 423 Brunswick
Ave., Gardiner, ME 04345; (207) 203-3026; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f3809b9681819add9f9c9c9db3988186949681dd909c9e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="116279746363783f7d7e7e7f517a63647674633f727e7c">[email protected]</span></a> or
Lewis Loon, General Manager, Operations and Maintenance--USA, Banister
Hydro, Inc. c/o KEI (USA) Power Management Inc., 423 Brunswick Ave.,
Gardiner, ME 04345; (207) 203-3027; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bed2dbc9d7cd90d2d1d1d0fed5cccbd9dbcc90ddd1d3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f535a48564c11535050517f544d4a585a4d115c5052">[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#e5868d978c96918a958d8097cb888c8989849781a583809786cb828a93"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bfdcd7cdd6cccbd0cfd7dacd91d2d6d3d3decddbffd9dacddc91d8d0c9">[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 Halifax Project. The
Commission will use this environmental document in its decision-making
process to determine whether to issue a new license for the project.
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 project. 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
[[Page 53290]]
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#42040710010d2c2e2b2c27113732322d303602242730216c252d34"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffb9baadbcb0919396919aac8a8f8f908d8bbf999a8d9cd1989089">[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: Halifax Hydroelectric Project (P-9028-012).
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.
m. The application is not ready for environmental analysis at this
time.
n. Project Description: The Halifax Project consists of a 682-foot-
long, 36-foot-high dam, with a 301-foot-long concrete spillway. The dam
creates an impoundment (Banister Lake) that has a surface area of 374-
acres at a normal surface elevation of 351.3 feet National Geodetic
Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Water flows from Banister Lake to the
project powerhouse, integral with the project dam, through trash racks
with 2.0-inch clear bar spacing leading to three intake gates. From the
intake gates, water flows through three vertical Francis-type turbines
with two 455-kilowatt (kW) generating units and one 875-kW generating
unit. Water is released from the powerhouse through draft tubes into
the Banister River. Interconnection to the regional electric grid is
accomplished through a 4.16/13.2-kilovolt transformer connected to a
512-foot-long transmission line.
Banister Hydro proposes to: (1) continue operating the project in a
run-of-river mode and maintaining the surface elevation of the Banister
Lake at 351.3 feet NGVD29; (2) continue to provide a year-round
continuous minimum flow of 5 cubic feet per second for the protection
of downstream fish and wildlife resources.\1\
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\1\ When inflow to the project is less than 135 cfs, all flows
are released over the project spillway except during short-term
operational emergencies or for short periods upon mutual agreement
between Banister Hydro and the Virginia Department of Wildlife
Resources and the State Water Control Board.
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A copy of the application, with details of the proposed project,
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-9028). For assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2949780919dbcbebbbcb781a7a2a2bda0a692b4b7a0b1fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ce888b9c8d81a0a2a7a0ab9dbbbebea1bcba8ea8abbcade0a9a1b8">[email protected]</span></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 project's 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 project or portions of the project 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 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 project. 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#034c535343656671602d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="59160909193f3c2b3a773e362f">[email protected]</span></a>.
q. This notice is being distributed to the Commission's official
mailing list for the project and any additional entities on the
applicant's distribution list. You can access the Commission's official
mailing list for this project at <a href="https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-9028">https://ferconline.ferc.gov/MailListLOR.aspx?Type=MailList&ListVar=P-9028</a>. If you want to receive
future
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mailings for the project and are not included on the Commission's
official mailing list, or if you wish to be removed from the
Commission's official mailing list, please send your request by email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#64222136272b0a080d0a01371114140b161024020116074a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1b5d5e495854757772757e486e6b6b74696f5b7d7e6978357c746d">[email protected]</span></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: Halifax Hydroelectric Project No. 9028-012.
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-
9028). For assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#87c1c2d5c4c8e9ebeee9e2d4f2f7f7e8f5f3c7e1e2f5e4a9e0e8f1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="793f3c2b3a36171510171c2a0c0909160b0d391f1c0b1a571e160f">[email protected]</span></a>,
(866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
Dated: October 31, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-20917 Filed 11-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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