Notice2025-22227
STS Hydropower, LLC; Charter Township of Van Buren, Michigan, Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions
Primary source
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Published
December 8, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 233 (Monday, December 8, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 233 (Monday, December 8, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56746-56747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22227]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 9951-057]
STS Hydropower, LLC; Charter Township of Van Buren, Michigan,
Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To
Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and
Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions,
and Preliminary Fishway 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.: 9951-057.
c. Date Filed: April 29, 2025.
d. Applicant: STS Hydropower, LLC and the Charter Township of Van
Buren, Michigan (applicants).
e. Name of Project: French Landing Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Huron River in Wayne County, Michigan.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Jody Smet, Senior Vice President Regulatory
Affairs, Chief Compliance Officer, STS Hydropower, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin
Avenue, Suite 1100W, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone at (804) 382-1764;
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1b71747f623568767e6f5b7e7a7c777e78697e7e70697e35787476"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c7ada8a3bee9b4aaa2b387a2a6a0aba2a4b5a2a2acb5a2e9a4a8aa">[email protected]</span></a>.
i. FERC Contact: Rebecca Brodeur, Project Coordinator, Great Lakes
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-8392;
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fd8f989f989e9e9cd39f8f929998888fbd9b988f9ed39a928b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="15677077707676743b77677a7170606755737067763b727a63">[email protected]</span></a>.
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene, protests, comments,
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary
fishway prescriptions: February 2, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Deadline for filing reply comments: March 18, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary
terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway 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 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>. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eaacafb8a9a5848683848fb99f9a9a85989eaa8c8f9889c48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="efa9aabdaca0818386818abc9a9f9f809d9baf898a9d8cc1888099">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-
3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659
[[Page 56747]]
(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: French Landing Hydroelectric
Project (P-9951-057).
The Commission's Rules of Practice 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. The existing project consists of a 1,123.5-foot-long dam that
includes two 22.2-foot-long Tainter gates with crest elevations of 652
feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29), a powerhouse
that includes trashracks with 2-inch clear bar spacing and a 1,650-
kilowatt Francis turbine-generator unit, a 181.1-foot-long spillway
with a crest elevation of 652 feet NGVD29, and east and west
embankments, including an 18-foot-long stoplog gate in the west
embankment. The dam creates an impoundment (Belleville Lake) that has a
surface area of 1,270 acres at a normal maximum surface elevation of
651.5 feet NGVD29. From the impoundment, water flows through the
powerhouse to a tailrace that discharges to the Huron River.
The generator is connected to the regional electric grid by 525-
foot-long 4.16-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and a 4.16/41.6-kV step-
up transformer.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) French Landing Park with
a hand-carry boat impoundment access site on the northern shoreline of
the impoundment, pavilion with picnic tables, two paved parking areas
that can accommodate a total of 19 vehicles, boardwalk with a fishing
platform, and restroom; (2) an approximately 1,150 foot-long portage
route that extends from an impoundment take-out site on the southern
shoreline of the impoundment to a put-in site on the southern bank of
the Huron River; and (3) a tailrace fishing access site immediately
downstream of the powerhouse on the southern bank of the tailrace.
The applicants propose to: (1) continue operating the project in a
run-of-river mode; (2) develop an operation compliance monitoring plan,
invasive species management plan, and recreation management plan; (3)
continue to maintain the project recreation facilities; and (4) enhance
the portage route trail and stairs to the put-in site.
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 (P-9951). For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
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, contact FERC
Online Support.
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 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,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or
``PRELIMIINARY FISHWAY 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.
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office
of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#733c232333151601105d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e3acb3b3a385869180cd848c95">[email protected]</span></a>.
o. The applicant must file on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
February 2, 2026: (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, February 2026.
Protests, Comments, Recommendations,
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and
Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions.
Filing of Reply Comments................ March 2026.
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q. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 2, 2026.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: December 3, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-22227 Filed 12-5-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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