Notice2026-05522
Arlon Warner; Notice of Pending Jurisdictional Inquiry and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene
Primary source
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Published
March 20, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 54 (Friday, March 20, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 54 (Friday, March 20, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13600-13601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05522]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. UL26-3-000]
Arlon Warner; Notice of Pending Jurisdictional Inquiry and
Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene
On February 4, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) received a request from the Vermont Department of
Environmental Conservation (Vermont DEC) for a jurisdictional
determination for the unlicensed Potter Brook
[[Page 13601]]
Hydroelectric Project. The project is located on Potter Brook in
Orleans County, Vermont.
Pursuant to section 23(b)(1) of the Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ a
non-federal hydroelectric project must be licensed if it: (a) is
located on a navigable water of the United States; (b) occupies lands
or reservations of the United States; (c) utilizes surplus water or
waterpower from a government dam; \2\ or (d) is located on a stream
over which Congress has Commerce Clause jurisdiction, is constructed or
modified on or after August 26, 1935, and affects the interests of
interstate or foreign commerce.
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\1\ 16 U.S.C. 817(1).
\2\ A project that meets condition (a), (b), or (c) is not
required to be licensed if it holds a still valid pre-1920 federal
permit.
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Regarding condition (d) above, for purposes of FPA section
23(b)(1), headwaters and tributaries of navigable waters are Commerce
Clause streams; \3\ ``post-1935'' construction or modification at an
existing project includes enlarging a project, such as increasing size
of the reservoir, height of the dam, or generating capacity; \4\ and
projects that generate energy for transmission on the interstate grid
affect interstate commerce.\5\
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\3\ FPC v. Union Electric Co., 381 U.S. 90, 94-96 (1965).
\4\ See, e.g., L.S. Starrett Co. v. FERC, 650 F.3d 19, 26-27
(1st Cir. 2011); Cent. Vt. Pub. Serv. Corp., 54 FERC ] 61,132, at
61,434 (1991) (citing Puget Sound Power & Light Co. v. FPC, 557 F.2d
1311 (9th Cir. 1977); Aquenergy Systems, Inc., 29 FERC ] 61,026
(1984)).
\5\ See FPC v. Union Elec. Co., 381 U.S. at 94-95. Moreover, it
is well settled that small hydroelectric projects that are connected
to the interstate grid, even if they have no interstate sales,
affect interstate commerce by displacing power from the grid, and
the cumulative effect of the national class of these small projects
is significant for purposes of FPA section 23(b)(1). See Habersham
Mills v. FERC, 976 F.2d 1381, 1384-85 (11th Cir. 1992).
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On November 7, 1983, Mr. Warner filed an application for exemption
from licensing for the project,\6\ which Commission staff rejected as
deficient on May 8, 1985, explaining that rejection of the application
did not relieve the applicant's obligation under the FPA to obtain
authorization from the Commission for the construction, operation, and
maintenance of a hydroelectric project, and directing the applicant to
refile an application for license or exemption for the project. On
January 13, 1986, Mr. Warner filed a new application for exemption from
licensing for the project,\7\ which Commission staff rejected as
deficient on July 25, 1986.
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\6\ Arlon Warner November 7, 1983 Application, Docket No. P-
7549. Accession No. 19831109-0247.
\7\ Arlon Warner January 13, 1986 Application, Docket No. P-
9875. Accession No. 19860128-0173.
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Vermont DEC requests that the Commission examine its jurisdiction
for the Potter Brook Project on the grounds that the project is located
on a stream over which Congress has Commerce Clause jurisdiction, was
constructed after August 26, 1935, and is connected to the transmission
grid and began selling power around 1984.\8\
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\8\ Vermont DEC February 4, 2026 Request for Determination of
Commission Jurisdiction for the Potter Brook Hydroelectric Project
at 2-3.
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In response to Vermont DEC's request, Commission staff is
investigating the jurisdictional status of the Potter Brook
Hydroelectric Project (UL26-3-000). A copy of Vermont DEC's request may
be viewed on the Commission's website at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp</a>. Enter the docket number, UL26-3-000. You may also
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, call 1-866-208-3676 or email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#61272433222e0f0d080f04321411110e131521070413024f060e17"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="05434057464a6b696c6b60567075756a777145636077662b626a73">[email protected]</span></a>, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659.
The Commission is soliciting comments, motions to intervene, and
protests in this proceeding. Comments, motions to intervene, and
protests must be filed by 45 days from notice or May 1, 2026, by 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion
to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules and Practice
and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, 211, and 214. In determining the
appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests
or comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in
accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the
proceedings. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be
received on or before the specified comment date.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
comments, protests, and motions to intervene using the Commission's
eFiling system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp</a>.
Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without
prior registration, using the eComment system at <a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp</a>. You must include your name and contact
information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact
FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a1c1f081915343633343f092f2a2a35282e1a3c3f2839743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c78182958488a9abaea9a294b2b7b7a8b5b387a1a2b5a4e9a0a8b1">[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, Maryland 20852. The first page of any
filing should include Docket Number UL26-3-000.
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#c28d929282a4a7b0a1eca5adb4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="652a353525030017064b020a13">[email protected]</span></a>.
For further information, please contact Kelly Fitzpatrick at (202)
502-8435 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#96fdf3fafaefb8f0ffe2ece6f7e2e4fff5fdd6f0f3e4f5b8f1f9e0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d6668616174236b6479777d6c797f646e664d6b687f6e236a627b">[email protected]</span></a>.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: March 17, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-05522 Filed 3-19-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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