Notice2026-06505
William Taylor; Notice of Pending Jurisdictional Inquiry, and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene
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Published
April 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 64 (Friday, April 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 64 (Friday, April 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16934-16935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06505]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. UL26-4-000]
William Taylor; 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 Baldin Brook Hydroelectric Project.
The project is located on Baldin Brook in Lamoille 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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Vermont DEC requests that the Commission examine its jurisdiction
for the Baldin Brook Hydroelectric 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.\6\
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\6\ Vermont DEC February 4, 2026 Request for Determination of
Commission Jurisdiction for the Baldin Brook Hydroelectric Project
at 2.
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In response to Vermont DEC's requests, Commission staff is
investigating the jurisdictional status of the Baldin Brook
Hydroelectric Project (UL26-4-000). 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, UL26-4-000.
[[Page 16935]]
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#4e080b1c0d01202227202b1d3b3e3e213c3a0e282b3c2d60292138"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="387e7d6a7b77565451565d6b4d4848574a4c785e5d4a5b165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>, for TTY, call (202) 502-
8659.
The Commission is soliciting comments, motions to intervene, and
protests in these proceedings. Comments, motions to intervene, and
protests must be filed by 45 days from notice or May 15, 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 Rule 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#43050611000c2d2f2a2d26103633332c313703252631206d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0e484b5c4d41606267606b5d7b7e7e617c7a4e686b7c6d20696178">[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 UL26-4-000.
For further information, please contact Rebecca Martin at (202)
502-6012 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4634232423252527682b2734322f28062023342568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84f6e1e6e1e7e7e5aae9e5f6f0edeac4e2e1f6e7aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1.)
Dated: March 31, 2026.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-06505 Filed 4-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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