Brookfield White Pine LLC; Notice of Application for Temporary Variance Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests

Issuing agencies

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 161 (Friday, August 21, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 161 (Friday, August 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54324-54325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17105]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2194-049]


Brookfield White Pine LLC; Notice of Application for Temporary 
Variance Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Protests

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Application Type: Temporary Variance of Impoundment Elevation 
Requirement.
    b. Project No: 2194-049.
    c. Date Filed: June 22, 2026.
    d. Applicant: Brookfield White Pine LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Bar Mills Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The Project is located on the Saco River in York 
County, Maine. The project does not occupy any federal land.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
    h. Applicant Contact: Jay Seyfried, 460 Civic Center Drive, 
Augusta, ME 04330, (207) 755-5615, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5d373c2e3233732e38243b2f3438391d3f2f3232363b343831392f3833382a3c3f3138733e3230"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a707b69757434697f637c68737f7e5a78687575717c737f767e687f747f6d7b78767f34797577">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    i. FERC Contact: Jeremy Jessup, (202) 502-6779, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#18727d6a7d756136727d6b6b6d68587e7d6a7b367f776e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="22484750474f5b0c48475151575262444750410c454d54">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    j. Cooperating agencies: With this notice, the Commission is 
inviting federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies with jurisdiction 
and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues affected 
by the proposal, that wish to cooperate in the preparation of any 
environmental document, if applicable, to follow the instructions for 
filing such requests described in item l below. Cooperating agencies 
should note the Commission's policy that agencies that cooperate in the 
preparation of any environmental document cannot also intervene. See 94 
FERC ] 61,076 (2001).
    k. Water Quality Certification: A water quality certificate under 
section 401 of the Clean Water Act is required for this proposal from 
the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The applicant must 
file no later than 60 days following the date of issuance of this 
notice either: (1) a copy of the request for water quality 
certification submitted to the Maine Department of Environmental 
Protection; or (2) a copy of the water quality certification or 
evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
    l. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and 
protests: September 17, 2026 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, motions to intervene, and protests 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>. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#da9c9f889995b4b6b3b4bf89afaaaab5a8ae9abcbfa8b9f4bdb5ac"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99dfdccbdad6f7f5f0f7fccaece9e9f6ebedd9fffcebfab7fef6ef">[email&#160;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. The first page of any filing 
should include the docket number P-2194-049. Comments emailed to 
Commission staff are not considered part of the Commission record.
    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 whose name appears 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. Description of Request: The applicant is in the process of 
surrendering the license. The applicant is requesting a temporary 
variance of the impoundment elevation at the project from May 2027 
through the commencement of removal activities associated with the 
surrender. The applicant requests to lower any flashboards that remain 
in the raised position following next year's spring run off to the 
spillway crest, 141.75 feet United States Geological Survey datum, on 
or after May 1, 2027, subject to river conditions and the ability to 
safely perform the work. The impoundment elevation would remain at the 
spillway crest elevation and may vary based on inflow conditions. The 
proposed drawdown rate would be no more than one foot per day when 
lowering flashboards. The licensee would remain compliant with 
downstream fish passage and minimum flow requirements, which are 
provided through the minimum flow bypass gate and spill over the 
spillway. The proposed variance request would not alter run-of-river 
operations, and no changes to tailrace conditions are anticipated. 
There is no ground disturbance associated with the temporary variance 
request.
    n. Locations of the Application: This filing may 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. 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#82c4c7d0c1cdeceeebece7d1f7f2f2edf0f6c2e4e7f0e1ace5edf4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7d3b382f3e3213111413182e080d0d120f093d1b180f1e531a120b">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Agencies may 
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
    o. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should

[[Page 54325]]

so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    p. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: 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, 
.214, respectively. 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.
    q. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all 
capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``PROTEST'', or ``MOTION TO 
INTERVENE'' as applicable; (2) set forth in the heading the name of the 
applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing 
responds; and (3) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 
385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, motions to intervene, or 
protests must set forth their evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an 
intervenor must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons 
listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this 
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2010.
    r. 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#cf809f9f8fa9aabdace1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aae5fafaeacccfd8c984cdc5dc">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

    Dated: August 18, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-17105 Filed 8-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>