Notice2026-18149
City of Sturgis, Michigan; Notice of Application for Temporary Variance Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
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Published
September 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56873-56874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18149]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2964-046]
City of Sturgis, Michigan; 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 from impoundment elevation.
b. Project No: 2964-046.
c. Date Filed: July 31, 2026.
d. Applicant: City of Sturgis, Michigan.
e. Name of Project: Sturgis Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The project is located on the St. Joseph River in St.
Joseph County, Michigan. The project does not occupy any federal lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Chris McArthur, Electric Superintendent, City
of Sturgis, Michigan, 206 E West Street, Sturgis, MI 49091,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f99a949a988b8d918c8bb98a8d8c8b9e908a9490d79e968f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="caa9a7a9abb8bea2bfb88ab9bebfb8ada3b9a7a3e4ada5bc">[email protected]</span></a>, (269) 659-7298.
i. FERC Contact: Selina Sumi, (202) 502-6892, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f0c1a1316111e510c0a12163f191a0d1c51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d2e383134333c732e2830341d3b382f3e733a322b">[email 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 k 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. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and
protests: October 1, 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#25636077666a4b494c4b40765055554a575165434057460b424a53"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73353621303c1d1f1a1d16200603031c010733151601105d141c05">[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. The first page of any filing
should include the docket number P-2964-046. 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.
[[Page 56874]]
l. Description of Request: The applicant requests Commission
approval for a temporary variance from the impoundment elevation
requirements set forth in condition 1.1 of the Michigan Department of
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's water quality certification to
facilitate a scheduled drawdown of the project impoundment. The purpose
of the drawdown is to mitigate risk during construction of several
critical dam safety improvements. The proposed variance would allow the
licensee to address ongoing seepage issues at the toe of slope of the
main earthen embankment and stability issues with the downstream slope
of the earthen embankment. Additional improvement works combined with
the main earthen embankment repair includes raising the crest of the
detached earthen embankment, raising the concrete spillway abutment
wall, removing and replacing the grout mattress with riprap on the
upstream earthen embankment slope, construction of an Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant path to the St. Joseph River, and
addressing surface drainage along the toe of the dam and access road.
The licensee would lower the impoundment approximately 2.9 feet to an
elevation of 822.7 National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD 29). The
drawdown of the impoundment is scheduled to begin after Labor Day
(i.e., after September 7, 2026) and would utilize a drawdown rate not
to exceed one-half foot (or six inches) per 24-hour period. The
drawdown is proposed to be completed no later than September 15, 2026.
Proposed construction activities associated with the dam would not be
complete prior to October 15, 2027, and the impoundment is proposed to
remain in its lowered state until April 2028.
m. 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#85c3c0d7c6caebe9ecebe0d6f0f5f5eaf7f1c5e3e0f7e6abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="460003140509282a2f282315333636293432062023342568212930">[email protected]</span></a>, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Agencies may
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
n. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
o. 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.
p. 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.
q. 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#2c637c7c6c4a495e4f024b435a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c28d929282a4a7b0a1eca5adb4">[email protected]</span></a>.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: September 1, 2026.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
.
[FR Doc. 2026-18149 Filed 9-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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