2023-22979. Briar Hydro Associates, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting 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. Type of Application: New License.

b. Project No.: 3240–040.

c. Date Filed: November 30, 2022.

d. Applicant: Briar Hydro Associates, LLC.

e. Name of Project: Rolfe Canal Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On the Contoocook River, in the City of Concord, Merrimack County New Hampshire. No federal lands are located within the project boundary.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).

h. Applicant Contact: Andrew J. Locke, Essex Hydro Associates, LLC, 55 Union Street, Boston, MA 02108; (617) 357–0032; email: [e-mail].

i. FERC Contact: Jeanne Edwards at (202) 502–6181; or [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file motions to intervene and protests using the Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/​FERCOnline.aspx. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail], (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: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on the first page: Rolfe Canal Hydroelectric Project (P–3240–040).

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 but is not ready for environmental analysis.

l. The Rolfe Canal Project diverts water from the York Dam into the Rolfe Canal and consists of the following existing facilities: (1) York impoundment with a surface area of 50-acres, at elevation of 342.5 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum 1929 (NGVD29); (2) a 300-foot-long, 10-foot-high diversion dam (York Dam); (3) a 50-foot-wide concrete gated intake structure; (4) a 7,000-foot-long, 75-foot- wide, and 9-foot-deep power canal; (5) an additional impoundment (created by York Dam at the end of the power canal) with surface area of 3-acres, at elevation of 342.5 feet NGVD29, and a negligible storage capacity; (6) a 130-foot-long, 17-foot-high granite block intake dam; (7) a 950-foot-long underground penstock; (8) a 32-foot-wide by 90-foot-long, concrete powerhouse containing one Kaplan turbine-generating unit with a capacity of 4.285 megawatts; (9) a 1,200-foot-long tailrace; (10) transmission facilities consisting of a three-phase 4.16/34.5- kilovolt (kV) transformer, and a 34.5-kV, 650-foot-long transmission line; and (11) other appurtenances. The project has a 4,000-foot-long bypassed reach.

The project operates in a run-of-river mode with a minimum flow of 338 cubic feet per second (cfs), or inflow, whichever is less, into the York impoundment, a minimum flow of 50 cfs into the York bypass, and a minimum flow of 5 cfs into a historic channel that bypasses the penstock. The project had an average annual generation of 19,585,884 kilowatt-hours between 2014 and 2018. Briar Hydro proposes to increase the minimum flow into the York bypass to 100 cfs.

m. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register , the Commission provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the internet through the Commission's Home Page ( http://www.ferc.gov) using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public Reference Room. For assistance, contact FERC at [e-mail], or call (886) 208–3676 (toll free) or (202) 502–8659 (TTY).

You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, environmental justice communities, Tribal members, and others, access publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502–6595, or [e-mail].

n. Anyone may submit a protest or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, 385.211, and 385.214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests 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 protests or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified deadline date for the particular application.

All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title “PROTEST” or “MOTION TO INTERVENE;” (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, address, and telephone number of the person protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR. 385.2001 through 385.2005. 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.

o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate.

Issue Scoping Document 1 for comments	November 2023.
Request Additional Information (if necessary)	November 2023.
Issue Scoping Document 2	December 2023.
Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis	December 2023.

Dated: October 12, 2023.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.