2020-27128. Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests; Lower Saranac Hydro, LLC

Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.

a. Type of Application: Subsequent Minor License.

b. Project No.: 3511-024.

c. Date filed: May 29, 2020.

d. Applicant: Lower Saranac Hydro, LLC.

e. Name of Project: Groveville Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: On Fishkill Creek, in the City of Beacon, Dutchess County, New York. The project does not occupy any federal land.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Elise Anderson, Senior Environmental Permitting Specialist, Lower Saranac Hydro, LLC, Enel Green Power North America, Inc., 100 Brickstone Square, Suite 300, Andover, MA 01810; Phone: [phone] or email at [e-mail].

i. FERC Contact: Jeremy Feinberg at [phone] or [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests: February 2, 2021.

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], [phone] (toll free), or [phone] (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.

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 at this time.

l. The Groveville Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) A 167-foot-long, 37-foot-high concrete gravity dam, with a 140-foot-long spillway having a crest elevation of 172.4 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29) and topped with 3-foot-high wooden flashboards; (2) an impoundment with a gross storage capacity of approximately 43 acre-feet and a surface area of 5 acres at a normal pool elevation of 175.4 feet NGVD29; (3) an intake structure with two gates and a 27-foot-high, 34-foot-wide trashrack; (4) a 9-foot-diameter, approximately 140-foot-long riveted steel underground penstock; (5) a powerhouse containing three fixed-output turbine-generator units with a total rated capacity of 927 kilowatts; (6) a 4-foot-high submerged stilling basin weir approximately 60 feet downstream of the dam spillway; (7) a 20-foot-wide, 90-foot-long tailrace; (8) a 20-foot-long underground generator lead connecting to a step-up transformer that connects to a 13.2-kilovolt, 40-foot-long underground transmission line that then connects to a 15-foot-long aerial transmission line before connecting to the regional grid; and (9) appurtenant facilities.

The project operates in a modified run-of-river mode. The project had an average annual generation of 1,762.7 megawatt-hours between 2012 and 2019.

m. A copy of the application is available for review 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 due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

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

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 preliminary Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate.

Issue Scoping Document 1 for comments: February 2021

Request Additional Information (if necessary): April 2021

Issue Scoping Document 2 (if necessary): May 2021

Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis: May 2021

Dated: December 4, 2020.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.