2011-32379. Whitman River Dam, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications

On October 19, 2011, Whitman River Dam, Inc. filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act, proposing to study the feasibility of the Westminster Dam Hydroelectric Project (Westminster Project or project) to be located on the Whitman River, near Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority to file a license application during the permit term. A preliminary permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by others without the owners' express permission.

The proposed project would consist of: (1) An earthen and masonry dam, 31-foot-high and 1,500-foot-long, (2) a head pond with storage of 870.0 acre-feet, (3) two existing 30-inch diameter discharge pipes, and (4) a new powerhouse located in the vicinity of the discharge pipes containing one generating unit having a capacity of 35 kilowatts. The estimated annual generation of the Westminster Project would be 218,000 kilowatt-hours.

Applicant Contact: Mr. Robert Francis, President, Whitman River Dam, Inc., P.O. Box 145, 10 Tommy Francis Road, Westminster, MA 01473.

FERC Contact: Jeff Browning; phone: [phone].

Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice. Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements of 18 CFR 4.36. Comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing applications may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [e-mail] or toll free at 1-[phone], or for TTY, [phone]. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.

More information about this project, including a copy of the application, can be viewed or printed on the “eLibrary” link of Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number (P-13242-001) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

Dated: December 9, 2011.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.