2020-04322. Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions

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.: 3452-017.

c. Date Filed: June 28, 2019.

d. Applicant: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.

e. Name of Project: Oak Orchard Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: The project is located adjacent to the New York State Canal Corporation's barge canal in the Village of Medina, Orleans County, New York. The project does not occupy federal land.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Steven P. Murphy, Director, U.S. Licensing, Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P., 33 West 1st Street South, Fulton, NY 13069; [phone]; email: [e-mail].

i. FERC Contact: Laurie Bauer at [phone]; or email at [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling system at 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], [phone] (toll free), or [phone] (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-3452-017.

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 and is ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. The Oak Orchard Project consists of the following existing facilities: (1) A concrete gravity dam containing a spillway with a crest elevation of 507.6 feet mean sea level (msl) surmounted by 2-foot-high flashboards and two 5-foot-high, 5-foot-wide flood gates; (2) a forebay with a surface area of 0.25 acre and a storage capacity of 3 acre-feet at the normal pool elevation of 509.6 feet msl; (3) an intake structure with trashracks; (4) a 7-foot-diameter, 85-foot-long welded steel penstock from the intake to the turbine; (5) a 20-foot-long, 43-foot-wide powerhouse containing a single turbine-generator unit with a rated capacity of 350 kilowatts; (6) a tailrace located on the left (west) bank of Oak Orchard Creek; (7) a 55-foot-long underground generation lead; (8) three single-phase 167-kilovolt-ampere pole-mounted power transformers; (9) a 400-foot-long access road; and (10) appurtenant facilities.

Erie operates the project off of flows provided to it from the barge canal. During the navigation season, the Canal Corporation provides approximately 225 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water. Under normal operating conditions, Erie uses approximately 200 cfs of the provided water for project operation and the remaining water (approximately 25 cfs) is discharged directly to Oak Orchard Creek. During the period from 2009 to 2016, the average annual generation was approximately 1,147 megawatt-hours.

m. A copy of the application is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's website at 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. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.

All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title COMMENTS, REPLY COMMENTS, RECOMMENDATIONS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS, or PRESCRIPTIONS; (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 submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.

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.

n. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following the date of issuance of this notice: (1) A copy of the water quality certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request; or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.

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

Milestone	Target date
Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions	April 2020.
Reply comments due	June 2020.
Commission issues EA	September 2020.
Comments on EA due	October 2020.

Dated: February 26, 2020.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.