2012-22180. Barren River Lake Hydro LLC; Notice Soliciting Scoping Comments

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

a. Type of Application: Original Major License.

b. Project No.: P-13022-003.

c. Date filed: December 9, 2011 and amended on June 21, 2012.

d. Applicant: Barren River Lake Hydro LLC (Barren River Hydro).

e. Name of Project: Barren River Lake Dam Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Barren River Lake Dam on the Barren River, in Barren and Allen counties, Kentucky. The project would occupy 29.4 acres of United States lands administered by the Corps' Louisville District.

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

h. Applicant Contact: Brent Smith, Symbiotics LLC, 371 Upper Terrace, Suite 2, Bend, OR 97702; [phone]; or email at [e-mail].

i. FERC Contact: Allan Creamer at [phone], or via email at [e-mail].

j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: October 4, 2012.

All documents 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 1-866-208-3676, 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.

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 is not ready for environmental analysis at this time.

l. The proposed project would utilize the Corps' existing Barren River Lake Dam, and would consist of the following new facilities: (1) An upper intake structure with a center elevation of 533 feet mean sea level (msl) and a lower intake structure with a center elevation of 507.5 feet msl, each equipped with trashracks having 2-inch clear spacing; (2) two 220-foot-long penstocks, connecting the intakes to a 50-foot-diameter, 100-foot-long gate shaft; (3) a 50-by-60-foot gate house; (4) a 850-foot-long power tunnel and a 14-foot-diameter, 950-foot-long penstock, leading to; (5) a 100-foot-long, 65-foot-wide powerhouse containing one vertical Kaplan turbine unit with a total capacity of 6.8 megawatts (MW); (6) a 12-foot-diameter regulating bypass valve connected to the west side of the powerhouse; (7) a 110-foot-long, 80-foot-wide tailrace; (8) a tailwater aeration system; (9) a proposed 0.6-mile-long, 12.5 kilovolt (kV) transmission line; (10) a switchyard; (11) two access roads leading to the gatehouse and powerhouse; and (12) appurtenant facilities. The proposed project would have an average annual generation of 25.8 GWh, and operate in a run-of-release mode utilizing surplus water from the Barren River Lake Dam, as directed by the Corps.

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 Web site 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.

n. 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.

o. Scoping Process:

The Commission staff intends to prepare a single Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Barren River Lake Dam Hydroelectric Project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.

Commission staff does not propose to conduct any on-site scoping meetings at this time. Instead, we are soliciting comments, recommendations, and information, on the Scoping Document (SD) issued on August 31, 2012.

Copies of the SD outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing list and the applicant's distribution list. Copies of the SD may be viewed on the web 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, call 1-866-208-3676 or for TTY, [phone].

Dated: September 4, 2012.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.