Merchant Hydro Developers LLC; Notice of Declaration of Intention and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 38 (Monday, February 26, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2018)

Notices

Page 8258

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-03819

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Docket No. DI18-2-000

Merchant Hydro Developers LLC; Notice of Declaration of Intention and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and Motions To Intervene

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

1. Application Type: Declaration of Intention.

2. Docket No: DI18-2-000.

3. Date Filed: February 6, 2018.

4. Applicant: Merchant Hydro Developers LLC.

5. Name of Project: Old Forge Bore Hole Reclamation Pump Storage Project.

6. Location: The proposed Old Forge Bore Hole Reclamation Pump Storage Project would be located near the Borough of Duryea, in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, Pennsylvania.

7. Filed Pursuant to: Section 23(b)(1) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 817(b) (2012).

8. Applicant and Agent Contact: Merchant Hydro Developers LLC, c/o Adam R. Rousselle, Sr., 5710 Oak Crest Drive, Doylestown, PA 45150, telephone: (267) 254-6107; email: email protected;

9. FERC Contact: Any questions on this notice should be addressed to Jennifer Polardino, (202) 502-6437, or email: email protected.

10. Deadline for filing comments, protests, and motions to intervene is: 30 days from the issuance date of this notice by the Commission.

    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, protests, and motions to intervene 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 email protected, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (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 DI18-2-000.

11. Description of Project: The proposed closed-loop Old Forge Bore Hole Reclamation Pump Storage Project would consist of: (1) A new upper reservoir with a surface area of 300 acres and a storage capacity of 4,500 acre-feet at a surface elevation of approximately 1,356 feet above mean sea level (msl) created through construction of a new roller-compacted concrete or rock-fill dam; (2) a new lower reservoir with a surface area of 300 acres and a storage capacity of 5,014 acre-

    feet at a surface elevation of 550 feet msl; (3) four new 5,640-foot-

    long, 16-foot-diameter penstocks connecting the upper and lower reservoirs; (4) a new 250-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, 50-foot-high powerhouse containing two or three turbine-generator units with a total rated capacity of 450 megawatts; (5) a new transmission line connecting the powerhouse to the 230/69-kilovolt Stanton substation owned by PPL Electric Utilities; and (6) appurtenant facilities. Merchant Hydro Developers LLC states that it will use only groundwater from an underground abandoned mine to initially charge and seasonally refill the upper reservoirs. The applicant proposes to transport groundwater to its upper reservoirs using underground pumping equipment and intakes. The applicant also states the project effectuates an interconnection line without crossing the Susquehanna River or any other body of water.

    When a Declaration of Intention is filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Federal Power Act requires the Commission to investigate and determine if the project would affect the interests of interstate or foreign commerce. The Commission also determines whether or not the project: (1) Would be located on a navigable waterway; (2) would occupy public lands or reservations of the United States; (3) would utilize surplus water or water power from a government dam; or (4) would be located on a non-navigable stream over which Congress has Commerce Clause jurisdiction and would be constructed or enlarged after 1935.

12. Locations of the Application: This filing may be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. 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, call 1-866-208-3676 or email email protected, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above and in the Commission's Public Reference Room located at 888 First Street NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 502-8371.

13. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.

14. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, and .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments 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 comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application.

15. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must bear in all capital letters the title COMMENTS, PROTESTS, and MOTIONS TO INTERVENE, as applicable, and the Docket Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. A copy of any Motion to Intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application.

16. Agency Comments: Federal, state, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives.

    Dated: February 20, 2018.

    Kimberly D. Bose,

    Secretary.

    FR Doc. 2018-03819 Filed 2-23-18; 8:45 am

    BILLING CODE 6717-01-P