[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79288-79290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22227]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14851-003]


White Pine Waterpower, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for 
Filing, Scoping Meetings, and Environmental Site Review; Soliciting 
Motions To Intervene and Protests; and Soliciting Scoping Comments

    Take notice that the following application has been filed with the 
Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: Original Major License.
    b. Project No.: P-14851-003.
    c. Date filed: February 27, 2023.
    d. Applicant: rPlus Hydro, LLLP, on behalf of White Pine 
Waterpower, LLC (White Pine Waterpower).
    e. Name of Project: White Pine Pumped Storage Project (White Pine 
Project or project).
    f. Location: The proposed project would be located approximately 8 
miles northeast of the City of Ely, in White Pine County, Nevada. The 
project would occupy 1,096.01 acres of Federal land managed by the U.S. 
Bureau of Land Management.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Greg Copeland, Program Manager for rPlus 
Hydro, LLLP. Address: White Pine Waterpower, LLC c/o rPlus Hydro, LLLP 
201 S Main St., Suite 2100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Phone: (801) 
759-2223. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88efebe7f8ede4e9e6ecc8faf8e4fdfbede6edfaefe1edfba6ebe7e5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f99e9a96899c9598979db98b89958c8a9c979c8b9e909c8ad79a9694">[email protected]</span></a>.
    i. FERC Contact: Evan Williams, (202) 502-8462, or email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cca9baada2e2bba5a0a0a5ada1bf8caaa9beafe2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d485b4c43035a444141444c405e6d4b485f4e034a425b">[email protected]</span></a>.
    j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: November 22, 2024.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
scoping comments and motions to intervene and protests using the 
Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 
characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at 
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. For assistance, please 
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#296f6c7b6a66474540474c7a5c5959465b5d694f4c5b4a074e465f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4e080b1c0d01202227202b1d3b3e3e213c3a0e282b3c2d60292138">[email protected]</span></a>, (866) 208-
3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic 
filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. 
Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier 
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 
20852. All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket 
number on the first page: White Pine Pumped Storage Project (P-14851-
003).
    The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure 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 intervener 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 for filing, but is not ready 
for environmental analysis at this time.
    l. Project Description: The proposed White Pine Project would 
involve constructing the following new facilities: (1) a 5,695-foot-
long lined compacted rock-fill dam that would create a 4,082-acre-foot 
upper reservoir that would be lined with an impermeable 
polyvinylchloride liner to reduce leakage and would be surrounded by a 
10-foot-high wildlife and security fence; (2) a 6,629-foot-long 
compacted earth-fill embankment dam that would create a 4,241-acre-foot 
lower reservoir that would be lined with an impermeable liner to reduce 
leakage and would be surrounded by a 10-foot-high wildlife and security 
fence; (3) a water conveyance system connecting the upper and lower 
reservoirs that consists of the following structures: (a) an ungated 
vertical inlet/outlet bellmouth-type structure located at the bottom of 
the upper reservoir with a 65-foot-deep conical transition to provide 
flow into a 20-foot-diameter, 2,260-foot-high reinforced concrete-lined 
vertical headrace shaft; (b) a 20-foot-diameter, 240-foot-long 
horizontal steel-lined high-pressure headrace tunnel; (c) three 11-
foot-diameter, 134- to- 200-foot-long steel-lined underground 
penstocks, each with a turbine main inlet valve just upstream of each 
pump-turbine unit; (d) three 13-foot-diameter, 352- to- 448-foot-long 
steel-lined draft tube tunnels of, that transition to concrete-lined 
tunnels of unknown length, downstream of the transformer cavern; (e) a 
22-foot-diameter, 7,610-foot-long concrete-lined tailrace tunnel that 
terminates at the inlet/outlet structure; and (f) an approximately 
92.5-foot-wide intake/outlet structure with trashracks, designed as a 
horizontal fan-shaped diffusor, that extends more than 100 feet from 
the tailrace tunnel and isolates the lower reservoir from the tailrace 
tunnel by a pair of 10.5-foot by 25-foot stoplogs in slots extending 
down from the intake/outlet structure; (4) a 367-foot-long, 83-foot-
wide, 191-foot-high underground powerhouse cavern containing three 333-
megawatt Francis pump-turbines and three generator-motors; (5) a 300-
foot-long, 62-foot-wide, 93-foot-high underground transformer cavern 
containing three-phase step-up transformers connected to the powerhouse 
cavern by three busbar tunnels of unknown dimensions; (6) three 345-
kilovolt underground circuits connecting from the unit transformers in 
the transformer cavern through a 4,950-foot-long, 24-foot-diameter, D-
shaped cable tunnel to the new switchyard; (7) a 400-foot-long by 370-
foot-wide fenced outdoor switchyard where the circuits would be 
combined into a single 345-kilovolt transmission line; (8) a 25-mile-
long, 345 kilovolt overhead transmission line that connects to the grid 
at the existing NV Energy Robinson Summit substation (the point of

[[Page 79289]]

interconnection); (9) a 5,108-foot-long 30-foot-diameter, D-shaped 
shotcrete-lined main access tunnel to provide access to the powerhouse 
and transformer caverns; (10) six other secondary access tunnels for 
accessing the transformer and powerhouse caverns (4 tunnels), the 
tailrace, and the headrace; (11) access roads, including: (a) 4,872-
foot-long lower reservoir perimeter road; (c) a 572-foot-long 
switchyard access road; (d) a 37,300-foot-long, permanent, dual-lane 
paved upper reservoir access road; (e) a 6,200-foot-long upper 
reservoir perimeter road; and (f) an unknown number of access roads for 
transmission line access; (12) a gated, signed, and signaled railroad 
crossing for construction vehicle traffic across the active Nevada 
Northern Railway HiLine track; (13) a permanent, approximately 
1,005,000-cubic-yard spoil disposal site; (14) an unknown number of 
temporary explosives storage facilities of unknown dimensions; and (15) 
appurtenant facilities. A new, alternative upper reservoir access road 
is being considered that would utilize an approximately 3.5-mile long, 
permanent, dual-lane paved roadway that would connect the proposed 
upper reservoir location to White Pine County Road 29 (NV-486), through 
the Duck Creek Range and across Duck Creek. Additionally, a gated, 
signed, and signaled railroad crossing for construction vehicle traffic 
across the currently inactive Nevada Northern Railway Mainline track is 
also being considered, if the track is reactivated.
    The project would also utilize existing portions of unknown lengths 
of U.S. highway 93 and an existing unimproved, unpaved vehicle track as 
the proposed western access road, and an unknown number of existing 
access roads and tracks of unknown length to access the proposed 
transmission line and temporary explosives storage facilities. 
Additionally, an unknown number of existing power distribution lines 
would need to be re-routed and upgraded before construction of the 
project to avoid impacts as a result of lower reservoir construction 
and to facilitate crossings at the western access road. Further, an 
unidentified ridge road of unknown length would need to be rerouted to 
bypass construction and permanent facilities. NV Energy would also need 
to design and construct a new bay at the Robinson Summit Substation for 
the interconnection of the project.
    The water used for construction, to initially fill the new lower 
reservoir, and to provide make-up water would come from a proposed 
wellfield pumping array composed of four new approximately 800-foot-
deep, 14-inch-diameter groundwater wells. Each well would contain a 
submersible pump capable of continuously producing approximately 1,000 
gallons per minute (gpm), resulting in 3,000 gpm for the system and a 
1,000-gpm redundant reserve. Each well would connect to an 
approximately 4-mile-long buried pipeline that would increase from 8-
inch to 16-inch-diameter and would connect to the lower reservoir 
through a buried concrete trench near the crest of the lower reservoir 
dam. The initial volume of water necessary to fill the lower reservoir 
is estimated to be 5,000 acre-feet and would be filled over a 12- to 
18-month period. It is estimated that the project would need 
approximately 560 acre-feet of water each year to replenish water lost 
through seepage, leakage, and evaporation. Once the lower reservoir is 
filled, approximately 4,082 acre-feet could be cycled between the lower 
reservoir and upper reservoir each day. A proposed 2,600-foot-deep, 500 
gpm well and water conveyance facilities would be constructed near the 
Duck Creek Range crest and upper reservoir to provide water for 
construction, hydrogeologic analysis, groundwater monitoring, and 
initial fill.
    The project is designed to generate electricity on demand for up to 
8 hours each day at the maximum generating capacity. The estimated 
annual generation is 2,400 gigawatt-hours per year.
    m. A copy of the application can be viewed on the Commission's 
website at https://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, please contact FERC 
Online Support (see item j above).
    You may also register at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, please 
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
    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.
    When the application is ready for environmental analysis, the 
Commission will issue a public notice requesting comments, 
recommendations, terms and conditions, or prescriptions.
    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. The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#46091616062023342568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98d7c8c8d8fefdeafbb6fff7ee">[email protected]</span></a>.
    p. The Commission's scoping process will help determine the 
required level of analysis and satisfy the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) scoping requirements, irrespective of whether the 
Commission issues an environmental assessment or an environmental 
impact statement.

Scoping Meetings

    In addition to written comments solicited by this notice, 
Commission staff will hold three public scoping meetings at the times 
and locations noted below. All interested individuals, resource 
agencies, Native American Tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend any of 
the meetings to assist Commission staff in identifying the scope of 
environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. The 
times and locations of these meetings are as follows:

Daytime Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
    Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PST.
    Location: Bristlecone Convention Center.
    Address: 150 6th Street, Ely, Nevada 89301.

[[Page 79290]]

Evening Scoping Meeting

    Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
    Time: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST.
    Location: Bristlecone Convention Center.
    Address: 150 6th Street, Ely, Nevada 89301.
    Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be 
addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals 
and entities on the Commission's mailing list. Copies of SD1 will be 
available at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the web at 
http://www.ferc.gov, using the ``eLibrary'' link. Follow the directions 
for accessing information in paragraph m.

Environmental Site Review

    White Pine and Commission staff will conduct an environmental site 
review of the project beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 
2024. All interested individuals, resource agencies, Native American 
Tribes, and NGOs are invited to attend the site review. Attendees are 
responsible for their own vehicle transport and should wear appropriate 
outdoor clothing and footwear. The existing road to the upper reservoir 
site is steep and rocky; therefore, attendees wishing to see the upper 
reservoir site should plan on driving their own 4x4, high clearance, 
off-road capable vehicle to access that particular site. Persons 
planning on participating in the site visit must RSVP to Mr. Gregory 
Copeland of rPlus Energies at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7c0c4c8d7c2cbc6c9c3e7d5d7cbd2d4c2c9c2d5c0cec2d489c4c8ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b0c08041b0e070a050f2b191b071e180e050e190c020e1845080406">[email protected]</span></a> or by phone 
at (801) 759-2223, no later than October 16, 2024, to register for the 
environmental site review. For administrative purposes, rPlus prefers 
interested persons to RSVP by email.

Meeting Procedures

    Individuals, NGOs, Native American Tribes, and agencies with 
environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the 
meetings and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues 
to be addressed in the NEPA document. At the start of each meeting, 
Commission staff will provide a brief overview of the meeting format 
and objectives. Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one 
basis with a court reporter (with Commission staff present). This 
format is designed to receive the maximum number of oral comments in a 
convenient way during the timeframe allotted. If you wish to speak, 
Commission staff will hand out numbers in the order of your arrival. If 
all individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to 
do so, Commission staff may conclude the meeting a half hour earlier 
than the scheduled time. Please see appendix 1 for additional 
information on the session format and conduct.\1\
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    \1\ The appendix referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendix were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. For assistance, please 
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#561013041519383a3f383305232626392422163033243578313920"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="367073647579585a5f585365434646594442765053445518515940">[email protected]</span></a> or call 
(866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).
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    Scoping comments will be recorded by the court reporter and become 
part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be 
publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system. If a significant number 
of people are interested in providing oral comments in the one-on-one 
settings, a time limit of 5 minutes may be implemented for each 
commentor.
    It is important to note that the Commission provides equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in writing or 
provided orally at a scoping session. Although there will not be a 
formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the 
scoping session to answer your questions about the environmental review 
process. Representatives from White Pine will also be present to answer 
project-specific questions.
    q. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following anticipated processing schedule. Revisions to the 
schedule will be made as appropriate. The schedule for issuing draft 
and final NEPA documents is consistent with the Commission's Notice of 
Revised Schedule issued November 15, 2023:
    Scoping Document 1 Issued--September 2024.
    Acceptance and Scoping Notice Issued--September 2024.
    Scoping Document 1 Comments Due--November 2024.
    Issue Scoping Document 2 (if needed)--December 2024.
    Issue Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis--April 2025.
    Comments, Recommendations and Agency Terms and Conditions/
Prescriptions Due--June 2025.
    Applicant's Reply Comments Due--July 2025.
    Commission Issues Draft NEPA Document--January 2026.
    Commission Issues Final NEPA Document--July 2026.

    Dated: September 23, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-22227 Filed 9-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


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