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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99244-99245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28966]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2373-016]

Midwest Hydro, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, 
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental 
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and 
Conditions, and Fishway 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 License.
    b. Project No.: 2373-016.
    c. Date filed: August 30, 2022.
    d. Applicant: Midwest Hydro, LLC (Midwest Hydro).
    e. Name of Project: Rockton Hydroelectric Project (Rockton 
Project).
    f. Location: On the Rock River near the Township of Rockton in 
Winnebago, County, Illinois.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. David Fox, Senior Director of Regulatory 
Affairs, Eagle Creek RE Management, LLC, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 
1100W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, (240) 724-8765, 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Laura Washington (202) 502-6072, 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
recommendations, terms and conditions, and fishway 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 
motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and 
conditions, and fishway prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling 
system at https://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 https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. 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, you may submit a paper 
copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed 
to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 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, 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: Rockton 
Hydroelectric Project (P-2373-016).
    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 for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    l. The Rockton Project consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) a 40.67-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 
207.4 acre-feet at a maximum reservoir surface elevation of 725.48 feet 
National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929; (2) a succession of dam 
structures including, from left to right looking downstream: (i) an 84-
foot-long gated headworks structure located upstream of the power 
canal, (ii) a 1,000-foot-long concrete overflow dam located about 300 
feet upstream of the headworks structure that creates a bypassed reach 
(i.e., Rockton bypassed reach), (iii) a 1,600-foot-long earthen dike 
extending north from the east abutment of the concrete overflow dam, 
and (iv) a 5,000-foot-long power canal dike; (3) a 5,000-foot-long 
power canal running from the gated headworks structure to the 
powerhouse; (4) an intake structure consisting of 64-foot-wide by 15-
foot-high trash racks with 3.5-inch clear spacing; (5) a 64.25-foot-
long, 33.25-foot-wide powerhouse; (6) two vertical-shaft turbine-
generator units, each with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 810 cubic 
feet per second, for a total installed capacity of 1.10 megawatts; (7) 
a 85-foot-wide tailrace that extends downstream for 215 feet where it 
meets the Rockton bypassed

[[Page 99245]]

reach; (8) three 4.1-kilovolt (kV)/12.4-kV step-up transformers; and 
(9) appurtenant facilities. The project interconnects with the 
electrical grid via 4.1-kV bus cables and the three step-up 
transformers.
    Project recreation facilities at the Rockton Project include a 
canoe portage, an overflow dam and power canal bank fishing area, and a 
tailrace fishing area.
    The Rockton Project is currently operated in a run-of-river mode 
and generates an annual average of approximately 5,076 megawatt-hours. 
Midwest Hydro proposes to continue operating the project as a run-of-
river facility and does not propose any new construction.
    Midwest Hydro proposes modifications to the current project 
boundary. The proposed project boundary would include Midwest Hydro-
owned land that includes the entire power canal dike, tailrace bank 
fishing area, and tailrace that extends downstream from the powerhouse 
to its confluence with the Rock River.
    The current project boundary encompasses 174.1 acres, which 
includes 27.72 acres of project lands and 146.38 acres of submerged 
land. The proposed project boundary would include approximately 76.24 
acres, which includes 22.85 acres of project land and 53.39 acres of 
submerged land.
    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 (i.e., P-2373). For assistance, contact 
FERC Online Support.
    n. 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.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or ``FISHWAY 
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 
protesting or intervening; 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. A copy of any protest or motion to intervene must 
be served upon each representative of the applicant specified in the 
particular application. A copy of all other filings in reference to 
this application must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons 
listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this 
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    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 [email protected].
    You may also register online 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, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    o. The 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.
    p. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as 
appropriate.

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                 Milestone                           Target date
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Deadline for filing comments,               February 2025.
 recommendations, terms and conditions,
 and prescriptions.
Deadline for filing reply comments........  March 2025.
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    q. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.

    Dated: December 4, 2024.
Carlos D. Clay,
Acting Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-28966 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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