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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 124 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35079-35080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14065]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 803-115]

Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Application Type: Application for Temporary Variance of Flow 
Requirements.
    b. Project No: 803-115.
    c. Date Filed: May 26, 2021, and supplemented June 2, 2021.
    d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (licensee).
    e. Name of Project: DeSabla-Centerville Project.
    f. Location: The project is located on Butte Creek, West Branch 
Feather River, and their tributaries in Butte County, California.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
    h. Applicant Contact: Ms. Jackie Pope, License Coordinator, Pacific 
Gas and Electric Company, Mail Code: N11D, P.O. Box 770000, San 
Francisco, CA 94177, Phone: (530) 254-4007.
    i. FERC Contact: John Aedo, (415) 369-3335, [email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and 
protests: July 26, 2021.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, motions to intervene, and protests 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, you may 
submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must 
be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. 
Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly 
D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins 
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should 
include the docket number P-77-306. Comments emailed to Commission 
staff are not considered part of the Commission record.
    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 whose name appears 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. Description of Request: The licensee requests a temporary 
variance of the minimum flow requirements in the West Branch Feather 
River below the Hendricks Head Dam, in Butte Creek

[[Page 35080]]

below the Butte Head Dam, and in Philbrook Creek below Philbrook Dam. 
The licensee requests that the instantaneous dry year minimum flow 
requirement of 7 cubic feet per second (cfs) at Hendricks Head and 
Butte Head Diversion Dams be temporarily modified to a 7 cfs, 48-hour 
average minimum flow. The licensee states that the temporary variance 
would eliminate the need to release additional buffer flows of 4 to 5 
cfs and instead, allocate those flows to the lower reaches of Butte 
Creek, where Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon are currently 
holding. In addition, the licensee requests that the minimum flow 
requirement in Philbrook Creek be reduced to 0.8 cfs, with a 0.2 cfs 
buffer, for a total of 1 cfs.
    The licensee requests the variance due to exceptionally dry 
conditions and limited water availability in the project area. 
Additionally, the licensee states that the proposed variance would 
preserve cold water storage in Philbrook Reservoir, increase flow to 
Butte Creek via the Hendricks Canal, and decrease water residence time 
in the DeSabla Forebay, thus providing additional water to Butte Creek 
during the hot summer months to minimize high temperature effects to 
spring-run Chinook salmon, and to preserve water for release later in 
the summer months. The licensee would also provide monthly flow records 
to the resource agencies and notify them of any flow disruptions 
related to the variance. The licensee requests the variance until 
February 28, 2022 to protect spawning and redds, but may end the 
variance earlier if fall or winter rains bring precipitation to early 
spring-run Chinook salmon life stages, and in consultation with the 
project resource group. Due to the urgent nature of the variance 
request, Commission staff is approving the variance for a limited time 
(until August 12, 2021) until the public has an opportunity to review 
and comment on the licensee's proposal. Following the close of the 
public notice period and consideration of any comments received, 
Commission staff will take action on the remaining timeline associated 
with the licensee's request.
    l. Locations of the Application: This filing 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. 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. Agencies may 
obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.
    m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing 
list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
    n. 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, 
.214, respectively. 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.
    o. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all 
capital letters the title ``COMMENTS'', ``PROTEST'', or ``MOTION TO 
INTERVENE'' as applicable; (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 commenting, protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply 
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, motions to intervene, or protests must set forth their 
evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an intervenor 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 
385.2010.

    Dated: Jun 25, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-14065 Filed 6-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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