Document ID: FERC-2013-1323-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facilities: Santa Barbara, CA
Posted Date: 2013-10-09T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61986-61987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24409]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD13-7-000]

City of Santa Barbara, California; Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and 
Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene

    On September 24, 2013, the City of Santa Barbara, California, filed 
a notice of intent to construct a qualifying conduit hydropower 
facility, pursuant to section 30 of the Federal Power Act, as amended 
by section 4 of the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 
(HREA). The Gibraltar Conduit Hydroelectric Project would be located 
within the City of Santa Barbara's existing water supply system, at the 
site of a previously decommissioned hydroelectric plant. The plant is 
located at the outlet of the Gibraltar Conduit at the north end of the 
Lauro Reservoir in Santa Barbara County, California.
    Applicant Contact: Rebecca Bjork, Water Resources Manager, 630 
Garden Street, PO Box 1990, Santa Barbara, CA 93102, Phone No. (805) 
897-1914.
    FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, Phone No. (202) 502-6778, email: 
christopher.chaney@ferc.gov.
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) An existing 16-inch diameter intake 
pipeline receiving water flows from an existing 21-inch diameter 
pipeline; (2) an existing powerhouse, containing one 820-kilowatt 
generating unit; (3) an exisiting 36-inch diameter discharge pipeline; 
and (4) appurtenant facilities. The proposed project would have an 
estimated annual generating capacity of 1,874 megawatt-hours.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all of the criteria shown in the table below.

                          Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
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                                                                                                      Satisfies
     Statutory provision                                   Description                                  (Y/N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended    The conduit the facility uses is a tunnel, canal, pipeline,                    Y
 by HREA.                       aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance that
                                is operated for the distribution of water for agricultural,
                                municipal, or industrial consumption and not primarily for the
                                generation of electricity
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i), as         The facility is constructed, operated, or maintained for the                   Y
 amended by HREA.               generation of electric power and uses for such generation only the
                                hydroelectric potential of a non-federally owned conduit
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii), as        The facility has an installed capacity that does not exceed 5                  Y
 amended by HREA.               megawatts
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as       On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is not licensed, or                  Y
 amended by HREA.               exempted from the licensing requirements of Part I of the FPA
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    Preliminary Determination: Based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff preliminarily determines that the proposal satisfies 
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility not 
required to be licensed or exempted from licensing.
    Comments and Motions To Intervene: Deadline for filing comments 
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 45 
days from the issuance date of this notice.
    Deadline for filing motions to intervene is 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice.
    Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance 
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
    Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1) 
Bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR 
A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' as 
applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the applicant and the 
project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) 
state the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing; and 
(4) otherwise comply with the requirements of sections 385.2001 through 
385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\ All comments contesting 
Commission staff's preliminary determination that the facility meets 
the qualifying criteria must set forth their evidentiary basis.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001-385.2005 (2013).
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    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and comments 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (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. A copy of all other filings in 
reference

[[Page 61987]]

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.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies of the notice of intent can 
be obtained directly from the applicant or such copies can be viewed 
and reproduced at the Commission in its Public Reference Room, Room 2A, 
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing may also be 
viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (e.g., CD13-7) in the 
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call toll-
free 1-866-208-3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY, call 
(202) 502-8659.

    Dated: October 2, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-24409 Filed 10-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P