Document ID: FERC-2016-0851-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Qualifying  Conduit Hydropower Facilities: Three Sisters Irrigation District
Posted Date: 2016-06-22T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40693-40694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14762]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD16-13-000]

Three Sisters Irrigation District; Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and 
Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene

    On June 2, 2016, as supplemented on June 13, 2016, Three Sisters 
Irrigation District filed a notice of intent to construct a qualifying 
conduit hydropower facility, pursuant to section 30 of the Federal 
Power Act (FPA), as amended by section 4 of the Hydropower Regulatory 
Efficiency Act of 2013 (HREA). The proposed Watson Net Meter/Micro 
Hydroelectric Demonstration Facility would have an installed capacity 
of 198.6 kilowatts (kW), and would be located along the outlet pipe for 
an existing irrigation pipeline, the Watson McKenzie Main Canal South 
Pipe. The project would be located in the town of Sisters, Deschutes 
County, Oregon.
    Applicant Contact: Marc Thalacker, P.O. Box 2230, Sisters, OR 
97759, Phone No. (541) 549-8815.
    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) A new powerhouse, approximately 20 feet 
by 40 feet, along the existing 24-inch-diameter outlet pipe of the 54-
inch-diameter Watson McKenzie Main Canal South Pipe; (2) four new 
turbine/generating units with a total installed capacity of 198.6 kW; 
(3) four new, short intake pipes of variable diameters; (4) four new, 
short discharge pipes of variable diameters; (5) a discharge pool 
structure, approximately 13.5 feet by 25 feet, with two 36-inch-
diameter outlet pipes to Watson Reservoir; and (6) appurtenant 
facilities.
    The proposed project would have a total installed capacity of 198.6 
kW.
    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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Statutory provision              Description       Satisfies (Y/N)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by   The conduit the                      Y
 HREA.                            facility uses is a
                                  tunnel, canal,
                                  pipeline, 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 amended   The facility is                      Y
 by HREA.                         constructed,
                                  operated, or
                                  maintained for the
                                  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 amended  The facility has an                  Y
 by HREA.                         installed capacity
                                  that does not exceed
                                  5 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as         On or before August 9,               Y
 amended by HREA.                 2013, the facility is
                                  not licensed, or
                                  exempted from the
                                  licensing
                                  requirements of Part
                                  I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: The proposed addition of the 
hydroelectric project along the existing irrigation pipeline will not 
alter its primary purpose. Therefore, based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff preliminarily determines that the proposal satisfies 
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, which is 
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 385.2001-2005 (2015).
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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)

[[Page 40694]]

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 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 (i.e., CD16-13) 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: June 16, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-14762 Filed 6-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P