Document ID: FERC-2023-0979-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Application: Central Rivers Power NH, LLC, Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC
Posted Date: 2023-08-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 146 (Tuesday, August 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50142-50145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16303]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2287-053, Project No. 2288-057, Project No. 2300-052, 
Project No. 2311-067, Project No. 2326-054, Project No. 2327-047, 
Project No. 2422-058, Project No. 2423-031]

Central Rivers Power NH, LLC, Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC; 
Notice of Applications Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To 
Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and 
Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, 
and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been 
filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Applications: New Major Licenses
    b. Project Nos.: 2287-053, 2288-057, 2300-052, 2311-067, 2326-054, 
2327-047, 2422-058, 2423-031
    c. Dates filed: 2287-053, 2288-057: July 28, 2022. Supplemented on 
April 12 and July 14, 2023.
    2300-052, 2311-067, 2326-054, 2327-047, 2422-058, 2423-031: August 
1, 2022. Supplemented on April 12 and July 14, 2023.
    d. Applicants: Central Rivers Power NH, LLC and Great Lakes Hydro 
America, LLC
    e. Names of Projects: J. Brodie Smith, Gorham, Shelburne, Upper 
Gorham, Cross Power, Cascade, Sawmill, and Riverside Hydroelectric 
Projects
    f. Location: On the Androscoggin River, in Coos County, New 
Hampshire.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)--825(r).
    h. Applicant Contacts: Mr. Curtis R. Mooney, Project Manager, 
Central Rivers Power NH, LLC, 59 Ayers Island Road, Bristol, New 
Hampshire 03222, (603) 744-0846, Mr. Luke Anderson, Great Lakes Hydro 
America, LLC, Brookfield Renewable, 150 Main St., Lewiston, Maine, 
04240, (207) 755-5613, [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Ryan Hansen at (202) 502-8074 or email at 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,

[[Page 50143]]

recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary 
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'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].
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary 
terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 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 
FERCOnline[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, 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. All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket 
number on the first page: J. Brodie Smith (2287-053), Gorham (2288-
057), Shelburne (2300-052), Upper Gorham (2311-067), Cross Power (2326-
054), Cascade (2327-047), Sawmill (2422-058), and/or Riverside (2423-
031) Hydroelectric Projects.
    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 commentor 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. These applications have been accepted for filing and are now 
ready for environmental analysis.
    The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a final rule on 
April 20, 2022, revising the regulations under 40 CFR parts 1502, 1507, 
and 1508 that Federal agencies use to implement the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (see National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Regulations Revisions, 87 FR 23,453-70). The final rule 
became effective on May 20, 2022. Commission staff intends to conduct 
its NEPA review in accordance with CEQ's new regulations.
    l. Project Descriptions:
    J. Brodie Smith: The existing J. Brodie Smith Hydroelectric Project 
consists of: (1) a 500-foot-long masonry and concrete U-shaped gravity 
dam with a maximum height of 24 feet that includes: (a) a 170-foot-long 
spillway with a crest elevation of 1003 feet and topped with 6.7-foot-
high hinged steel flashboards and two 17-foot-high, 25-foot-wide steel 
roller-type sluice gates with a sill elevation of 993 feet; (b) a 256-
foot-long spillway with a crest elevation of 1006.7 feet and topped 
with 3-foot-high pin supported wooden flashboards; and (c) two waste 
gates located immediately to the west of an opening in the flashboards; 
(2) an impoundment with a surface area of 8 acres at a normal headwater 
elevation of 1009.7 feet; (3) an intake structure consisting of a 500-
foot-long by 100-foot-wide power canal fitted with trashracks; (4) a 
1,440-foot-long, 18-foot-diameter steel penstock; (5) a 1.15 million 
gallon steel surge tank; (6) a 65-foot-long, 53-foot-wide powerhouse 
containing one generating unit with a rated capacity of 15 MW; (7) a 
400-foot-long tailrace; (8) a 1,500-foot-long, 115-kV transmission line 
conveying power from the powerhouse to the regional grid; and (9) 
appurtenant facilities. The project creates an approximately 0.5-mile-
long bypassed reach of the Androscoggin River.
    Gorham: The existing Gorham Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) 
a 417-foot-long, 20-foot-high timber crib, L-shaped dam that includes: 
(a) a 90-foot-long spillway topped with a 12-inch-long, 12-inch-wide 
wooden flashboard with a crest elevation of 772.2 feet (b) a 252-foot-
long spillway topped with 5.4-foot-high hinged wooden flashboards; (c) 
a 15-foot-wide sluice gate; and (d) a 75-foot-long reinforced concrete 
sluiceway topped with 5.33 foot-high hinged wooden flashboards; (2) an 
impoundment with a surface area of 32 acres; (3) a 415-foot-long, 60-
foot-wide, 20-foot-deep earthen power canal conveying flow from the 
impoundment to the powerhouse; (4) a 37.8-foot-long, 27.1-foot-wide 
powerhouse containing two vertical Francis turbines and two generators 
with a total installed capacity of 2.15 MW; (5) an 850-foot-long 
tailrace; (6) a 200-foot-long, 33-kV transmission line that transmits 
power from the powerhouse to a nearby substation; and (6) appurtenant 
facilities. The project creates an approximately 850-foot-long bypassed 
reach of the Androscoggin River.
    Shelburne: The existing Shelburne Hydroelectric Project consists 
of: (1) a 51-foot-long concrete gravity dam that includes: (a) a 70-
foot-long, 3-foot-wide concrete retaining wall along the northern shore 
of the Androscoggin River; (b) a 171-foot-long gated spillway section 
comprised of an 83-foot-long section with 9-foot-high hinged steel and 
wood flashboards; (c) an 88-foot-long section containing three 25-foot-
long, 10-foot-high wastegates separated by 5-foot-wide concrete piers; 
and (d) a 27-foot-wide sluiceway ; (2) an impoundment with a surface 
area of approximately 250 acres at the normal full pond elevation of 
734.2 feet; (3) 259 feet of dikes along the south shore of the 
impoundment; (4) a 17-foot-long by 14-foot-wide gate controller 
building located on the island adjacent to the sluiceway housing; (5) a 
15-foot-long by 112-foot-high intake conveying flow from the 
impoundment to the powerhouse fitted with a steel bar trashrack with 3-
inch clear spacing; (6) a 110-foot-long, 48.6-foot-wide powerhouse 
integral with the dam containing three turbines and generators a total 
installed capacity of 3.72 MW; (7) a 130-foot-long tailrace; (8) a 5.5-
mile-long, 22-kV transmission line conveying power from the powerhouse 
to the regional grid; and (9) appurtenant facilities.
    Upper Gorham: The existing Upper Gorham Hydroelectric Project 
consists of: (1) a 775-foot-long timber crib and earthen dam that 
includes: (a) a western 133-foot-long, earthen dike with concrete core 
wall and a crest elevation of 820.0 feet USGS; (b) a 300-foot-long, 18-
foot-high rock-filled timber crib spillway section with 5-foot-high 
flashboards; (c) a 122-foot-long headgate section that regulates flow 
into the power canal; (d) a 113-foot-long by 16-foot-wide gatehouse 
integral with dam; (e) an eastern 220-foot-long earthen dike with 
concrete core wall; and (f) a headgate section containing ten 7.5-foot-
wide stoplog gates fitted with trashracks; (2) an impoundment that is 
approximately 45 acres at a normal full

[[Page 50144]]

pond elevation of 812.3 feet USGS; (3) a 3,350-foot-long, 220-foot-
wide, 18-foot-deep excavated earthen power canal with riprap lining; 
(4) a 126-foot-long by 18-foot-wide gatehouse with 14 operable gates 
and trashracks with 3-inch clear spacing; (5) a 127-foot-long, 74-foot-
wide, 26-foot-high powerhouse containing four horizontal shaft Francis 
turbines and four generators with a total installed capacity of 4.8 MW; 
(6) a 370-foot-long tailrace; (7) a 22-kV, 50-foot-long transmission 
line transmits power from the powerhouse to three 2500 kVA transformers 
sitting on a 46-foot long by 20-foot-wide transformer pad; and (8) 
appurtenant facilities. The project creates an approximately 1-mile-
long bypassed reach of the Androscoggin River.
    Cross Power: The existing Cross Power Hydroelectric Project 
consists of: (1) an approximately 467-foot-long concrete and rock fill 
dam that includes: (a) two concrete non-overflow sections, separated by 
an outcropping ledge; (b) a stoplog opening; (c) a 276-foot-long, 25-
foot-high spillway with a crest elevation that ranges from 918.2 feet 
to 921.7 feet and topped with 42-inch-high flashboards; (d) a 19-foot-
wide, 124-foot-long gatehouse equipped with a 21.6-feet-wide, 18.4-
feet-high trashrack in each bay; and (e) a concrete retaining wall; (2) 
an impoundment with a surface area of 22 acres at a normal full pond 
elevation of 921.7 feet USGS; (3) an original 47-foot-wide, 146-foot-
long concrete and brick powerhouse with a 47-foot-wide, 50-foot-long 
addition on the downstream shore side that contains five propeller 
turbines and five horizontal generators with a combined installed 
capacity of 3.22 MW; (4) a 50-foot-long tailrace; (5) a 20-foot-long 
transmission line transmitting power from the powerhouse to a 3,750 kVA 
transformer located adjacent to the eastern side of the powerhouse; and 
(6) appurtenant facilities.
    Cascade: The existing Cascade Hydroelectric Project consists of: 
(1) a 583-foot-long concrete gravity dam with a maximum height of 53 
feet consisting of: (a) a 313-foot-long spillway section with a crest 
elevation of 898.4 feet fitted with 3-foot-high flashboards for a total 
elevation of 901.4 feet, and (b) three non-overflow abutment sections 
located between the spillway and forebay gate structure on each side of 
the dam; (2) an impoundment with a surface area of 28 acres at a normal 
full pond elevation of 901.4 feet; (3) an approximately 168-foot long, 
15-foot-wide forebay gate structure with fourteen 9-foot-wide, 11-foot-
high wooden forebay gates; (4) a 300-foot-long and 240-foot-wide 
forebay with a normal water surface elevation of 901.2 feet; (5) a 4-
foot-wide, 2-inch-long, 6-inch-high sluiceway; (6) a 135-foot-long, 43-
foot-wide, 67-foot-high powerhouse with a 41-foot-long, 16-foot-wide 
addition containing three Francis turbines and three generators with a 
combined installed capacity of 7.92 MW; (7) a 40-foot-long tailrace; 
(8) a 430-foot-long, 22-kV transmission line transmitting power from 
the powerhouse to the regional grid; and (9) appurtenant facilities. 
The project creates an approximately 350-foot-long bypassed reach of 
the Androscoggin River.
    Sawmill: The existing Sawmill Hydroelectric Project consists of: 
(1) an approximately 720-foot-long concrete dam with a maximum height 
of 15 feet that includes: (a) a 169-foot-long spillway section with a 
crest elevation of 1094.1 feet USGS; (b) a 134-foot-long, 22-foot-wide 
wastegate section, topped with five 18-foot-wide, 13-foot-high wooden 
gates; (c) a 99.4-foot-long, 2-foot-high spillway section with a crest 
elevation of 1094.2 feet; (d) a 145-foot-long, 11-foot-high spillway 
section topped with permanent 21-inch-high steel flashboards and a 
crest elevation of 1093.2 feet; (e) a 36-foot-long, 2-foot-high 
spillway section with crest elevation of 1094.2 feet; and (f) a 137-
foot-long spillway section topped with hinged 7.5-foot-high flashboards 
and a crest elevation of 1087.0 feet; (2) an impoundment with a surface 
area of 72.5 acres at a normal full pond elevation of 1094.5 feet; (3) 
a headwork structure including four 9.5-foot-wide, 12-foot-high steel 
wheeled gates conveying flow from the impoundment to the powerhouse; 
(4) a 115-foot-long, 65-foot-wide, 27-foot-high powerhouse integral to 
the western side of the dam containing four turbines and generators 
with a total installed capacity of 3.2 MW; (5) a 120-foot-long tailrace 
at an elevation of 1077.3 feet conveying flow from the powerhouse back 
to the Androscoggin River; (6) a substation located approximately 25 
feet west of the powerhouse; (7) an 1,800-foot-long, 22-kilovolt (kV) 
transmission line connecting the substation to the regional grid; and 
(8) appurtenant facilities. The project creates an approximately 550-
foot-long bypassed reach of the Androscoggin River.
    Riverside: The existing Riverside Hydroelectric Project consists 
of: (1) an approximately 846-foot-long, 21-foot-high rock-filled timber 
and concrete dam that includes: (a) a 660-foot-long spillway consisting 
of a 248-foot-long concrete gravity section with 30-inch-high 
flashboards and a crest elevation of 1076.8 feet; (b) a 235-foot-long 
concrete gravity section with a maximum height of 20 feet and a crest 
elevation of 1076.6 feet; (c) a 177-foot-long timber crib section with 
29-inch-high flashboards and a crest elevation of 1076.9 feet; and (d) 
an integral 91-foot-long, 33-foot-wide, 54-foot-high gatehouse; (2) an 
impoundment with a surface area of 7 acres at a normal full pond 
elevation of 1076.8 feet; (3) two 9-foot-high, 16-foot-wide headgates 
with trashracks with 2.5 inch spacing; (4) two 1,400-foot-long, 11-
foot-diameter steel penstocks; (5) a 104-foot-long, 51-foot-wide, 80-
foot-tall concrete and brick powerhouse containing two vertical Francis 
turbines and accompanying generators rated at 3.8 and 4.1 MW for a 
total installed capacity of 7.9 MW; (6) a 40-foot-long tailrace; (7) a 
400-foot-long, 22-kV transmission line transmitting power from the 
powerhouse to the regional grid; and (8) appurtenant facilities. The 
project creates an approximately 2,350-foot-long bypassed reach of the 
Androscoggin River.
    m. The application filings 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.
    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 application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY 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

[[Page 50145]]

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 
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.
    o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as 
appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filing of Comments, Recommendations,        September 25, 2023.
 Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and
 Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions.
Filing of Reply Comments..................  November 8, 2023.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    q. The applicants 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. Please note 
that the certification request must comply with 40 CFR 121.5(b), 
including documentation that a pre-filing meeting request was submitted 
to the certifying authority at least 30 days prior to submitting the 
certification request. Please also note that the certification request 
must be sent to the certifying authority and to the Commission 
concurrently.

    Dated: July 26, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-16303 Filed 7-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P