Document ID: FERC-2023-0595-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Pre-Filing Process and Process Plan and Schedule: Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England
Posted Date: 2023-05-12T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 92 (Friday, May 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30734-30735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10175]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14775-004]

Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England; Notice 
Concluding Pre-Filing Process and Approving Process Plan and Schedule

    a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to File an Application for an 
Original License for a Hydrokinetic Pilot Project.
    b. Project No.: 14775-004.
    c. Date Filed: September 7, 2021.
    d. Submitted By: Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New 
England (MRECo).
    e. Name of Project: Bourne Tidal Test Site.
    f. Location: In the Cape Cod Canal near the Town of Bourne, in 
Barnstable County, MA. The project would occupy land under the 
jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and would be 
in the boundary of the Corps' Cape Cod Canal Navigation Project.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 and 5.5 of the Commission's 
regulations.
    h. Applicant Contact: Stephen Barrett, Barrett Energy Resources 
Group, LLC, P.O. Box 1004, Concord, MA 01742; Phone at (339) 234-2696; 
email at [email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Robert Haltner at (202) 502-8612 or email at 
[email protected].
    j. MRECo has filed with the Commission: (1) a notice of intent to 
file an application for an original license for a pilot hydrokinetic 
hydropower project and a draft license application with monitoring 
plans; (2) a request for waivers of certain Integrated Licensing 
Process regulations necessary for expedited processing of a license 
application for a hydrokinetic pilot project; (3) a proposed process 
plan and schedule; and (4) a request to be designated as the non-
Federal representative for section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) consultation and for section 106 consultation under the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    k. A notice was issued on September 20, 2021, soliciting comments 
on the draft license application from agencies and stakeholders. 
Comments were filed by Federal and State agencies and individuals.
    l. On September 20, 2021, MRECo was designated as the non-Federal 
representative for section 7 consultation under the ESA and for section 
106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act.
    m. The proposed Bourne Tidal Test Site Project would consist of: 
(1) an existing 56.2-foot-high, 23-foot-wide steel support structure 
comprised of a platform mounted to three piles embedded in the Cape Cod 
Canal; (2) an existing vertical turbine mounting pole that is attached 
to the platform and equipped with an electric lift; (3) a tidal 
turbine-generator unit that would have a maximum installed capacity of 
50 kW; (4) a proposed 50-kW inverter that would be located on the 
support structure and used to convert the generated power from Direct 
Current to Alternating Current; (5) an approximately 775-foot-long, 
13.2-kilovolt overhead transmission line that would connect the project 
to the regional grid; (6) a proposed onshore station consisting of a 
20-foot-long, 8-foot-wide modular steel structure that would house 
power control and data management equipment; and (7)

[[Page 30735]]

appurtenant facilities. A variety of turbine-generators would be tested 
at the project.
    n. The pre-filing process has been concluded and the requisite 
regulations have been waived such that the process and schedule 
indicated below can be implemented.
    o. The post-filing process will be conducted pursuant to the 
following schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made as needed.

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                 Milestones                             Dates
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Final license application expected.........  June 8, 2023.
Issue notice of acceptance and ready for     June 23, 2023.
 environmental analysis and request for
 interventions.
Recommendations, conditions, comments and    July 23, 2023.
 interventions due.
Issue notice of availability of              September 21, 2023.
 environmental assessment.
Issue biological assessment................  September 21, 2023.
Comments due and 10(j) resolution, if        October 21, 2023.
 needed.
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    p. Register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx 
to be notified via email of new filing and issuances related to this or 
other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: May 8, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-10175 Filed 5-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P