[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 45 (Monday, March 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11604-11606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03780]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 7186-054]
Missisquoi, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing,
Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and
Conditions, and Prescriptions
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: New Major License.
b. Project No.: 7186.
c. Date Filed: September 30, 2022.
d. Applicant: Missisquoi, LLC (Missisquoi).
e. Name of Project: Sheldon Springs Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Missisquoi River in Franklin County, Vermont.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Kevin Webb, Licensing Manager, Missisquoi,
LLC, 670 N Commercial St., Suite 204, Manchester, NH 03101; telephone
at (978) 935-6039; email at [email protected].
i. FERC Contact: Arash Barsari, Project Coordinator, Great Lakes
Branch, Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-6207;
email at [email protected].
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,
recommendations, terms and conditions, and 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 strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions, and prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling system at
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit
brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration,
using the eComment system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. 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: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-
Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. All filings must clearly identify
the project name and docket number on the first page: Sheldon Springs
Hydroelectric Project (P-7186-054).
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 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. This application has been accepted for filing and is now ready
for environmental analysis.
l. Project Description: The project consists of an Ambursen-type
buttress dam that includes: (1) a 21-foot-long section that includes a
debris sluiceway; and (2) a 262-foot-long spillway section
[[Page 11605]]
that includes a 10-foot-long intake structure with a trashrack with 2-
inch clear bar spacing and 2-foot-high flashboards that have a crest
elevation of 328.8 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD
29). The dam creates an impoundment with a surface area of 175 acres at
an elevation of 328.8 feet NGVD 29.
Water is conveyed from the impoundment to a 54.5-foot-wide intake
structure that is located on western shoreline of the impoundment,
approximately 200 feet upstream of the dam. The intake structure
includes a trashrack with 3-inch clear bar spacing. From the intake
structure, water is conveyed to a 1,750-foot-long penstock and two 76-
foot-long penstocks. From the penstocks, water is conveyed to a 72-
foot-long, 74-foot-wide powerhouse (Main Powerhouse) that contains two
10.25-megawatt (MW) vertical Kaplan turbine-generators (Units 1 and 2),
for a total installed capacity of 20.5 MW. The 1,750-foot-long penstock
includes a 50-foot-diameter surge tank that provides pressure control
for Units 1 and 2. Water is discharged from the Main Powerhouse to a
125-foot-long tailrace.
Water is also conveyed from the impoundment to an approximately 44-
foot-wide intake structure that is located on the western shoreline of
the impoundment, approximately 130 feet upstream of the dam (Upper
Canal Gatehouse). The gatehouse includes four 6-foot-wide gates, a 4-
foot-wide gate, and a trashrack with 6-inch clear bar spacing. From the
gatehouse, water flow through an approximately 750-foot-long, 50-foot-
wide canal (Mill Canal) that includes a 50-foot-wide auxiliary
spillway. From the canal, water flows to an intake structure that
includes 9.6-foot-wide and 13-foot-wide gates with trashracks with 1.5-
inch clear bar spacing (Lower Canal Gatehouse). The 9.6-foot-wide gate
conveys water to a 396-foot-long penstock and a 1-MW Francis turbine-
generator (Unit 3) located in the non-project WestRock Mill Building
(South Mill Powerhouse). The 13-foot-wide gate conveys water to a 140-
foot-long penstock and two 1.65-MW Francis turbine-generators (Units 4
and 5) located in the non-project WestRock Mill Building (Grinder Room
Powerhouse), for a total installed capacity of 3.3 MW. Water is
discharged from the South Mill Powerhouse to a 50-foot-long tailrace,
and discharged from the Grinder Room Powerhouse to a 100-foot-long
tailrace.
From the impoundment, water is also conveyed through the 10-foot-
long intake structure in the spillway to a 0.165-MW Kaplan turbine-
generator (Unit 6), which discharges immediately downstream of the dam.
The project creates an approximately 4,700-foot-long bypassed reach of
the Missisquoi River.
Electricity generated at the powerhouses is transmitted to the
electric grid via two 4.16/46-kilovolt (kV) step-up transformers, an
890-foot-long, 46-kV transmission line, and a 390-foot-long, 46-kV
transmission line.
Project recreation facilities include: (1) a canoe take-out site
approximately 2,200 feet upstream of the dam on the northern shoreline
of the impoundment; (2) a picnic site with three picnic tables, a
seasonal restroom, an informational kiosk, and a parking area
immediately downstream of the dam on the western bank of the bypassed
reach; (3) a whitewater boating put-in site approximately 400 feet
downstream of the dam on the western bank of the bypassed reach; (4) a
picnic site with a picnic table and a fire pit approximately 1,000 feet
downstream of the dam on the southern bank of the bypassed reach; (5) a
whitewater take-out site approximately 300 feet upstream of the
tailrace of the Grinder Room Powerhouse, on the east bank of the
bypassed reach; and (6) a canoe put-in/take-out site adjacent to the
Main Powerhouse tailrace, on the east bank of the bypassed reach.
The minimum and maximum hydraulic capacities of the Main Powerhouse
are 300 and 2,612 cubic feet per second (cfs), respectively. The
minimum and maximum hydraulic capacities of the South Mill Powerhouse
are 112 and 260 cfs, respectively. The minimum and maximum hydraulic
capacities of the Grinder Room Powerhouse are 160 and 400 cfs,
respectively. Unit 6 is only capable of operating at 70 cfs. The
average annual energy production of the project from 2010 through 2020
was 69,277 megawatt-hours.
Missisquoi states that it voluntarily operates the project in a
run-of-river mode, such that outflow from the project approximates
inflow. For the purpose of protecting aquatic resources, the current
license requires Missisquoi to release: (1) a minimum flow of 70 cfs or
inflow, whichever is less, to the bypassed reach; (2) a minimum flow of
270 cfs or inflow, whichever is less, as measured immediately below the
tailrace of the South Mill Powerhouse; and (3) a minimum flow of 285
cfs or inflow, whichever is less, as measured immediately below the
tailrace of the Main Powerhouse.
The current license incorporated a settlement agreement that
requires Missisquoi to: (1) provide boat access and take-out facilities
below the dam and upstream of the Main Powerhouse tailrace,
respectively; (2) provide a 24-hour telephone message service regarding
flow conditions at the dam; (3) cooperate with paddling groups to
determine the optimum flows for boats, and provide the optimum flows
for a maximum of 6 scheduled weekend days per year up to a maximum of
200,000,000 cubic feet of whitewater releases each year; and (4) allow
year-round access for paddlers regardless of whether whitewater flows
are being released.
Missisquoi proposes to remove a net total of 39.45 acres from the
current project boundary, including but not limited to revising the
project boundary around the impoundment to follow a contour elevation
of 328.86 feet NGVD 29 (corresponding to the crest elevation of the
flashboards plus 0.75 inch of spill over the flashboards).
Missisquoi proposes to decommission the following facilities: (1)
13-foot wide gate located in the Lower Canal Gatehouse; (2) 140-foot-
long penstock; (3) Grinder Room Powerhouse, including Units 4 and 5;
and (4) 100-foot-long tailrace.
Missisquoi also proposes to: (1) continue operating the project in
a run-of-river mode; (2) continue releasing a minimum flow of 70 cfs or
inflow, whichever is less, from the dam to the upper bypassed reach;
(3) release a minimum flow of 285 cfs or inflow, whichever is less,
downstream of the South Mill Powerhouse tailrace to the lower bypassed
reach; (4) implement an impoundment refill procedure, in the event of a
drawdown of the impoundment, whereby 90% of inflow is passed downstream
and 10% of inflow is used to refill the impoundment; (5) release
approximately 13 cfs or inflow, whichever is less, over the spillway
flashboard crest to provide a 0.75-inch deep flow over the dam for
aesthetics, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from May 1 to October 31; (6)
develop an operation compliance monitoring plan; (7) maintain a 400-
foot-long section of the canoe portage route, from the canoe take-out
site to Shawville Road as a project recreation facility; (8) remount
the sign upstream of the boater exclusion cable, which says ``Danger
Dam Ahead--Portage Here,'' to be more visible from the river; (9)
install and maintain a two-car parking area along Heather Lane
approximately 400 feet southeast of the Main Powerhouse for the canoe
put-in/take-out site adjacent to the Main Powerhouse tailrace; (10)
improve the existing whitewater put-in site by rearranging existing
boulders to provide a stepped approach to the river
[[Page 11606]]
in coordination with Vermont Division of Historic Preservation; (11)
relocate the existing whitewater take-out site to a more gently sloped
take-out immediately downstream of the existing location; (12) release
up to six whitewater flows from the project dam in consultation with
American Whitewater and Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; (13) ramp
up and ramp down generation flows by 500 cfs per hour when providing
whitewater flows; and (14) implement erosion control measures to
protect cultural resources.
m. A copy of the application can be viewed on the Commission's
website at https://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 (i.e., P-7186). For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
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 particular application.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,''
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or ``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 of the person submitting the filing; 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
particular application. A copy of all other filings in reference to
this application must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons
listed on the service list prepared by the Commission in this
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
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,
community organizations, 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].
You may also register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support (see item j above).
o. The applicant 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.
p. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as
appropriate.
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Milestone Target date
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Filing of Comments, Recommendations, May 2025.
Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions.
Filing of Reply Comments................. June 2025.
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q. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
Dated: March 4, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-03780 Filed 3-7-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P