BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2490-031] Green Mountain Power Corporation; Notice of Application 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: Subsequent Minor License b. Project No.: P-2490-031 c. Date filed: August 30, 2022 d. Applicant: Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP) e. Name of Project: Taftsville Hydroelectric Project. f. Location: On the Ottauquechee River, in the Village of Taftsville, Windsor County, Vermont. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a) - 825(r) h. Applicant Contact: Jason Lisai, Green Mountain Power Corporation, 163 Acorn Lane, Colchester, VT 05446; (802) 770-2195; or jason.lisai@greenmountainpower.com. i. FERC Contact: David Gandy at (202) 502-8560; or david.gandy@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for filing 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 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 2083676 (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, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting 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: Taftsville Hydroelectric Project (P-2490-031). 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 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 and is ready for environmental analysis at this time. l. Project Description: The existing Taftsville Project consists of: (1) a 220-foot-long by 16-foot-high concrete gravity dam; (2) a 194-foot-long spillway section with a crest elevation of 637.12 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29), topped with 18-inch wooden flashboards; (3) a 4,600-foot-long, 20.5-acre reservoir at a normal water surface elevation of 638.6 feet NGVD 29; (4) a powerhouse containing one 0.5-megawatt vertical Kaplan generating unit, with a minimum hydraulic capacity of 95 cubic feet per second (cfs) and maximum hydraulic capacity of 370 cfs; (5) a 200-foot-long tailrace section; (6) a 40-foot-long transmission line connecting the powerhouse to the Distribution Substation; (7) the Distribution Substation and Transmission West Substation; and (8) appurtenant facilities. Approximately 290 feet of the Ottauquechee River, between the dam and tailrace channel, are bypassed during normal operations. The project generates 1,038 megawatt-hours annually. The current license requires GMP to operate in run-of-river mode such that outflow from the project approximates inflow. GMP meets this requirement by maintaining a stable impoundment elevation at 638.6 feet. The current license also requires GMP to provide a continuous minimum flow of 15 cfs over the spillway to the bypassed reach, or inflow, whichever is less. The project is equipped with 18-inch wooden flashboards which are removed in late fall and replaced in the spring. After re-installation the impoundment is re-filled by reducing downstream flows to no less than 100 cfs, or inflow. GMP proposes no modifications to the existing project facilities. GMP proposes to continue operating as it has under the existing license with modifications to: (1) use no more than 10% of inflow to refill the impoundment after maintenance drawdowns; (2) consult with resource agencies prior to conducting maintenance and unplanned drawdowns and repair work; (3) restrict the removal of trees greater than or equal to 3 inches in diameter at breast height in the project boundary to the period of November 1 through March 31 for protection of the northern-long-eared bat; and (4) update the historic properties management plan to address and mitigate project effects on historic properties. m. A copy of the application is available for review at 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. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title "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, address, and telephone number 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. Each filing 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, 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 OPP@ferc.gov. 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, contact FERC Online Support. n. A license 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. o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate. Milestone Target Date Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, agency terms and conditions, and prescriptions July 2024 Deadline for the licensee to file reply comments August 2024 Dated: June 12, 2024. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. 2024-13396 Filed: 6/17/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/18/2024]