Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC; Notice of Application 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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2572-141] Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC; Notice of Application 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 application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection. a. Type of Application: New Major License. b. Project No.: 2572-141. c. Date Filed: September 30, 2024. d. Applicant: Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC (GLHA). e. Name of Project: Ripogenus Hydroelectric Project (Ripogenus Project). f. Location: On the West Branch of the Penobscot River (West Branch) in Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties, Maine. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)—825(r). h. Applicant Contact: Michael Scarzello, Licensing Manager, Brookfield Renewable N.A., 399 Big Bay Road, Queensbury, NY 12804; (315) 566-0197; Michael.scarzello@brookfieldrenewable.com. i. FERC Contact: Allan Creamer at (202) 502-8365; allan.creamer@ferc.gov . j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions: August 28, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time; reply comments are due October 12, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions using the Commission's eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx . Commenters can submit brief comments up to 10,000 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) 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. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-2572-141. 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 Ripogenus Project is located about 21 river miles upstream of the Penobscot Mills Project No. 2458, and consists of: (1) the project impoundment, which (a) is about 20.8 miles long, (b) has a surface area of about 29,270 acres at a normal full pond elevation of 941.59 feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29), and (c) has a usable storage of about 688,705 acre-feet, with a maximum drawdown of 44 feet (to elevation 897.59 feet NGVD 29); and (2) Umbazooksus Lake, which has a surface area of 1,600 acres. Ripogenus dam is 795 feet long and includes two concrete spillway sections, an intake section, a gated sluice section, and an earthen section. Water flows from the project impoundment through a single intake structure, which directs water through a tunnel and penstocks to the powerhouse (McKay Station). The powerhouse contains three turbine-generating units, with a total rated capacity of 37.5 megawatts. Power generated at the project is transmitted to the electric grid via three transformers and a 29.4-mile-long transmission line. An additional 0.75-mile-long transmission line extends from the McKay Substation to Ripogenus dam. The project also contains one battery energy storage site that is used to enhance system reliability. The Ripogenus Project is operated as a store-and-release development, with an annual seasonal drawdown that allows for management of water levels and flows downstream of the project. GLHA releases a seasonal minimum flow of 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) into the dewatered section of the West Branch downstream of Ripogenus dam from July 1 through September 30, and 12 cfs leakage the remainder of the year, as well as seasonally, variable flows through the McKay Station generating units to the West Branch to protect aquatic habitat and to provide whitewater boating opportunities. GLHA also releases 400 cfs from McKay Station to the West Branch during outages of the generating units, and diverts 35 to 65 cfs (depending on flow conditions in the West Branch) flow to the Holbrook side channel, seasonally, to enhance aquatic habitat. The project provides storage capacity to reduce downstream flooding and provide releases during droughts. Additional details regarding the Ripogenus Project facilities and operation can be found in Exhibit A (Ripogenus Project) and Exhibit B of the license application, which can be accessed by following the instructions in item m. GLHA proposes to continue operating the Ripogenus Project as a store-and-release facility. GLHA would continue to: (1) release flows ranging from 12 to 100 cfs from Ripogenus dam to the bypassed reach; (2) provide a station outage flow of 400 cfs downstream of McKay Station; (3) continue to operate and maintain the Holbrook side channel as habitat for Atlantic salmon and brook trout; (4) maintain the 200-foot conservation buffer and 100-foot vegetation buffer around the Ripogenus impoundment; and (5) maintain Umbazooksus Lake as wetland and wildlife habitat. GLHA also proposes to: (1) provide a year-round minimum flow of 1,700 cfs downstream of McKay Station for aquatic habitat; (2) provide seasonally-adjusted flows for whitewater boating; (3) fund the installation, operation, and maintenance of a U.S. Geological Survey flow gage downstream of McKay Station (near Big Eddy); (4) post impoundment level and flow information on Brookfield Renewable, N.A.'s SafeWaters website; and (5) develop a recreation plan, shoreline management plan, common loon management plan, and historic properties management plan. m. A copy of the application can 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 ( i.e., P-2572). For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. 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. 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,” “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 of the person 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 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. For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595, or OPP@ferc.gov. o. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the Commission on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time July 29, 2026. p. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according to the following preliminary schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate.   Milestone Target date Filing of Motions to Intervene, Protests, Comments, Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway Prescriptions August 2026. Filing of Reply Comments October 2026. q. The applicant must file the following on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time August 28, 2026: (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. (Authority: 18 CFR 2.1) Dated: June 29, 2026. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-13459 Filed 7-1-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P