Shoshone Irrigation District; Notice of Existing Licensee's Failure To File a Timely Notice of Intent To File a New License Application, and Soliciting Notices of Intent To File a License Application and Pre-Application Documents

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 3031-001] Shoshone Irrigation District; Notice of Existing Licensee's Failure To File a Timely Notice of Intent To File a New License Application, and Soliciting Notices of Intent To File a License Application and Pre-Application Documents The current license for Garland Canal Project No. 3031 was issued to the original licensee, Shoshone Irrigation District, on October 9, 1981. 1 The original license was issued for a term of 50 years, ending August 31, 2031. The 2.61-megawatt (MW) project is located on Garland Irrigation Canal in Park County, Wyoming. 1   See Shoshone Irrigation District, 17 FERC ¶ 62,013 (1981). The project consists of: (1) drop structure and intake; (2) a 10-foot by 10-foot concrete penstock approximately 2,400-feet-long; (3) a concrete powerhouse consisting of one generating unit rated at 2.6 MW; (4) a substation located adjacent to the powerhouse; (5) 4.16 kilovolt (kV) generator leads connecting to a step-up transformer bank; (5) 12.5 kV transmission line; (7) tailrace; and (8) appurtenant facilities. At least five years before the expiration of a license, the Commission's regulations require the licensee to file with the Commission a notice of intent (NOI) that contains an unequivocal statement of the licensee's intention to file or not to file an application for a new license, details on the principal project works and installed plant capacity, and other information. 2 Pursuant to 18 CFR 16.23, an existing licensee that fails to file an NOI at least 5 years before the existing license expires shall be deemed to have filed a notice indicating that it does not intend to file an application to relicense its project. Additionally, pursuant to 18 CFR 16.24, an existing licensee that informs the Commission that it does not intend to file an application, may not file an application to relicense its project, either individually or in conjunction with an entity or entities that are not currently licensees of the project. 2  18 CFR 16.6 (2025). Because the current license expires on September 30, 2031, the NOI was due to be filed no later than the close of business on September 30, 2026. Shoshone Irrigation District failed to file an NOI by this date. Any party interested in filing a license application for the Garland Canal Project No. 3031 must first file a NOI  3 and pre-application document (PAD)  4 pursuant to Part 5 of the Commission's regulations. Although the integrated licensing process is the default pre-filing process, section 5.3(b) of the Commission's regulations allows a potential license applicant to request to use alternative licensing procedures when it files its NOI. 5 3  18 CFR 5.5 (2025). 4   Id. at § 5.6. 5   Id. at § 5.3(b). This notice sets a deadline of 120 days from the date of this notice for interested applicants, other than the existing licensee, to file NOIs, PADs, and requests to use an alternative licensing process. Applications for a new license from potential (non-licensee) applicants must be filed with the Commission at least 24 months prior to the expiration of the current license. 6 Because the current license expires on September 30, 2031, applications for license for this project must be filed by September 30, 2029. 7 6   Id. at § 16.20. 7  To the extent an interested applicant files an NOI and PAD and elects or is required to use the Commission's ILP, a process plan will be issued within 180 days of this notice, which accelerates the steps of the ILP to allow for filing a subsequent license application by the September 30, 2029 deadline. 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. Questions concerning this notice should be directed to Lauren Townson at (202) 502-8572 or Lauren.Townson@ferc.gov. (Authority: 18 CFR 2.1) Dated: October 5, 2026. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-20658 Filed 10-7-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P