HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.26.22 Board Correspondence - FW_ Project Operations Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by Pacific Gas and Electric Company,et al. (2)
From:Paulsen, Shaina
To:BOS
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Project Operations Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by Pacific Gas
and Electric Company,et al.
Date:Tuesday, April 26, 2022 12:53:23 PM
Please see Board Correspondence below.
Shaina Paulsen
Associate Clerk of The Board
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.3304 | F: 530.538.7120
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From: 'FERC eSubscription' <eSubscription@ferc.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2022 12:36 PM
Subject: Project Operations Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by Pacific Gas and Electric
Company,et al.
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On 4/26/2022, the following Filing was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),
Washington D.C.:
Filer: Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PG&E Corporation (as Agent)
Docket(s): P-2107-000
Lead Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Filing Type: Project Operations Compliance Report
Description: Pacific Gas and Electric Company submits State Water Resources Control Board's Conditional
Approval of Long-Term Ramping Rate Plan, for the Poe Hydroel ctric Project under P-2107.
To view the document for this Filing, click here
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245 Market Street
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San Francisco, CA 94105
Mailing Address:
Mail Code N11D
P.O. Box 770000
San Francisco, CA 94177
April 26, 2022
Via Electronic Submittal (E-File)
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
888 First Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20426
RE: Poe Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 2107-CA
Long-Term Ramping Rate Plan SWRCB Conditional Approval
Dear Secretary Bose:
This letter presents (SWRCB) conditional
approval of the Long-Term Ramping Rate Plan for
(PG&E) Poe Hydroelectric Project, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) No.
2107.
approval with FERC when available. The SWRCB provided its approval of the Long-
Term Ramping Rate Plan on August 5, 2021, under the following conditions:
As noted in Condition 5 of the Project certification, any revisions to the Plan,
including revisions to address impacts to FYLF, shall be submitted to the Deputy
Director prior to implementation. Proposed revisions to address impacts to FYLF
shall be submitted to the Deputy Director for review and consideration of
approval by December 31 of the year in which the monitoring was conducted that
indicated impacts. The Deputy Director may require modifications as part of any
approval of the Plan revisions.
If appropriate conditions are not present for PG&E to monitor FYLF for two
Protocols 1 and two Protocol 2 events in the first six years following FERC Plan
approval, PG&E shall implement the FYLF monitoring in subsequent years when
such events occur until the four Protocol events have occurred.
The SWRCB conditional approval is provided in Enclosure 1.
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
April 26, 2022
Page 2
license coordinator, Sky Ramirez-Doble, at (530) 250-7002.
Sincerely,
Matthew Joseph
Interim Supervisor, Hydro License Compliance
Enclosure:
1. Conditional Approval of Ramping Rates Plan, prepared by SWRCB, dated August 5,
2021
State Water Resources Control Board
August 5, 2021
Mr. Steve Bauman
Senior Relicensing Project Manager
Mail Code N11D
P.O. Box 770000
San Francisco, CA 94177
Sent via Email: SJB2@pge.com
Poe Hydroelectric Project
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 2107
Butte County
North Fork Feather River
CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF RAMPING RATES PLAN
Dear Mr. Bauman:
On May 27, 2021, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submitted a request
for State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) Deputy Director of the
Division of Water Rights (Deputy Director) approval of the Ramping Rates Plan (Plan)
developed per Condition 5 of the Poe Hydroelectric Project (Project) water quality
1
certification (certification).
Condition 5 prescribes interim ramping rates to be implemented until PG&E develops
long-term ramping rates. Condition 5 requires that PG&E develop the Plan, which must
include long-term ramping rates developed in consultation with the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States
Forest Service, Butte County, Plumas County, California Sportfishing Protection
Alliance, American Whitewater, and State Water Board staff. PG&E is also required to
work with these agencies and stakeholders to develop protection measures for foothill
yellow-legged frogs (FYLF) if implementation of the Plan impacts FYLF (see biological
monitoring section below). The Plan includes ramping rates for controllable flows
(i.e., flows less than the capacity of the powerhouse, outlets, and gates), control
measures to prevent or limit sudden flow fluctuations from spills and unplanned
powerhouse outages, spill recession protocols, and biological monitoring that will be
used to analyze the effectiveness of the long-term ramping rates.
1
The Executive Director for the State Water Board issued the certification for the
Project on December 28, 2017.
Mr. Steve Bauman - 2 - August 5, 2021
Spill RecessionProtocols.The Plan includes two spill recession protocols to prevent
sudden flow decreases that could dewater FYLF egg masses and tadpoles. PG&E
proposed to implement the two protocols during the time when flows associated with
spring snowmelt and snowmelt recession occur. The protocols are:
Protocol 1: From April 15 through July 31, when flows recede to 800 cubic feet
per second (cfs) during a high flow event,PG&E will maintain an 800 cfs flow for
the first day and thereafter reduce outflow at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per
day until the minimum instream flow is reached.
Protocol 2: Beginning at midnight onMay 15, if aspill has continuously
exceeded 1,200 cfs since May 1, whenthe spill recedes to 1,200 cfs, PG&E will
maintain a 1,200 cfs flow for seven days. After the seven days, PG&E will
reduce outflow at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per day until flows reach
800cfs. PG&E will then maintain an 800 cfs flow for seven days, after which
PG&E will reduce outflow at a rate not to exceed 10 percent every two days until
theminimum instream flow is reached.
Biological Monitoring.The Plan includes FYLF monitoring to analyze if the two spill
recession protocols discussed above protect FYLF egg masses and tadpoles from
dewatering.PG&E proposes to conduct surveys for FYLF egg masses and tadpoles
during the six-year period following
(FERC) approval of the Plan. This Plan includes monitoring FYLF for two Protocol 1
events and two Protocol 2 events. PG&E will submit annual monitoring reports
following the FYLF breeding season. If there are impacts to FYLFs, PG&E will work
with the agencies and stakeholders that consulted on the Plan to determine if Plan
revisions are necessary prior to the following FYLF breeding season.
The United States Forest Service approved the Plan on June 7, 2021. State Water
Board staff reviewed the Plan and find it complies with Condition 5 of the certification.
ThePlan is hereby approved with the following conditions:
As noted in Condition 5 of the Project certification, any revisions to the Plan,
including revisions to address impacts to FYLF, shall be submitted to the Deputy
Director prior to implementation. Proposed revisions to address impacts to FYLF
shall be submitted to the Deputy Director for review and consideration of
approval by December 31 of the year in which the monitoring was conducted that
indicated impacts. The Deputy Director may require modifications as part of any
approval of the Plan revisions.
If appropriate conditions are not present for PG&E to monitor FYLF for two
Protocol 1 and two Protocol 2 events in the first six years following FERC Plan
approval, PG&E shall implement the FYLF monitoring in subsequent years when
such events occur until the four Protocol events have occurred.
Any revisions to the Plan shall be approved by the Deputy Director and filed with FERC
prior to implementation.
Mr. Steve Bauman-3-August 5, 2021
If you have questions regarding this letter please contact Savannah Downey, Project
Manager, by email at Savannah.Downey@waterboards.ca.gov. Written
correspondence should be directed to:
State Water Resources Control Board
Division of Water Rights Water Quality Certification Program
Attn: Savannah Downey
P.O. Box 2000
Sacramento, CA 95812-2000
Sincerely,
Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director
Division of Water Rights
ec:Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Via e-filing
Ms. Amy Lind, United States Forest Service
Email:Amy.Lind@usda.gov
Ms. Beth Lawson, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Email:Beth.Lawson@wildlife.ca.gov
Mr. Michael Maher, California Department of Fish andWildlife
Email:Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov
Ms. Leigh Bartoo, United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Email:Aondrea_Bartoo@fws.gov
Ms. Tracey Ferguson, Plumas County
Email:traceyferguson@countyofplumas.com
Mr. Paul Gosselin, Butte County
Email:PGosselin@buttecounty.net
Mr. Dave Steindorf, American Whitewater
Email:Dave@americanwhitewater.org
Mr. Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
Email: blancapaloma@msn.com