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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.21.25 Board Correspondence - FW_ FERC Correspondence With Government Agencies issued in FERC P-2088-068From:Clerk of the Board To:Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod; Kitts, Melissa; Lee, Lewis; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth; Loeser, Kamie Cc:Nuzum, Danielle Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: FERC Correspondence With Government Agencies issued in FERC P-2088-068 Date:Wednesday, May 21, 2025 1:17:31 PM Please see Board Correspondence - -----Original Message----- From: 'FERC eSubscription' <eSubscription@ferc.gov> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 12:49 PM Subject: FERC Correspondence With Government Agencies issued in FERC P-2088-068 .ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening attachments, clicking on links, or replying.. On 5/21/2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Washington D.C., issued this document: Docket(s): P-2088-068 Lead Applicant: South Feather Water & Power Agency Filing Type: FERC Correspondence With Government Agencies Description: Letter requesting U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service - Pacific Southwest Region to file the final Section 4(e) conditions by 06/20/2025 re the proposed relicensing of the South Feather Power Project under P-2088. 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Comments and Suggestions can be sent to this email address: mailto:FERCOnlineSupport@Ferc.gov FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20426 May 21, 2025 OFFICE OF ENERGY PROJECTS Project No. 2088-068 – California South Feather Power Project South Feather Water & Power Agency VIA Electronic Mail Dawn Alvarez U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Hydroelectric Program Manager dawn.alvarez@usda.gov Reference: Forest Service Section 4(e) Conditions Ms. Alvarez, On October 19, 2023, Commission staff issued a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (draft SEIS) for the proposed relicensing of South Feather Water and Power Agency’s (SFWPA) South Feather Power Project P-2088. On December 15, 2023, SFWPA filed comments on the draft SEIS, which included a request that Commission staff hold an in-person technical conference. Additionally, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (California DFW), U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the California State Water Resources Control Board also filed comments supporting SFWPA’s request for a technical conference. SFWPA and the agencies stated that the purpose of the technical conference was to discuss potential effects to the federally threatened foothill yellow-legged frog (FYLF)1 and the feasibility of implementing ramping rate schedules for several project diversions as required by Forest Service’s revised final section 4(e) conditions,2 given limitations of existing design and operation of project facilities. 1 The North Feather Distinct Population Segment of the FYLF (Rana boylii) occurs in the project area and has been documented in project-affected reaches. 2 On October 14, 2022, the Forest Service filed revised final conditions under section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act, which includes condition 27 requiring SFWPA to Document Accession #: 20250521-3092 Filed Date: 05/21/2025 Project No. 2088-068 - 2 - On March 21 and 22, 2024, Commission staff held the requested technical conference. Conference participants included Commission staff, SFWPA, FWS, Forest Service, California DFW, and the California Department of Water Resources. As agreed at the conference, on May 29, 2024, SFWPA filed with the Commission, a plan and schedule to test and develop operationally implementable and adequately protective revised ramping rates in consultation with California DFW, FWS, and Forest Service. On March 13, 2025, SFWPA filed the Final Technical Report – South Feather Power Project Interim Ramping Rate Recommendations for Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (report), which describes its proposed revisions to the ramping rate schedules and documentation of consultation with California DFW, FWS, and Forest Service, including the agencies’ comments and consensus in support of SFWPA’s proposed revised ramping rates. As the final 4(e) conditions submitted by the Forest Service on October 14, 2022, conflict with the Forest Service’s support for SFWPA’s proposed revised ramping rates, by no later than June 20, 2025, please file the proposed timeline for filing revised section 4(e) conditions with the Commission. If you have any questions, please contact Quinn Emmering, the relicensing coordinator for the project, at (202) 502-6382 or Quinn.Emmering@ferc.gov. Sincerely, Nicholas Jayjack Director Division of Hydropower Licensing implement ramping rate schedules, which were developed to minimize potential project effects to FYLF populations in project-affected reaches. Document Accession #: 20250521-3092 Filed Date: 05/21/2025 NICHOLAS JAYJACK Digitally signed by NICHOLAS JAYJACK Date: 2025.05.21 14:29:15 -04'00' Document Content(s) P-2088-068 4(e) Conditions.pdf ............................................1Document Accession #: 20250521-3092 Filed Date: 05/21/2025