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Home My WebLink AboutG9b-150202-ELV_NOIUNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Community of Elfin Cove dba Elfin Cove Utility Commission Project No. P‐14514 NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE APPLICATION FOR ORIGINAL LICENSE Pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 5.5, Community of Elfin Cove dba Elfin Cove Utility Commission (ECUC) notifies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of its intention to file an Application for an Original License for the Crooked Creek and Jim's Lake Hydroelectric Project, Project No. P‐14514. The following information is provided consistent with the requirements of 18 C.F.R. § 5.5. The exact name and business address of the applicant(s) is: Community of Elfin Cove, dba Elfin Cove Utility Commission (ECUC) P.O. Box 2 Elfin Cove, AK 99825 Tel: 907‐239‐2226 Project Number: The FERC Project No. is P‐14514 Unequivocal Statement of Intent: ECUC intends to file an application for an Original License for the Project utilizing the Commission’s Traditional Licensing Process (TLP). A request to use the TLP and justification are provided in the transmittal letter filed with this Notice of Intent (NOI) and the accompanying Pre‐Application Document (PAD). Type of Principal Project Works to be Licensed: The proposed project is a hydroelectric project located on Crooked Creek and Jim’s Lake, approximately one mile south of Elfin Cove, Alaska. The project consists of two hydroelectric systems in series with a total capacity of approximately 140 kilowatts (kW). The “upper system” diverts up to five cubic feet per second (cfs) of water from Crooked Creek to Jim’s Lake where it is run through a 35 kW power recovery turbine. The “lower system” draws up to 6.5 cfs of water from Jim’s Lake to a 105‐kW turbine located at tidewater. Upper System Features The upper system is a run‐of‐river hydroelectric project between Crooked Creek and Jim’s Elfin Cove Utility Commission P‐14514 Crooked Creek and Jim's Lake Hydroelectric Project Notice of Intent February 2, 2015 Page 2 of 6 Lake that would include the following major components: ● A water diversion on Crooked Creek at an elevation of 479 feet above sea level (ASL). The diversion would consist of an approximately 20 feet long by 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide diversion structure built into a natural cascade and fitted with an inclined plate (coanda‐type) screen to divert up to five cubic feet per second from the creek. The diversion structure would be constructed of concrete, treated timber, metal, and/or other suitable materials. ● An approximately 1,250 foot long 12‐inch diameter penstock to convey water from the diversion to a powerhouse located on the shore of Jim’s Lake at an elevation of 342 feet ASL. The penstock would be constructed of high‐density polyethylene, steel, and/or other suitable materials. ● An approximately 14‐foot by 14‐foot powerhouse containing the turbine and generating equipment, controls, switchgear, and appurtenant items. The powerhouse building would be constructed of wood, steel, concrete block, and/or other suitable materials. ● A cobble‐lined tailrace discharging water to Jim’s Lake. The tailrace will measure approximately 3 feet deep by 8 feet wide by 50 feet long. ● Access trails, temporary construction roads, and other appurtenant features necessary to provide a complete and functional system. Lower System Features The lower system is a storage hydroelectric project between Jim’s Lake and tidewater at Small Sandy Beach that would include the following major components: ● A dam may be built at the natural outlet of Jim’s Lake to Jim’s Creek. The dam is expected to be a rock fill or earthen structure with an armored spillway capable of raising the lake elevation approximately eight feet. An alternate configuration is to use a siphon intake without a dam. ● An intake at Jim’s Lake. The intake may consist of a siphon intake in the lake without a dam, or a gravity intake if a dam is constructed. ● An approximately 2,050 foot long 14‐inch diameter penstock to convey up to 6.5 cfs of water from Jim’s Lake to a powerhouse located at tidewater on Small Sandy Beach at an elevation of 20 feet ASL. The penstock would be constructed of high‐ density polyethylene, steel, and/or other suitable materials. ● An approximately 24‐foot by 24‐foot powerhouse containing the turbine and generating equipment, controls, switchgear, and appurtenant items. The powerhouse building would be constructed of wood, steel, concrete block, and/or other suitable materials. ● A cobble‐lined tailrace discharging water into Port Althorp. The tailrace will measure approximately 3 feet deep by 8 feet wide by 150 feet long. Elfin Cove Utility Commission P‐14514 Crooked Creek and Jim's Lake Hydroelectric Project Notice of Intent February 2, 2015 Page 3 of 6 ● Access trails, temporary construction roads, and other appurtenant features necessary to provide a complete and functional system. Location of the Project: State: Alaska Borough (Alaska’s equivalent to a county): Unorganized Borough (Sitka Recording District) Nearest Community: Elfin Cove Water Bodies: Crooked Creek, Jim’s Lake, and Jim’s Creek Latitude / Longitude: 58.1761 North, 136.3248 West The installed capacity of the project is: 140 kilowatts (proposed) Names and Mailing Addresses of Entities Listed in 18 C.F.R. § 5.5(b)(8): (a) The County in which the Project is located, and in which any Federal Facility that is used or to be used by the Project is located: Borough (Alaska’s equivalent to a county): Unorganized Borough (Sitka Recording District) Address: Not applicable. (b) Each city or town in which any part of the Project is located, and in which any Federal facility that is used or to be used by the Project is located. City/Town Name: Community of Elfin Cove Address: P.O. Box 1 Elfin Cove, AK 99825 (c) Each city or town that has a population of 5,000 or more people and is located within 15 miles of the existing Project dams: City/Town Name: No such communities exist within 15 miles of the project. (d) Each irrigation district, drainage district, or similar special purpose political subdivision in which any part of the Project is located, and in which any Federal facility that is used or to be used by the Project is located. Irrigation / Drainage District Name: No such districts exist. (e) Each irrigation district, drainage district, or similar special purpose political subdivision that owns, operates, maintains, or uses any Project facility or any Federal facility that is or is proposed to be used by the Project. Elfin Cove Utility Commission P‐14514 Crooked Creek and Jim's Lake Hydroelectric Project Notice of Intent February 2, 2015 Page 4 of 6 Irrigation / Drainage District Name: No such districts exist. (f) Every other political subdivision in the general area of the Project that there is reason to believe would likely be interested in, or affected by, this notification. There is no reason to believe other political subdivisions in the general project area would be interested in the project. The nearest political subdivision to the project site (City of Pelican, Alaska) is over 15 miles away, and is not connected to Elfin Cove by roads or utility infrastructure. (g) Affected Indian Tribes. Nearest Alaska Native Regional Corporation: Sealaska Corporation, Inc. One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 400 Juneau, AK 99801 Nearest Alaska Native Village Corporation (for the village of Hoonah): Huna Totem Corporation, Inc. 9301 Glacier Highway, Suite 200 Juneau, AK 99801‐9306 Nearest Indian Association / Tribal Government (IRA): Hoonah Indian Association 254 Roosevelt Street Hoonah, AK 99829 Elfin Cove Utility Commission P‐14514 Crooked Creek and Jim's Lake Hydroelectric Project Notice of Intent February 2, 2015 Page 6 of 6 CROOKED CREEK AND JIM'S LAKE HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT (P‐14514) INTERESTED PARTIES DISTRIBUTION LIST Greg Albrecht Habitat Biologist Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Division PO Box 111024 Douglas, AK 99811‐0024 greg.albrecht@alaska.gov Monte Miller Statewide Hydropower Coordinator Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish/Research and Technical Services 333 Raspberry Road Anchorage, AK 99518‐1599 monte.miller@alaska.gov Judith Bittner State Historical Preservation Officer Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of History and Archeology 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1310 Anchorage, AK 99501‐3565 judith.bittner@alaska.gov Clint Gundelfinger Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water 400 Willoughby Avenue #400 Juneau, AK 99811‐1020 clint.gundelfinger@alaska.gov David Gann Natural Resource Manager Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water 400 Willoughby Avenue #400 Juneau, AK 99811‐1020 david.gann@alaska.gov Sean Skaling Alaska Energy Authority 813 West Northern Lights Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99503 sskaling@aidea.org Hoonah Indian Association 254 Roosevelt Street Hoonah, AK 99829 Huna Totem Corporation, Inc. 9301 Glacier Highway, Suite 200 Juneau, AK 99801‐9306 Susan Walker NOAA‐NMFS, Alaska Regional Office PO Box 21668 Juneau, AK 99802 susan.walker@noaa.gov Cassie Thomas National Park Service 240 West 5th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99501 cassie_thomas@nps.gov Sealaska Corporation, Inc. One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 400 Juneau, AK 99801 Linda Speerstra U.S. ACE ‐ Regulatory Division Sitka Field Office PO Box 16 Sitka, AK 99835 linda.speerstra@usace.army.mil Dianne Soderlund Director U.S. EPA Region 10 ‐ Alaska Operations Office 222 West 7th Avenue #19 Anchorage, AK 99513‐7588 soderlund.dianne@epamail.epa.gov Art Burbank Hoonah District Ranger U.S. Forest Service Hoonah Ranger District PO Box 135 Hoonah, AK 99829 alburbank@fs.fed.us Melissa Dinsmore Energy Coordinator U.S. Forest Service Region 10 204 Siginaka Way Sitka, AK 99835 mdinsmore@fs.fed.us Marlene Duvall Natural Resource Specialist U.S. Forest Service Hoonah Ranger District PO Box 135 Hoonah, AK 99829 marleneduvall02@fs.fed.us Steve Brockmann Deputy Field Supervisor U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 3000 Vintage Blvd, Suite 201 Juneau, AK 99801 steve_brockmann@fws.gov Note: where e‐mails are provided, application materials were distributed via email. Where no e‐mail is provided, a CD with application materials was mailed via USPS.