Title 18

SECTION 4.106

4.106 Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing.

§ 4.106 Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing.

Any case-specific exemption from licensing granted for a small hydroelectric power project is subject to the following standard terms and conditions:

(a) Article 1. The Commission reserves the right to conduct investigations under sections 4(g), 306, 307, and 311 of the Federal Power Act with respect to any acts, complaints, facts, conditions, practices, or other matters related to the construction, operation, or maintenance of the exempt project. If any term or condition of the exemption is violated, the Commission may revoke the exemption, issue a suitable order under section 4(g) of the Federal Power Act, or take appropriate action for enforcement, forfeiture, or penalties under Part III of the Federal Power Act.

(b) Article 2. The construction, operation, and maintenance of the exempt project must comply with any terms and conditions that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and any state fish and wildlife agencies have determined are appropriate to prevent loss of, or damage to, fish or wildlife resources or otherwise to carry out the purposes of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as specified in exhibit E of the application for exemption from licensing or in the comments submitted in response to the notice of exemption application.

(c) Article 3. The Commission may revoke this exemption if actual construction of any proposed generating facilities has not begun within two years or has not been completed within four years from the date on which this exemption was granted. If an exemption is revoked under this article, the Commission will not accept from the prior exemption holder a subsequent application for exemption from licensing for the same project within two years of the revocation.

(d) Article 4. This exemption is subject to the navigation servitude of the United States if the project is located on navigable waters of the United States.

(e) Article 5. This exemption does not confer any right to use or occupy any Federal lands that may be necessary for the development or operation of the project. Any right to use or occupy any Federal lands for those purposes must be obtained from the administering Federal land agencies. The Commission may accept a license application submitted by any qualified license applicant and revoke this exemption, if any necessary right to use or occupy Federal lands for those purposes has not been obtained within one year from the date on which this exemption was granted.

(f) Article 6. In order to best develop, conserve, and utilize in the public interest the water resources of the region, the Commission may require that the exempt facilities be modified in structure or operation or may revoke this exemption.

(g) Article 7. The Commission may revoke this exemption if, in the application process, material discrepancies, inaccuracies, or falsehoods were made by or on behalf of the applicant.

(h) Article 8. Any exempted small hydroelectric power project that utilizes a dam that is more than 33 feet in height above streambed, as defined in 18 CFR 12.31(c) of this chapter, impounds more than 2,000 acre-feet of water, or has a significant or high hazard potential, as defined in 33 CFR part 222, is subject to part 12 of the Commission's regulations, part 12 of this title (as they may be amended from time to time).

(i) Article 9. Before transferring any property interests in the exempt project, the exemption holder must inform the transferee of the terms and conditions of the exemption. Within 30 days of transferring the property interests, the exemption holder must inform the Commission of the identity and address of the transferee.

[Order 106, 45 FR 76123, Nov. 18, 1980; 45 FR 77420, Nov. 24, 1980, as amended by Order 202, 47 FR 4246, Jan. 29, 1982; Order 413, 50 FR 11688, Mar. 25, 1985; Order 482, 52 FR 39630, Oct. 23, 1987; Order 413-A, 56 FR 31331, July 10, 1991; Order 756, 77 FR 4894, Feb. 1, 2012; Order 800, 79 FR 59111, Oct. 1, 2014]