Wyoming/Colorado - The preliminary permit application filed on September 1, 2011, for the Regional Watershed Supply Project (FERC No. 14263-000), has been found "deficient" for failure to identify the owner(s) and locations of proposed project facilities.

In a letter dated October 5th, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission responded to RWSP proponent Aaron Million's application, by identifying two sections of the application that are deficient, as well as requesting additional information that is needed for the agency to complete it's evaluation of the preliminary permit application.

Included in the response from FERC, is notice the the projects proposed licensing schedule is inconsistent with Commission regulations.  Million's application only allows 6 months for consulting with participants and doing technical studies after the Notice of Intent and Pre-Application Documents are submitted.

In addition, the Commission states it may have jurisdiction of any proposed natural-gas pipelines the applicant seeks to install to power nine stations used to pump Green River water up and over the Continental Divide.

Failure to provide this information may result in the application being rejected.

In it's letter dated Oct. 5th, FERC listed the following deficiencies and additional information that is needed.

DEFICIENCIES
1. Section 4.81 (a) requires that an applicant identify the owners or operators of any dam or facility that is part of the proposed project. Please identify the federal owner or operator of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and give the name and address of the owner of Lake Hattie.
2. Section 4.81 (b) requires that you describe the proposed project, specifying all the facilities that would be part of your proposal. Our review of your application shows that your Exhibit 3 map does not show several proposed developments. Please revise the Exhibit 3 map to identify the location of: (a) the Wild Horse Canyon Pumped Storage Project; (b) the nine natural-gas powered pump stations; and (c) the four reservoirs that you propose to build as part of the overall water supply project.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Because the Commission would only have jurisdiction with regard to the proposed hydroelectric development, which is only one component of the proposed 501-mile-long water supply pipeline project, construction of substantial parts of the overall project may require permits from other federal agencies. For the 3,212 acres of federal land you identify in exhibit 3, please identify the responsible federal agencies that manage those lands.
2. For us to better understand the elevation changes along the proposed pipeline, please include a drawing of the hydraulic grade line at the various pipeline stations, including a plot of the ground elevation at each station.
3. On a separate map of the proposed pipeline, highlight the part of the pipeline where you are proposing to develop the hydroelectric facilities.