Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection, 7488-7489 [05-2781]

Download as PDF 7488 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 29 / Monday, February 14, 2005 / Notices ORDERS GRANTING IMPORT/EXPORT AUTHORIZATIONS [DOE/FE Authority] Order No. Date issued Importer/exporter FE Docket No. 2064 ......... 1–5–05 1–6–05 266–A ...... 1–14–05 1076–A .... 1–27–05 2065 ......... 1–27–05 Duke Energy LNG Marketing and Management Company. 04–95–LNG ................................................. Open Flow Gas Supply Corporation ........... 88–33–NG ................................................... Brymore Energy Inc .................................... 95–56–NG ................................................... Selkirk Cogen Partners, L.P ........................ 05–01–NG ................................................... Export volume Comments .................. .................. Import and export natural gas from and to Canada, beginning on February 1, 2005, and extending through January 31, 2007. Vacate blanket import authority. .................. .................. Vacate blanket import authority. .................. .................. Vacate blanket import and export authority. Abitibi-Consolidated ..................................... 04–131–NG ................................................. 2025–A .... Import volume [FR Doc. 05–2778 Filed 2–11–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Bonneville Power Administration Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA’s intention to prepare an EIS, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), on a proposed interconnection requested by PPM Energy, Inc. (PPM) to integrate electrical power from their proposed Klondike III Wind Project (Wind Project) into the Federal Columbia River Transmission System (FCRTS). The Wind Project is located in Sherman County, Oregon. BPA proposes to execute an agreement with PPM to provide them with an interconnection for up to 300 megawatts (MW) of generation from the Wind Project. Interconnection would require BPA to build and operate a new 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and two substations. Written comments on the NEPA scoping process are due to the address below no later than March 17, 2005. Comments may also be made at an EIS scoping open house meeting to be held on March 1, 2005, at the address below. ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed scope of the Draft EIS and requests to be placed on the Wind Project mailing list to Bonneville Power Administration, Communications—DM–7, P.O. Box DATES: VerDate jul<14>2003 15:28 Feb 11, 2005 Jkt 205001 5 Bcf 75 Bcf 14428, Portland, OR 97293–4428. Comments may also be sent to the following Web site: https:// www.transmission.bpa.gov/NewsEv/ commentperiods.cfm. Please refer to the Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection in all communications. A scoping meeting will be held on March 1, 2005, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at St. Mary’s Parish Hall, 807 Barnett Street, Wasco, Oregon. At this open house meeting, BPA representatives will be available to discuss the proposed project, answer questions, and accept oral and written comments. BPA representatives will provide information on alternative routes being considered for the proposed BPA transmission line, the types of transmission line structures being considered, and topics to be addressed in the EIS. PPM representatives will be available to discuss the proposed Wind Project. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly St. Hilaire, Bonneville Power Administration—KEC–4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208–3621, toll-free telephone 1–800–282–3713; direct phone number 503–230–5361, fax number 503–230–5699, e-mail krsthilaire@bpa.gov. Additional information can be found at BPA’s Web site: https://www.transmission.bpa.gov/ PlanProj/Wind/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed Action. BPA proposes to execute an agreement with PPM to provide interconnection services for up to 300 MW of the Klondike III Wind Project. As part of this agreement, BPA would agree to construct and operate a 230-kV transmission line about 12 miles long, and two new substations, one at each end of the proposed transmission line. The electricity from the Wind Project would interconnect to the PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Import and export a combined total of natural gas from and to Canada, beginning on January 29, 2005, and extending through January 28, 2007. FCRTS at BPA’s existing John Day Substation through a new 500/230-kV substation which could accommodate wind developers in the area. Transmission line structure types being considered include H-frame wood pole, steel pole, and lattice steel. The line and new substations would be located on privately owned land primarily used for dryland wheat farming. In addition to these Federal actions, the EIS will consider the reasonably foreseeable consequence of construction and operation of PPM’s proposed Klondike III Wind Project. The Wind Project would be located adjacent to the currently operating Klondike Wind Project, Phases I and II, on privately owned land, most of which is used for agriculture. The Klondike III Wind Project would add up to 165 operational wind turbines by the end of 2006. The Wind Project includes wind turbines, substations, access roads, and other project facilities. Siting of the proposed Wind Project is under the jurisdiction of Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). PPM is in the process of applying for an EFSC Site Certificate for the Wind Project, and is also determining which other State and Federal permitting requirements will need to be met for the Wind Project. Construction of the BPA transmission line and substations and the Wind Project currently is expected to commence by March 2006. The Wind Project would be interconnected to BPA transmission lines in the fall of 2006, with a proposed operation date of December 2006. Agricultural activities could continue to take place directly adjacent to the transmission line structures and wind turbines. The Wind Project would operate for much of each year for at least 20 years. Possible Alternatives for BPA’s Proposed Action. An alternative to the E:\FR\FM\14FEN1.SGM 14FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 29 / Monday, February 14, 2005 / Notices proposed action of offering interconnection contract terms is to not offer these terms. The EIS will evaluate this ‘‘no-action’’ alternative. In addition, the EIS will evaluate alternatives for routing the proposed BPA transmission line. At this time, two potentially feasible alternatives have been identified: • The Cross-County Alternative; and • The Medler Road Alternative (see attached Project Area Map). Another alternative, the South of Wasco Alternative (see Project Map), was initially considered but has been eliminated from further consideration in the EIS due to the potential for greater visual, airport safety, and wetland impacts, as well as greater cost relative to other alternatives. Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues. BPA is the lead Federal agency under NEPA for the EIS. BPA has established a minimum 30-day scoping period during which affected landowners, Tribes, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local governments, State and Federal agencies, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS. Scoping will help BPA identify potentially significant impacts that may result from BPA’s proposed action and the private Wind Project, and ensure that all relevant environmental issues related to BPA’s proposed action are addressed in the EIS. Based on BPA’s experience, potential environmental issues for the Wind Project and BPA’s interconnection facilities may include noise created by wind turbines, visual effects from the wind turbines and transmission line, socioeconomic impacts created by an influx of construction workers into a sparsely populated area, effects on recreation (primarily hunting), impacts on cultural resources, and impacts to wildlife habitat and populations, including migratory birds. When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and comment, and BPA will hold a public comment meeting on the Draft EIS. In the Final EIS, BPA will consider and respond to comments received on the Draft EIS. BPA expects to publish the Final EIS in late 2005 or early 2006. BPA’s subsequent decision will be documented in a Record of Decision. In addition to BPA’s EIS process, Oregon EFSC provides opportunity for public participation as part of its site evaluation process. It is expected that representatives from the Oregon Office of Energy will hold public meetings for the Wind Project during 2005. BPA will coordinate with Oregon EFSC to ensure VerDate jul<14>2003 15:28 Feb 11, 2005 Jkt 205001 full consideration of all public and agency comments received. Issued in Portland, Oregon, on February 4, 2005. Stephen J. Wright, Administrator and Chief Executive Officer. [FR Doc. 05–2781 Filed 2–11–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Bonneville Power Administration Policy for Power Supply Role for Fiscal Years 2007–2011 (Regional Dialogue) Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of availability of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Record of Decision (ROD). AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the NEPA ROD to adopt a policy on BPA’s power supply role for fiscal years 2007–2011. This policy is intended to provide BPA’s customers with greater clarity about their Federal power supply so they can effectively plan for the future and make capital investments in long-term electricity infrastructure if they choose. It is also intended to provide guidance on certain rate matters BPA expects to be addressed in the next rate period, while assisting the agency in fulfilling its longterm strategic goals and responsibilities to the region. Each policy issue has been evaluated for environmental effects and, for those involving NEPA, those effects have been addressed in the Business Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS–0183, June 1995). Thus, this NEPA ROD is consistent with and tiered to the Business Plan EIS and the Business Plan ROD (August 15, 1995). This policy, which is also referred to as the Regional Dialogue as it is the result of a regional discussion process beginning in April 2002, is described more fully in a separately issued Administrator’s ROD that addresses the legal and policy rationale supporting the administrative decisions. ADDRESSES: Copies of the following documents may be obtained by calling BPA’s toll-free document request line, 1–800–622–4520, or by visiting the Web site at https://www.efw.bpa.gov: The NEPA ROD for the Policy for Power Supply Role for Fiscal Years 2007–2011; the Administrator’s ROD on the policy; and the Business Plan EIS and ROD. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Katherine S. Pierce, Bonneville Power Administration—KEC–4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208–3621; toll-free PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7489 telephone number 1–800–282–3713; fax number 503–230–5699; or e-mail kspierce@bpa.gov. The Business Plan EIS to which this NEPA ROD is tiered was prepared to support a number of decisions including the products and services BPA will market, rates for BPA’s products and services, policy direction for BPA’s sale of power products to customers, contract terms BPA will offer for power sales, and plans for BPA’s resource acquisitions and power purchase contracts. Each of the issues in this Regional Dialogue policy that were found to have any environmental effects were consistent with the Market Driven Alternative adopted in the Business Plan ROD. For some policy issues, NEPA was not implicated because there were no environmental effects, and for other issues, NEPA was not triggered because they are a continuation of the status quo. For the remaining issues, any environmental effects have already been addressed in the Business Plan EIS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issued in Portland, Oregon, on February 4, 2005. Stephen J. Wright, Administrator and Chief Executive Officer. [FR Doc. 05–2782 Filed 2–11–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Bonneville Power Administration Bonneville Power Administration’s Policy for Power Supply Role for Fiscal Years 2007–2011 Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy. AGENCY: ACTION: Notice of final policy. SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA’s final policy regarding how the agency intends to market power and distribute the costs and benefits of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) in the Pacific Northwest for fiscal years (FY) 2007–2011. This policy clarifies BPA’s obligation to supply power to its regional power customers and guides BPA in developing and establishing its firm power rates in the future. This policy and the Administrator’s record of decision (ROD) are available on BPA’s Web site at https://www.bpa.gov/power/ regionaldialogue. Copies are also available by contacting BPA’s Public Information Center at (800) 622–4520. ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\14FEN1.SGM 14FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 29 (Monday, February 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7488-7489]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2781]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS, under 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), on a proposed 
interconnection requested by PPM Energy, Inc. (PPM) to integrate 
electrical power from their proposed Klondike III Wind Project (Wind 
Project) into the Federal Columbia River Transmission System (FCRTS). 
The Wind Project is located in Sherman County, Oregon. BPA proposes to 
execute an agreement with PPM to provide them with an interconnection 
for up to 300 megawatts (MW) of generation from the Wind Project. 
Interconnection would require BPA to build and operate a new 230-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line and two substations.

DATES: Written comments on the NEPA scoping process are due to the 
address below no later than March 17, 2005. Comments may also be made 
at an EIS scoping open house meeting to be held on March 1, 2005, at 
the address below.

ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed 
scope of the Draft EIS and requests to be placed on the Wind Project 
mailing list to Bonneville Power Administration, Communications--DM-7, 
P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428. Comments may also be sent to 
the following Web site: https://www.transmission.bpa.gov/NewsEv/
commentperiods.cfm.
    Please refer to the Klondike III Wind Project Interconnection in 
all communications. A scoping meeting will be held on March 1, 2005, 
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at St. Mary's Parish Hall, 807 Barnett Street, 
Wasco, Oregon. At this open house meeting, BPA representatives will be 
available to discuss the proposed project, answer questions, and accept 
oral and written comments. BPA representatives will provide information 
on alternative routes being considered for the proposed BPA 
transmission line, the types of transmission line structures being 
considered, and topics to be addressed in the EIS. PPM representatives 
will be available to discuss the proposed Wind Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly St. Hilaire, Bonneville Power 
Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621, 
toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct phone number 503-230-5361, 
fax number 503-230-5699, e-mail krsthilaire@bpa.gov. Additional 
information can be found at BPA's Web site: https://
www.transmission.bpa.gov/PlanProj/Wind/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Proposed Action. BPA proposes to execute an agreement with PPM to 
provide interconnection services for up to 300 MW of the Klondike III 
Wind Project. As part of this agreement, BPA would agree to construct 
and operate a 230-kV transmission line about 12 miles long, and two new 
substations, one at each end of the proposed transmission line. The 
electricity from the Wind Project would interconnect to the FCRTS at 
BPA's existing John Day Substation through a new 500/230-kV substation 
which could accommodate wind developers in the area. Transmission line 
structure types being considered include H-frame wood pole, steel pole, 
and lattice steel. The line and new substations would be located on 
privately owned land primarily used for dryland wheat farming.
    In addition to these Federal actions, the EIS will consider the 
reasonably foreseeable consequence of construction and operation of 
PPM's proposed Klondike III Wind Project. The Wind Project would be 
located adjacent to the currently operating Klondike Wind Project, 
Phases I and II, on privately owned land, most of which is used for 
agriculture. The Klondike III Wind Project would add up to 165 
operational wind turbines by the end of 2006. The Wind Project includes 
wind turbines, substations, access roads, and other project facilities. 
Siting of the proposed Wind Project is under the jurisdiction of Oregon 
Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). PPM is in the process of 
applying for an EFSC Site Certificate for the Wind Project, and is also 
determining which other State and Federal permitting requirements will 
need to be met for the Wind Project.
    Construction of the BPA transmission line and substations and the 
Wind Project currently is expected to commence by March 2006. The Wind 
Project would be interconnected to BPA transmission lines in the fall 
of 2006, with a proposed operation date of December 2006. Agricultural 
activities could continue to take place directly adjacent to the 
transmission line structures and wind turbines. The Wind Project would 
operate for much of each year for at least 20 years.
    Possible Alternatives for BPA's Proposed Action. An alternative to 
the

[[Page 7489]]

proposed action of offering interconnection contract terms is to not 
offer these terms. The EIS will evaluate this ``no-action'' 
alternative. In addition, the EIS will evaluate alternatives for 
routing the proposed BPA transmission line. At this time, two 
potentially feasible alternatives have been identified:
     The Cross-County Alternative; and
     The Medler Road Alternative (see attached Project Area 
Map).
    Another alternative, the South of Wasco Alternative (see Project 
Map), was initially considered but has been eliminated from further 
consideration in the EIS due to the potential for greater visual, 
airport safety, and wetland impacts, as well as greater cost relative 
to other alternatives.
    Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues. 
BPA is the lead Federal agency under NEPA for the EIS. BPA has 
established a minimum 30-day scoping period during which affected 
landowners, Tribes, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local 
governments, State and Federal agencies, and any other interested 
parties are invited to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS. 
Scoping will help BPA identify potentially significant impacts that may 
result from BPA's proposed action and the private Wind Project, and 
ensure that all relevant environmental issues related to BPA's proposed 
action are addressed in the EIS. Based on BPA's experience, potential 
environmental issues for the Wind Project and BPA's interconnection 
facilities may include noise created by wind turbines, visual effects 
from the wind turbines and transmission line, socioeconomic impacts 
created by an influx of construction workers into a sparsely populated 
area, effects on recreation (primarily hunting), impacts on cultural 
resources, and impacts to wildlife habitat and populations, including 
migratory birds.
    When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and 
comment, and BPA will hold a public comment meeting on the Draft EIS. 
In the Final EIS, BPA will consider and respond to comments received on 
the Draft EIS. BPA expects to publish the Final EIS in late 2005 or 
early 2006. BPA's subsequent decision will be documented in a Record of 
Decision.
    In addition to BPA's EIS process, Oregon EFSC provides opportunity 
for public participation as part of its site evaluation process. It is 
expected that representatives from the Oregon Office of Energy will 
hold public meetings for the Wind Project during 2005. BPA will 
coordinate with Oregon EFSC to ensure full consideration of all public 
and agency comments received.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on February 4, 2005.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-2781 Filed 2-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.