Construction and Operation of the Proposed Big Stone II Power Plant and Transmission Project, South Dakota and Minnesota, 30716-30718 [05-10662]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 102 / Friday, May 27, 2005 / Notices
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Comment Date: June 9, 2005.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5–2702 Filed 5–26–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Construction and Operation of the
Proposed Big Stone II Power Plant and
Transmission Project, South Dakota
and Minnesota
Western Area Power
Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Western Area Power
Administration (Western), U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) intends to
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the construction and
operation of the proposed Big Stone II
Power Plant and Transmission Project
(Project) in South Dakota and
Minnesota. The Rural Utilities Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture (RUS),
will participate as a cooperating agency.
Missouri River Energy Services (MRES,
Applicant), on behalf of the Big Stone II
Project co-owners, has applied to
interconnect the proposed Project to
Western’s power transmission system.
The EIS will address the construction
and operation of the proposed Project,
which includes a nominal 600 megawatt
(MW) (net) coal-fired power plant and
ancillary equipment and facilities in
eastern South Dakota, upgrades of
existing transmission lines and
facilities, and up to 129 miles of new
transmission lines in South Dakota and
Minnesota. Western will hold a 60-day
scoping period and scoping meetings
near the Project area to receive input on
the scope of the EIS.
DATES: Open-house public scoping
meetings will be held June 14–16, 2005,
between 5 and 8 p.m. Written comments
on the scope of the EIS must be received
by 11:59 p.m., July 26, 2005 which
marks the end of the EIS scoping period.
ADDRESSES: The open-house public
scoping meetings will be held in South
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16:42 May 26, 2005
Jkt 205001
Dakota and Minnesota. The June 14,
2005, meeting will be held at the
Lantern Inn, 1010 S. Dakota Street in
Milbank, South Dakota. On June 15,
2005, the meeting will be held at the
Best Western Prairie Inn, 200 E.
Highway 28 in Morris, Minnesota. The
June 16, 2005, meeting will be held at
the Kilowatt Community Center, 600
Kilowatt Drive in Granite Falls,
Minnesota. Written comments regarding
the scoping process should be addressed
to NEPA Document Manager, Big Stone
II EIS, A7400, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, CO 80228–8213, telephone
(800) 336–7288, fax (720) 962–7263 or
7269, e-mail BigStoneEIS@wapa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
NEPA Document Manager, Big Stone II
EIS, A7400, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, CO 80228–8213, telephone
(800) 336–7288, fax (720) 962–7263 or
7269, e-mail BigStoneEIS@wapa.gov.
For general information on DOE’s
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) review procedures or status of a
NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M.
Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy and
Compliance, EH–42, U.S. Department of
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone
(202) 586–4600 or (800) 472–2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western
intends to prepare an EIS on the
proposal by the Project co-owners to
construct and operate the Project in
eastern South Dakota and western
Minnesota. The Project co-owners
include:
• Otter Tail Corporation dba Otter
Tail Power Company, lead developer,
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
• Missouri River Energy Services,
applicant, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Central Minnesota Municipal Power
Agency, Blue Earth, Minnesota
• Great River Energy, Elk River,
Minnesota
• Heartland Consumers Power
District, Madison, South Dakota
• Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a
Division of MDU Resources Group, Inc.,
Bismarck, North Dakota
• Southern Minnesota Municipal
Power Agency, Rochester, Minnesota
The EIS will address the construction
and operation of the proposed Project,
which includes a nominal 600 MW (net)
coal-fired power plant and ancillary
equipment and facilities in eastern
South Dakota, upgrades of existing
transmission lines and facilities, and up
to 129 miles of new transmission lines
in South Dakota and Minnesota. In
addition to the proposed action, the noaction alternative, and any action
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alternatives defined as a result of the
EIS scoping process will also be
addressed in the EIS. The EIS process
will comply with NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321–4347, as amended), Council on
Environmental Quality regulations for
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts
1500–1508), and DOE NEPA
implementing procedures (10 CFR part
1021).
MRES has applied to interconnect the
proposed Project to Western’s power
transmission system. Western is a power
marketing agency of DOE that markets
Federal electric power to municipalities,
public utilities, and Native American
tribes. Western offers capacity on its
transmission system to deliver
electricity when such capacity is
available, under Western’s Open Access
Transmission Service Tariff (63 FR
5376). The Tariff has been approved by
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission) as meeting
or exceeding the requirements of the
Commission’s Final Order Nos. 888,
888A, 888B and 888C, which are
intended to ensure non-discriminatory
transmission system access. Pursuant to
the Commission’s Order Nos. 2003,
2003–A and 2003–B, Western submitted
revisions to its non-jurisdictional Tariff
on January 25, 2005, to the Commission.
The purpose of the filing was to revise
certain terms of Western’s original Tariff
and to incorporate the Large Generator
Interconnection Procedures, and a Large
Generator Interconnection Agreement.
Western needs to grant or deny MRES’s
interconnection request under the
provisions of its revised Tariff.
Seven co-owners are proposing to
construct a second electric generating
unit, named Big Stone II, on an
industrial site adjacent to the existing
Big Stone Plant (unit 1) located in Grant
County east of Milbank and northwest
of Big Stone City, South Dakota. On-site
construction is proposed to begin in the
spring of 2007, with proposed
commercial operation in 2011. The
Project would serve the co-owners’
customer base loads.
The existing Big Stone Plant is located
on an approximately 2,200-acre site.
Otter Tail Power Company owns a 295acre parcel adjacent to the existing site
and has under option to purchase, on
behalf of the Project, an additional 625
acres. Based on preliminary project
engineering, the Project co-owners have
legal access to all plant site property
that is necessary to complete Big Stone
II construction. A portion of the existing
Big Stone Plant site is leased to the
Northern Lights Ethanol Plant and
provides steam and process water to
that facility.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 102 / Friday, May 27, 2005 / Notices
Constructing Big Stone II at the site of
an existing facility would considerably
reduce the construction costs of a new
plant. The proposed plant would share
existing infrastructure, including
cooling water intake structure, pumping
system, and delivery line; plant road
and rail spur; coal unloading facilities;
and solid waste disposal facilities. The
existing plant road and rail spur would
provide site access. No changes are
expected to these existing features to
accommodate the Project.
The Project co-owners would
construct a nominal 600 MW (net)
electric generating station using a single
pulverized coal fired steam generator
(boiler) with balanced-draft combustion
and a single reheat steam turbine. The
plant would be designed to burn
approximately 2.5 to 3 million tons of
Powder River Basin sub-bituminous
coal annually. This fuel is relatively
high-moisture, low-sulfur coal with
excellent combustion but low
grindability qualities. Big Stone II
would be designed to normally operate
at its maximum continuous rating
output. The Project would serve the coowners’ customer base loads.
Subject to a final design and
regulatory approval, emissions control
equipment would likely include
selective catalytic reduction for nitrogen
oxide reduction, a fabric filter
(baghouse) for particulate collection,
followed by a wet scrubber for sulfur
dioxide removal. The proposed
emission control technologies are
configured to provide the greatest
mercury emission reductions.
Treated cooling water for the watercooled surface condenser at the
proposed plant would be provided from
a closed-loop circulating water system
that includes a new mechanical draft
cooling tower and circulating water
pumps. Raw water for the cooling
system would be supplied from the
existing Big Stone Plant cooling pond.
The water for the cooling pond would
be supplied from Big Stone Lake via an
existing water line and intake structure.
Potable water for drinking fountains,
washrooms, showers, and toilet
facilities would be supplied from the
area’s rural water system.
The design of the wastewater
treatment system for Big Stone II would
maintain the ‘‘zero discharge’’ design of
the existing Big Stone Plant. Design
features would include containment
areas around equipment, oil/water
separator, brine concentrator, and onsite storm water collection system. In
addition, oil collected from the oil/
water separator and other plantgenerated waste oils would be burned in
one of the two coal-fired boilers for
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16:42 May 26, 2005
Jkt 205001
energy recovery. Sanitary waste from
showers, wash basins, and toilets would
be collected for treatment in the existing
Big Stone Plant treatment system.
The Project co-owners intend to
market ash as a commodity suitable for
use in a number of applications
including replacement of Portland
cement in concrete, soil stabilization,
and structural fill. Excess ash, and ash
not meeting marketable specifications,
would be disposed of in the existing Big
Stone Plant on-site ash landfill. The
existing Big Stone Plant and the
proposed Big Stone II would produce
approximately 300,000 to 350,000 cubic
yards of ash annually, based on
expected average coal characteristics.
Operating both units until 2040 could
require development of approximately
95 acres of new landfill.
Electric output from the proposed Big
Stone II would be stepped up to 230
kilovolts (kV) and interconnected to the
transmission system at the existing Big
Stone Plant site. The existing plant site
currently has four transmission outlets.
Two of these outlets are operated at 230
kV, one terminates north of the existing
plant site near Hankinson, North
Dakota, and the other terminates south
of the existing plant site near Blair,
South Dakota. The other two
transmission outlets are operated at 115
kV; one terminates north of Big Stone
City on the Graceville-Morris 115-kV
line, and the other terminates at
Western’s Granite Falls Substation in
Minnesota.
The Midwest Independent System
Operator (MISO) conducted an
Interconnection Study for the Project
(MISO project number G392, queue
number 38020–01) that outlines
required upgrades for interconnecting
the proposed Big Stone II to the current
interstate transmission system. The
study proposed two different
interconnection alternatives to meet the
steady-state system requirements:
A. Alternative A would include
approximately 56 miles of new
transmission line and approximately 80
miles of line upgrades: A new 230-kV
line from the existing Big Stone Plant
site to Ortonville, Minnesota (about
seven miles) with an upgrade of the
Ortonville to Johnson Junction to
Morris, Minnesota line (about 41 miles)
from 115 kV to 230 kV, and a new 230kV line from the existing Big Stone
Plant site to Canby, Minnesota (about 49
miles) with an upgrade of the Canby to
Granite Falls, Minnesota line (about 39
miles) from 115 kV to 230 kV. The lines
would interconnect at Western’s Morris
and Granite Falls substations, and
modifications to these substations
would be required.
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30717
B. Alternative B would include
approximately 129 miles of new
transmission line and approximately 39
miles of line upgrades: a new 230-kV
line from the existing Big Stone Plant
site to just east of Spicer, Minnesota
(about 80 miles), and a new 230-kV line
from the existing Big Stone Plant site to
Canby (about 49 miles) with an upgrade
of the Canby to Granite Falls, Minnesota
line from 115 kV to 230 kV (about 39
miles). Western is the owner of the
Granite Falls Substation where the latter
line would interconnect. Modifications
to the Granite Falls Substation and a
new substation at Spicer would be
required.
Under the current MISO tariff and
Western interconnection requirements,
further analysis is required before firm
transmission service can be granted for
the Project. This analysis will be
performed through a System Impact (or
‘‘Delivery Service’’) Study. The results
of this study and other regional
planning may also identify additional
transmission system improvements or
other design criteria needed to
accommodate the reliable delivery of
the electric output from the Project to
the co-owners’ systems. These
additional improvements would be
analyzed for environmental impacts.
Any necessary transmission line
construction would be owned and
maintained by one or more of the
Project co-owners.
The states of Minnesota and South
Dakota require the project co-owners to
meet certain requirements for siting
private transmission lines within their
states. In Minnesota, a Certificate of
Need from the Public Utilities
Commission and a Route Permit for a
Large High-Voltage Transmission Line
from the Environmental Quality Board
for the portion of the transmission lines
located in Minnesota would be required.
In South Dakota, a Transmission
Facility Route Permit for the portion of
the transmission lines in South Dakota
would be required.
Interconnection of the proposed Big
Stone II Project would incorporate a
major new generation resource into
Western’s power transmission system,
including upgrades to existing
substations and construction of new
transmission lines. Therefore, Western
has determined that an EIS is required
under DOE NEPA Implementing
Procedures, 10 CFR part 1021, Subpart
D, Appendix D, class of action D6.
Western will be the lead Federal agency
for preparing the EIS, as defined at 40
CFR 1501.5. In addition, Great River
Energy anticipates applying for a loan
from the RUS to finance its portion of
the proposed Project, so RUS has been
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 102 / Friday, May 27, 2005 / Notices
designated a cooperating agency.
Western will invite other Federal, state,
local, and tribal agencies with
jurisdiction by law or special expertise
with respect to environmental issues to
be cooperating agencies on the EIS, as
defined at 40 CFR 1501.6. Such agencies
may also make a request to Western to
be a cooperating agency. Designated
cooperating agencies have certain
responsibilities to support the NEPA
process, as specified at 40 CFR 1501.6
(b).
Full public participation and
disclosure are planned for the entire EIS
process. Western anticipates the EIS
process will take about 15 months, and
will include the open-house public
scoping meetings; consultation and
involvement with appropriate Federal,
state, local, and tribal governmental
agencies; public review and hearings on
the published draft EIS; a review period;
a published final EIS; and publication of
a record of decision expected in midsummer 2006. Additional informal
public meetings may be held in the
proposed Project area if public interest
and issues indicate a need. Western will
also mail newsletters to the proposed
Project mailing list to communicate
Project status and developments.
Western will hold a 60-day scoping
period to ensure that interested
members of the public and
representatives of groups, and Federal,
state, local, and tribal agencies have an
opportunity to provide input on the
scope of the process and the alternatives
that will be addressed in the EIS.
Western will also hold public openhouse scoping meetings near the Project
area during the scoping period. The
purpose of the scoping meetings will be
to provide information about the
proposed Project, answer questions, and
take written comments from interested
parties.
The open-house public scoping
meetings will be held on June 14, 2005,
at the Lantern Inn, 1010 S. Dakota
Street, Milbank, South Dakota; on June
15, 2005, at the Best Western Prairie
Inn, 200 E. Highway 28, Morris,
Minnesota; and on June 16, 2005, at the
Kilowatt Community Center, 600
Kilowatt Drive, Granite Falls,
Minnesota. Members of the public and
representatives of groups, Federal, state,
local and tribal agencies are invited to
attend anytime between 5 and 8 p.m.
Attendees at the scoping meetings will
have the opportunity to view proposed
Project and NEPA process displays and
other information. The open-house
scoping meetings will be informal, with
Western and Project representatives
available for one-on-one discussions
with attendees. Written comments
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16:42 May 26, 2005
Jkt 205001
regarding the scoping process may be
left with one of Western’s
representatives at the scoping meetings,
or may be provided by fax, e-mail or
U.S. Postal Service mail to Western as
noted above.
R. Jack Dodd,
Assistant Administrator for Washington
Liaison.
[FR Doc. 05–10662 Filed 5–26–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[ER–FRL–6663–8]
Environmental Impact Statements and
Regulations; Availability of EPA
Comments
Availability of EPA comments
prepared pursuant to the Environmental
Review Process (ERP), under section
309 of the Clean Air Act and section
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act as amended. Requests for
copies of EPA comments can be directed
to the Office of Federal Activities at
202–564–7167.
An explanation of the ratings assigned
to draft environmental impact
statements (EISs) was published in the
Federal Register dated April 1, 2005 (70
FR 16815).
Draft EISs
EIS No. 20050052, ERP No. D–FHW–
F40429–WI, US–131 Improvement
Study, from the Indiana Toll Road (1–
80/90) to a Point One Mile North of
Cowling Road, U.S. Army COE
Section 404 Permit, St. Joseph
County, MI and Elkhart County, IN.
Summary: EPA has environmental
objections to two alternatives under
consideration (Alternatives PA–3 and
PA–4) because of direct and indirect
impacts to high quality wetlands,
impacts to trout habitat in the St. Joseph
River, wildlife corridor impacts for the
White Pigeon, St. Joseph, and Rocky
Rivers, and migratory bird impacts.
Rating EO2.
EIS No. 20050095, ERP No. D–FTA–
K54030–CA, Warm Springs
Extension, Proposing 5.4 mile
Extension of the BART System in the
City of Fremont, Funding, San
Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit
District, Alameda County, CA.
Summary: While EPA has no
objection to the proposed action, but
requested clarification on mitigation for
noise and aquatic resource impacts.
Rating LO.
EIS No. 20050099, ERP No. D–AFS–
L65478–OR, Big Butte Springs Timber
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Sales, To Implementation
Management Direction, Roque RiverSiskiyou National Forest, Butte Falls
Ranger District, Cascade Zone,
Jackson County, OR.
Summary: EPA has environmental
concerns about potential adverse
impacts to water quality and natural
resources.
Rating EC1.
EIS No. 20050119, ERP No. D–AFS–
L65479–OR, Timberline Express
Project, To Improve the Winter
Recreational Opportunities,
Implementation, Zigzag Ranger
District, Mt. Hood National Forest,
Clackamas County, OR.
Summary: EPA has environmental
concerns about water resources, habitat
fragmentation, and whether
infrastructure constraints will
accommodate the proposed ski
expansion.
Rating EC1.
Final EISs
EIS No. 20050098, ERP No. F–FAA–
D51050–PA, Philadelphia
International Airport, Runway 17–35
Extension Project, Construction and
Operation, US Army COE Section 404
Permit, NPDES Permit, Delaware and
Philadelphia Counties, PA.
Summary: EPA’s previous issues have
been resolved, therefore, EPA has no
objection to that action as proposed.
EIS No. 20050150, ERP No. F–NAS–
A12042–00, PROGRAMMATIC—Mars
Exploration Program (MEP)
Implementation.
Summary: No formal comment letter
was sent to the preparing agency.
EIS No. 20050159, ERP No. F–NIH–
D81035–MD, National Institutes of
Health (NIH) Master Plan 2003
Update, National Institutes of Health
Main Campus—Bethesda, MD,
Montgomery County, MD.
Summary: The FEIS adequately
addressed EPA’s comments.
Dated: May 24, 2005.
Robert W. Hargrove,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office
of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 05–10675 Filed 5–26–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[ER–FRL–6663–7]
Environmental Impacts Statements;
Notice of Availability
Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
Activities, General Information (202)
E:\FR\FM\27MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 102 (Friday, May 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30716-30718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10662]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Construction and Operation of the Proposed Big Stone II Power
Plant and Transmission Project, South Dakota and Minnesota
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the construction and operation of the proposed Big
Stone II Power Plant and Transmission Project (Project) in South Dakota
and Minnesota. The Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (RUS), will participate as a cooperating agency. Missouri
River Energy Services (MRES, Applicant), on behalf of the Big Stone II
Project co-owners, has applied to interconnect the proposed Project to
Western's power transmission system. The EIS will address the
construction and operation of the proposed Project, which includes a
nominal 600 megawatt (MW) (net) coal-fired power plant and ancillary
equipment and facilities in eastern South Dakota, upgrades of existing
transmission lines and facilities, and up to 129 miles of new
transmission lines in South Dakota and Minnesota. Western will hold a
60-day scoping period and scoping meetings near the Project area to
receive input on the scope of the EIS.
DATES: Open-house public scoping meetings will be held June 14-16,
2005, between 5 and 8 p.m. Written comments on the scope of the EIS
must be received by 11:59 p.m., July 26, 2005 which marks the end of
the EIS scoping period.
ADDRESSES: The open-house public scoping meetings will be held in South
Dakota and Minnesota. The June 14, 2005, meeting will be held at the
Lantern Inn, 1010 S. Dakota Street in Milbank, South Dakota. On June
15, 2005, the meeting will be held at the Best Western Prairie Inn, 200
E. Highway 28 in Morris, Minnesota. The June 16, 2005, meeting will be
held at the Kilowatt Community Center, 600 Kilowatt Drive in Granite
Falls, Minnesota. Written comments regarding the scoping process should
be addressed to NEPA Document Manager, Big Stone II EIS, A7400, Western
Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213,
telephone (800) 336-7288, fax (720) 962-7263 or 7269, e-mail
BigStoneEIS@wapa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NEPA Document Manager, Big Stone II
EIS, A7400, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, CO 80228-8213, telephone (800) 336-7288, fax (720) 962-7263
or 7269, e-mail BigStoneEIS@wapa.gov. For general information on DOE's
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review procedures or status of
a NEPA review, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy
and Compliance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800)
472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western intends to prepare an EIS on the
proposal by the Project co-owners to construct and operate the Project
in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. The Project co-owners
include:
Otter Tail Corporation dba Otter Tail Power Company, lead
developer, Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Missouri River Energy Services, applicant, Sioux Falls,
South Dakota
Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Blue Earth,
Minnesota
Great River Energy, Elk River, Minnesota
Heartland Consumers Power District, Madison, South Dakota
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Division of MDU Resources
Group, Inc., Bismarck, North Dakota
Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Rochester,
Minnesota
The EIS will address the construction and operation of the proposed
Project, which includes a nominal 600 MW (net) coal-fired power plant
and ancillary equipment and facilities in eastern South Dakota,
upgrades of existing transmission lines and facilities, and up to 129
miles of new transmission lines in South Dakota and Minnesota. In
addition to the proposed action, the no-action alternative, and any
action alternatives defined as a result of the EIS scoping process will
also be addressed in the EIS. The EIS process will comply with NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended), Council on Environmental Quality
regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and DOE
NEPA implementing procedures (10 CFR part 1021).
MRES has applied to interconnect the proposed Project to Western's
power transmission system. Western is a power marketing agency of DOE
that markets Federal electric power to municipalities, public
utilities, and Native American tribes. Western offers capacity on its
transmission system to deliver electricity when such capacity is
available, under Western's Open Access Transmission Service Tariff (63
FR 5376). The Tariff has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission) as meeting or exceeding the requirements of the
Commission's Final Order Nos. 888, 888A, 888B and 888C, which are
intended to ensure non-discriminatory transmission system access.
Pursuant to the Commission's Order Nos. 2003, 2003-A and 2003-B,
Western submitted revisions to its non-jurisdictional Tariff on January
25, 2005, to the Commission. The purpose of the filing was to revise
certain terms of Western's original Tariff and to incorporate the Large
Generator Interconnection Procedures, and a Large Generator
Interconnection Agreement. Western needs to grant or deny MRES's
interconnection request under the provisions of its revised Tariff.
Seven co-owners are proposing to construct a second electric
generating unit, named Big Stone II, on an industrial site adjacent to
the existing Big Stone Plant (unit 1) located in Grant County east of
Milbank and northwest of Big Stone City, South Dakota. On-site
construction is proposed to begin in the spring of 2007, with proposed
commercial operation in 2011. The Project would serve the co-owners'
customer base loads.
The existing Big Stone Plant is located on an approximately 2,200-
acre site. Otter Tail Power Company owns a 295-acre parcel adjacent to
the existing site and has under option to purchase, on behalf of the
Project, an additional 625 acres. Based on preliminary project
engineering, the Project co-owners have legal access to all plant site
property that is necessary to complete Big Stone II construction. A
portion of the existing Big Stone Plant site is leased to the Northern
Lights Ethanol Plant and provides steam and process water to that
facility.
[[Page 30717]]
Constructing Big Stone II at the site of an existing facility would
considerably reduce the construction costs of a new plant. The proposed
plant would share existing infrastructure, including cooling water
intake structure, pumping system, and delivery line; plant road and
rail spur; coal unloading facilities; and solid waste disposal
facilities. The existing plant road and rail spur would provide site
access. No changes are expected to these existing features to
accommodate the Project.
The Project co-owners would construct a nominal 600 MW (net)
electric generating station using a single pulverized coal fired steam
generator (boiler) with balanced-draft combustion and a single reheat
steam turbine. The plant would be designed to burn approximately 2.5 to
3 million tons of Powder River Basin sub-bituminous coal annually. This
fuel is relatively high-moisture, low-sulfur coal with excellent
combustion but low grindability qualities. Big Stone II would be
designed to normally operate at its maximum continuous rating output.
The Project would serve the co-owners' customer base loads.
Subject to a final design and regulatory approval, emissions
control equipment would likely include selective catalytic reduction
for nitrogen oxide reduction, a fabric filter (baghouse) for
particulate collection, followed by a wet scrubber for sulfur dioxide
removal. The proposed emission control technologies are configured to
provide the greatest mercury emission reductions.
Treated cooling water for the water-cooled surface condenser at the
proposed plant would be provided from a closed-loop circulating water
system that includes a new mechanical draft cooling tower and
circulating water pumps. Raw water for the cooling system would be
supplied from the existing Big Stone Plant cooling pond. The water for
the cooling pond would be supplied from Big Stone Lake via an existing
water line and intake structure. Potable water for drinking fountains,
washrooms, showers, and toilet facilities would be supplied from the
area's rural water system.
The design of the wastewater treatment system for Big Stone II
would maintain the ``zero discharge'' design of the existing Big Stone
Plant. Design features would include containment areas around
equipment, oil/water separator, brine concentrator, and on-site storm
water collection system. In addition, oil collected from the oil/water
separator and other plant-generated waste oils would be burned in one
of the two coal-fired boilers for energy recovery. Sanitary waste from
showers, wash basins, and toilets would be collected for treatment in
the existing Big Stone Plant treatment system.
The Project co-owners intend to market ash as a commodity suitable
for use in a number of applications including replacement of Portland
cement in concrete, soil stabilization, and structural fill. Excess
ash, and ash not meeting marketable specifications, would be disposed
of in the existing Big Stone Plant on-site ash landfill. The existing
Big Stone Plant and the proposed Big Stone II would produce
approximately 300,000 to 350,000 cubic yards of ash annually, based on
expected average coal characteristics. Operating both units until 2040
could require development of approximately 95 acres of new landfill.
Electric output from the proposed Big Stone II would be stepped up
to 230 kilovolts (kV) and interconnected to the transmission system at
the existing Big Stone Plant site. The existing plant site currently
has four transmission outlets. Two of these outlets are operated at 230
kV, one terminates north of the existing plant site near Hankinson,
North Dakota, and the other terminates south of the existing plant site
near Blair, South Dakota. The other two transmission outlets are
operated at 115 kV; one terminates north of Big Stone City on the
Graceville-Morris 115-kV line, and the other terminates at Western's
Granite Falls Substation in Minnesota.
The Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) conducted an
Interconnection Study for the Project (MISO project number G392, queue
number 38020-01) that outlines required upgrades for interconnecting
the proposed Big Stone II to the current interstate transmission
system. The study proposed two different interconnection alternatives
to meet the steady-state system requirements:
A. Alternative A would include approximately 56 miles of new
transmission line and approximately 80 miles of line upgrades: A new
230-kV line from the existing Big Stone Plant site to Ortonville,
Minnesota (about seven miles) with an upgrade of the Ortonville to
Johnson Junction to Morris, Minnesota line (about 41 miles) from 115 kV
to 230 kV, and a new 230-kV line from the existing Big Stone Plant site
to Canby, Minnesota (about 49 miles) with an upgrade of the Canby to
Granite Falls, Minnesota line (about 39 miles) from 115 kV to 230 kV.
The lines would interconnect at Western's Morris and Granite Falls
substations, and modifications to these substations would be required.
B. Alternative B would include approximately 129 miles of new
transmission line and approximately 39 miles of line upgrades: a new
230-kV line from the existing Big Stone Plant site to just east of
Spicer, Minnesota (about 80 miles), and a new 230-kV line from the
existing Big Stone Plant site to Canby (about 49 miles) with an upgrade
of the Canby to Granite Falls, Minnesota line from 115 kV to 230 kV
(about 39 miles). Western is the owner of the Granite Falls Substation
where the latter line would interconnect. Modifications to the Granite
Falls Substation and a new substation at Spicer would be required.
Under the current MISO tariff and Western interconnection
requirements, further analysis is required before firm transmission
service can be granted for the Project. This analysis will be performed
through a System Impact (or ``Delivery Service'') Study. The results of
this study and other regional planning may also identify additional
transmission system improvements or other design criteria needed to
accommodate the reliable delivery of the electric output from the
Project to the co-owners' systems. These additional improvements would
be analyzed for environmental impacts. Any necessary transmission line
construction would be owned and maintained by one or more of the
Project co-owners.
The states of Minnesota and South Dakota require the project co-
owners to meet certain requirements for siting private transmission
lines within their states. In Minnesota, a Certificate of Need from the
Public Utilities Commission and a Route Permit for a Large High-Voltage
Transmission Line from the Environmental Quality Board for the portion
of the transmission lines located in Minnesota would be required. In
South Dakota, a Transmission Facility Route Permit for the portion of
the transmission lines in South Dakota would be required.
Interconnection of the proposed Big Stone II Project would
incorporate a major new generation resource into Western's power
transmission system, including upgrades to existing substations and
construction of new transmission lines. Therefore, Western has
determined that an EIS is required under DOE NEPA Implementing
Procedures, 10 CFR part 1021, Subpart D, Appendix D, class of action
D6. Western will be the lead Federal agency for preparing the EIS, as
defined at 40 CFR 1501.5. In addition, Great River Energy anticipates
applying for a loan from the RUS to finance its portion of the proposed
Project, so RUS has been
[[Page 30718]]
designated a cooperating agency. Western will invite other Federal,
state, local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction by law or special
expertise with respect to environmental issues to be cooperating
agencies on the EIS, as defined at 40 CFR 1501.6. Such agencies may
also make a request to Western to be a cooperating agency. Designated
cooperating agencies have certain responsibilities to support the NEPA
process, as specified at 40 CFR 1501.6 (b).
Full public participation and disclosure are planned for the entire
EIS process. Western anticipates the EIS process will take about 15
months, and will include the open-house public scoping meetings;
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, state, local,
and tribal governmental agencies; public review and hearings on the
published draft EIS; a review period; a published final EIS; and
publication of a record of decision expected in mid-summer 2006.
Additional informal public meetings may be held in the proposed Project
area if public interest and issues indicate a need. Western will also
mail newsletters to the proposed Project mailing list to communicate
Project status and developments.
Western will hold a 60-day scoping period to ensure that interested
members of the public and representatives of groups, and Federal,
state, local, and tribal agencies have an opportunity to provide input
on the scope of the process and the alternatives that will be addressed
in the EIS. Western will also hold public open-house scoping meetings
near the Project area during the scoping period. The purpose of the
scoping meetings will be to provide information about the proposed
Project, answer questions, and take written comments from interested
parties.
The open-house public scoping meetings will be held on June 14,
2005, at the Lantern Inn, 1010 S. Dakota Street, Milbank, South Dakota;
on June 15, 2005, at the Best Western Prairie Inn, 200 E. Highway 28,
Morris, Minnesota; and on June 16, 2005, at the Kilowatt Community
Center, 600 Kilowatt Drive, Granite Falls, Minnesota. Members of the
public and representatives of groups, Federal, state, local and tribal
agencies are invited to attend anytime between 5 and 8 p.m. Attendees
at the scoping meetings will have the opportunity to view proposed
Project and NEPA process displays and other information. The open-house
scoping meetings will be informal, with Western and Project
representatives available for one-on-one discussions with attendees.
Written comments regarding the scoping process may be left with one of
Western's representatives at the scoping meetings, or may be provided
by fax, e-mail or U.S. Postal Service mail to Western as noted above.
R. Jack Dodd,
Assistant Administrator for Washington Liaison.
[FR Doc. 05-10662 Filed 5-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
