Huron-Manistee National Forests, Michigan, White Pines Wind Farm Project, 52945-52947 [E8-20764]

Download as PDF ebenthall on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 178 / Friday, September 12, 2008 / Notices Substation. The proposed route is approximately 278 miles long. The requested ROW width is 250 feet. Idaho Power Company proposes to utilize steel lattice type structures approximately 150 feet in height with average spans between towers of 1200 feet. Access roads would be approximately 14 to 20 feet wide. Additional temporary work space would also be required during construction. Approximately 195 miles or 70 percent of the route is privately owned; 45 miles or 16 percent is administered by the BLM; 27 miles or 10 percent is administered by the USFS; and 11 miles or 4 percent is administered by the State of Oregon or other jurisdictions. The route generally parallels Interstate 84 and other existing overhead and underground utilities and roadways. The proposed route also makes use of existing or proposed utility corridors on Federal lands. The BLM is the designated lead Federal agency for preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies identified at this time include: USFS, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and the State of Oregon Department of Energy. Other agencies will be invited to participate as cooperating agencies. The EIS will analyze the proposed action and a reasonable range of route alternatives. The BLM and USFS encourage you to send your comments concerning the Project as currently proposed, feasible alternative locations, possible mitigation measures, and any other information relevant to the Project. Authorization of the Project may require amendments to one or more of the following BLM land use plans: Baker Resource Management Plan, Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan, Owyhee Resource Management Plan, Cascade Resource Management Plan, and one or more of the following USFS Forest Plans: Wallowa-Whitman Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. This notice serves to notify the public of these potential land use plan amendments as required by 43 CFR 1610.2 (c) and 36 CFR 219.7(c). If a land use plan amendment is determined to be required, the BLM and/or USFS will integrate the land use planning process into the NEPA analysis for this Project. Public input is important to ensure project-specific issues are evaluated prior to the agencies making a decision. Comments submitted timely will be considered in the NEPA process. Comments received after November 14, 2008 will be considered to the extent feasible. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses, and VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:18 Sep 11, 2008 Jkt 214001 e-mail addresses of respondents will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address during normal business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Periodic project updates during preparation of the EIS will be provided to the public through additional informational meetings, newsletters, postcard notices, or through the project Web site. For further information or to have your name added or removed from the project mailing list, contact Lucas Lucero, BLM Project Manager, (702) 515–5059 or Lucas_Lucero@blm.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dated: September 8, 2008. David R. Henderson, District Manager. Dated: September 8, 2008. Steven Ellis, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. E8–21285 Filed 9–11–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–33–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests, Michigan, White Pines Wind Farm Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. ACTION: SUMMARY: The Forest Service has accepted an application for a special use authorization from White Pines Wind Farm LLC for the installation and operation of 20 to 28 wind turbines and associated infrastructure to provide between 50 and 70 megawatts (MW) of wind energy on National Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the HuronManistee National Forests. The White Pines Wind Farm Project (the Project) would occupy approximately 75 acres of NFS land within a Project Area of about 10,000 acres on the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District over its proposed 30year life. PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 52945 Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received by October 12, 2008. The draft environmental impact statement is expected May 2009 and the final environmental impact statement is expected December 2009. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Patricia O’Connell, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District, Huron-Manistee National Forests, 412 Red Apple Road, Manistee, MI 49660; fax: 231–723–8642. Send electronic comments to: commentseastern-huron-manisteemanistee@fs.fed.us. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia O’Connell, Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District, Huron-Manistee National Forests; telephone: 231–723– 2211, ext. 3119; fax: 231–723–8642. See address above under ADDRESSES. Copies of documents may be requested at the same address. Another means of obtaining information is to visit the Forest Web page at https://www.fs.fed.us/ r9/hmnf then click on ‘‘Project and Planning,’’ then ‘‘Cadillac and Manistee Projects,’’ and then ‘‘White Pines Wind Farm Project.’’ SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DATES: Purpose and Need for Action The purpose of this project is to respond to an application for a special use authorization submitted by White Pines Wind Farm LLC to develop a wind farm on National Forest System lands within the Huron-Manistee National Forests. White Pines Wind Farm LLC proposes to generate 50 to 70 MW of wind energy by constructing and operating between 20 and 28 wind turbines, in proximity to existing distribution facilities (utility grid), in an area with an adequate wind resource on National Forest System lands with consolidated ownership. The proposed project is needed to help meet Michigan’s and the region’s growing demand for reliable sources of clean, cost-effective, renewable energy. The project is consistent with the HuronManistee National Forests’ Land and Resource Management Plan and with Forest Service objectives for management of special uses on National Forest System lands. Proposed Action White Pines is proposing to install and operate the Project on land located mostly within the boundaries of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The Project proposes construction of the wind turbines and associated infrastructure in April 2010, with an anticipated in-service date of December E:\FR\FM\12SEN1.SGM 12SEN1 ebenthall on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES 52946 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 178 / Friday, September 12, 2008 / Notices 2010, and operation of the facility for an estimated service life of 30 years. The vast majority of the Project’s facilities and activities would occur on National Forest System lands on the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District of the Forest. A portion of the Project’s transmission line route would be located off of National Forest System lands. In addition, it would be necessary to expand the public road system to support development of the Project. The Project would consist of the construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of 28 new state-of-theart 2.5 MW wind turbines, which would have a combined power generating capacity of 70 MW (at peak capacity). The Project is proposing to use the Clipper Class II Liberty Series 2.5 MW Wind Turbine, which are manufactured domestically in Iowa. It is feasible that a higher megawatt turbine could become available and be utilized for this Project. If available in the future, turbines with a larger capacity would be located within the existing array plan footprint and would not affect the overall maximum Project power generating capacity of 70 MW. Each turbine is comprised of three components—the tower, the nacelle, and the rotor blades. The turbines use a tubular steel tower, with a hub height of 262 feet. The tower is topped by the nacelle, which houses the turbine’s mechanical components. The rotor, mounted on the nacelle, consists of three fiberglass blades 153 feet in length and has a rotor diameter of 315 feet. The total height of the wind turbines would be approximately 420 feet above a concrete foundation base. Each turbine would be anchored to a 60 foot diameter concrete foundation of which a 20-foot diameter pedestal would be visible above ground. A pad mounted step-up transformer would be located on each concrete foundation base to increase the voltage from each wind turbine generator to 34.5 kilovolt (kV). The area of the total disturbed footprint per turbine, including clearing and grubbing of vegetation, would have a radius of approximately 125 feet, for an aggregate footprint of about 1.1 acres per wind turbine foundation during construction. Subsequent to construction, the turbine footprint area would be reduced to less than 0.2 acres. In addition to the turbines, the Project would consist of the following components: • Approximately 9 miles of road reconstruction to existing roads (3 miles of Forest Service roads and 6 miles of County roads) and approximately 5 miles of new road construction would occur on NFS lands. During VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:18 Sep 11, 2008 Jkt 214001 construction of the Project, these roads would be widened and cleared to approximately 40 feet to allow for equipment delivery and crane transport between turbine locations. However, to allow for the installation of the collection system and drainage, some of these roads may be cleared to approximately 80 feet. Road reclamation and revegetation would be performed at the end of construction to reduce access roads to standards mutually agreed upon with the appropriate road agencies (i.e., Forest Service and Mason County). Roads would remain accessible, to the extent practicable, to the public. The new roads for the Project would be permanent roads added to the road system on NFS lands. • Installation of over 40 miles of 34.5 kV underground electrical interconnections between turbines to collect and deliver electricity to a new substation. Where practicable, the underground electrical collection system would be installed along the same right-of-way (RoW) corridor as the access roads. In addition, fiber optic communication lines would be installed along with the electrical collection system to monitor the operation of the wind farm. No additional clearing beyond that described for the roadway clearing would be required for the installation of the electrical collection system and fiber optic lines between turbines. • A step-up transformer at each turbine location plus one transformer for the electrical substation site. Each step-up transformer would be located on the concrete foundation base. • An electrical substation on a 5-acre parcel would be constructed on NFS lands within the Project Area to step up the electrical collection system voltage to the existing local transmission line voltage. • An above ground, 138 kV transmission line to connect the proposed wind farm substation to the existing Pere Marquette-Stronach 138kV transmission line running northsouth and located east of the Project Area. The transmission line would have a RoW corridor of approximately 150 feet. Approximately 3 miles of the transmission line would be located on NFS lands and approximately 2 miles of the line would cross private lands. • Three 199-foot tall meteorological monitoring towers have been constructed and are currently collecting data within the Project Area boundary. At the completion of the Project, 1 to 3 meteorological towers would remain within the Project Area during the life of the Project. PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 • Three temporary staging areas would be located within the Project Area for construction-related temporary facilities, which include a concrete batch plant and cleared areas for construction parking, equipment laydown, and construction management trailers. These areas, totaling approximately 10 acres, would be restored and revegetated upon completion of construction. • A second electrical substation would be needed at the end of the 138 kV transmission line to tie into the existing 138 kV overhead transmission line. This substation would be located on private land outside of the Project Area. In addition to these facilities, the Project development process would also involve upgrading local transportation infrastructure to accommodate the expected size of construction materials. At this time, it is anticipated that the infrastructure upgrades would be minor in scale (e.g., increased turning radius at road intersections). The Project area boundary encompasses a total of approximately 10,024 acres, of which 8,600 acres are within the NFS lands within the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District. The Project components described above would be sited within this Project Area boundary and would occupy a permanent footprint of approximately 75 acres of NFS lands. Consideration of species management and habitat, water resources, cultural resources, visuals, public access and safety, maximization of existing facilities, and the layout of buried and above ground facilities have been incorporated as part of the Project design to the extent practicable and would be evaluated through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) site-specific environmental analysis process. Responsible Official Barry Paulson, Forest Supervisor, Huron-Manistee National Forests, 1755 S. Mitchell Street, Cadillac, MI 49601. Nature of Decision To Be Made White Pines Wind Farm LLC has submitted an application to the Forest Service for a Special Use authorization seeking approval to occupy and use NFS lands for the purpose of constructing and operating a wind power facility on the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The decision to be made is whether to grant the authorization for the construction and operation activities as proposed, or as modified by an alternative to the proposed action, or to deny granting the authorization. E:\FR\FM\12SEN1.SGM 12SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 178 / Friday, September 12, 2008 / Notices Scoping Process The Forest Service plans to scope for information by contacting persons and organizations interested or potentially affected by the proposed action by using mailings, public announcements, and personal contacts. In addition, two separate public scoping meetings will be held to collect public input on the scope of this project: Scoping Meeting #1: September 30, 2008, at the Ramada Inn, 4079 W. U.S. 10, Ludington, MI. An open house format will be used. The public is welcome between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Scoping Meeting #2: October 1, 2008, at the Days Inn, 1462 U.S. Hwy. 31, Manistee, MI. An open house format will be used. The public is welcome between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. ebenthall on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES Comment Requested This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides the development of the environmental impact statement. The primary purpose of scoping is to gather public comments, issues, and concerns regarding the proposed action. We are especially interested in information that might identify a specific undesired result of implementing the proposed action. Comments will be used to help formulate alternatives to the proposed action. Please make your written comments as specific as possible as they relate to the proposed action, and include your name, address, and if possible, telephone number and e-mail address. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposed action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR parts 215 or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any persons may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under FOIA confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency’s decision regarding the request for confidentiality and, should the request be denied, return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:18 Sep 11, 2008 Jkt 214001 resubmitted with or without name and address within 90 days. Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, that it is important to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer’s position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal and will be available for public inspection. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 52947 Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21. Dated: August 22, 2008. Barry Paulson, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. E8–20764 Filed 9–11–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–P COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED Procurement List; Proposed Deletions Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. ACTION: Proposed deletions from Procurement List. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Committee is proposing to delete products previously furnished by nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or severely disabled. Comments Must be Received On or Before: October 12, 2008. ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800, 1421 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202–3259. For Further Information or to Submit Comments Contact: Kimberly M. Zeich, Telephone: (703) 603–7740, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or e-mail CMTEFedReg@AbilityOne.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published pursuant to 41 U.S.C 47(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51–2.3. Its purpose is to provide interested persons an opportunity to submit comments on the proposed actions. Deletions Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification I certify that the following action will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. The major factors considered for this certification were: 1. If approved, the action will not result in additional reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for small entities. 2. If approved, the action may result in allowing other small entities to furnish the products to the Government. 3. There are no known regulatory alternatives which would accomplish the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in connection with the products proposed for deletion from the Procurement List. End of Certification The following products are proposed for deletion from the Procurement List: E:\FR\FM\12SEN1.SGM 12SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 178 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52945-52947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20764]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Huron-Manistee National Forests, Michigan, White Pines Wind Farm 
Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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

SUMMARY: The Forest Service has accepted an application for a special 
use authorization from White Pines Wind Farm LLC for the installation 
and operation of 20 to 28 wind turbines and associated infrastructure 
to provide between 50 and 70 megawatts (MW) of wind energy on National 
Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the Huron-Manistee National 
Forests. The White Pines Wind Farm Project (the Project) would occupy 
approximately 75 acres of NFS land within a Project Area of about 
10,000 acres on the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District over its proposed 
30-year life.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by October 12, 2008. The draft environmental impact statement is 
expected May 2009 and the final environmental impact statement is 
expected December 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Patricia O'Connell, 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District, 
Huron-Manistee National Forests, 412 Red Apple Road, Manistee, MI 
49660; fax: 231-723-8642. Send electronic comments to: comments-
eastern-huron-manistee-manistee@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia O'Connell, Cadillac-Manistee 
Ranger District, Huron-Manistee National Forests; telephone: 231-723-
2211, ext. 3119; fax: 231-723-8642. See address above under ADDRESSES. 
Copies of documents may be requested at the same address. Another means 
of obtaining information is to visit the Forest Web page at https://
www.fs.fed.us/r9/hmnf then click on ``Project and Planning,'' then 
``Cadillac and Manistee Projects,'' and then ``White Pines Wind Farm 
Project.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of this project is to respond to an application for a 
special use authorization submitted by White Pines Wind Farm LLC to 
develop a wind farm on National Forest System lands within the Huron-
Manistee National Forests. White Pines Wind Farm LLC proposes to 
generate 50 to 70 MW of wind energy by constructing and operating 
between 20 and 28 wind turbines, in proximity to existing distribution 
facilities (utility grid), in an area with an adequate wind resource on 
National Forest System lands with consolidated ownership. The proposed 
project is needed to help meet Michigan's and the region's growing 
demand for reliable sources of clean, cost-effective, renewable energy. 
The project is consistent with the Huron-Manistee National Forests' 
Land and Resource Management Plan and with Forest Service objectives 
for management of special uses on National Forest System lands.

Proposed Action

    White Pines is proposing to install and operate the Project on land 
located mostly within the boundaries of the Huron-Manistee National 
Forests. The Project proposes construction of the wind turbines and 
associated infrastructure in April 2010, with an anticipated in-service 
date of December

[[Page 52946]]

2010, and operation of the facility for an estimated service life of 30 
years.
    The vast majority of the Project's facilities and activities would 
occur on National Forest System lands on the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger 
District of the Forest. A portion of the Project's transmission line 
route would be located off of National Forest System lands. In 
addition, it would be necessary to expand the public road system to 
support development of the Project.
    The Project would consist of the construction, installation, 
operation, and maintenance of 28 new state-of-the-art 2.5 MW wind 
turbines, which would have a combined power generating capacity of 70 
MW (at peak capacity). The Project is proposing to use the Clipper 
Class II Liberty Series 2.5 MW Wind Turbine, which are manufactured 
domestically in Iowa. It is feasible that a higher megawatt turbine 
could become available and be utilized for this Project. If available 
in the future, turbines with a larger capacity would be located within 
the existing array plan footprint and would not affect the overall 
maximum Project power generating capacity of 70 MW.
    Each turbine is comprised of three components--the tower, the 
nacelle, and the rotor blades. The turbines use a tubular steel tower, 
with a hub height of 262 feet. The tower is topped by the nacelle, 
which houses the turbine's mechanical components. The rotor, mounted on 
the nacelle, consists of three fiberglass blades 153 feet in length and 
has a rotor diameter of 315 feet. The total height of the wind turbines 
would be approximately 420 feet above a concrete foundation base. Each 
turbine would be anchored to a 60 foot diameter concrete foundation of 
which a 20-foot diameter pedestal would be visible above ground. A pad 
mounted step-up transformer would be located on each concrete 
foundation base to increase the voltage from each wind turbine 
generator to 34.5 kilovolt (kV). The area of the total disturbed 
footprint per turbine, including clearing and grubbing of vegetation, 
would have a radius of approximately 125 feet, for an aggregate 
footprint of about 1.1 acres per wind turbine foundation during 
construction. Subsequent to construction, the turbine footprint area 
would be reduced to less than 0.2 acres.
    In addition to the turbines, the Project would consist of the 
following components:
     Approximately 9 miles of road reconstruction to existing 
roads (3 miles of Forest Service roads and 6 miles of County roads) and 
approximately 5 miles of new road construction would occur on NFS 
lands. During construction of the Project, these roads would be widened 
and cleared to approximately 40 feet to allow for equipment delivery 
and crane transport between turbine locations. However, to allow for 
the installation of the collection system and drainage, some of these 
roads may be cleared to approximately 80 feet. Road reclamation and 
revegetation would be performed at the end of construction to reduce 
access roads to standards mutually agreed upon with the appropriate 
road agencies (i.e., Forest Service and Mason County). Roads would 
remain accessible, to the extent practicable, to the public. The new 
roads for the Project would be permanent roads added to the road system 
on NFS lands.
     Installation of over 40 miles of 34.5 kV underground 
electrical interconnections between turbines to collect and deliver 
electricity to a new substation. Where practicable, the underground 
electrical collection system would be installed along the same right-
of-way (RoW) corridor as the access roads. In addition, fiber optic 
communication lines would be installed along with the electrical 
collection system to monitor the operation of the wind farm. No 
additional clearing beyond that described for the roadway clearing 
would be required for the installation of the electrical collection 
system and fiber optic lines between turbines.
     A step-up transformer at each turbine location plus one 
transformer for the electrical substation site. Each step-up 
transformer would be located on the concrete foundation base.
     An electrical substation on a 5-acre parcel would be 
constructed on NFS lands within the Project Area to step up the 
electrical collection system voltage to the existing local transmission 
line voltage.
     An above ground, 138 kV transmission line to connect the 
proposed wind farm substation to the existing Pere Marquette-Stronach 
138-kV transmission line running north-south and located east of the 
Project Area. The transmission line would have a RoW corridor of 
approximately 150 feet. Approximately 3 miles of the transmission line 
would be located on NFS lands and approximately 2 miles of the line 
would cross private lands.
     Three 199-foot tall meteorological monitoring towers have 
been constructed and are currently collecting data within the Project 
Area boundary. At the completion of the Project, 1 to 3 meteorological 
towers would remain within the Project Area during the life of the 
Project.
     Three temporary staging areas would be located within the 
Project Area for construction-related temporary facilities, which 
include a concrete batch plant and cleared areas for construction 
parking, equipment laydown, and construction management trailers. These 
areas, totaling approximately 10 acres, would be restored and 
revegetated upon completion of construction.
     A second electrical substation would be needed at the end 
of the 138 kV transmission line to tie into the existing 138 kV 
overhead transmission line. This substation would be located on private 
land outside of the Project Area.
    In addition to these facilities, the Project development process 
would also involve upgrading local transportation infrastructure to 
accommodate the expected size of construction materials. At this time, 
it is anticipated that the infrastructure upgrades would be minor in 
scale (e.g., increased turning radius at road intersections).
    The Project area boundary encompasses a total of approximately 
10,024 acres, of which 8,600 acres are within the NFS lands within the 
Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District. The Project components described 
above would be sited within this Project Area boundary and would occupy 
a permanent footprint of approximately 75 acres of NFS lands. 
Consideration of species management and habitat, water resources, 
cultural resources, visuals, public access and safety, maximization of 
existing facilities, and the layout of buried and above ground 
facilities have been incorporated as part of the Project design to the 
extent practicable and would be evaluated through the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) site-specific environmental analysis 
process.

Responsible Official

    Barry Paulson, Forest Supervisor, Huron-Manistee National Forests, 
1755 S. Mitchell Street, Cadillac, MI 49601.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    White Pines Wind Farm LLC has submitted an application to the 
Forest Service for a Special Use authorization seeking approval to 
occupy and use NFS lands for the purpose of constructing and operating 
a wind power facility on the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The 
decision to be made is whether to grant the authorization for the 
construction and operation activities as proposed, or as modified by an 
alternative to the proposed action, or to deny granting the 
authorization.

[[Page 52947]]

Scoping Process

    The Forest Service plans to scope for information by contacting 
persons and organizations interested or potentially affected by the 
proposed action by using mailings, public announcements, and personal 
contacts. In addition, two separate public scoping meetings will be 
held to collect public input on the scope of this project:
    Scoping Meeting #1: September 30, 2008, at the Ramada Inn, 4079 W. 
U.S. 10, Ludington, MI. An open house format will be used. The public 
is welcome between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
    Scoping Meeting #2: October 1, 2008, at the Days Inn, 1462 U.S. 
Hwy. 31, Manistee, MI. An open house format will be used. The public is 
welcome between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. The primary 
purpose of scoping is to gather public comments, issues, and concerns 
regarding the proposed action. We are especially interested in 
information that might identify a specific undesired result of 
implementing the proposed action. Comments will be used to help 
formulate alternatives to the proposed action. Please make your written 
comments as specific as possible as they relate to the proposed action, 
and include your name, address, and if possible, telephone number and 
e-mail address. Comments received in response to this solicitation, 
including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered 
part of the public record on this proposed action and will be available 
for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted 
and considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not 
have standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR parts 215 
or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any persons may 
request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by 
showing how the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) permits such 
confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be 
aware that under FOIA confidentiality may be granted in only very 
limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest 
Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding 
the request for confidentiality and, should the request be denied, 
return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be 
resubmitted with or without name and address within 90 days.
    Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be 
prepared for comment. The comment period on the draft environmental 
impact statement will be 45 days following the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal 
Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, that it is 
important to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to 
public participation in the environmental review process. First, 
reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, 
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest 
Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the 
proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement 
should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer 
to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the 
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. 
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21.

    Dated: August 22, 2008.
Barry Paulson,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E8-20764 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
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