Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact, 44346 [E9-20774]
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44346
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 166 / Friday, August 28, 2009 / Notices
an experiment in public land
management. Purposes and goals
include continued operation as a
working ranch consistent with the
protection and preservation of resources
and provision public access for
recreation and other purposes. The act
also establishes that the Trust should
strive to become financially selfsufficient where consistent with other
goals and purposes.
Since 2002, the Trust has been
managing an interim program for public
access and use of the Preserve. The
interim program was developed in
response to the Valles Caldera
Preservation Act (Pub. L. 106–248),
which mandated that reasonable access
to the Preserve for recreation would be
provided within two years of Federal
acquisition. The interim program
provides a variety of regularly available
outdoor recreation activities such as
fishing, hiking, hunting, wildlife and
scenic tours, wagon rides, horseback
riding, as well as winter recreation
activities. The interim program has also
included opportunities for the public to
enjoy and learn about the Preserve
through an array of special events.
Special events have included night sky
adventures, youth and adult outdoor
education seminars, photography
workshops, mountain biking and
running events and more recently,
overnight opportunities such as
weddings and workshops, which use
the existing facilities on the Preserve.
Universities, K–12 schools, and various
educational and research entities have
also had access to the Preserve on a case
by case basis.
Infrastructure development has been
limited to road maintenance and
upgrade activities necessary to provide
safe access while protecting and
preserving natural and cultural
resources. Temporary facilities (portable
buildings, portable toilets, etc.) have
been used to facilitate public access and
use of the Preserve.
Prior to Federal acquisition, about
200–300 people visited the Preserve
annually. Since Federal acquisition, that
number has increased to an estimated
15,000 visitors annually. Visitors enjoy
their experience on the Preserve but
consistently request broader, less
controlled access. In addition, the
Preserve’s unique setting within a
basically intact volcanic crater offers
unique opportunities for learning and
inspiration. Interest in the Preserve as a
portal to learning about and being
inspired by nature is growing. With
increasing interest from partners, the
Trust sees opportunities to develop
science and education programs which
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have local, regional, national, and global
effects.
In December 2006 the Trust initiated
‘‘Phase I’’ of comprehensive planning
for public access and use. This phase
was largely information gathering and
included a series of public workshops,
strategic level business planning and
analysis, and assessing various sites on
the Preserve to determine possible
locations for a visitor and interpretive
center and other ancillary facilities.
Based on the information accumulated,
the Trust is entering into ‘‘Phase II’’,
planning and decision-making for
public access and use.
Based on the information
accumulated, the Trust is proposing to
establish a visitor and interpretive
center within the boundary of the
Preserve. The purpose of the center will
be to expand public access and use on
the Preserve while continuing to
provide unique, high quality recreation,
education, and interpretive experiences
that impact the hearts and minds of our
visitors. It is needed to facilitate broad
access to the Preserve while protecting
and preserving the natural, cultural,
scientific, scenic, and recreational
values of the Preserve. The design for
the visitor and interpretive center will
include parking and connected ancillary
facilities such as interpretive trails,
overlooks, and motorized access onto
the Preserve.
The Trust is also proposing to make
programmatic decisions that will guide
or prescribe future development of
programs and facilities.
Alternatives will be developed with
input from the public that vary in the
scale and location of the visitor and
interpretive center and the capacities
and types of programs that would be
considered in the future.
A variety of reference documents are
available for viewing and downloading
from the Trust’s Web site https://www.
vallescaldera.gov/about/trust/trust_
ref.aspx.
Dated: August 18, 2009.
Gary D. Bratcher,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. E9–20672 Filed 8–27–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.:
Notice of Finding of No Significant
Impact
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No
Significant Impact.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has
made a Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) with respect to a request for
possible financial assistance to
Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.
(Minnkota Power) for the construction
of the proposed Distribution Substation
and Overhead Transmission Line for the
Keystone Pipeline Pump Station No. 17
Project in Steele County, North Dakota.
ADDRESSES: The Environmental
Assessment (EA) and FONSI are
available for public review at USDA
Rural Utilities Service, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–1571; at
Minnkota Power’s headquarters office;
and at the Steele County Auditor’s
Office in Finley, North Dakota.
Contacts: To obtain copies of the EA
or FONSI or for further information,
contact Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior
Environmental Protection Specialist,
Engineering and Environmental Staff,
Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250–1571,
telephone: (202) 720–5093 or e-mail:
richard.fristik@wdc.usda.gov.
The study
area for the proposed project is in Steele
County, North Dakota. The proposal
involves the construction of a substation
on @ acre of land inside the fenced area
of the Keystone Pipeline Pump Station
No. 17 site, construction of an 11.75mile 69 kV transmission line, and
upgrading of 17.34 miles of existing 69
kV transmission line. The new line
would be constructed in existing
distribution line rights-of-way and
would connect the new substation to an
existing Minnkota transmission line.
No significant environmental impacts
resulting from the proposal have been
identified. Therefore, RUS is satisfied
that the environmental impacts of the
proposal have been adequately
addressed and has determined that this
FONSI fulfills its obligations under the
National Environmental Policy Act, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR 1500–1508), and
RUS’ Environmental Policies and
Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794). An
Environmental Impact Statement will
not be prepared for this proposal.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: August 24, 2009.
Nivin Elgohary,
Acting Assistant Administrator—Electric,
Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E9–20774 Filed 8–27–09; 8:45 am]
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[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 166 (Friday, August 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 44346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20774]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Finding of No
Significant Impact
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a
request for possible financial assistance to Minnkota Power
Cooperative, Inc. (Minnkota Power) for the construction of the proposed
Distribution Substation and Overhead Transmission Line for the Keystone
Pipeline Pump Station No. 17 Project in Steele County, North Dakota.
ADDRESSES: The Environmental Assessment (EA) and FONSI are available
for public review at USDA Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571; at Minnkota Power's
headquarters office; and at the Steele County Auditor's Office in
Finley, North Dakota.
Contacts: To obtain copies of the EA or FONSI or for further
information, contact Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior Environmental
Protection Specialist, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Stop 1571,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone:
(202) 720-5093 or e-mail: richard.fristik@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The study area for the proposed project is
in Steele County, North Dakota. The proposal involves the construction
of a substation on [frac14] acre of land inside the fenced area of the
Keystone Pipeline Pump Station No. 17 site, construction of an 11.75-
mile 69 kV transmission line, and upgrading of 17.34 miles of existing
69 kV transmission line. The new line would be constructed in existing
distribution line rights-of-way and would connect the new substation to
an existing Minnkota transmission line.
No significant environmental impacts resulting from the proposal
have been identified. Therefore, RUS is satisfied that the
environmental impacts of the proposal have been adequately addressed
and has determined that this FONSI fulfills its obligations under the
National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.),
the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508),
and RUS' Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794). An
Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared for this proposal.
Dated: August 24, 2009.
Nivin Elgohary,
Acting Assistant Administrator--Electric, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E9-20774 Filed 8-27-09; 8:45 am]
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