Kake to Petersburg Transmission Line Intertie Project, 25195-25197 [2010-10702]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 88 / Friday, May 7, 2010 / Notices
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to provide for public notice and
comment would unduly delay the
provision of benefits associated with
these broadband initiatives and be
contrary to the public interest.
For the same reasons, the Agency
finds good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness for this action. Because
notice and opportunity for comment are
not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) or any other law, the
analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as
amended (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory
flexibility analysis is not required and
has not been prepared.
R. Paperwork Reduction Act
Copies of all forms, regulations, and
instructions referenced in this RFP may
be obtained from RUS by e-mailing
BroadbandUSA@usda.gov. Data
furnished by the Applicants will be
used to determine eligibility for program
benefits. Furnishing the data is
voluntary; however, the failure to
provide data could result in program
benefits being withheld or denied.
The Information Collection and
Recordkeeping requirements contained
in the RFP have been approved by
emergency clearance under OMB
Control Number 0572–0145. In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), RUS invites comments on
this information collection for which
the Agency intends to request approval
from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB).
Comments on this notice must be
received by July 6, 2010. Comments are
invited on (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumption used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments may be sent to Michele
Brooks, Director, Program Development
and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1400 Independence Ave., SW., Stop
1522, Room 5162 South Building,
Washington, DC 20250–1522.
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Title: Broadband Initiatives
Program—Rural Libraries, Technical
Assistance, and Satellite Grants.
Type of Request: New collection.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 22 hours per
response.
Respondents: Businesses and other
for-profits.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
134.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2.8.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 8,427 hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from Michele Brooks,
Program Development and Regulatory
Analysis, at (202) 690–1078.
All responses to this information
collection and recordkeeping notice will
be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All
comments will also become a matter of
public record.
S. Recovery Act
Additional information about the
Recovery Act is available at https://
www.Recovery.gov.
T. Authorized Signatories
Only authorized grant officers can
bind the Government to the expenditure
of funds.
Dated: May 3, 2010.
Jonathan Adelstein,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–10765 Filed 5–6–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Kake to Petersburg Transmission Line
Intertie Project
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) on a proposal to construct and
operate a new electric transmission line
intertie that would extend west across
the Tongass National Forest from the
Petersburg area to the community of
Kake. The proposed action is to build a
new transmission line that would
transmit power at either 69 or 138
kilovolt (kV) and consist of single wood
pole structures with horizontal post
insulators, with average span lengths
between pole structures of 350 to 400
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25195
feet. Two primary alternative routes are
currently under consideration. These
routes generally follow two routes
previously identified as Transportation
and Utility System (TUS) corridors in
the Tongass National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan). Both alternative routes follow
existing logging roads for the majority of
their lengths. In addition, one of the
routes follows the proposed route
identified by the Alaska Department of
Transportation & Public Facilities
(DOTPF) for the permanent road
between Kake and Petersburg. Both
routes would use existing roads for
construction and long-term maintenance
access where possible. New road
segments would be built in locations
where access is not currently available.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by June
7, 2010. Public information and scoping
meetings will be held in Petersburg on
May 12, 2010 and in Kake on May 13,
2010. The Draft EIS is projected to be
filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in December 2010 and
will begin a 45-day public comment
period. The Final EIS and Record of
Decision are scheduled to be published
in Summer/Fall 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may comment on the
project in the following ways: Send
written comments to the Petersburg
Ranger District, Tongass National
Forest, Attn: Kake-Petersburg Intertie
Project, P.O. Box 1328, Petersburg, AK
99833, or hand deliver them to the
Petersburg Ranger District, 12 N Nordic
Drive, Petersburg, Alaska. The FAX
number is (907) 772–5995. Send e-mail
comments to: comments-alaska-tongasspetersburg@fs.fed.us with ‘‘KakePetersburg Intertie Project’’ in the
subject line. Include your name, address
and organization name if you are
commenting as a representative.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposal and EIS
should be directed to Chris Savage,
District Ranger, Petersburg Ranger
District, Tongass National Forest, P.O.
Box 1328, Petersburg, AK 99833,
telephone (907) 772–3871.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: An Intertie transmission
line from Kake to Petersburg has been
discussed for many years and has been
the subject of a number of studies dating
back to the 1970s, with more than 10
alternative routes discussed over the
years. Recent studies include the
Southeast Alaska Intertie Study
prepared in 2003 and a follow-on study
of the Kake-Petersburg Intertie
completed in 2005 and updated in 2009.
These recent studies identified two
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 88 / Friday, May 7, 2010 / Notices
primary route alternatives, a southern
route that crosses the Wrangell Narrows
near the Tonka log transfer facility and
proceeds west across Duncan Canal (the
‘‘Center-South’’ route), and a northern
route generally located on the north end
of Kupreanof Island (the ‘‘Northern’’
route). These alternatives generally
correspond with two TUS corridors
identified in the 2008 Forest Plan.
Purpose and Need for Action: The
community of Kake on Kupreanof Island
is presently served by an isolated
electric system operated by the Inside
Passage Electric Cooperative (IPEC).
This system currently depends upon
high-cost diesel generation, and the
resulting high cost of electricity in Kake
is a major burden on the economic and
social well-being of the community and
a significant disincentive to economic
development. The proposed KakePetersburg Intertie would connect this
isolated electric system to the
interconnected electric systems of
Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan.
Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan are
currently interconnected to and obtain
most of their power supplies from the
Tyee Lake and Swan Lake hydroelectric
projects owned by the Southeast Alaska
Power Agency (SEAPA) (formerly the
Four Dam Pool Power Agency). The
Kake-Petersburg Intertie would be used
to transmit surplus hydroelectric power
from SEAPA to the IPEC electric system
in Kake, thereby offsetting the existing
diesel generation while lowering and
stabilizing the cost of electricity in
Kake.
Proposed Action: The proposed
transmission line would extend west
from the Petersburg area to the
community of Kake and be
approximately 46.8 miles or 56.5 miles
in length. The line would be built to
transmit power at either 69 or 138 kV
and consist of single wood pole
structures with horizontal post
insulators, with average span lengths
between pole structures of 350 to 400
feet. This design would be able to take
advantage of existing roads for
construction and maintenance and has
been used successfully for other
transmission applications elsewhere in
Alaska.
The two primary routes identified in
the 2005 feasibility study and evaluated
further in the 2009 update—the CenterSouth and Northern routes—are
currently under consideration. Both
proposed routes follow existing logging
roads for the majority of their lengths.
In addition, the Northern route follows
the proposed route identified by the
Alaska DOTPF for the permanent road
between Kake and Petersburg. Both
routes would use existing roads for
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19:19 May 06, 2010
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construction and long-term maintenance
access where possible. New road
segments would be built in locations
where access is not currently available.
The two alternative routes may be
summarized as follows:
Center-South Route—(46.8 miles total
length, two marine crossings). This
route would connect to the existing
Tyee transmission line approximately 8
miles south of Petersburg and require a
tap or a small switch yard. From this
connection, the route crosses Wrangell
Narrows, proceeds west across the
Lindenberg Peninsula (10.6 miles),
crosses Duncan Canal, and continues
northwest to Kake (33.7 miles), where it
would terminate at a new substation
located approximately 4.8 miles south
of the existing Kake substation. A new
distribution line (12.45 kV) would
extend from the new substation to Kake.
The majority of this route (43.6 miles)
would cross National Forest System
(NFS) lands. The route would also cross
lands owned and managed by the town
of Petersburg, Sealaska, Kake Tribal
Corporation, and the city of Kake.
Northern Route—(56.5 miles total
length, one marine crossing). This route
would originate at the existing SEAPA
substation near Petersburg, cross
Wrangell Narrows from Mitkof Island to
Kupreanof Island, and follow the
proposed route of the Alaska DOTPF
road north along Frederick Sound (18.5
miles), and then west (37.9 miles) to
Kake, where, like the Center-South
route, it would terminate at a new
substation with a new distribution line
extending to Kake. The majority of this
route (47.1 miles) would cross NFS
lands. The route would also cross lands
owned and managed by Alaska
Department of Natural Resources,
Sealaska, Kake Tribal Corporation, and
the cities of Kake, Kupreanof, and
Petersburg.
Two alternative route options from
the SEAPA substation to the proposed
Alaska DOTPF road corridor are
currently being considered:
Option 1: Under this option the line
would start at the SEAPA substation,
and staying south of Petersburg, follow
an existing gravel road for 3.5 miles
east-northeast to Frederick Sound. At
Frederick Sound, a submarine cable
termination facility would connect the
overhead line to a 3.1 mile long
underwater cable, which would come
ashore near Prolewy Point on Kupreanof
Island, where it would connect to an
overhead line that would then follow
the proposed road corridor.
Option 2: Under this option the line
would proceed from the SEAPA
substation north along Mitkof Highway
to near the narrowest point of the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Wrangell Narrows. At that point, the
line would turn west and cross Wrangell
Narrows via a horizontal directional
bore or buried cable that would extend
approximately 1,400 feet. West of the
Narrows the line would return to
overhead construction, turn and go
north approximately 1.7 miles where it
would cross Petersburg Creek (a
distance of approximately 800 feet)
either via directional bore or overhead
construction. The route would then
continue overhead approximately 2.5
miles northeast to the proposed DOTPF
road corridor.
Subsistence hearings, as provided for
in Title VIII, Section 810 of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA), will be conducted, if
necessary, during the comment period
on the Draft EIS.
Public Participation: This notice of
intent initiates the scoping process
which guides the development of the
EIS. Public participation will be
especially important at several points
during the analysis. The Forest Service
will be seeking information, comments,
and assistance from Tribal Governments
and corporations, Federal, State, and
local agencies, individuals and
organizations that may be interested in,
or affected by, the proposed activities.
The public scoping period for this
project extends from May 7, 2010 to
June 7, 2010. Interested parties are
encouraged to provide written input on
the proposed project and submit their
comments via email, regular mail, or fax
to the addresses identified above under
Addresses.
Public scoping meetings will be held
from 5 to 7 pm in Petersburg on May 12,
2010 and in Kake on May 13, 2010. Both
meetings will follow an open house
format. Interested parties may drop in
until 7 p.m. to obtain information about
the project, speak with project team
members, and provide scoping
comments to the team.
Tentative Issues: Tentative issues
identified for analysis in the EIS to date
include the proposed crossings of
Wrangell Narrows and Duncan Canal, as
well as anadromous and resident fishbearing streams, potential impacts to
wildlife species listed under the
Endangered Species Act, and potential
impacts to Inventoried Roadless Areas.
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review: A Draft EIS will
be prepared for comment. The comment
period on the Draft EIS will be 45 days
from the date the EPA publishes the
notice of availability in the Federal
Register. It is important that reviewers
provide their comments at such times
and in such a way that they are useful
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 88 / Friday, May 7, 2010 / Notices
to the Agency’s preparation of the EIS.
Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
contentions. The submission of timely
and specific comments can affect a
reviewer’s ability to participate in
subsequent administrative review or
judicial review.
Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record for this
proposed action and will be available
for public inspection. (Authority: 40
CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service
Handbook 1909.15, Section 21).
Comments submitted anonymously will
be accepted and considered; however,
those who submit anonymous
comments will not have standing to
appeal the subsequent decision under
36 CFR parts 215 or 217. Additionally,
pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person
may request that the agency withhold a
submission from the public record by
showing how the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) permits such
confidentiality. Requesters 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 where the request is denied, the
agency will return the submission and
notify the requester that the comments
may be resubmitted with or without
name and address within 7 days.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns of the proposed action,
comments during scoping and
comments on the Draft EIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if
comments refer to specific pages or
chapters of the Draft EIS. Comments
may also address the adequacy of the
Draft EIS or the merits of the
alternatives formulated and discussed in
the document. 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.
Responsible Official: Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor, Tongass National
Forest, Federal Building, Ketchikan,
Alaska 99901.
Nature of Decision To Be Made: The
Forest Supervisor is the Responsible
Official for this action and will decide
whether or not to permit the
construction of the proposed electric
transmission line across NFS lands,
along with the alternative route that will
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19:19 May 06, 2010
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be followed, as well as mitigation
measures and/or monitoring, as
appropriate. The decision will be based
on the information that is disclosed in
the EIS. The responsible official will
consider comments, responses, the
disclosure of environmental
consequences, and applicable laws,
regulations, and policies in making the
decision and will state that rationale in
the Record of Decision.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21)
Dated: April 29, 2010.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010–10702 Filed 5–6–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Shasta Trinity National Forest, South
Fork Management Unit, California Salt
Timber Harvest and Fuels Hazard
Reduction Project
USDA Forest Service.
Notice of intent to prepare a
supplemental environmental impact
statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: This notice revises the
previous notice of intent, published on
March 26, 2008, Vol. 73, No. 59, pages
15966 through 15968, to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the
Salt Timber Harvest and Fuels
Reduction Project (Salt Project). A
supplemental environmental impact
statement will be prepared for the Salt
Project to supplement wildlife
management indicator assemblage
analysis. This notice and supplement
pertains only to the wildlife
management indicator assemblage
analysis for the Salt Project.
DATES: The draft supplemental
environmental impact statement is
expected July 2010, there will be a
public comment period on the draft and
then the final supplemental
environmental impact statement is
expected May 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bobbie DiMonte Miller, Shasta-Trinity
National Forest, 3644 Avtech Parkway,
Redding, CA 96002; telephone (530)
226–2425, e-mail
bdimontemiller@fs.fed.us. Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday.
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25197
The Forest
Service is proposing to prepare a
supplement to the final environmental
impact statement for the Salt Project in
accordance with FSH 1909.15, Chapter
10, Section 18.1 and Section 18.2.
J. Sharon Heywood, Shasta-Trinity
National Forest Supervisor, signed a
Record of Decision on October 20, 2009,
based on the Salt Project Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).
On December 21, 2009, Denise Boggs
filed a notice of appeal on behalf of
Conservation Congress, Citizens for
Better Forestry, Environmental
Protection Information Center and
Kiamath Forest Alliance. On February 5,
2010, Appeal Reviewing Officer (ARO)
Tern Marceron, Forest Supervisor at
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit,
recommended that the Forest
Supervisor’s decision be affirmed on all
issues with the exception of wildlife
management indicator assemblage
analysis. The ARO determined that the
Salt Project FEIS did not document the
effects of project alternatives on key
habitat components consistent with the
Shasta-Trinity National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan. The Appeal
Deciding Officer agreed with the ARO’s
analysis. This notice pertains only to the
supplement of management indicator
assemblage effects information and
analyses.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
Because the supplement will only
address the additional wildlife
management indicator assemblage
information and analyses, the purpose
and need for action remains the same as
described in the October 2009 Salt
Project FEIS, Chapter 1, pages 3 through
16.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is the same as
described in Chapter 1 of the October
2009 Salt Project FEIS (Chapter 1, pages
16 & 17). That document is available on
the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Web
site at www.fs.usda.gov/stnf. Under
Highlights click on Ongoing NEPA
projects.
Responsible Official
J. Sharon Heywood, Shasta-Trinity
National Forest Supervisor, 3644 Avtech
Parkway, Redding, CA 96002.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Responsible Official will review
the supplemental information and
determine what, if any, modifications
should be made to the October 20, 2009,
decision. A new decision will be issued.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 88 (Friday, May 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25195-25197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10702]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Kake to Petersburg Transmission Line Intertie Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to construct and
operate a new electric transmission line intertie that would extend
west across the Tongass National Forest from the Petersburg area to the
community of Kake. The proposed action is to build a new transmission
line that would transmit power at either 69 or 138 kilovolt (kV) and
consist of single wood pole structures with horizontal post insulators,
with average span lengths between pole structures of 350 to 400 feet.
Two primary alternative routes are currently under consideration. These
routes generally follow two routes previously identified as
Transportation and Utility System (TUS) corridors in the Tongass
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). Both
alternative routes follow existing logging roads for the majority of
their lengths. In addition, one of the routes follows the proposed
route identified by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public
Facilities (DOTPF) for the permanent road between Kake and Petersburg.
Both routes would use existing roads for construction and long-term
maintenance access where possible. New road segments would be built in
locations where access is not currently available.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by June 7, 2010. Public information and scoping meetings will be held
in Petersburg on May 12, 2010 and in Kake on May 13, 2010. The Draft
EIS is projected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) in December 2010 and will begin a 45-day public comment period.
The Final EIS and Record of Decision are scheduled to be published in
Summer/Fall 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may comment on the project in the following ways: Send
written comments to the Petersburg Ranger District, Tongass National
Forest, Attn: Kake-Petersburg Intertie Project, P.O. Box 1328,
Petersburg, AK 99833, or hand deliver them to the Petersburg Ranger
District, 12 N Nordic Drive, Petersburg, Alaska. The FAX number is
(907) 772-5995. Send e-mail comments to: comments-alaska-tongass-petersburg@fs.fed.us with ``Kake-Petersburg Intertie Project'' in the
subject line. Include your name, address and organization name if you
are commenting as a representative.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposal and EIS
should be directed to Chris Savage, District Ranger, Petersburg Ranger
District, Tongass National Forest, P.O. Box 1328, Petersburg, AK 99833,
telephone (907) 772-3871.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: An Intertie transmission line from Kake to Petersburg
has been discussed for many years and has been the subject of a number
of studies dating back to the 1970s, with more than 10 alternative
routes discussed over the years. Recent studies include the Southeast
Alaska Intertie Study prepared in 2003 and a follow-on study of the
Kake-Petersburg Intertie completed in 2005 and updated in 2009. These
recent studies identified two
[[Page 25196]]
primary route alternatives, a southern route that crosses the Wrangell
Narrows near the Tonka log transfer facility and proceeds west across
Duncan Canal (the ``Center-South'' route), and a northern route
generally located on the north end of Kupreanof Island (the
``Northern'' route). These alternatives generally correspond with two
TUS corridors identified in the 2008 Forest Plan.
Purpose and Need for Action: The community of Kake on Kupreanof
Island is presently served by an isolated electric system operated by
the Inside Passage Electric Cooperative (IPEC). This system currently
depends upon high-cost diesel generation, and the resulting high cost
of electricity in Kake is a major burden on the economic and social
well-being of the community and a significant disincentive to economic
development. The proposed Kake-Petersburg Intertie would connect this
isolated electric system to the interconnected electric systems of
Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan. Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan
are currently interconnected to and obtain most of their power supplies
from the Tyee Lake and Swan Lake hydroelectric projects owned by the
Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) (formerly the Four Dam Pool Power
Agency). The Kake-Petersburg Intertie would be used to transmit surplus
hydroelectric power from SEAPA to the IPEC electric system in Kake,
thereby offsetting the existing diesel generation while lowering and
stabilizing the cost of electricity in Kake.
Proposed Action: The proposed transmission line would extend west
from the Petersburg area to the community of Kake and be approximately
46.8 miles or 56.5 miles in length. The line would be built to transmit
power at either 69 or 138 kV and consist of single wood pole structures
with horizontal post insulators, with average span lengths between pole
structures of 350 to 400 feet. This design would be able to take
advantage of existing roads for construction and maintenance and has
been used successfully for other transmission applications elsewhere in
Alaska.
The two primary routes identified in the 2005 feasibility study and
evaluated further in the 2009 update--the Center-South and Northern
routes--are currently under consideration. Both proposed routes follow
existing logging roads for the majority of their lengths. In addition,
the Northern route follows the proposed route identified by the Alaska
DOTPF for the permanent road between Kake and Petersburg. Both routes
would use existing roads for construction and long-term maintenance
access where possible. New road segments would be built in locations
where access is not currently available. The two alternative routes may
be summarized as follows:
Center-South Route--(46.8 miles total length, two marine
crossings). This route would connect to the existing Tyee transmission
line approximately 8 miles south of Petersburg and require a tap or a
small switch yard. From this connection, the route crosses Wrangell
Narrows, proceeds west across the Lindenberg Peninsula (10.6 miles),
crosses Duncan Canal, and continues northwest to Kake (33.7 miles),
where it would terminate at a new substation located approximately 4.8
miles south of the existing Kake substation. A new distribution line
(12.45 kV) would extend from the new substation to Kake. The majority
of this route (43.6 miles) would cross National Forest System (NFS)
lands. The route would also cross lands owned and managed by the town
of Petersburg, Sealaska, Kake Tribal Corporation, and the city of Kake.
Northern Route--(56.5 miles total length, one marine crossing).
This route would originate at the existing SEAPA substation near
Petersburg, cross Wrangell Narrows from Mitkof Island to Kupreanof
Island, and follow the proposed route of the Alaska DOTPF road north
along Frederick Sound (18.5 miles), and then west (37.9 miles) to Kake,
where, like the Center-South route, it would terminate at a new
substation with a new distribution line extending to Kake. The majority
of this route (47.1 miles) would cross NFS lands. The route would also
cross lands owned and managed by Alaska Department of Natural
Resources, Sealaska, Kake Tribal Corporation, and the cities of Kake,
Kupreanof, and Petersburg.
Two alternative route options from the SEAPA substation to the
proposed Alaska DOTPF road corridor are currently being considered:
Option 1: Under this option the line would start at the SEAPA
substation, and staying south of Petersburg, follow an existing gravel
road for 3.5 miles east-northeast to Frederick Sound. At Frederick
Sound, a submarine cable termination facility would connect the
overhead line to a 3.1 mile long underwater cable, which would come
ashore near Prolewy Point on Kupreanof Island, where it would connect
to an overhead line that would then follow the proposed road corridor.
Option 2: Under this option the line would proceed from the SEAPA
substation north along Mitkof Highway to near the narrowest point of
the Wrangell Narrows. At that point, the line would turn west and cross
Wrangell Narrows via a horizontal directional bore or buried cable that
would extend approximately 1,400 feet. West of the Narrows the line
would return to overhead construction, turn and go north approximately
1.7 miles where it would cross Petersburg Creek (a distance of
approximately 800 feet) either via directional bore or overhead
construction. The route would then continue overhead approximately 2.5
miles northeast to the proposed DOTPF road corridor.
Subsistence hearings, as provided for in Title VIII, Section 810 of
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), will be
conducted, if necessary, during the comment period on the Draft EIS.
Public Participation: This notice of intent initiates the scoping
process which guides the development of the EIS. Public participation
will be especially important at several points during the analysis. The
Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and assistance
from Tribal Governments and corporations, Federal, State, and local
agencies, individuals and organizations that may be interested in, or
affected by, the proposed activities.
The public scoping period for this project extends from May 7, 2010
to June 7, 2010. Interested parties are encouraged to provide written
input on the proposed project and submit their comments via email,
regular mail, or fax to the addresses identified above under Addresses.
Public scoping meetings will be held from 5 to 7 pm in Petersburg
on May 12, 2010 and in Kake on May 13, 2010. Both meetings will follow
an open house format. Interested parties may drop in until 7 p.m. to
obtain information about the project, speak with project team members,
and provide scoping comments to the team.
Tentative Issues: Tentative issues identified for analysis in the
EIS to date include the proposed crossings of Wrangell Narrows and
Duncan Canal, as well as anadromous and resident fish-bearing streams,
potential impacts to wildlife species listed under the Endangered
Species Act, and potential impacts to Inventoried Roadless Areas.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review: A Draft EIS will be prepared for comment. The
comment period on the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the EPA
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. It is
important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in
such a way that they are useful
[[Page 25197]]
to the Agency's preparation of the EIS. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. The submission of
timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to
participate in subsequent administrative review or judicial review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15,
Section 21). Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR parts 215 or
217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request
that the agency withhold a submission from the public record by showing
how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.
Requesters 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 where the
request is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the
requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and
address within 7 days.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns of the proposed action, comments during scoping and
comments on the Draft EIS should be as specific as possible. It is also
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the Draft
EIS. Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft EIS or the
merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the document.
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.
Responsible Official: Forrest Cole, Forest Supervisor, Tongass
National Forest, Federal Building, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.
Nature of Decision To Be Made: The Forest Supervisor is the
Responsible Official for this action and will decide whether or not to
permit the construction of the proposed electric transmission line
across NFS lands, along with the alternative route that will be
followed, as well as mitigation measures and/or monitoring, as
appropriate. The decision will be based on the information that is
disclosed in the EIS. The responsible official will consider comments,
responses, the disclosure of environmental consequences, and applicable
laws, regulations, and policies in making the decision and will state
that rationale in the Record of Decision.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21)
Dated: April 29, 2010.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-10702 Filed 5-6-10; 8:45 am]
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