Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) Environmental Impact Statement, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and Monongahela National Forest, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, 34477-34479 [2010-14581]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 116 / Thursday, June 17, 2010 / Notices
during normal business hours at the
Regional Office, 1875 Century
Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30345
(Attn: David Dell), or at the Fish and
Wildlife Service Field Office, 1208–B
Main Street, Daphne, AL 36526 (Attn:
Field Supervisor).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
David Dell, Regional HCP Coordinator
(see ADDRESSES), telephone: 404/679–
4144, or Mr. Carl Couret, Field Office
Project Manager, at the Alabama Field
Office (see ADDRESSES), telephone:
251/441–5868.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
We
announce the availability of
applications for two ITPs, a joint HCP,
and the availability of a dSEIS. The
dSEIS is a combined assessment
addressing the environmental impacts
associated with these projects both
individually and cumulatively. The
applicants request 30-year ITPs under
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and also request permits
from the Corps under section 404 of the
Clean Water Act to place fill in
jurisdictional wetlands. The Corps is a
cooperating agency in the development
of the dSEIS.
We specifically request information,
views, and opinions from the public via
this notice on our proposed Federal
action, including identification of any
other aspects of the human environment
not already identified in the dSEIS
under NEPA regulations (40 CFR
1506.6). Further, we specifically request
information regarding the adequacy of
the HCP per 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
The dSEIS analyzes the preferred
alternative, as well as a full range of
reasonable alternatives and the
associated impacts of each. Alternative
3 (Preferred Alternative) is located 1,100
to 1,300 feet from the Gulf of Mexico
and north of tertiary dune habitat. This
alternative mitigates for the unavoidable
loss of 1.36 acres of wetlands and
dedicates 135.2 acres of applicantowned lands into conservation status
via covenants, conditions and
restrictions attached to the property,
and conditions of any ITP that may be
issued.
The Service previously issued ITPs in
2007 for one of the BCWGH alternatives
that was preferred at that time.
Following legal challenges and resultant
court rulings, those ITPs were
abandoned by the applicants. The
Environmental Impact Statement for
those previous ITPs has been revised to
evaluate a new preferred alternative and
now serves as the dSEIS for the new ITP
applications.
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Public Comments
If you wish to comment, you may
submit comments by any one of several
methods. Please reference application
numbers TE08894A–0 and TE08896A–0
in such comments. You may mail
comments to our Regional Office or the
Alabama Field Office (see ADDRESSES).
You may also comment via the Internet
to david_dell@fws.gov or
carl_couret@fws.gov. Please include
your name and return mailing address
in your e-mail message. If you do not
receive a confirmation from us that we
have received your e-mail, contact us
directly at either telephone number
listed (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
Finally, you may hand-deliver
comments to either of our offices listed
under ADDRESSES. 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.
Covered Area
The proposed BCWGH developments
would be located on approximately
181.9 acres on the Fort Morgan
peninsula, Baldwin County, Alabama,
between State Highway 180 and the
Gulf of Mexico (Section 28, Township 9
South, Range 2 East) about 12 miles
west of Highway 59 in Gulf Shores,
Alabama, on the Fort Morgan Peninsula.
The ITPs would be for development of
two condominium complexes totaling
38.7 acres. Under the preferred
alternative, project development would
result in the permanent and temporary
loss of 48.1 acres of Alabama beach
mouse habitat.
Next Steps
We will evaluate these ITP
applications, including the HCP and any
comments we receive, to determine
whether these applications meet the
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(B) of
the Act. We will also evaluate whether
issuance of the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP
complies with section 7 of the Act by
conducting an intra-Service section 7
consultation. We will use the results of
this consultation, in combination with
the above findings, in our final analysis
to determine whether or not to issue the
ITP. If we determine that the
requirements are met, we will issue the
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34477
ITP for the incidental take of the
Alabama beach mouse.
Authority: We provide this notice under
section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: May 10, 2010.
Jacquelyn B. Parrish,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2010–14617 Filed 6–16–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
U.S. Forest Service
Potomac-Appalachian Transmission
Highline (PATH) Environmental Impact
Statement, Harpers Ferry National
Historical Park, Appalachian National
Scenic Trail, Potomac Heritage
National Scenic Trail, Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal National Historical Park,
and Monongahela National Forest,
Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior
and U.S. Forest Service, Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for construction and right-of-way
permits requested from Harpers Ferry
National Historical Park (NHP),
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
(NST), Potomac Heritage National
Scenic Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal National Historical Park, and
Monongahela National Forest, in
connection with the proposed PotomacAppalachian Transmission Highline
(PATH) project.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park
Service (NPS), lead agency, along with
cooperating agencies, the U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) and U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, are preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and conducting public scoping meetings
for construction and right-of-way
permits requested from the agencies by
PATH Allegheny Transmission
Company, LLC; PATH Allegheny
Virginia Transmission Corporation;
Potomac Edison Company; and PATH
West Virginia Transmission Company,
LLC, collectively referred to herein as
Applicants. The Applicants are seeking
permits for proposed construction of a
new 765kV electric transmission line
that would cross federal lands within
Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.
In May 2009, the Applicants submitted
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34478
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 116 / Thursday, June 17, 2010 / Notices
right-of-way applications (Form 299) for
those portions of the PATH project
proposed to traverse Harpers Ferry NHP,
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP,
Appalachian NST, Potomac Heritage
NST, all managed by the National Park
Service; and Monongahela National
Forest managed by the U.S. Forest
Service. These applications also serve as
the application for Special Use Permits
for construction of the proposed project.
The Applicants’ proposed project
would modify and expand existing
rights-of-way across Harpers Ferry NHP
and Appalachian NST. In particular, the
Applicants propose modification and
expansion of existing right-of-way
agreements held by Potomac Edison
Company over Harpers Ferry NHP and
Appalachian NST to allow for
placement of the 138 kV Millville-Doubs
transmission line as an underbuild on
the PATH transmission structures; and
also the grant of a new 200-feet-wide
right-of-way for the PATH transmission
line. While the PATH Project would
require a 200-feet right-of-way, it would
only require an expansion of the
existing right-of-way corridor across
Harpers Ferry NHP and Appalachian
NST by approximately 105 feet.
The Applicants seek a new right-ofway authorization across Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal NHP and Potomac
Heritage NST. The requested right-ofway would be approximately 200 feet
wide, with a distance over the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP and
Potomac Heritage NST properties of
approximately 400 feet. The proposed
crossing route will be adjacent to (on the
north side) existing transmission rightsof-way for the 138 kV Millville-Doubs
transmission facility operated by
Potomac Edison Company and the 500
kV Mt. Storm-Doubs transmission
facility operated by Dominion Virginia
Power. The Applicants’ proposed
crossing of the Monongahela National
Forest would require USFS
authorization for a new 200-feet-wide
right-of-way.
The Applicants’ stated purpose for the
PATH project is to strengthen the
electrical transmission grid for
reliability purposes at the direction of
PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM), the
regional transmission organization. PJM
oversees the overall movement of
wholesale electricity throughout a
region comprising all or parts of 13
states and the District of Columbia. PJM
has a duty to maintain reliability of the
transmission grid according to standards
set by the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation and approved by
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. PJM’s Regional
Transmission Expansion Plan has
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16:13 Jun 16, 2010
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identified numerous projected
reliability criteria violations that the
proposed PATH project is designed to
alleviate and has directed construction
of a line of sufficient capacity to address
these violations by connecting the
existing Amos Substation in Putnam
County, West Virginia, with two
existing 500 kV transmission lines that
are in close proximity to each other at
a point approximately three miles
southeast of New Market, Maryland.
The federal action under
consideration in this EIS is the
Applicants’ proposal that the National
Park Service and U.S. Forest Service
grant the requested permits. The
agencies’ purpose in taking action is to
respond to the application for permits in
consideration of the needs expressed
therein and the public interest, and in
light of the missions, purposes and
resource management of the affected
NPS and USFS units, as expressed in
statutes, regulations, and policies.
Federal action is needed because the
Applicants have submitted the required
applications to the National Park
Service in accordance with 36 CFR part
14 and applicable NPS management
policies and to the U.S. Forest Service
in accordance with 36 CFR part 251.54
and Special Uses Handbook (FSH
2709.11). The National Park Service and
U.S. Forest Service therefore have a
responsibility to consider whether, and
with what conditions, if any, to issue
the requested permits.
The National Park Service and U.S.
Forest Service will analyze no-action
and proposed action alternatives and
possibly other alternatives or mitigation
strategies that respond to the purpose,
need, and objectives of this proposal.
The goal of the National Park Service
and U.S. Forest Service is to identify
issues and concerns with the proposed
action, additional alternatives, and
alternative mitigation strategies through
the public scoping process.
This notice initiates the public
participation and scoping process for
the EIS. The public is invited to
comment on the purpose, need and
objectives for federal action, the
proposed action and alternatives to the
proposed action to be analyzed in the
EIS, the appropriate scope of analysis,
or any issues associated with the
proposal. More information about the
purpose of and need for federal action,
and issues identified to date is available
from the NPS planning Web site at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/appa/. It is
important that reviewers provide their
comments at such times and in such a
manner that they are useful to the
agency’s preparation of the EIS.
Therefore, comments should be
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewers concerns and
comments. The submission of timely
and specific comments can affect a
reviewer’s ability to participate in
subsequent administrative appeal or
judicial review.
DATES AND MEETING NOTICES: The public
scoping period will commence on the
date this notice is published in the
Federal Register and last for at least 30
days or until 15 days after the last
public scoping meeting. The National
Park Service and U.S. Forest Service
will hold public meetings near the parks
and forest to provide the public an
opportunity to review the proposal and
project information, and provide
comments. All public meetings will be
announced through local media,
mailings, and the NPS planning Web
site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/
appa/, at least 15 days prior to each
meeting. The meetings will be
concluded at least 15 days prior to the
close of comment.
ADDRESSES: Comments on issues,
potential impacts, or suggestions for
additional alternatives can be submitted
using any one of the following methods.
You may submit comments through the
NPS planning Web site at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/appa/, which is
the preferred method. You may mail
your comments to the National Park
Service, Attention: PATH EIS Planning
Team, Denver Service Center—
Planning, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO
80225. Comments may also be
submitted at any of the three public
meetings to be announced.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Morgan Elmer, Project Manager, Denver
Service Center—Planning, P.O. Box
25287, Denver, Co 80225, telephone
303–969–2317.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware 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 identifying information
from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
All submissions from organizations and
businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
available for public inspection in their
entirety. The National Park Service and
U.S. Forest Service will not consider
anonymous comments. All others will
be included in the administrative record
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 116 / Thursday, June 17, 2010 / Notices
upon which the National Park Service
and U.S. Forest Service will ultimately
reach a decision.
Margaret O’Dell,
Regional Director, National Capital Region,
National Park Service.
Pam Underhill,
Superintendent, Appalachian National
Scenic Trail, National Park Service.
Jason Reed,
District Ranger, Monongahela National
Forest, U.S. Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–14581 Filed 6–16–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–70–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Cape Cod National Seashore; South
Wellfleet, MA; Cape Cod National
Seashore Advisory Commission
National Park Service, Interior.
Two hundredth seventy-fourth
notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
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ACTION:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given in
accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat.
770, 5 U.S.C. App 1, Section 10) of a
meeting of the Cape Cod National
Seashore Advisory Commission.
DATES: The meeting of the Cape Cod
National Seashore Advisory
Commission will be held on July 19,
2010 at 1 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The Commission members
will meet in the meeting room at
Headquarters, 99 Marconi Station,
Wellfleet, Massachusetts.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Commission was reestablished pursuant
to Public Law 87–126 as amended by
Public Law 105–280. The purpose of the
Commission is to consult with the
Secretary of the Interior, or his designee,
with respect to matters relating to the
development of Cape Cod National
Seashore, and with respect to carrying
out the provisions of sections 4 and 5
of the Act establishing the Seashore.
The regular business meeting is being
held to discuss the following:
1. Adoption of Agenda.
2. Approval of Minutes of Previous
Meeting (May 24, 2010).
3. Reports of Officers.
4. Reports of Subcommittees.
Dune Shack Subcommittee–
presentation of draft Preservation and
Use Plan.
*Action requested: to endorse plan as
Advisory Commission recommendation
to the Superintendent.
5. Superintendent’s Report.
• Climate Friendly Parks.
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16:13 Jun 16, 2010
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• Overview of climate indicators by
Seashore Natural Resources
Management.
6. Old Business.
7. New Business.
8. Date and agenda for next meeting.
9. Public comment and
10. Adjournment.
The meeting is open to the public. It
is expected that 15 persons will be able
to attend the meeting in addition to
Commission members.
Interested persons may make oral/
written presentations to the Commission
during the business meeting or file
written statements. Such requests
should be made to the park
superintendent prior to the meeting.
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Further information concerning the
meeting may be obtained from the
Superintendent, Cape Cod National
Seashore, 99 Marconi Site Road,
Wellfleet, MA 02667.
Dated: June 2, 2010.
George E. Price, Jr.,
Superintendent.
[FR Doc. 2010–14580 Filed 6–16–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
34479
presenting information at this public
meeting, contact the Council
Coordinator no later than June 21, 2010.
ADDRESSES: The Council meeting will be
held at The Hotel Fort Garry, 222
Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0R3,
Canada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael J. Johnson, Council
Coordinator, by phone at (703) 358–
1784; by e-mail at dbhc@fws.gov; or by
U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail
Stop MBSP 4075, Arlington, VA 22203.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with NAWCA (Pub. L. 101–
233, 103 Stat. 1968, December 13, 1989,
as amended), the State-private-Federal
Council meets to consider wetland
acquisition, restoration, enhancement,
and management projects for
recommendation to, and final funding
approval by, the Commission. Project
proposal due dates, application
instructions, and eligibility
requirements are available on the
NAWCA Web site at https://
www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/
NAWCA/Standard/US/Overview.shtm.
Proposals require a minimum of 50
percent non-Federal matching funds.
The Council will consider Canadian and
U.S. small grant proposals at the
meeting. The Commission will consider
the Council’s recommendation at its
meeting tentatively scheduled for
September 8, 2010.
If you are interested in presenting
information at this public meeting,
contact the Council Coordinator no later
than the date under DATES.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Dated: June 11, 2010.
Paul R. Schmidt,
Assistant Director, Migratory Birds.
[FR Doc. 2010–14615 Filed 6–16–10; 8:45 am]
[FWS–R9–MB–2010–N120; 91100–3740–
GRNT 7C]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
Meeting Announcement: North
American Wetlands Conservation
Council
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
[LLCOF00000–L18200000–XX0000]
SUMMARY: The North American
Wetlands Conservation Council
(Council) will meet to select North
American Wetlands Conservation Act
(NAWCA) grant proposals for
recommendation to the Migratory Bird
Conservation Commission
(Commission). This meeting is open to
the public and interested persons may
present oral or written statements.
DATES: Council Meeting: July 7, 2010, 11
a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are interested in
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
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Fmt 4703
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Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Meetings, Front Range
Resource Advisory Council
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Front Range
Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will
meet as indicated below.
E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 116 (Thursday, June 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34477-34479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-14581]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
U.S. Forest Service
Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) Environmental
Impact Statement, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Appalachian
National Scenic Trail, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail,
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and Monongahela
National Forest, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior and U.S. Forest Service,
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for construction and right-of-way permits requested from Harpers
Ferry National Historical Park (NHP), Appalachian National Scenic Trail
(NST), Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal National Historical Park, and Monongahela National Forest, in
connection with the proposed Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline
(PATH) project.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS), lead agency, along
with cooperating agencies, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and conducting public scoping meetings for construction and
right-of-way permits requested from the agencies by PATH Allegheny
Transmission Company, LLC; PATH Allegheny Virginia Transmission
Corporation; Potomac Edison Company; and PATH West Virginia
Transmission Company, LLC, collectively referred to herein as
Applicants. The Applicants are seeking permits for proposed
construction of a new 765kV electric transmission line that would cross
federal lands within Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. In May
2009, the Applicants submitted
[[Page 34478]]
right-of-way applications (Form 299) for those portions of the PATH
project proposed to traverse Harpers Ferry NHP, Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal NHP, Appalachian NST, Potomac Heritage NST, all managed by the
National Park Service; and Monongahela National Forest managed by the
U.S. Forest Service. These applications also serve as the application
for Special Use Permits for construction of the proposed project.
The Applicants' proposed project would modify and expand existing
rights-of-way across Harpers Ferry NHP and Appalachian NST. In
particular, the Applicants propose modification and expansion of
existing right-of-way agreements held by Potomac Edison Company over
Harpers Ferry NHP and Appalachian NST to allow for placement of the 138
kV Millville-Doubs transmission line as an underbuild on the PATH
transmission structures; and also the grant of a new 200-feet-wide
right-of-way for the PATH transmission line. While the PATH Project
would require a 200-feet right-of-way, it would only require an
expansion of the existing right-of-way corridor across Harpers Ferry
NHP and Appalachian NST by approximately 105 feet.
The Applicants seek a new right-of-way authorization across
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP and Potomac Heritage NST. The requested
right-of-way would be approximately 200 feet wide, with a distance over
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP and Potomac Heritage NST properties
of approximately 400 feet. The proposed crossing route will be adjacent
to (on the north side) existing transmission rights-of-way for the 138
kV Millville-Doubs transmission facility operated by Potomac Edison
Company and the 500 kV Mt. Storm-Doubs transmission facility operated
by Dominion Virginia Power. The Applicants' proposed crossing of the
Monongahela National Forest would require USFS authorization for a new
200-feet-wide right-of-way.
The Applicants' stated purpose for the PATH project is to
strengthen the electrical transmission grid for reliability purposes at
the direction of PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM), the regional
transmission organization. PJM oversees the overall movement of
wholesale electricity throughout a region comprising all or parts of 13
states and the District of Columbia. PJM has a duty to maintain
reliability of the transmission grid according to standards set by the
North American Electric Reliability Corporation and approved by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. PJM's Regional Transmission
Expansion Plan has identified numerous projected reliability criteria
violations that the proposed PATH project is designed to alleviate and
has directed construction of a line of sufficient capacity to address
these violations by connecting the existing Amos Substation in Putnam
County, West Virginia, with two existing 500 kV transmission lines that
are in close proximity to each other at a point approximately three
miles southeast of New Market, Maryland.
The federal action under consideration in this EIS is the
Applicants' proposal that the National Park Service and U.S. Forest
Service grant the requested permits. The agencies' purpose in taking
action is to respond to the application for permits in consideration of
the needs expressed therein and the public interest, and in light of
the missions, purposes and resource management of the affected NPS and
USFS units, as expressed in statutes, regulations, and policies.
Federal action is needed because the Applicants have submitted the
required applications to the National Park Service in accordance with
36 CFR part 14 and applicable NPS management policies and to the U.S.
Forest Service in accordance with 36 CFR part 251.54 and Special Uses
Handbook (FSH 2709.11). The National Park Service and U.S. Forest
Service therefore have a responsibility to consider whether, and with
what conditions, if any, to issue the requested permits.
The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service will analyze no-
action and proposed action alternatives and possibly other alternatives
or mitigation strategies that respond to the purpose, need, and
objectives of this proposal. The goal of the National Park Service and
U.S. Forest Service is to identify issues and concerns with the
proposed action, additional alternatives, and alternative mitigation
strategies through the public scoping process.
This notice initiates the public participation and scoping process
for the EIS. The public is invited to comment on the purpose, need and
objectives for federal action, the proposed action and alternatives to
the proposed action to be analyzed in the EIS, the appropriate scope of
analysis, or any issues associated with the proposal. More information
about the purpose of and need for federal action, and issues identified
to date is available from the NPS planning Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/appa/. It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in such a manner that they are useful
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 reviewers concerns and comments. The submission of
timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to
participate in subsequent administrative appeal or judicial review.
Dates and Meeting Notices: The public scoping period will commence on
the date this notice is published in the Federal Register and last for
at least 30 days or until 15 days after the last public scoping
meeting. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service will hold
public meetings near the parks and forest to provide the public an
opportunity to review the proposal and project information, and provide
comments. All public meetings will be announced through local media,
mailings, and the NPS planning Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/appa/, at least 15 days prior to each meeting. The meetings will be
concluded at least 15 days prior to the close of comment.
ADDRESSES: Comments on issues, potential impacts, or suggestions for
additional alternatives can be submitted using any one of the following
methods. You may submit comments through the NPS planning Web site at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/appa/, which is the preferred method. You
may mail your comments to the National Park Service, Attention: PATH
EIS Planning Team, Denver Service Center--Planning, P.O. Box 25287,
Denver, CO 80225. Comments may also be submitted at any of the three
public meetings to be announced.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morgan Elmer, Project Manager, Denver
Service Center--Planning, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Co 80225, telephone
303-969-2317.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware 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 identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All
submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their
entirety. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service will not
consider anonymous comments. All others will be included in the
administrative record
[[Page 34479]]
upon which the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service will
ultimately reach a decision.
Margaret O'Dell,
Regional Director, National Capital Region, National Park Service.
Pam Underhill,
Superintendent, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, National Park
Service.
Jason Reed,
District Ranger, Monongahela National Forest, U.S. Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-14581 Filed 6-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P