Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0408), 17653-17656 [2013-06614]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on April 2, 2013.
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on April 4, 2013.
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–06604 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
[FR Doc. 2013–06602 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. EL13–54–000; QF11–141–002]
[Docket No. ID–7103–000]
Gadwall Wind LLC; Notice of Petition
for Enforcement
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Wright, Laura H.; Notice of Filing
Take notice that on March 14, 2013,
Laura H. Wright filed an application to
hold interlocking positions, pursuant to
section 305(b) of the Federal Power Act,
16 U.S.C. 825d(b) (2008) and Part 45 of
Title 18 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, 18 CFR part 45 (2012).
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. On or before the
comment date, it is not necessary to
serve motions to intervene or protests
on persons other than the Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
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Take notice that on March 18, 2013,
pursuant to section 210(h) of the Public
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
(PURPA), 16 U.S.C. 824a–3(h), Gadwall
Wind LLC (Petitioner) filed a Petition
for Enforcement, requesting the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) to initiate enforcement
action against the Minnesota Public
Utilities Commission to remedy the
State of Minnesota’s improper
implementation of PURPA by
establishing an avoided cost rule that
does not provide for the payment of a
utility’s full avoided costs to a new
renewable energy qualifying facility
(QF). In the alternative, Petitioner
requests that the Commission make
specific findings with respect to Minn.
Stat. 216B.164, as would allow
Petitioner to pursue enforcement action
in a US Federal District Court.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
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17653
comment date. On or before the
comment date, it is not necessary to
serve motions to intervene or protests
on persons other than the Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on April 8, 2013.
Dated: March 18, 2013.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–06603 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (DOE/EIS–0408)
Western Area Power
Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and
Notice of Public Hearings.
AGENCIES:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) regulations, the U.S. Department
of Energy, Western Area Power
Administration (Western) and the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), have, as joint
lead agencies, prepared the Upper Great
Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
PEIS).1 The Draft PEIS evaluates issues
associated with wind energy
development within Western’s Upper
Great Plains Customer Service Region
(UGP Region), which encompasses all or
parts of the states of Iowa, Minnesota,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and
South Dakota, and upon the Service’s
landscape-level grassland and wetland
easements in the same area. The U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Reclamation (Reclamation) and Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Rural Utility
Services (RUS) have participated as
cooperating agencies. Public hearings
will be held during the public comment
period on the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS
is available on the project Web site at:
https://plainswindeis.anl.gov https://
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/
ricesolar/.
DATES: The public hearings will be held
April 30 and May 1 and 2, 2013. The
agencies will also announce the public
hearings through the local media, the
project Web site (https://
plainswindeis.anl.gov), and an
interested party mailing list. The public
comment period on the Draft PEIS starts
with the publication of this notice in the
Federal Register and will continue until
May 21, 2013. Western and the Service
will consider all electronic and written
comments on the Draft PEIS received or
postmarked by that date. Agencies,
interested parties, and the public are
invited to submit comments on this
Draft PEIS at any time during the public
comment period.
ADDRESSES: Western and the Service
will hold public hearings to obtain
comments on the Draft PEIS at the
following locations:
1. April 30, 2013, Crowne Plaza Hotel,
27 North 27th Street, Billings, MT.
2. May 1, 2013, Ramada Bismarck
Hotel & Conference Center, 1400 East
Interchange Avenue, Bismarck, ND.
3. May 2, 2013, Best Western Plus
Ramkota, 3200 West Maple Street, Sioux
Falls, SD.
Public hearings will begin at 5 p.m.
and will include a pre-hearing informal
open house; introductory presentations
on the proposed action by Western and
the Service; the formal hearing
beginning at 6 p.m. where oral
comments from interested parties and
the public will be heard; and an
informal period after the close of the
hearing.
You may submit comments
electronically, using the online
1 On November 16, 2011, DOE’s Acting General
Counsel delegated to Western’s Administrator all
the authorities of the General Counsel respecting
environmental impact statements.
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comment form available on the project
Web site (https://plainswindeis.anl.gov/
index.cfm), orally or written at the
hearings, or by letter to WESTERN/FWS
Draft Wind Energy PEIS Comments, c/
o John Hayse, Argonne National
Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue—EVS/
240, Argonne, IL 60439.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on Western’s proposed
programmatic environmental evaluation
procedures for wind energy project
interconnections, and general
information about interconnections with
Western’s transmission system, contact
Nicholas Stas, Regional Environmental
Manager, Upper Great Plains Customer
Service Region, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 35800,
Billings, MT 59107–5800, telephone
(406) 255–2810, facsimile (406) 255–
2900, email stas@wapa.gov. For
information on the PEIS process, or to
receive a copy of the Draft PEIS, contact
Mark Wieringa, NEPA Document
Manager, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, CO 80228–8213, telephone
(800) 336–7288, facsimile (720) 962–
7263, email wieringa@wapa.gov.
For information on the Service’s
participation in the PEIS, contact Lloyd
Jones, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
Complex, 3275 11th Street, Coleharbor,
ND 58531–9419, telephone (701) 442–
5474 ext. 111, facsimile (701) 442–5546,
email Lloyd_Jones@fws.gov.
For general information on the DOE
NEPA process, please contact Carol M.
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance (GC–54), U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202)
586–4600 or (800) 472–2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
response to an increase in wind energy
development Western and the Service
have interests in streamlining their
procedures for conducting
environmental reviews of wind energy
applications by implementing
standardized evaluation procedures and
identifying measures to address
potential environmental impacts
associated with wind energy projects in
the UGP Region. As joint lead agencies,
Western and the Service have
cooperatively prepared this PEIS to (1)
assess the potential environmental
impacts associated with wind energy
projects within the UGP Region that
may interconnect to Western’s
transmission system, or that may
propose placement of project elements
on grassland or wetland easements
managed by the Service; and (2)
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evaluate how environmental impacts
would differ under alternative sets of
environmental evaluation procedures,
best management practices, and
mitigation measures that the agencies
would request project developers to
implement (as appropriate for specific
wind energy projects).
The objective of the PEIS is to support
the environmental review process by
having already addressed general
environmental concerns. The Draft PEIS
analyzes, to the extent practicable, the
impacts resulting from development of
wind energy projects and the
effectiveness of best management
practices and mitigation measures in
reducing potential impacts. Impacts and
mitigation have been analyzed for each
environmental resource, and all aspects
of wind energy projects have been
addressed, including turbine,
transformer, collector line, access road,
substation installations, and operational
and maintenance activities. The
environmental procedures and
mitigation strategies have been
structured to complement Western’s
Open Access Transmission Service
Tariff.
Many of the impacts resulting from
wind energy infrastructure
development, including siting wind
turbines, access roads, underground
collector lines, overhead lines, and
substations, are well known. Similarly,
effective best management practices and
mitigation measures have been
developed to reduce the environmental
impacts of constructing and operating
wind energy projects. The Draft PEIS
collected and analyzed this information
as it applies to wind energy
development in the six states included
in the UGP Region. Specifically, the
Draft PEIS has:
1. Defined areas with a high potential
for wind energy development near the
UGP Region’s transmission system in
anticipation of future wind-generation
interconnection requests.
2. Defined natural and human
environment resources in areas with
high wind energy development
potential, including Native American
lands, to support analyses of the
environmental impacts and
development of wind energy projects.
3. Identified standardized
environmental evaluation procedures,
best management practices, and
mitigation measures to be used by
interconnection applicants for
identifying and reducing wind energy
development impacts of their projects
on the natural and human environment.
4. Initiated a programmatic
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7
consultation for federally listed and
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proposed threatened and endangered
species within the study area
boundaries established for the PEIS.
5. Provided guidance for
interconnection applicants that includes
information about natural resources
within areas with a high potential for
wind development, requirements for
subsequent site-specific environmental
reviews, and appropriate best
management practices and mitigation
measures to address adverse
environmental impacts related to wind
projects and associated transmission
system enhancements.
The Service maintains a grassland and
wetland easement program to support
and enhance waterfowl populations in
the Prairie Pothole Region. The Service
has developed a plan that will, in some
circumstances, allow partial release of
an easement for wind generation
purposes, only with defined conditions
and on a specified area, in exchange for
additional easement acreage being
conveyed to the Service. A streamlined
approach for compliance (NEPA,
National Historic Properties Act
[NHPA], and ESA) for subsequent sitespecific wind development projects in
the future would result from this PEIS.
In accordance with the NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321), and CEQ regulations (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), 1501.5(b),
Western and the Service have served as
joint lead agencies in the preparation of
the Draft PEIS. Western and the Service
are engaged in informal consultation
under Section 7 of the ESA in support
of the PEIS process. A Programmatic
Biological Assessment has been
prepared for listed and candidate
species occurring in the UGP Region,
and it is expected that the Ecological
Services Field Office will issue a letter
of concurrence as a result of this
consultation.
CEQ regulations require that Western
and the Service invite any Federal,
State, or local agency or tribal
government with jurisdiction by law or
special expertise in wind energy
development and/or electricity
transmission operation to be a
cooperating agency. Reclamation, BIA,
and RUS have participated as
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the Draft PEIS. Other agencies or state
or tribal governments could become
cooperating agencies at their request.
Public Hearings
Public hearings will begin at 5 p.m.
and will include a pre-hearing informal
open house; introductory presentations
on the proposed action by Western and
the Service; the formal hearing
beginning at 6 p.m. where oral
comments from interested parties and
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the public will be heard; and an
informal period after the close of the
hearing. Oral comments from the public
will commence immediately after the
presentations. Equal consideration will
be given to electronic, oral, and written
comments. Western and the Service
encourage electronic submissions if
possible. All meeting locations will be
handicapped-accessible. Anyone
needing special accommodations should
contact Western or the Service to make
arrangements.
Public Involvement and Comments
Interested parties are invited to
review the Draft PEIS and provide
comments. The comment process is
intended to involve all interested
agencies (Federal, State, county, and
local), public interest groups,
businesses, and members of the public.
The outcome of this PEIS may affect
or apply to tribal resources. Therefore,
Western and the Service have consulted
with potentially affected tribes
throughout the development of the Draft
PEIS to jointly evaluate and address the
potential effects, if any, of the proposed
action. No specific concerns have been
identified, mainly because specific
projects and locations have not yet been
developed. Once individual projects are
proposed, project-specific consultations
with tribes would be conducted in
accordance with Executive Order 13175
‘‘Consultation and Coordination with
Indian Tribal Governments’’ (65 FR
67249), the President’s memorandum of
November 5, 2009, ‘‘Tribal
Consultation’’ (https://
www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/
memorandum-tribal-consultationsigned-president), agency-specific
guidance on tribal interactions, and
applicable natural and cultural resource
laws and regulations (e.g., NEPA, ESA,
NHPA, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act).
Public hearing locations and times as
described above under DATES and
ADDRESSES will also be announced
through the local media, the project
Web site (https://plainswindeis.anl.gov),
and an interested party mailing list. A
presiding officer will establish only
those procedures needed to ensure that
everyone who wishes to speak has a
chance to do so and that the agencies
understand all issues and comments.
Speakers will be asked to provide brief
comments to allow adequate time to
hear all comments. Depending upon the
number of persons wishing to speak, the
presiding officer may allow longer
speaking times. Persons wishing to
speak on behalf of an organization
should identify that organization in
their request to speak. Meetings will
begin at the times specified and will
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continue until all those present who
wish to participate have had an
opportunity to do so. Should any
speaker desire to provide further
information for the record that cannot
be presented within the designated
time, such additional information may
be submitted at the hearing,
electronically, or by letter by April 13,
2013. Speakers are encouraged to
provide a written version of their oral
comments at the hearings to ensure the
agencies capture all comments
completely and accurately. A transcript
of all comments offered during the
public hearings will be prepared and
made available.
The public is encouraged to
communicate information and
comments on issues it believes Western
and the Service should address in the
Final PEIS. The Agencies request that
reviewers provide specific information
and comments on factual errors, missing
information, or additional
considerations that should be corrected
or included in the Final PEIS.
Individual respondents may request
confidentiality. The names, street
addresses, and city or town information
of those providing comments will be
part of the administrative record, and
will be subject to public disclosure
unless confidentiality is requested. Such
a request must be stated prominently at
the beginning of the comment. We will
honor requests to the extent allowed by
law. All submissions from organizations
or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
available for public inspection in their
entirety, consistent with applicable law.
After gathering public comments on
what issues should be addressed in the
Final PEIS, Western and the Service will
identify and provide rationale in the
Final PEIS on those issues addressed
and those issues beyond the scope of the
PEIS. Depending on the extent and
nature of the comments received, the
agencies may republish the entire PEIS
incorporating responses to comments, or
publish an abbreviated Final version
that, together with the Draft PEIS, would
constitute the Final PEIS.
Final PEIS Schedule and Availability
Western and the Service anticipate
that comments will be incorporated and
the Final PEIS to be available to the
public in October, 2013. Separate
Records of Decision addressing each
agency’s Federal actions will be issued
by Western and the Service not sooner
than 30 days following distribution of
the Final PEIS, or about October, 2013.
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Anita J. Decker,
Acting Administrator, Western Area Power
Administration.
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Noreen Walsh,
Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–06614 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2013–0127; FRL–9380–1]
Certain New Chemicals; Receipt and
Status Information
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA) requires any person who
intends to manufacture (defined by
statute to include import) a new
chemical (i.e., a chemical not on the
TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory
(TSCA Inventory)) to notify EPA and
comply with the statutory provisions
pertaining to the manufacture of new
chemicals. In addition under TSCA,
EPA is required to publish in the
Federal Register a notice of receipt of a
premanufacture notice (PMN) or an
application for a test marketing
exemption (TME), and to publish in the
Federal Register periodic status reports
on the new chemicals under review and
the receipt of notices of commencement
(NOC) to manufacture those chemicals.
This document, which covers the period
from January 14, 2013 to February 8,
2013, and provides the required notice
and status report, consists of the PMNs
and TMEs, both pending or expired, and
the NOC to manufacture a new chemical
that the Agency has received under
TSCA section 5 during this time period.
DATES: Comments identified by the
specific PMN number or TME number,
must be received on or before April 22,
2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2013–[insert
Docket ID no.], and the specific PMN
number or TME number for the
chemical related to your comment, by
one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Document Control Office
(7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention
and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental
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Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001.
• Hand Delivery: OPPT Document
Control Office (DCO), EPA East Bldg.,
Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC. The DCO is open from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number for the DCO is (202)
564–8930. Such deliveries are only
accepted during the DCO’s normal
hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: EPA’s policy is that all
comments received will be included in
the docket without change and may be
made available online at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through regulations.gov or
email. The regulations.gov Web site is
an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which
means EPA will not know your identity
or contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your comment.
If you send an email comment directly
to EPA without going through
regulations.gov, your email address will
be automatically captured and included
as part of the comment that is placed in
the docket and made available on the
Internet. If you submit an electronic
comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact
information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD–ROM
you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form
of encryption, and be free of any defects
or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the docket index available
at https://www.regulations.gov. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
will be publicly available only in hard
copy. Publicly available docket
materials are available electronically at
https://www.regulations.gov, or, if only
available in hard copy, at the OPPT
Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm.
3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington,
DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room
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hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
legal holidays. The telephone number of
the EPA/DC Public Reading Room is
(202) 566–1744, and the telephone
number for the OPPT Docket is (202)
566–0280. Docket visitors are required
to show photographic identification,
pass through a metal detector, and sign
the EPA visitor log. All visitor bags are
processed through an X-ray machine
and subject to search. Visitors will be
provided an EPA/DC badge that must be
visible at all times in the building and
returned upon departure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
technical information contact: Bernice
Mudd, Information Management
Division (7408M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001;
telephone number: (202) 564–8951; fax
number: (202) 564–8955; email address:
Mudd.Bernice@epa.gov.
For general information contact: The
TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422
South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY
14620; telephone number: (202) 554–
1404; email address: TSCAHotline@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
This action is directed to the public
in general. As such, the Agency has not
attempted to describe the specific
entities that this action may apply to.
Although others may be affected, this
action applies directly to the submitter
of the PMNs addressed in this action.
B. What should I consider as I prepare
my comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this
information to EPA through
regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark
the part or all of the information that
you claim to be CBI. For CBI
information in a disk or CD–ROM that
you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the
disk or CD–ROM as CBI and then
identify electronically within the disk or
CD–ROM the specific information that
is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that
includes information claimed as CBI, a
copy of the comment that does not
contain the information claimed as CBI
must be submitted for inclusion in the
public docket. Information so marked
will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in
40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments.
When submitting comments, remember
to:
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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17653-17656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06614]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0408)
AGENCIES: Western Area Power Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
and Notice of Public Hearings.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations, the U.S. Department of Energy, Western Area Power
Administration (Western) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service (Service), have, as joint lead agencies, prepared
the Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (Draft
[[Page 17654]]
PEIS).\1\ The Draft PEIS evaluates issues associated with wind energy
development within Western's Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region
(UGP Region), which encompasses all or parts of the states of Iowa,
Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and upon
the Service's landscape-level grassland and wetland easements in the
same area. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Rural Utility Services (RUS) have
participated as cooperating agencies. Public hearings will be held
during the public comment period on the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS is
available on the project Web site at: https://plainswindeis.anl.gov
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/ricesolar/.
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\1\ On November 16, 2011, DOE's Acting General Counsel delegated
to Western's Administrator all the authorities of the General
Counsel respecting environmental impact statements.
DATES: The public hearings will be held April 30 and May 1 and 2, 2013.
The agencies will also announce the public hearings through the local
media, the project Web site (https://plainswindeis.anl.gov), and an
interested party mailing list. The public comment period on the Draft
PEIS starts with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register
and will continue until May 21, 2013. Western and the Service will
consider all electronic and written comments on the Draft PEIS received
or postmarked by that date. Agencies, interested parties, and the
public are invited to submit comments on this Draft PEIS at any time
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during the public comment period.
ADDRESSES: Western and the Service will hold public hearings to obtain
comments on the Draft PEIS at the following locations:
1. April 30, 2013, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 27 North 27th Street,
Billings, MT.
2. May 1, 2013, Ramada Bismarck Hotel & Conference Center, 1400
East Interchange Avenue, Bismarck, ND.
3. May 2, 2013, Best Western Plus Ramkota, 3200 West Maple Street,
Sioux Falls, SD.
Public hearings will begin at 5 p.m. and will include a pre-hearing
informal open house; introductory presentations on the proposed action
by Western and the Service; the formal hearing beginning at 6 p.m.
where oral comments from interested parties and the public will be
heard; and an informal period after the close of the hearing.
You may submit comments electronically, using the online comment
form available on the project Web site (https://plainswindeis.anl.gov/index.cfm), orally or written at the hearings, or by letter to WESTERN/
FWS Draft Wind Energy PEIS Comments, c/o John Hayse, Argonne National
Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue--EVS/240, Argonne, IL 60439.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on Western's proposed
programmatic environmental evaluation procedures for wind energy
project interconnections, and general information about
interconnections with Western's transmission system, contact Nicholas
Stas, Regional Environmental Manager, Upper Great Plains Customer
Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 35800,
Billings, MT 59107-5800, telephone (406) 255-2810, facsimile (406) 255-
2900, email stas@wapa.gov. For information on the PEIS process, or to
receive a copy of the Draft PEIS, contact Mark Wieringa, NEPA Document
Manager, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood,
CO 80228-8213, telephone (800) 336-7288, facsimile (720) 962-7263,
email wieringa@wapa.gov.
For information on the Service's participation in the PEIS, contact
Lloyd Jones, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon National Wildlife
Refuge Complex, 3275 11th Street, Coleharbor, ND 58531-9419, telephone
(701) 442-5474 ext. 111, facsimile (701) 442-5546, email Lloyd_Jones@fws.gov.
For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-
54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to an increase in wind energy
development Western and the Service have interests in streamlining
their procedures for conducting environmental reviews of wind energy
applications by implementing standardized evaluation procedures and
identifying measures to address potential environmental impacts
associated with wind energy projects in the UGP Region. As joint lead
agencies, Western and the Service have cooperatively prepared this PEIS
to (1) assess the potential environmental impacts associated with wind
energy projects within the UGP Region that may interconnect to
Western's transmission system, or that may propose placement of project
elements on grassland or wetland easements managed by the Service; and
(2) evaluate how environmental impacts would differ under alternative
sets of environmental evaluation procedures, best management practices,
and mitigation measures that the agencies would request project
developers to implement (as appropriate for specific wind energy
projects).
The objective of the PEIS is to support the environmental review
process by having already addressed general environmental concerns. The
Draft PEIS analyzes, to the extent practicable, the impacts resulting
from development of wind energy projects and the effectiveness of best
management practices and mitigation measures in reducing potential
impacts. Impacts and mitigation have been analyzed for each
environmental resource, and all aspects of wind energy projects have
been addressed, including turbine, transformer, collector line, access
road, substation installations, and operational and maintenance
activities. The environmental procedures and mitigation strategies have
been structured to complement Western's Open Access Transmission
Service Tariff.
Many of the impacts resulting from wind energy infrastructure
development, including siting wind turbines, access roads, underground
collector lines, overhead lines, and substations, are well known.
Similarly, effective best management practices and mitigation measures
have been developed to reduce the environmental impacts of constructing
and operating wind energy projects. The Draft PEIS collected and
analyzed this information as it applies to wind energy development in
the six states included in the UGP Region. Specifically, the Draft PEIS
has:
1. Defined areas with a high potential for wind energy development
near the UGP Region's transmission system in anticipation of future
wind-generation interconnection requests.
2. Defined natural and human environment resources in areas with
high wind energy development potential, including Native American
lands, to support analyses of the environmental impacts and development
of wind energy projects.
3. Identified standardized environmental evaluation procedures,
best management practices, and mitigation measures to be used by
interconnection applicants for identifying and reducing wind energy
development impacts of their projects on the natural and human
environment.
4. Initiated a programmatic Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7
consultation for federally listed and
[[Page 17655]]
proposed threatened and endangered species within the study area
boundaries established for the PEIS.
5. Provided guidance for interconnection applicants that includes
information about natural resources within areas with a high potential
for wind development, requirements for subsequent site-specific
environmental reviews, and appropriate best management practices and
mitigation measures to address adverse environmental impacts related to
wind projects and associated transmission system enhancements.
The Service maintains a grassland and wetland easement program to
support and enhance waterfowl populations in the Prairie Pothole
Region. The Service has developed a plan that will, in some
circumstances, allow partial release of an easement for wind generation
purposes, only with defined conditions and on a specified area, in
exchange for additional easement acreage being conveyed to the Service.
A streamlined approach for compliance (NEPA, National Historic
Properties Act [NHPA], and ESA) for subsequent site-specific wind
development projects in the future would result from this PEIS.
In accordance with the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321), and CEQ regulations
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508), 1501.5(b), Western and the Service have
served as joint lead agencies in the preparation of the Draft PEIS.
Western and the Service are engaged in informal consultation under
Section 7 of the ESA in support of the PEIS process. A Programmatic
Biological Assessment has been prepared for listed and candidate
species occurring in the UGP Region, and it is expected that the
Ecological Services Field Office will issue a letter of concurrence as
a result of this consultation.
CEQ regulations require that Western and the Service invite any
Federal, State, or local agency or tribal government with jurisdiction
by law or special expertise in wind energy development and/or
electricity transmission operation to be a cooperating agency.
Reclamation, BIA, and RUS have participated as cooperating agencies in
the preparation of the Draft PEIS. Other agencies or state or tribal
governments could become cooperating agencies at their request.
Public Hearings
Public hearings will begin at 5 p.m. and will include a pre-hearing
informal open house; introductory presentations on the proposed action
by Western and the Service; the formal hearing beginning at 6 p.m.
where oral comments from interested parties and the public will be
heard; and an informal period after the close of the hearing. Oral
comments from the public will commence immediately after the
presentations. Equal consideration will be given to electronic, oral,
and written comments. Western and the Service encourage electronic
submissions if possible. All meeting locations will be handicapped-
accessible. Anyone needing special accommodations should contact
Western or the Service to make arrangements.
Public Involvement and Comments
Interested parties are invited to review the Draft PEIS and provide
comments. The comment process is intended to involve all interested
agencies (Federal, State, county, and local), public interest groups,
businesses, and members of the public.
The outcome of this PEIS may affect or apply to tribal resources.
Therefore, Western and the Service have consulted with potentially
affected tribes throughout the development of the Draft PEIS to jointly
evaluate and address the potential effects, if any, of the proposed
action. No specific concerns have been identified, mainly because
specific projects and locations have not yet been developed. Once
individual projects are proposed, project-specific consultations with
tribes would be conducted in accordance with Executive Order 13175
``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments'' (65 FR
67249), the President's memorandum of November 5, 2009, ``Tribal
Consultation'' (https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/memorandum-tribal-consultation-signed-president), agency-specific guidance on
tribal interactions, and applicable natural and cultural resource laws
and regulations (e.g., NEPA, ESA, NHPA, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act).
Public hearing locations and times as described above under DATES
and ADDRESSES will also be announced through the local media, the
project Web site (https://plainswindeis.anl.gov), and an interested
party mailing list. A presiding officer will establish only those
procedures needed to ensure that everyone who wishes to speak has a
chance to do so and that the agencies understand all issues and
comments. Speakers will be asked to provide brief comments to allow
adequate time to hear all comments. Depending upon the number of
persons wishing to speak, the presiding officer may allow longer
speaking times. Persons wishing to speak on behalf of an organization
should identify that organization in their request to speak. Meetings
will begin at the times specified and will continue until all those
present who wish to participate have had an opportunity to do so.
Should any speaker desire to provide further information for the record
that cannot be presented within the designated time, such additional
information may be submitted at the hearing, electronically, or by
letter by April 13, 2013. Speakers are encouraged to provide a written
version of their oral comments at the hearings to ensure the agencies
capture all comments completely and accurately. A transcript of all
comments offered during the public hearings will be prepared and made
available.
The public is encouraged to communicate information and comments on
issues it believes Western and the Service should address in the Final
PEIS. The Agencies request that reviewers provide specific information
and comments on factual errors, missing information, or additional
considerations that should be corrected or included in the Final PEIS.
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. The names, street
addresses, and city or town information of those providing comments
will be part of the administrative record, and will be subject to
public disclosure unless confidentiality is requested. Such a request
must be stated prominently at the beginning of the comment. We will
honor requests to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety,
consistent with applicable law.
After gathering public comments on what issues should be addressed
in the Final PEIS, Western and the Service will identify and provide
rationale in the Final PEIS on those issues addressed and those issues
beyond the scope of the PEIS. Depending on the extent and nature of the
comments received, the agencies may republish the entire PEIS
incorporating responses to comments, or publish an abbreviated Final
version that, together with the Draft PEIS, would constitute the Final
PEIS.
Final PEIS Schedule and Availability
Western and the Service anticipate that comments will be
incorporated and the Final PEIS to be available to the public in
October, 2013. Separate Records of Decision addressing each agency's
Federal actions will be issued by Western and the Service not sooner
than 30 days following distribution of the Final PEIS, or about
October, 2013.
[[Page 17656]]
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Anita J. Decker,
Acting Administrator, Western Area Power Administration.
Dated: March 15, 2013.
Noreen Walsh,
Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-06614 Filed 3-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
