Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Restart of Healy Power Plant Unit #2, 34639 [2013-13694]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 111 / Monday, June 10, 2013 / Notices Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of June 2013. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2013–13691 Filed 6–7–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Restart of Healy Power Plant Unit #2 Rural Utilities Service, USDA. Notice of Availability of a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement. AGENCY: ACTION: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service (RUS), has issued a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) for the restart of Healy Power Plant’s Unit #2 in Healy, Alaska. The (SFEIS) supplements a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), completed by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 1993 to evaluate potential impacts to the human environment from DOE’s proposal to partially fund construction of Unit #2 of the Healy Power Plant to demonstrate emissions control technologies. In 1994, the DOE published a Record of Decision (ROD) for their FEIS in the Federal Register, Volume 59, Issue 54 (March 21, 1994). In 1997, Healy Unit #2 was constructed as a major modification to the existing Healy Power Plant’s Unit #1, using funding from DOE and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA). Healy Unit #1 is a 25 megawatt (MW) coal-fired boiler that has been owned and operated by Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) since 1967. Healy Unit #2 is a 50 MW coal-fired steam generator owned by AIDEA, which underwent test operation for two years as part of DOE’s project. Unit #2 has been in warm layup since late 1999. The SFEIS updates information in DOE’s FEIS and considers impacts of restarting Unit #2 for commercial operation. The SFEIS is available for a 30-day public review and comment period. Subsequent to the comment period RUS may issue a ROD. DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received on or before July 10, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deirdre M. Remley, Environmental Protection Specialist, RUS, Water and Environmental Programs, Engineering and Environmental Staff, 1400 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:56 Jun 07, 2013 Jkt 229001 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250–1571, Telephone: (202) 720–9640 or email: deirdre.remley@wdc.usda.gov. The SFEIS is available online at https:// www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-eis4.htm or you may contact Ms. Remley for a hard copy. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS makes loans and loan guarantees to finance new infrastructure and upgrades to existing facilities in the areas of electricity, telecommunications, and water and wastewater in rural areas that qualify for federal assistance. During the 1994 USDA reorganization, the former Rural Electrification Administration (REA) utility programs were consolidated under RUS. The RUS Electric Program is authorized to make loans and loan guarantees that finance electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including construction, system improvements, and replacements required to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas. RUS’s predecessor, REA, was a cooperating agency on DOE’s FEIS, because it had administrative actions related to its lien interests in GVEA holdings. GVEA is a not-for-profit cooperative formed in 1946 with financing from REA to provide electric service to rural communities in interior Alaska. Because GVEA is an RUS borrower, RUS holds liens on GVEA assets, and GVEA is eligible for RUS financing to construct or improve its distribution, transmission, and generation facilities. AIDEA provides support for the Alaska Energy Authority whose mission is to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. AIDEA partially funded construction of Unit #2, and currently owns this power generation facility that is built adjacent to and interconnected with GVEA’s Unit #1 at the Healy Power Plant. Unit #2 has been costly for both AIDEA and GVEA to maintain without income from commercial generation to offset the costs of keeping the facility in warm layup. AIDEA wishes to sell Unit #2 to GVEA, and GVEA wishes to purchase the facility and bring it into commercial production to reduce GVEA’s reliance on oil-fired generation by providing a lower cost option for meeting power demand within its service territory. As part of the restart of Unit #2, GVEA proposes to install additional emission controls to both Unit #1 and Unit #2 and to operate Unit #2 for the remainder of the plant’s operational life. GVEA plans to request administrative and financial assistance from RUS to facilitate its purchase of Unit #2 and improvements PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 34639 to the Healy Power Plant, which include the installation of additional emission control equipment. The SFEIS updated the DOE FEIS by documenting changes in the affected environment, regulatory requirements, and environmental consequences related to the commercial operation of Unit #2, which have occurred since the FEIS was published in 1993. RUS’s SFEIS incorporates the DOE FEIS by reference. Both the FEIS and the SFEIS are available at https:// www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-eis4.htm. Dated: April 25, 2013. Nivin Elgohary, Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, USDA, Rural Utilities Service. [FR Doc. 2013–13694 Filed 6–7–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B–57–2013] Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 21— Dorchester County, South Carolina; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; AGFA Materials Corporation (Photographic Film Cutting); Goose Creek, South Carolina The South Carolina State Ports Authority, grantee of FTZ 21, submitted a notification of proposed production activity to the FTZ Board on behalf of AGFA Materials Corporation (AGFA), located in Goose Creek, South Carolina. The notification conforming to the requirements of the regulations of the FTZ Board (15 CFR 400.22) was received on May 17, 2013. The AGFA facility is located within Site 16 of FTZ 21. The facility is used for the cutting of photographic film to specific sizes or master rolls for medical images, aerial photography, and nondestructive testing. Pursuant to 15 CFR 400.14(b), FTZ activity would be limited to the specific foreign-status materials and components and specific finished products listed in the submitted notification (as described below) and subsequently authorized by the FTZ Board. Production under FTZ procedures could exempt AGFA from customs duty payments on the foreign status film used in export production. On its domestic sales, AGFA would be able to choose the duty rates during customs entry procedures that apply to its finished cut film (3.7%) and associated scrap and waste (free) for the foreign-status film (3.7%). Customs duties also could E:\FR\FM\10JNN1.SGM 10JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 111 (Monday, June 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 34639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13694]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Restart 
of Healy Power Plant Unit 2

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Supplemental Final Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service 
(RUS), has issued a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(SFEIS) for the restart of Healy Power Plant's Unit 2 in 
Healy, Alaska. The (SFEIS) supplements a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS), completed by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 1993 
to evaluate potential impacts to the human environment from DOE's 
proposal to partially fund construction of Unit 2 of the Healy 
Power Plant to demonstrate emissions control technologies. In 1994, the 
DOE published a Record of Decision (ROD) for their FEIS in the Federal 
Register, Volume 59, Issue 54 (March 21, 1994). In 1997, Healy Unit 
2 was constructed as a major modification to the existing 
Healy Power Plant's Unit 1, using funding from DOE and the 
Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA). Healy Unit 
1 is a 25 megawatt (MW) coal-fired boiler that has been owned 
and operated by Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) since 1967. 
Healy Unit 2 is a 50 MW coal-fired steam generator owned by 
AIDEA, which underwent test operation for two years as part of DOE's 
project. Unit 2 has been in warm layup since late 1999. The 
SFEIS updates information in DOE's FEIS and considers impacts of 
restarting Unit 2 for commercial operation. The SFEIS is 
available for a 30-day public review and comment period. Subsequent to 
the comment period RUS may issue a ROD.

DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received on or before 
July 10, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deirdre M. Remley, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, RUS, Water and Environmental Programs, 
Engineering and Environmental Staff, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 
1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, Telephone: (202) 720-9640 or email: 
deirdre.remley@wdc.usda.gov. The SFEIS is available online at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-eis4.htm or you may contact Ms. Remley for a 
hard copy.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS makes loans and loan guarantees to 
finance new infrastructure and upgrades to existing facilities in the 
areas of electricity, telecommunications, and water and wastewater in 
rural areas that qualify for federal assistance. During the 1994 USDA 
reorganization, the former Rural Electrification Administration (REA) 
utility programs were consolidated under RUS. The RUS Electric Program 
is authorized to make loans and loan guarantees that finance electric 
distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including 
construction, system improvements, and replacements required to furnish 
and improve electric service in rural areas. RUS's predecessor, REA, 
was a cooperating agency on DOE's FEIS, because it had administrative 
actions related to its lien interests in GVEA holdings.
    GVEA is a not-for-profit cooperative formed in 1946 with financing 
from REA to provide electric service to rural communities in interior 
Alaska. Because GVEA is an RUS borrower, RUS holds liens on GVEA 
assets, and GVEA is eligible for RUS financing to construct or improve 
its distribution, transmission, and generation facilities. AIDEA 
provides support for the Alaska Energy Authority whose mission is to 
reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. AIDEA partially funded 
construction of Unit 2, and currently owns this power 
generation facility that is built adjacent to and interconnected with 
GVEA's Unit 1 at the Healy Power Plant.
    Unit 2 has been costly for both AIDEA and GVEA to maintain 
without income from commercial generation to offset the costs of 
keeping the facility in warm layup. AIDEA wishes to sell Unit 
2 to GVEA, and GVEA wishes to purchase the facility and bring 
it into commercial production to reduce GVEA's reliance on oil-fired 
generation by providing a lower cost option for meeting power demand 
within its service territory.
    As part of the restart of Unit 2, GVEA proposes to install 
additional emission controls to both Unit 1 and Unit 
2 and to operate Unit 2 for the remainder of the 
plant's operational life. GVEA plans to request administrative and 
financial assistance from RUS to facilitate its purchase of Unit 
2 and improvements to the Healy Power Plant, which include the 
installation of additional emission control equipment.
    The SFEIS updated the DOE FEIS by documenting changes in the 
affected environment, regulatory requirements, and environmental 
consequences related to the commercial operation of Unit 2, 
which have occurred since the FEIS was published in 1993. RUS's SFEIS 
incorporates the DOE FEIS by reference. Both the FEIS and the SFEIS are 
available at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-eis4.htm.

    Dated: April 25, 2013.
Nivin Elgohary,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, USDA, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-13694 Filed 6-7-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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