Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 50026-50027 [2013-19956]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 159 / Friday, August 16, 2013 / Notices
oral statement should request in writing
to be scheduled on the agenda 5 days
prior to the meeting date. Written
comments and requests for time to
present oral comments must be sent to
Lynn Wright, RAC Committee
Coordinator, 1330 Bayshore Way,
Eureka, CA. 95501; Email:
hwright02@fs.fed.us; or Facsimile: 707–
445–8677.
A summary of the meeting will be
posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/
srnf/home within 21 days of the
meeting.
If you are a person requiring resonable
accomodation, please make requests in
advance for sign language interpreting,
assistive listening devices or other
reasonable accomodation for access to
the facility or procedings by contacting
the person listed under For Further
Information Contact. All reasonable
accommodation requests are managed
on a case by case basis.
Dated: August 9, 2013.
Tyrone Kelley,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013–19933 Filed 8–15–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Loan Program Finding of No
Significant Impact
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a
Finding of No Significant Impact.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has made
a finding of no significant impact
(FONSI) for implementing its new
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Loan Program. The FONSI decision
document is based on impact analysis
documented in a programmatic
environmental assessment of the new
program that was issued for 30-day
public comment beginning February 26,
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
FONSI is available online at https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-ea.htm or
you may contact Ms. Remley for a hard
copy.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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On May
22, 2008, the U.S. Congress enacted the
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (2008 Farm Bill) as Public Law
110–234. The 2008 Farm Bill amended
Section 12 to authorize energy audits
and energy efficiency measures and
devices to reduce demand on electric
systems. Section 6101 of the 2008 Farm
Bill amended Sections 2(a) and 4 of the
Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) by
inserting ‘‘efficiency and’’ before
‘‘conservation’’ each place it appears.
Under the authority of the ‘‘efficiency’’
provisions added to the RE Act by the
2008 Farm Bill, RUS proposes to amend
7 CFR part 1710 by adding a new
subpart H entitled ‘‘Energy Efficiency
and Conservation Loan Program,’’
which expands upon policies and
procedures specific to loans for a new
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Loan program. The program would
provide loans to eligible rural utility
providers (Primary Recipients) who
would act as intermediaries to make
Energy Efficiency (EE) loans to
consumers (Ultimate Recipients) in the
Primary Recipients’ service territories
for EE improvements at the Ultimate
Recipients’ premises.
This program is funded through
existing authorizations and
appropriations. RUS expects that $250
million per year will be dedicated to the
EE program. On July 26, 2012, RUS
published a proposed rulemaking in the
Federal Register at 77 FR 43723, with
a 60-day comment period, for the
subpart H of 7 CFR part 1710, which
would implement the EE program. The
final rule will outline the procedures for
providing loans to eligible Primary
Recipients who will establish EE
activities in their service territories and
to pay reasonable administrative
expenses associated with their loans
under the program. The proposed rule
defines an ‘‘Eligible Borrower’’ (Primary
Recipient) as an electric utility that has
direct or indirect responsibility for
providing retail electric service to
persons in a rural area.
Certain financing actions taken by
RUS are Federal actions subject to
compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) regulations implementing the
procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR
parts 1500–1508), and RUS
‘‘Environmental Policies and
Procedures’’ (7 CFR part 1794). The
Programmatic Environmental
Assessment (PEA) considered two
Federal actions under the new EE
program: (1) Loans awarded by RUS to
Primary Recipients, and (2) Loans and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Sfmt 4703
other EE activities that the Primary
Recipient executes for the benefit of
Ultimate Recipients.
Based on its analysis in the PEA for
the EE program, RUS has concluded that
agency actions implementing the new
program would have no significant
impact to the quality of the human
environment. Therefore, RUS will not
prepare an environmental impact
statement for its rulemaking adding
subpart H to 7 CFR part 1710 nor its
actions related to implementing the EE
program. The FONSI will be available
on RUS’s Web site at https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-ea.htm.
Dated: July 2, 2013.
Nivin Elgohary,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs,
USDA, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–19954 Filed 8–15–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.:
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Draft Environmental
Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
intends to prepare a supplemental draft
environmental impact statement
(SDEIS) for Basin Electric Power
Cooperative’s (Basin Electric) proposed
Antelope Valley Station (AVS) to Neset
345-kV Transmission Project (Project) in
North Dakota. RUS is issuing this Notice
of Intent (NOI) to inform the public and
interested parties about a change in the
proposed Project and invite the public
to comment on the scope, proposed
action, and other issues to be addressed
in the SDEIS.
RUS made the decision to prepare an
SDEIS for the AVS Project to evaluate
significant project changes. These
changes are due to an increase in the
electric load forecast for western North
Dakota which is changing the scope of
the project. To accommodate this
change, the SDEIS will evaluate a new
alternative for the transmission line.
The SDEIS will address the
construction, operation, and
maintenance of Basin Electric’s
proposed Project. The Project includes
construction, operation and
maintenance of approximately 275
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16AUN1.SGM
16AUN1
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 159 / Friday, August 16, 2013 / Notices
miles of new 345-kV single pole
transmission line (approximately 85
miles more than the project identified in
the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)), 230-kV single pole
transmission line and double circuit
345/115-kV transmission lines, 5 new
substations, modifications to 4 existing
substations, maintenance access roads,
temporary construction roads, river
crossings, temporary construction
staging sites, and other facilities to be
described in the SDEIS. Basin Electric’s
proposed Project would be located in
portions of Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer,
Mountrail, and Williams counties in
western North Dakota.
Portions of Basin Electric’s proposed
Project may affect floodplains and
wetlands. This NOI also serves as a
notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. RUS will hold public
hearing meetings to share information
and receive comments on the SDEIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the proposed Project, the
SDEIS process, and RUS financing,
contact Mr. Dennis Rankin, Engineering
and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities
Service, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250–
1571, telephone: (202) 720–1953, or
email: dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov.
Parties wishing to be placed on the
Project mailing list for future
information and to receive copies of the
SDEIS and the Final EIS when available
should also contact Mr. Rankin.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is
authorized to make loans and loan
guarantees that finance the construction
of electric distribution, transmission,
and generation facilities, including
system improvements and replacements
required to furnish and improve electric
service in rural areas, as well as demand
side management, energy conservation
programs, and on-grid and off-grid
renewable energy systems. Based on an
interconnection with the Western Area
Power Administration’s (Western)
transmission system, Western has in
accordance with 40 CFR 1501.6,
requested to serve as a cooperating
agency for the environmental review of
the proposed Project.
Basin Electric is a regional wholesale
electric generation and transmission
cooperative owned and controlled by its
member cooperatives. Basin Electric
serves approximately 2.5 million
customers covering 430,000 square
miles in portions of nine states,
including Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota,
Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North
Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Project Description: Basin Electric has
identified the need for additional
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19:06 Aug 15, 2013
Jkt 229001
electric transmission capacity in
northwestern North Dakota as a result of
increased demand and to meet
reliability and system stability
requirements for the region.
Investigations and analyses conducted
for the overall power delivery systems
found that without improvements, the
flow of power along existing lines may
result in local line overloads, especially
in the vicinity of Williston, North
Dakota.
To resolve these issues, Basin Electric
is proposing to construct, own and
operate a new 345-kV transmission line
and associated supporting
infrastructure. The entire Project will
consist of constructing approximately
275 miles of new single circuit 345-kV
(approximately 85 miles more than the
project identified in the Draft EIS), 230kV and double circuit 345/115-kV
transmission lines, the construction of 5
new substations, modifications to 4
existing substations, maintenance access
roads, temporary construction roads,
river crossings, temporary construction
staging sites, and other facilities. The
Project would connect to the Integrated
System at several locations, including
Western’s Williston Substation. The
proposed Project would be located in
portions of Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer,
Mountrail, and Williams counties in
western North Dakota.
Basin Electric has requested financial
assistance for the proposed Project from
RUS. Completing the EIS is one of
RUS’s requirements in processing Basin
Electric’s application, along with other
technical and financial considerations.
In accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(b)
on the Council of Environmental
Quality’s Regulation for Implementing
the Procedural Provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act,
RUS will serve as the lead agency in the
preparation of the EIS.
The proposed Project is subject to the
jurisdiction of the North Dakota Public
Service Commission (NDPSC), which
has regulatory authority for siting
electrical transmission facilities within
the State. Basin Electric will submit
applications for NDPSC Transmission
Corridor and Route Permits. The NDPSC
Permits would authorize Basin Electric
to construct the proposed Project under
North Dakota rules and regulations.
RUS intends to prepare a SDEIS and
Final EIS to analyze the impacts of its
respective federal actions and the
proposed Project in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), as amended, Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulation for Implementing the
Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), DOE NEPA
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
50027
Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part
1021), and RUS Environmental Policies
and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). RUS
has already produced a Draft EIS which
was released to the public on December
7, 2012 and can be found on the World
Wide Web at https://www.rurdev.usda.
gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.
Because the proposed Project may
involve action in floodplains or
wetlands, this NOI also serves as a
notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The SDEIS will include
a floodplain/wetland assessment and, if
required, a floodplain/wetland
statement of findings will be issued
with the Final EIS.
Agency Responsibilities: RUS is
serving as the lead Federal agency, as
defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for
preparation of the SDEIS. Western Area
Power Administration and the U.S.
Forest Service are participating as
cooperating agencies and will be issuing
decisions relevant to the project under
separate authorities.
Public Participation: Public
participation and full disclosure are
planned for the entire EIS process. The
EIS process has included a scoping
comment period to solicit comments
from interested parties; publication of a
DEIS and public hearing and comment
period; consultation and involvement
with appropriate Federal, State, local,
and tribal governmental agencies. In
addition, public review and hearings on
the SDEIS will be scheduled on the fall
followed by publication of a final EIS;
and publication of a Record of Decision.
Expected EIS completion date is March
2014. Additional informal public
meetings may be held in the proposed
Project areas, if public interest and
issues indicate a need. If additional
public meetings are determined to be
necessary public notices will be
published as appropriate.
RUS will hold open-house public
hearing meetings once the SDEIS is
published. The times and locations of
these meetings will be well-advertised
in local media outlets a minimum of 15
days prior to the time of the meetings.
Attendees will be welcome to come and
go at their convenience and provide
written or oral comments on the Project.
In addition, attendees may provide
written comments by letter, fax, email.
Dated: July 18, 2013.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental
Staff, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–19956 Filed 8–15–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50026-50027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19956]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Intent To
Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental
Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), intends to prepare a supplemental
draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) for Basin Electric Power
Cooperative's (Basin Electric) proposed Antelope Valley Station (AVS)
to Neset 345-kV Transmission Project (Project) in North Dakota. RUS is
issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform the public and interested
parties about a change in the proposed Project and invite the public to
comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues to be addressed
in the SDEIS.
RUS made the decision to prepare an SDEIS for the AVS Project to
evaluate significant project changes. These changes are due to an
increase in the electric load forecast for western North Dakota which
is changing the scope of the project. To accommodate this change, the
SDEIS will evaluate a new alternative for the transmission line.
The SDEIS will address the construction, operation, and maintenance
of Basin Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes
construction, operation and maintenance of approximately 275
[[Page 50027]]
miles of new 345-kV single pole transmission line (approximately 85
miles more than the project identified in the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS)), 230-kV single pole transmission line and
double circuit 345/115-kV transmission lines, 5 new substations,
modifications to 4 existing substations, maintenance access roads,
temporary construction roads, river crossings, temporary construction
staging sites, and other facilities to be described in the SDEIS. Basin
Electric's proposed Project would be located in portions of Dunn,
McKenzie, Mercer, Mountrail, and Williams counties in western North
Dakota.
Portions of Basin Electric's proposed Project may affect
floodplains and wetlands. This NOI also serves as a notice of proposed
floodplain or wetland action. RUS will hold public hearing meetings to
share information and receive comments on the SDEIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
Project, the SDEIS process, and RUS financing, contact Mr. Dennis
Rankin, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service,
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571,
telephone: (202) 720-1953, or email: dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov.
Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list for future
information and to receive copies of the SDEIS and the Final EIS when
available should also contact Mr. Rankin.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is authorized to make loans and loan
guarantees that finance the construction of electric distribution,
transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements
and replacements required to furnish and improve electric service in
rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy conservation
programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Based on
an interconnection with the Western Area Power Administration's
(Western) transmission system, Western has in accordance with 40 CFR
1501.6, requested to serve as a cooperating agency for the
environmental review of the proposed Project.
Basin Electric is a regional wholesale electric generation and
transmission cooperative owned and controlled by its member
cooperatives. Basin Electric serves approximately 2.5 million customers
covering 430,000 square miles in portions of nine states, including
Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota,
South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Project Description: Basin Electric has identified the need for
additional electric transmission capacity in northwestern North Dakota
as a result of increased demand and to meet reliability and system
stability requirements for the region. Investigations and analyses
conducted for the overall power delivery systems found that without
improvements, the flow of power along existing lines may result in
local line overloads, especially in the vicinity of Williston, North
Dakota.
To resolve these issues, Basin Electric is proposing to construct,
own and operate a new 345-kV transmission line and associated
supporting infrastructure. The entire Project will consist of
constructing approximately 275 miles of new single circuit 345-kV
(approximately 85 miles more than the project identified in the Draft
EIS), 230-kV and double circuit 345/115-kV transmission lines, the
construction of 5 new substations, modifications to 4 existing
substations, maintenance access roads, temporary construction roads,
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other
facilities. The Project would connect to the Integrated System at
several locations, including Western's Williston Substation. The
proposed Project would be located in portions of Dunn, McKenzie,
Mercer, Mountrail, and Williams counties in western North Dakota.
Basin Electric has requested financial assistance for the proposed
Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS's requirements in
processing Basin Electric's application, along with other technical and
financial considerations.
In accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(b) on the Council of Environmental
Quality's Regulation for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act, RUS will serve as the lead agency in
the preparation of the EIS.
The proposed Project is subject to the jurisdiction of the North
Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC), which has regulatory
authority for siting electrical transmission facilities within the
State. Basin Electric will submit applications for NDPSC Transmission
Corridor and Route Permits. The NDPSC Permits would authorize Basin
Electric to construct the proposed Project under North Dakota rules and
regulations.
RUS intends to prepare a SDEIS and Final EIS to analyze the impacts
of its respective federal actions and the proposed Project in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
amended, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulation for
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021), and RUS
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). RUS has
already produced a Draft EIS which was released to the public on
December 7, 2012 and can be found on the World Wide Web at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.
Because the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or
wetlands, this NOI also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The SDEIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment
and, if required, a floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be
issued with the Final EIS.
Agency Responsibilities: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency,
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the SDEIS. Western Area
Power Administration and the U.S. Forest Service are participating as
cooperating agencies and will be issuing decisions relevant to the
project under separate authorities.
Public Participation: Public participation and full disclosure are
planned for the entire EIS process. The EIS process has included a
scoping comment period to solicit comments from interested parties;
publication of a DEIS and public hearing and comment period;
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local,
and tribal governmental agencies. In addition, public review and
hearings on the SDEIS will be scheduled on the fall followed by
publication of a final EIS; and publication of a Record of Decision.
Expected EIS completion date is March 2014. Additional informal public
meetings may be held in the proposed Project areas, if public interest
and issues indicate a need. If additional public meetings are
determined to be necessary public notices will be published as
appropriate.
RUS will hold open-house public hearing meetings once the SDEIS is
published. The times and locations of these meetings will be well-
advertised in local media outlets a minimum of 15 days prior to the
time of the meetings. Attendees will be welcome to come and go at their
convenience and provide written or oral comments on the Project. In
addition, attendees may provide written comments by letter, fax, email.
Dated: July 18, 2013.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-19956 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
