Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment, 73822-73823 [2013-29269]

Download as PDF 73822 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 236 / Monday, December 9, 2013 / Notices Guaranteed Telecommunications Loans, § 1737.70(e) explains the depreciation rates that are used by RUS in its feasibility studies. § 1737.70(e)(2) refers to median depreciation rates published by RUS for all borrowers. The following chart provides those rates, compiled by RUS, for the reporting period ending December 31, 2012: MEDIAN DEPRECIATION RATES OF RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE BORROWERS BY EQUIPMENT CATEGORY FOR PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2012 Telecommunications plant category Depreciation rate 1. Land and Support Assets: a. Motor vehicles ............... b. Aircraft ........................... c. Special purpose vehicles ................................ d. Garage and other work equipment ...................... e. Buildings ....................... f. Furniture and office equipment ...................... g. General purpose computers ............................. 2. Central Office Switching: a. Digital ............................ b. Analog & Electro-mechanical ......................... c. Operator Systems ......... 3. Central Office Transmission: a. Radio Systems .............. b. Circuit equipment .......... 4. Information origination/termination: a. Station apparatus .......... b. Customer premises wiring .................................. c. Large private branch exchanges ......................... d. Public telephone terminal .............................. e. Other terminal equipment ............................... 5. Cable and wire facilities: a. Aerial cable—poles ....... b. Aerial cable—metal ....... 16.00 14.29 13.24 10.00 3.20 10.00 20.00 9.09 10.00 9.30 10.00 10.00 12.00 10.00 11.20 11.53 10.50 6.00 5.80 headquarters in Westminster, Colorado. The proposal consists of the construction of approximately 72 miles of 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in eastern Colorado between the Burlington Substation (located in Kit Carson County) and the Wray Telecommunications plant Depreciation Substation (located in Yuma County) category rate (proposed Project). Tri-State is c. Aerial cable—fiber ......... 5.00 requesting financial assistance from d. Underground cable— RUS for the construction of the metal .............................. 5.00 proposed Project. e. Underground cable— RUS is considering funding the fiber ................................ 5.00 f. Buried cable—metal ...... 5.05 proposed Project, thereby making it an g. Buried cable—fiber ....... 5.00 undertaking subject to review under h. Conduit systems ........... 3.74 Section 106 of the National Historic i. Other .............................. 5.40 Preservation Act (NHPA), 16 U.S.C. 470(f), and its implementing regulation, ‘‘Protection of Historic Properties’’ (36 John Charles Padalino, CFR part 800). To meet its Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. responsibilities under Section 106, RUS [FR Doc. 2013–29268 Filed 12–6–13; 8:45 am] must take into account the effect of the BILLING CODE 3410–15–P proposed Project on historic properties; i.e., buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts which are listed or eligible DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE for listing on the National Register of Rural Utilities Service Historic Places (NRHP). RUS has coordinated its compliance with Section Tri-State Generation and Transmission 106 with the steps taken to comply with Association, Inc.: Notice of Availability NEPA and its environmental policies of an Environmental Assessment and procedures. Accordingly, this EA also documents the manner in which AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. RUS has met its responsibilities to take ACTION: Notice of Availability of an into account effects to historic Environmental Assessment. properties. RUS has determined that the SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service proposed project will have no adverse (RUS), an agency of the United States effects to historic properties listed on or Department of Agriculture, has issued eligible for listing on the NRHP. an Environmental Assessment (EA) to DATES: Written comments on this Notice meet its responsibilities under the must be received on or before January 8, National Environmental Policy Act 2014. (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) regulations for ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA will be implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts available for public review at the 1500–1508), and RUS’s Environmental Agency’s Web site: https:// and Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-EA1794) in connection with potential Burlington-Wray.html., at Tri-State’s impacts related to a proposal by TriWeb site: https://www.tristategt.org/ State Generation and Transmission Transmission/Burlington-Wray.cfm, and Association, Inc. (Tri-State) with at the following repositories: MEDIAN DEPRECIATION RATES OF RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE BORROWERS BY EQUIPMENT CATEGORY FOR PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2012—Continued TABLE 5—FY 2013 COMMON POOL INCIDENTAL CATCH TACS Address Phone Wray Public Library ................................................ Burlington Public Library ........................................ maindgalligan on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Building location 621 Blake Street Wray, CO 80758 ................................................................. 321 14th Street Burlington, CO 90907 ........................................................... 970–332–4744 719–346–8109 To obtain copies of the EA or for further information, contact Mr. Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA/RUS, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2244–S, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250–1571, or email: dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:03 Dec 06, 2013 Jkt 232001 Tri-State proposes to construct a single-circuit 230-kV line approximately 72 miles in length between the Burlington Substation (located in Kit Carson County) and the Wray Substation (located in Yuma County). The Burlington Substation would be expanded from the existing two breaker SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 arrangement to a three breaker ring bus arrangement to allow for the new 230kV line bay. The Wray Substation would require a new 230-kV ring bus configuration with three new 230-kV circuit breakers. The overall purpose of the proposed Project is to alleviate transmission systems limitations in eastern Colorado, E:\FR\FM\09DEN1.SGM 09DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 236 / Monday, December 9, 2013 / Notices maindgalligan on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES improve Tri-State’s ability to dispatch generation resources in eastern Colorado, and to improve Tri-State’s ability to deliver energy to native load customers. Specifically, the proposed Project would remedy the following existing system deficiencies: (1) The Burlington-Wray 115-kV transmission line limits Tri-States ability to dispatch existing Limon and Burlington generation resources; (2) Operating restrictions have been placed on the new 51 megawatt (MW) Kit Carson Windpower Project limit due to thermal limitations on the 115-kV transmission line; and (3) Thermal limits on the 115kV line restrict present and future deliverability of power from Tri-State generation resources (on the north side of the bottleneck) to serve Tri-State’s electric load in southeastern Colorado (on the other side of the bottleneck). An EA that describes the proposed Project in detail and discusses its anticipated environmental impacts has been prepared by Tri-State and Tetra Tech. RUS has reviewed and accepted the document as its EA for the proposed Project. Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the mailing or email addresses provided in this Notice. RUS should receive comments on the EA in writing by January 8, 2014 to ensure that they are considered in its environmental impact determination. Should RUS, based on the EA, determine that the impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed Project would not have a significant environmental impact; it will prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact. Public notification of a Finding of No Significant Impact would be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers with circulation in the proposal area. Any final action by RUS related to the proposed Project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal, State and local environmental laws and regulations, and completion of the environmental review requirements as prescribed in RUS’s Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794). Dated: November 22, 2013. Mark S. Plank, Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities Service. [FR Doc. 2013–29269 Filed 12–6–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–15–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:03 Dec 06, 2013 Jkt 232001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B–103–2013] Foreign-Trade Zone 62—Brownsville, Texas; Application for Reorganization Under Alternative Site Framework An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board by the Brownsville Navigation District, grantee of FTZ 62, requesting authority to reorganize the zone under the alternative site framework (ASF) adopted by the FTZ Board (15 CFR 400.2(c)). The ASF is an option for grantees for the establishment or reorganization of zones and can permit significantly greater flexibility in the designation of new subzones or ‘‘usagedriven’’ FTZ sites for operators/users located within a grantee’s ‘‘service area’’ in the context of the FTZ Board’s standard 2,000-acre activation limit for a zone. The application was submitted pursuant to the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u), and the regulations of the Board (15 CFR part 400). It was formally docketed on December 4, 2013. FTZ 62 was approved by the FTZ Board on October 20, 1980 (Board Order 166, 45 FR 71638, 10/29/1980), and expanded on September 30, 1983 (Board Order 226, 48 FR 45814, 10/7/1983), on October 24, 1989 (Board Order 444, 54 FR 46098, 11/1/1989), and on August 21, 2003 (Board Order 1288, 68 FR 52385–52386, 9/3/2003). The current zone includes the following sites: Site 1 (18,938 acres)— Brownsville Navigation District Port Complex and the NAFTA Industrial Park located at 6984 N. FM 511 in Brownsville; Site 2 (203 acres, 3 parcels)—Valley International Airport located on Rio Hondo Road in Harlingen; Site 3 (116 acres, 3 parcels)— Harlingen Industrial Park located at FM 106 and FM 1595 in Harlingen; and, Site 4 (758 acres, 4 parcels)—FINSA Industrial Park, 1101 Joaquin Cavazos Road, Los Indios. The grantee’s proposed service area under the ASF would be Cameron County, Texas, as described in the application. If approved, the grantee would be able to serve sites throughout the service area based on companies’ needs for FTZ designation. The proposed service area is within and adjacent to the Brownsville Customs and Border Protection port of entry. The applicant is requesting authority to reorganize its existing zone under the ASF as follows: Renumber a 71-acre portion of Site 1 as Site 5; and, Sites 1 thru 5 would become ‘‘magnet’’ sites. PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 73823 The ASF allows for the possible exemption of one magnet site from the ‘‘sunset’’ time limits that generally apply to sites under the ASF, and the applicant proposes that Site 1 as renumbered be so exempted. No subzones or usage-driven sites are being requested at this time. In accordance with the FTZ Board’s regulations, Camille Evans of the FTZ Staff is designated examiner to evaluate and analyze the facts and information presented in the application and case record and to report findings and recommendations to the FTZ Board. Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions shall be addressed to the FTZ Board’s Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is February 7, 2014. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period to February 24, 2014. A copy of the application will be available for public inspection at the Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 21013, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230–0002, and in the ‘‘Reading Room’’ section of the FTZ Board’s Web site, which is accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz. For further information, contact Camille Evans at Camille.Evans@trade.gov or (202) 482– 2350. Dated: December 4, 2013. Andrew McGilvray, Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–29326 Filed 12–6–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B–75–2013] Subzone 38E, Authorization of Limited Production Activity, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., (Power Tools), Fort Mill, SC On July 19, 2013, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. submitted a notification of proposed production activity to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board for its facility within Subzone 38E, in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The notification was processed in accordance with the regulations of the FTZ Board (15 CFR part 400), including notice in the Federal Register inviting public comment (78 FR 45911–45912, 7–30–2013). The FTZ Board has determined that further review of part of the proposed activity is warranted at E:\FR\FM\09DEN1.SGM 09DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73822-73823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29269]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.: Notice 
of Availability of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment.

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

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, has issued an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality's 
(CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and 
RUS's Environmental and Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794) in 
connection with potential impacts related to a proposal by Tri-State 
Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) with 
headquarters in Westminster, Colorado. The proposal consists of the 
construction of approximately 72 miles of 230 kilovolt (kV) 
transmission line in eastern Colorado between the Burlington Substation 
(located in Kit Carson County) and the Wray Substation (located in Yuma 
County) (proposed Project). Tri-State is requesting financial 
assistance from RUS for the construction of the proposed Project.
    RUS is considering funding the proposed Project, thereby making it 
an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 16 U.S.C. 470(f), and its 
implementing regulation, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 
part 800). To meet its responsibilities under Section 106, RUS must 
take into account the effect of the proposed Project on historic 
properties; i.e., buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts 
which are listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of 
Historic Places (NRHP). RUS has coordinated its compliance with Section 
106 with the steps taken to comply with NEPA and its environmental 
policies and procedures. Accordingly, this EA also documents the manner 
in which RUS has met its responsibilities to take into account effects 
to historic properties. RUS has determined that the proposed project 
will have no adverse effects to historic properties listed on or 
eligible for listing on the NRHP.

DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received on or before 
January 8, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA will be available for public review at the 
Agency's Web site: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-EA-Burlington-Wray.html., at Tri-State's Web site: https://www.tristategt.org/Transmission/Burlington-Wray.cfm, and at the following repositories:

           Table 5--FY 2013 Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Building location                 Address             Phone
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wray Public Library...............  621 Blake Street        970-332-4744
                                     Wray, CO 80758.
Burlington Public Library.........  321 14th Street         719-346-8109
                                     Burlington, CO
                                     90907.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the EA or for 
further information, contact Mr. Dennis Rankin, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, USDA/RUS, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2244-
S, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, or email: 
dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tri-State proposes to construct a single-
circuit 230-kV line approximately 72 miles in length between the 
Burlington Substation (located in Kit Carson County) and the Wray 
Substation (located in Yuma County). The Burlington Substation would be 
expanded from the existing two breaker arrangement to a three breaker 
ring bus arrangement to allow for the new 230-kV line bay. The Wray 
Substation would require a new 230-kV ring bus configuration with three 
new 230-kV circuit breakers.
    The overall purpose of the proposed Project is to alleviate 
transmission systems limitations in eastern Colorado,

[[Page 73823]]

improve Tri-State's ability to dispatch generation resources in eastern 
Colorado, and to improve Tri-State's ability to deliver energy to 
native load customers. Specifically, the proposed Project would remedy 
the following existing system deficiencies: (1) The Burlington-Wray 
115-kV transmission line limits Tri-States ability to dispatch existing 
Limon and Burlington generation resources; (2) Operating restrictions 
have been placed on the new 51 megawatt (MW) Kit Carson Windpower 
Project limit due to thermal limitations on the 115-kV transmission 
line; and (3) Thermal limits on the 115-kV line restrict present and 
future deliverability of power from Tri-State generation resources (on 
the north side of the bottleneck) to serve Tri-State's electric load in 
southeastern Colorado (on the other side of the bottleneck).
    An EA that describes the proposed Project in detail and discusses 
its anticipated environmental impacts has been prepared by Tri-State 
and Tetra Tech. RUS has reviewed and accepted the document as its EA 
for the proposed Project.
    Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the mailing or 
email addresses provided in this Notice. RUS should receive comments on 
the EA in writing by January 8, 2014 to ensure that they are considered 
in its environmental impact determination. Should RUS, based on the EA, 
determine that the impacts of the construction and operation of the 
proposed Project would not have a significant environmental impact; it 
will prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact. Public notification of 
a Finding of No Significant Impact would be published in the Federal 
Register and in newspapers with circulation in the proposal area.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed Project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal, 
State and local environmental laws and regulations, and completion of 
the environmental review requirements as prescribed in RUS's 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794).

    Dated: November 22, 2013.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-29269 Filed 12-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
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