Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota; Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming; Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Transmission 230 kV Project, 77644-77645 [2013-30665]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77644-77645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30665]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota; Thunder Basin National 
Grassland, Wyoming; Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Transmission 230 kV Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Corrected Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) on a proposal by Black Hills Power (BHP) to construct 
and operate a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Teckla 
and Osage Substations in northeastern Wyoming to the Lange Substation 
in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a 
cooperating agency on this EIS. The Teckla-Osage-Rapid City 
Transmission 230 kV Project would be approximately 150 miles long. It 
would cross portions of the Black Hills National Forest and private 
lands in South Dakota and portions of the Thunder Basin National 
Grasslands, private lands, BLM lands, and state lands in Wyoming. The 
line would be constructed on wood or steel H-frame structures for most 
of its length with possibly some steel monopole structures in the Rapid 
City area. The structures would be 65 to 75 feet tall and the line 
would require a right-of-way approximately 125 feet wide.
    This corrected notice of intent (corrected NOI) updates information 
in

[[Page 77645]]

the original notice, published in the Federal Register August 26, 2011 
(76FR53400). A corrected notice was needed to update the timing 
information for the Draft and Final EISs, and to clarify the mailing 
address for comments. Also, this project analysis is being conducted 
under the authority of the Forest Service predecisional objection 
regulation at 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B, issued in the Federal 
Register on March 27, 2013 (78FR18481).

DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be 
available for public review in December 2013 and the final 
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by August 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ruth Esperance, District Ranger, 
Mystic Ranger District, Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Project, 8221 South 
Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702;. Send comments via email to 
comments-rocky-mountain-black-hills-mystic@fs.fed.us with ``Teckla-
Osage-Rapid City Transmission Line'' as the subject. Electronic 
comments must be readable in Word, Rich Text or PDF formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Those with questions or needing 
additional information should contact Jessica Eggers at the Mystic 
Ranger District office in Rapid City at (605) 343-1567, or Geri Proctor 
at the Thunder Basin National Grasslands in Douglas, WY at (307) 358-
4690. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response 
to an application submitted to the Black Hills National Forest and 
Thunder Basin National Grassland by Black Hills Power (BHP) to 
construct and operate a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the 
Teckla and Osage Substations in northeast Wyoming and the Lange 
Substation in Rapid City, South Dakota. The project area covers parts 
of Campbell and Weston Counties in Wyoming, and Pennington, Meade, and 
Lawrence Counties in South Dakota.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Transmission Project is 
to:

 Strengthen the regional transmission network
 Improve the reliability of the transmission system
 Provide additional transmission capacity to help meet the 
growing demand for electricity and economic development in the region

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to construct the Teckla-Osage-Rapid City 230 
kV transmission line as described below:

 Approximately 135 miles of transmission line
 Require a 125 foot right-of-way
 Construction of wood or steel H-frame structures 65-75 feet in 
height.

    This proposal also includes specific actions needed for interim and 
final reclamation.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Bureau of Land Management is a cooperating agency on this EIS.

Responsible Officials

    For the Forest Service: Craig Bobzien, Forest Supervisor, Black 
Hills National Forest, 1019 N. 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730; and 
Carolyn P. Upton, Deputy Forest Supervisor, Medicine Bow--Routt 
National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland, 2468 Jackson 
Street, Laramie, WY 82070. For the Bureau of Land Management: Stephanie 
Connolly, District Manager, BLM Wyoming High Plains District, 2987 
Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Supervisors and BLM District Manager will decide whether 
the proposed action will proceed as proposed or as modified by an 
alternative; which recommended mitigation measures and monitoring 
requirements will be applied; and whether an Amendment to a forest plan 
or resource management plan is required.

Issues

    Prior to scoping the preliminary issues included effects of the 
project on plants and wildlife including sensitive species such as sage 
grouse, goshawks, and other raptors; archaeological sites; hydrology 
and water quality; and scenic integrity and visual resources. Public 
scoping and analysis of comments has allowed the Forest Service and BLM 
to clarify the list of key issues. While the EIS will analyze effects 
of the alternatives on archaeological sites, hydrology and water 
quality, these topics are not expected to drive the formulation of 
alternatives and thus will not be listed as key issues. Those issue 
topics which will drive alternatives include effects of the project on 
wildlife including sensitive species such as sage grouse, goshawks, and 
other raptors; wetlands and vegetation communities; scenic integrity 
and visual resources; private property including values and electricity 
rates; existing and future motorized recreation trail opportunities; 
existing forest vegetation (tree removal); and public health as 
affected by electromagnetic fields.

Scoping Process and Next Steps

    The original notice of intent initiated the scoping process, which 
guides the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments 
and input regarding the proposal were received from the public, other 
groups, and agencies during the initial public comment period through 
October 28, 2011. Public meetings were held at the Hell Canyon Ranger 
District Office, 1225 Washington Boulevard in Newcastle, WY; and the 
Mystic Ranger District office, 8221 South Highway 16 in Rapid City, SD. 
The agencies read and considered all comments, refined the list of 
issues, and developed one additional alternative to the proposed 
action, and analyzed the effects of all alternatives. The Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is expected to be issued in 
December 2013. The public will be invited to review the DEIS and 
respond with comment during a 45-day comment period. The agencies 
expect to host one or more public meetings after the DEIS is issued, 
with the time(s) and place(s) yet to be determined. Public comment will 
be reviewed and appropriate changes will be documented in the Final 
EIS, which is expected to be issued in August 2014.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of any comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to a solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered, however, anonymous comments may not provide 
eligibility to participate in the predecisional objection process.

    Dated: December 17, 2013.
Dennis L. Jaeger,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2013-30665 Filed 12-23-13; 8:45 am]
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