Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of a Public Meeting, 30805-30806 [2014-12454]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 103 / Thursday, May 29, 2014 / Notices
(2) Grazing on Black Hills National
Forest—Program Overview/
Coordination;
(3) 50th Anniversary Wilderness
Celebration—Significance and Plans;
(4) Sheridan Lake Valve Update;
(5) Plan August Field Trip; and
(6) Prepare for September Elections
The meeting is open to the public.
The agenda will include time for people
to make oral statements of three minutes
or less. Individuals wishing to make an
oral statement should submit a request
in writing by June 9, 2014 to be
scheduled on the agenda. Anyone who
would like to bring related matters to
the attention of the Board may file
written statements with the Board’s staff
before or after the meeting. Written
comments and time requests for oral
comments must be sent to Scott
Jacobson, Black Hills National Forest
Supervisor’s Office, 1019 North Fifth
Street, Custer, South Dakota 57730; by
email to sjjacobson@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 605–673–9208. A summary/
minutes of the meeting will be posted
on the Web site listed above within 45
days after the meeting.
Meeting Accommodations: If you are
a person requiring reasonable
accommodation, please make requests
in advance for sign language
interpreting, assistive listening devices
or other reasonable accommodation for
access to the facility or proceedings by
contacting the person listed in the
section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. All reasonable
accommodation requests are managed
on a case by case basis.
Dated: May 19, 2014.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014–12413 Filed 5–28–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Central Electric Power Cooperative,
Inc.: Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and
Notice of a Public Meeting
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has
issued a draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS) for Central Electric
Power Cooperative’s (Central Electric)
proposed McClellanville 115-kV
Transmission Project (Project) in South
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:19 May 28, 2014
Jkt 232001
Carolina. RUS is issuing the DEIS to
inform the public and interested parties
about the proposed Project and to invite
the public to comment on the scope,
proposed action, and other issues
addressed in the DEIS.
The DEIS addresses the construction,
operation, and maintenance of Central
Electric’s proposed Project. The Project
includes construction, operation, and
maintenance of approximately 15–20
miles of new 115-kV transmission line,
1 new substation, temporary
construction roads, river crossings,
temporary construction staging sites,
and other facilities described in the
DEIS. The overall project area
encompasses parts of Georgetown and
Charleston counties in coastal South
Carolina.
Portions of Central Electric’s proposed
routes may affect floodplains, wetlands,
cultural, historical and paleontological
resources. Once a final right-of-way
(ROW) is selected within the preferred
route, coordination with the federal and
state agencies and other interested
parties would occur to identify, evaluate
and if needed mitigate any adverse
effects. RUS will hold a public hearing
meeting to share information and
receive comments on the DEIS.
DATES: The public comment period on
the DEIS starts with the publication of
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s environmental impact
statement (EIS) receipt notice in the
Federal Register and will continue for
45 days. RUS will consider all
substantive written comments on the
DEIS received or postmarked by that
date. Agencies, interested parties, and
the public are invited to submit
comments on the DEIS at any time
during the public comment period. An
open house public hearing is scheduled
for June 3, 2014. The time and location
of the meeting will be well-advertised in
local media outlets a minimum of 15
days prior to the time of the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the proposed Project, the
DEIS process, and RUS financing,
contact Ms. Lauren McGee Rayburn,
Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities
Service, 84 Coxe Ave., Suite 1E,
Ashville, North Carolina 28801,
Telephone: (202) 695–2540, Facsimile:
(202) 690–0649, or email:
Lauren.McGee@wdc.usda.gov. Parties
wishing to be placed on the Project
mailing list for future information and
to receive copies of the DEIS and the
Final EIS when available should also
contact Ms. McGee Rayburn.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is
authorized to make loans and loan
guarantees that finance the construction
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
30805
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. Central
Electric is an electric transmission
cooperative that provides transmission
service from the bulk transmission
system to South Carolina’s 20 retail
electric cooperatives. Berkeley Electric,
a member distribution electric
cooperative of Central Electric, was
formed in 1940 to bring electric service
to rural areas of coastal South Carolina.
Berkeley Electric owns and operates
more than 5,000 miles of distribution
line serving more than 80,000 accounts
in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester
counties.
Project Description: Central Electric
has identified the need for additional
electric transmission capacity in coastal
South Carolina 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 and power outages.
To resolve these issues, Central
Electric is proposing to construct, own
and operate a new 115-kV transmission
line and associated supporting
infrastructure. The entire Project will
consist of constructing approximately
15–20 miles of new single circuit 115kV, the construction of 1 new
substation, improvements to temporary
off-ROW construction roads, river
crossings, and a single, temporary, 5-to
10-acre construction staging site. The
proposed Project would connect from
either the Belle Isle Substation or at a
tap point on the Winyah-Belle Isle 115
kV transmission line to McClellanville.
The proposed Project would be located
in portions of Georgetown and
Charleston counties in coastal South
Carolina and considers six possible
Alternative Routes for the transmission
line.
Central Electric has requested
financial assistance for the proposed
Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is
one of RUS’s requirements in processing
Central Electric’s application, along
with other technical and financial
considerations. In accordance with 40
CFR 1501.5(b) of the Council on
Environmental Quality’s (CEQ)
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.
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
30806
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 103 / Thursday, May 29, 2014 / Notices
RUS has prepared a DEIS and intends
to issue a 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 Regulation for
Implementing the Procedural Provisions
of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508)
and RUS Environmental Policies and
Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).
Because the proposed Project may
involve action in floodplains or
wetlands, this Notice also serves as a
notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The DEIS will include
a floodplain/wetland assessment and, if
required, a floodplain/wetland
statement of findings will be issued
with the Final EIS.
RUS has determined that its action
regarding the proposed Project would be
an undertaking subject to review under
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 and its
implementing regulations, ‘‘Protection
of Historic Properties’’ (36 CFR Part
800). As part of its broad environmental
review process, RUS must take into
account the effect of the proposed
Project on historic properties in
accordance with Section 106. Pursuant
to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), RUS is using its
procedures for public involvement
under NEPA to meet its responsibilities
to solicit and consider the views of the
public during Section 106 review.
Accordingly, comments submitted in
response to this Notice will inform RUS
decision-making in its Section 106
review process. Any party wishing to
participate more directly with RUS as a
‘‘consulting party’’ in Section 106
review may submit a written request to
the RUS contact provided in this Notice.
Agency Responsibilities: RUS is
serving as the lead Federal agency, as
defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for
preparation of the DEIS. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest
Service are participating as cooperating
agencies and will be issuing decisions
relevant to the project under separate
authorities. RUS is also serving as the
lead Federal agency for the Section 106
and Section 7 review processes.
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; consultation and
involvement with appropriate Federal,
State, local, and tribal governments. In
addition, a 45-day review/comment
period of the DEIS, with an open house
public hearing is scheduled on June 3,
2014. The time and location of the
meeting will be well-advertised in local
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:19 May 28, 2014
Jkt 232001
media outlets a minimum of 15 days
prior to the time of the meeting.
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, or
email. The process will be followed by
publication of a Final EIS and
publication of a Record of Decision. The
expected environmental project review
completion date is expected to be spring
2015.
Dated: May 6, 2014.
James F. Elliot,
Acting Assistant Administrator—Electric
Programs, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–12454 Filed 5–28–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
U.S. Census Bureau
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Annual Wholesale
Trade Survey
U.S. Census Bureau,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: To ensure consideration, written
comments must be submitted on or
before July 28, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at jjessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument(s) and instructions should
be directed to Bill Abriatis, U.S. Census
Bureau, Room 8K081, Washington, DC
20233–6500, (301) 763–3686, (or via the
Internet at william.m.abriatis@
census.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Abstract
The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
(AWTS) covers employer firms with
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
establishments located in the United
States and classified in the wholesale
trade and/or Manufacturers’ Sales
Branches and Offices and Agents,
Brokers, Representatives, and Electronic
Markets sectors as defined by the North
American Industry Classification
System (NAICS).
Firms are selected for this survey
using a stratified random sample where
strata are defined by industry and
annual sales size. The sample,
consisting of wholesale businesses
classified in the Wholesale Trade and/
or Manufacturers Sales Branches and
Offices and Agents, Brokers,
Representatives and Markets sector as
defined by the 2007 North American
Industry Classification Systems
(NAICS), is drawn from the Business
Register (BR). The BR is the Census
Bureau’s master business list and
contains basic economic information for
over 7.4 million employers businesses
and over 22.5 million nonemployer
businesses. The BR obtains information
through direct data collections and
administrative record information from
federal agencies. The sample is updated
quarterly to reflect employer business
‘‘births’’ and ‘‘deaths’’ by adding new
employer businesses identified in the
Business and Professional Classification
Survey and deleting firms and EINs
when it is determined they are no longer
active.
The survey request firms to provide
annual sales, annual e-commerce sales,
year-end inventories held inside and
outside the United States, total
operating expenses, purchases, and, for
selected industries, commissions, and
sales on their own account. These data
are used to satisfy a variety of public
and business needs such as economic
market analysis, company performance,
and forecasting future demands. Results
will be available, at the United States
summary level, for selected wholesale
trade, and/or manufacturers’ sales
branches and offices and agents,
brokers, representatives and electronic
markets, industries approximately
fifteen months after the end of the
reference year.
Every 5 years, AWTS requests data on
detailed operating expenses. During the
next three years, detailed operating
expenses will not be collected. The last
time AWTS collected detailed operating
expenses was in 2013 for the 2012
survey year. The plan is to reinstate
these questions in 2018 as part of the
2017 AWTS data collection.
II. Method of Collection
We collect this information by
Internet, fax, mail, and telephone.
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30805-30806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12454]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability
of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of a Public
Meeting
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS) for Central Electric Power Cooperative's
(Central Electric) proposed McClellanville 115-kV Transmission Project
(Project) in South Carolina. RUS is issuing the DEIS to inform the
public and interested parties about the proposed Project and to invite
the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues
addressed in the DEIS.
The DEIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of
Central Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes construction,
operation, and maintenance of approximately 15-20 miles of new 115-kV
transmission line, 1 new substation, temporary construction roads,
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other
facilities described in the DEIS. The overall project area encompasses
parts of Georgetown and Charleston counties in coastal South Carolina.
Portions of Central Electric's proposed routes may affect
floodplains, wetlands, cultural, historical and paleontological
resources. Once a final right-of-way (ROW) is selected within the
preferred route, coordination with the federal and state agencies and
other interested parties would occur to identify, evaluate and if
needed mitigate any adverse effects. RUS will hold a public hearing
meeting to share information and receive comments on the DEIS.
DATES: The public comment period on the DEIS starts with the
publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's environmental
impact statement (EIS) receipt notice in the Federal Register and will
continue for 45 days. RUS will consider all substantive written
comments on the DEIS received or postmarked by that date. Agencies,
interested parties, and the public are invited to submit comments on
the DEIS at any time during the public comment period. An open house
public hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2014. The time and location of
the meeting will be well-advertised in local media outlets a minimum of
15 days prior to the time of the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
Project, the DEIS process, and RUS financing, contact Ms. Lauren McGee
Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe
Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, Telephone: (202) 695-
2540, Facsimile: (202) 690-0649, or email: Lauren.McGee@wdc.usda.gov.
Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list for future
information and to receive copies of the DEIS and the Final EIS when
available should also contact Ms. McGee Rayburn.
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. Central
Electric is an electric transmission cooperative that provides
transmission service from the bulk transmission system to South
Carolina's 20 retail electric cooperatives. Berkeley Electric, a member
distribution electric cooperative of Central Electric, was formed in
1940 to bring electric service to rural areas of coastal South
Carolina. Berkeley Electric owns and operates more than 5,000 miles of
distribution line serving more than 80,000 accounts in Berkeley,
Charleston, and Dorchester counties.
Project Description: Central Electric has identified the need for
additional electric transmission capacity in coastal South Carolina 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 and power outages.
To resolve these issues, Central Electric is proposing to
construct, own and operate a new 115-kV transmission line and
associated supporting infrastructure. The entire Project will consist
of constructing approximately 15-20 miles of new single circuit 115-kV,
the construction of 1 new substation, improvements to temporary off-ROW
construction roads, river crossings, and a single, temporary, 5-to 10-
acre construction staging site. The proposed Project would connect from
either the Belle Isle Substation or at a tap point on the Winyah-Belle
Isle 115 kV transmission line to McClellanville. The proposed Project
would be located in portions of Georgetown and Charleston counties in
coastal South Carolina and considers six possible Alternative Routes
for the transmission line.
Central Electric has requested financial assistance for the
proposed Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS's
requirements in processing Central Electric's application, along with
other technical and financial considerations. In accordance with 40 CFR
1501.5(b) of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 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.
[[Page 30806]]
RUS has prepared a DEIS and intends to issue a 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 Regulation for Implementing
the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and RUS
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).
Because the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or
wetlands, this Notice also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The DEIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment
and, if required, a floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be
issued with the Final EIS.
RUS has determined that its action regarding the proposed Project
would be an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 and its implementing
regulations, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 CFR Part 800).
As part of its broad environmental review process, RUS must take into
account the effect of the proposed Project on historic properties in
accordance with Section 106. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), RUS is
using its procedures for public involvement under NEPA to meet its
responsibilities to solicit and consider the views of the public during
Section 106 review. Accordingly, comments submitted in response to this
Notice will inform RUS decision-making in its Section 106 review
process. Any party wishing to participate more directly with RUS as a
``consulting party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request
to the RUS contact provided in this Notice.
Agency Responsibilities: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency,
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the DEIS. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service are participating as
cooperating agencies and will be issuing decisions relevant to the
project under separate authorities. RUS is also serving as the lead
Federal agency for the Section 106 and Section 7 review processes.
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;
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local,
and tribal governments. In addition, a 45-day review/comment period of
the DEIS, with an open house public hearing is scheduled on June 3,
2014. The time and location of the meeting will be well-advertised in
local media outlets a minimum of 15 days prior to the time of the
meeting. 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, or email. The
process will be followed by publication of a Final EIS and publication
of a Record of Decision. The expected environmental project review
completion date is expected to be spring 2015.
Dated: May 6, 2014.
James F. Elliot,
Acting Assistant Administrator--Electric Programs, Rural Utilities
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12454 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P