Energy Answers Arecibo, LLC: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of a Public Meeting, 47452-47453 [2015-19455]

Download as PDF 47452 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 152 / Friday, August 7, 2015 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Energy Answers Arecibo, LLC: 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: ACTION: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Energy Answers Arecibo, LLC’s (Energy Answers) proposed Waste to Energy Project (Project) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. RUS is issuing the Draft EIS to inform interested parties and the general public about the proposed Project and to invite the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues addressed in the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of Energy Answers’ proposed Project, a waste-to-energy generation and resource recovery facility in the Cambalache Ward of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. RUS prepared the EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality’s Regulation for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), and RUS’s Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). RUS will hold a public hearing to receive oral comments on the Draft EIS. DATES: The public comment period on the Draft EIS will be announced in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) EIS receipt notice, which will be published in the Federal Register. RUS will consider all substantive written comments on the Draft EIS received or postmarked by that date. Agencies, interested parties, and the general public are invited to submit comments on the Draft EIS at any time during the public comment period. A public hearing also is scheduled for August 20, 2015 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Arecibo Country Club in Arecibo, 00612, Puerto Rico. Oral comments submitted during the hearing will be restricted to a specified time frame to ensure that all interested parties have the opportunity to speak. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for registration; RUS will receive oral comments immediately following a short presentation at 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Arecibo Country Club in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 00612. Copies of tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Aug 06, 2015 Jkt 235001 the Draft EIS will be available for public viewing at the Arecibo Public Library (Nicolas Nabal Barreto), located at: 210 Santiago Iglesias Pantin Ave., Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00612. Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list or those wishing to participate more directly with RUS as a ‘‘consulting party’’ in Section 106 review may submit a written request to: Ms. Lauren McGee Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, telephone: (202) 695– 2540, fax: (202) 690–0649, or email: Lauren.McGee@wdc.usda.gov. For information on the proposed Project and the Draft EIS process, please contact Ms. Lauren McGee Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, telephone: (202) 695– 2540, fax: (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 EIS should also contact Ms. Rayburn. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Energy Answers plans to request financial assistance for the proposed Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS’s requirements in processing Energy Answers’ pending application, along with other technical and financial considerations. Energy Answers proposes to a construct a waste to energy generation and resource recovery facility in the Cambalache Ward of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The proposed facility would process approximately 2100 tons of municipal waste per day and generate a net capacity of 77 megawatts (MW). The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority will purchase power generated from the facility. The preferred location of the facility is the site of a former paper mill and would cover approximately 79.6 acres of the 90-acre parcel. The proposal would include the following facility components: A municipal solid waste receiving and processing building; processed refuse fuel storage building; boiler and steam turbine; emission control system; ash processing and storage building; and other associated infrastructure and buildings. Two other connected actions, which would be constructed by other utilities, include installation of an approximately 2.0mile raw water line and construction of a 38 kilovolt (kV) transmission line approximately 0.8 miles in length. The connected actions will be addressed in the proposed Project’s EIS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 In accordance with 7 CFR 1794.74 and 40 CFR 1502.21, RUS incorporates by reference the environmental impact analyses and associated documentation prepared by the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) and the USEPA where appropriate. PRIDCO served as a lead agency in preparing an EIS under the Puerto Rico Environmental Public Policy Act, Article 4(B)(3), Law No. 416 (September 22, 2004). The USEPA completed air quality analyses and issued a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit for the proposed Project on June 11, 2013. As applicable, the EIS will document changes in the affected environment and environmental consequences that may have changed since issuance of the PRIDCO-EIS and USEPA PSD permit. 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 draft EIS 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. The Draft EIS is available in both Spanish and English for review at the following Web site: https:// www.rd.usda.gov/publications/ environmental-studies/impactstatements/arecibo-waste-energygeneration-and-resource. The Draft EIS will be available for review and comment for 45 days after the USEPA’s EIS receipt notice in the Federal Register. Following this review period, RUS may prepare a Final EIS. After a 30-day review period of the Final EIS, E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 152 / Friday, August 7, 2015 / Notices RUS may publish a Record of Decision (ROD). Notices announcing the availability of the Final EIS and ROD will be published in the Federal Register and in local newspapers. Any final action by RUS related to the proposed Project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant presidential executive orders and federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations in addition to the completion of the environmental review requirements as prescribed in RUS’s Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR part 1794, as amended. Christopher A. Mclean, Assistant Administrator—Electric Programs, Rural Utilities Service. [FR Doc. 2015–19455 Filed 8–6–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Notice of Public Meeting of the Arizona Advisory Committee To Receive Information From Police Agencies and Persons Involved in the Administration of Justice Regarding Police Community Relations U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Announcement of meeting. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) that a meeting of the Arizona Advisory Committee (Committee) to the Commission will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. The purpose of the meeting is for the Committee to hear from police agencies and persons involved in the administration of justice regarding police community relations. The meeting will be held at the Native American Connections, 4520 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012. It is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and adjourn at approximately 5:00 p.m. Members of the public are entitled to make comments in the open period at the end of the meeting. Members of the public may also submit written comments. The comments must be received in the Western Regional Office of the Commission by September 25, 2015. The address is Western Regional Office, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 300 N. Los Angeles Street, Suite 2010, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Persons wishing to email their comments may do so by sending them to Peter Minarik, Regional Director, Western Regional Office, at tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Aug 06, 2015 Jkt 235001 pminarik@usccr.gov. Persons who desire additional information should contact the Western Regional Office, at (213) 894–3437, (or for hearing impaired TDD 913–551–1414), or by email to pminarik@usccr.gov. Hearing-impaired persons who will attend the meeting and require the services of a sign language interpreter should contact the Regional Office at least ten (10) working days before the scheduled date of the meeting. Records and documents discussed during the meeting will be available for public viewing prior to and after the meeting at https://facadatabase.gov/ committee/meetings.aspx?cid=235 and clicking on the ‘‘Meeting Details’’ and ‘‘Documents’’ links. Records generated from this meeting may also be inspected and reproduced at the Western Regional Office, as they become available, both before and after the meeting. Persons interested in the work of this Committee are directed to the Commission’s Web site, https://www.usccr.gov, or may contact the Western Regional Office at the above email or street address. Agenda: Presentations by local police agencies Presentations by persons and organizations involved in the administration of justice Open Comment Adjournment DATES: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST. ADDRESSES: Native American Connections, 4520 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Minarik, DFO, at (213) 894–3437 or pminarik@usccr.gov. Dated: August 3, 2015. David Mussatt, Chief, Regional Programs Coordination Unit. [FR Doc. 2015–19403 Filed 8–6–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6335–0–1P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Sunshine Act Meeting Notice United States Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Notice of Commission Business Meeting. AGENCY: Date and Time: Friday, August 14, 2015; 10:00 a.m. EST. ADDRESSES: Place: 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Suite 1150, Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lenore Ostrowsky, Acting Chief, Public Affairs Unit (202) 376–8591. Hearing-impaired persons who will attend the briefing and require the DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 47453 services of a sign language interpreter should contact Pamela Dunston at (202) 376–8105 or at signlanguage@usccr.gov at least seven business days before the scheduled date of the meeting. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting Agenda This meeting is open to the public. I. Approval of Agenda II. Program Planning • Budget Status • OCRE Contractor Update • Discussion and vote on 2015 Statutory Enforcement Report on The State of Civil Rights at Immigration Detention Facilities, Part A and B • Discussion and vote on part A of Peaceful Coexistence report • Discussion and vote on two topics for 2016 Commission reports • Discussion and vote on dates for Future Commission Business Meetings III. Management and Operations • Staff Director Report • Reports by SAC Chairs for Nevada and Illinois IV. State Advisory Committee (SAC) Appointments • Illinois • Maryland • South Dakota • Tennessee • Wisconsin V. Adjourn Meeting Dated: August 4, 2015. David Mussatt, Chief, Regional Programs Unit, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. [FR Doc. 2015–19541 Filed 8–5–15; 11:15 am] BILLING CODE P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Notice of Public Meeting of the Arizona Advisory Committee To Receive Opinion and Perspective From Members of the Community Regarding Crime Reduction, Police Training, and Police Community Relations U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Announcement of meeting. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) that a meeting of the Arizona Advisory Committee (Committee) to the Commission will be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2015. The purpose of the meeting is for the Committee to receive opinion and SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 152 (Friday, August 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47452-47453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19455]



[[Page 47452]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Energy Answers Arecibo, LLC: 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 (EIS) for Energy Answers Arecibo, LLC's (Energy 
Answers) proposed Waste to Energy Project (Project) in Arecibo, Puerto 
Rico. RUS is issuing the Draft EIS to inform interested parties and the 
general public about the proposed Project and to invite the public to 
comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues addressed in 
the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS addresses the construction, operation, and 
maintenance of Energy Answers' proposed Project, a waste-to-energy 
generation and resource recovery facility in the Cambalache Ward of 
Arecibo, Puerto Rico. RUS prepared the EIS in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, the Council on 
Environmental Quality's Regulation for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and RUS's 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). RUS will hold 
a public hearing to receive oral comments on the Draft EIS.

DATES: The public comment period on the Draft EIS will be announced in 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) EIS receipt notice, 
which will be published in the Federal Register. RUS will consider all 
substantive written comments on the Draft EIS received or postmarked by 
that date. Agencies, interested parties, and the general public are 
invited to submit comments on the Draft EIS at any time during the 
public comment period. A public hearing also is scheduled for August 
20, 2015 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Arecibo Country Club in Arecibo, 
00612, Puerto Rico. Oral comments submitted during the hearing will be 
restricted to a specified time frame to ensure that all interested 
parties have the opportunity to speak. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for 
registration; RUS will receive oral comments immediately following a 
short presentation at 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Arecibo Country Club 
in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 00612. Copies of the Draft EIS will be 
available for public viewing at the Arecibo Public Library (Nicolas 
Nabal Barreto), located at: 210 Santiago Iglesias Pantin Ave., Arecibo, 
Puerto Rico 00612. Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing 
list or those wishing to participate more directly with RUS as a 
``consulting party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request 
to: Ms. Lauren McGee Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities 
Service, 84 Coxe Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, 
telephone: (202) 695-2540, fax: (202) 690-0649, or email: 
Lauren.McGee@wdc.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed 
Project and the Draft EIS process, please contact Ms. Lauren McGee 
Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe 
Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, telephone: (202) 695-
2540, fax: (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 EIS should also contact Ms. Rayburn.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Energy Answers plans to request financial 
assistance for the proposed Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one 
of RUS's requirements in processing Energy Answers' pending 
application, along with other technical and financial considerations. 
Energy Answers proposes to a construct a waste to energy generation and 
resource recovery facility in the Cambalache Ward of Arecibo, Puerto 
Rico. The proposed facility would process approximately 2100 tons of 
municipal waste per day and generate a net capacity of 77 megawatts 
(MW). The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority will purchase power 
generated from the facility. The preferred location of the facility is 
the site of a former paper mill and would cover approximately 79.6 
acres of the 90-acre parcel. The proposal would include the following 
facility components: A municipal solid waste receiving and processing 
building; processed refuse fuel storage building; boiler and steam 
turbine; emission control system; ash processing and storage building; 
and other associated infrastructure and buildings. Two other connected 
actions, which would be constructed by other utilities, include 
installation of an approximately 2.0-mile raw water line and 
construction of a 38 kilovolt (kV) transmission line approximately 0.8 
miles in length. The connected actions will be addressed in the 
proposed Project's EIS.
    In accordance with 7 CFR 1794.74 and 40 CFR 1502.21, RUS 
incorporates by reference the environmental impact analyses and 
associated documentation prepared by the Puerto Rico Industrial 
Development Company (PRIDCO) and the USEPA where appropriate. PRIDCO 
served as a lead agency in preparing an EIS under the Puerto Rico 
Environmental Public Policy Act, Article 4(B)(3), Law No. 416 
(September 22, 2004). The USEPA completed air quality analyses and 
issued a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit for the 
proposed Project on June 11, 2013. As applicable, the EIS will document 
changes in the affected environment and environmental consequences that 
may have changed since issuance of the PRIDCO-EIS and USEPA PSD permit.
    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 draft EIS 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.
    The Draft EIS is available in both Spanish and English for review 
at the following Web site: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/impact-statements/arecibo-waste-energy-generation-and-resource. The Draft EIS will be available for review and 
comment for 45 days after the USEPA's EIS receipt notice in the Federal 
Register. Following this review period, RUS may prepare a Final EIS. 
After a 30-day review period of the Final EIS,

[[Page 47453]]

RUS may publish a Record of Decision (ROD). Notices announcing the 
availability of the Final EIS and ROD will be published in the Federal 
Register and in local newspapers.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed Project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant 
presidential executive orders and federal, state, and local 
environmental laws and regulations in addition to the completion of the 
environmental review requirements as prescribed in RUS's Environmental 
Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR part 1794, as amended.

Christopher A. Mclean,
Assistant Administrator--Electric Programs, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-19455 Filed 8-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P

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