Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line Project, 56756-56758 [2019-23049]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 205 / Wednesday, October 23, 2019 / Notices
purposes of the standard were updated
to include drainage water as well as
irrigation water. This standard applies
to lands that have a properly designed
and installed irrigation or subsurface
drainage system where recoverable
irrigation runoff, subsurface drainage
outflows, or rainfall runoff are expected
under current or planned management
practices.
Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Code 320):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. The Considerations
section has a new paragraph that
suggests ways the practice can be
implemented that enhances the practice
for pollinators and other beneficial
insects.
Irrigation Ditch Lining (Code 428):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. Updated missing units,
tabular values, and reworded the term
flexible membrane to geosynthetic to
meet current industry standards. Moved
items related to energy use from the
Criteria section to the Considerations
section.
Irrigation Field Ditch (Code 388):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. In addition, a sentence on
spoil disposal was added in the Criteria
section. The Considerations section was
significantly re-written.
Irrigation Reservoir (Code 436):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. Removed energy use
bulleted items from the Purpose section.
Moved items related to energy use from
the Criteria section to the
Considerations section. Also moved
fencing and critical planting from the
Considerations section to the Criteria
section.
Land Clearing (Code 460): Formatting
and writing style were updated to meet
current agency requirements. Relatively
minor changes have been made to
simplify and clarify the definition,
purpose and criteria within the
standard.
Obstruction Removal (Code 500):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. Changes to Purpose and
Conditions where Practice Applies
sections were made to help clarify
standard usage. Changes were made to
help simplify and clarify the Criteria
and Consideration section within the
standards.
Surface Roughening (Code 609):
Formatting and writing style were
updated to meet current agency
requirements. Several paragraphs in the
Considerations section were deleted and
edited for improved clarity. Reference to
the Crop Tolerance Table in the
National Agronomy Manual was added.
Waste Treatment (Code 629): Purpose
revised to improve water quality,
improve air quality resource concerns,
and facilitate waste handling and
storage. Conditions where this practice
applies is on all land uses where
manure and/or agricultural waste is
being generated and where soils,
geology, and topography are suitable for
construction of the waste treatment
system. Criteria sections added to
address system designs outside the
scope of current accepted NRCS
conservation practice standards, waste
stream pretreatment requirements,
byproducts handling and storage, and
required technical review of treatment
performance.
Waterspreading (Code 640): Purpose
statements were also reworded to more
directly relate to the stated resource
concern. In ‘‘Conditions where Practice
Applies’’ the language was simplified
and more clearly explains where
practice may be used. References were
added.
Kevin Norton,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–23111 Filed 10–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv
Transmission Line Project
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of availability of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given that
the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has
prepared a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to meet its
responsibilities under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the Code of Federal Regulations related
to providing financial assistance to
Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) for
its share in the construction of a
proposed 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission
line and associated infrastructure
connecting the Hickory Creek
Substation in Dubuque County, Iowa,
with the Cardinal Substation in the
Town of Middle, Wisconsin (near
Madison, Wisconsin). The Project also
includes a new intermediate 345/138-kV
substation near the Village of Montfort
in either Grant County or Iowa County,
Wisconsin. The total length of the 345kV transmission lines associated with
the proposed project will be
approximately 100 to 125 miles,
depending on the final route. DPC,
along with the two other project
participant utilities, American
Transmission Company LLC, and ITC
Midwest LLC (together the Utilities)
have identified proposed and alternate
segments and locations for transmission
lines and associated facilities and for
the intermediate substation. DPC is
requesting RUS to provide financing for
its portion of the proposed project.
SUMMARY:
Written comments on this Final
EIS will be accepted no later than 30
days following the publication of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
notice of receipt of the Final EIS in the
Federal Register.
DATES:
A copy of the Final EIS may
be viewed online at the following
website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/
publications/environmental-studies/
impact-statements/cardinal%E2%80%93-hickory-creektransmission-line.
A hard copy of the Final EIS is
available for review at Dairyland Power
Cooperative, 3521 East Avenue, South,
La Crosse, WI 54602 and at 13 local
libraries in the project area and the
USFWS McGregor District Office in
Prairie du Chien, WI which are listed
below.
ADDRESSES:
Library
Address
Allen-Dietzman Public Library ..................................................................
Barneveld Public Library ..........................................................................
Dodgeville Public Library ..........................................................................
Dubuque County Library, Asbury Branch ................................................
Eckstein Memorial Library ........................................................................
Guttenberg Public Library .........................................................................
Middleton Public Library ...........................................................................
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220 W Barber Avenue, Livingston, WI 53554.
107 W Orbison Street, Barneveld, WI 53507.
139 S Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533.
5290 Grand Meadow Drive, Asbury, IA 52002.
1034 E Dewey Street, Cassville, WI 53806.
603 S 2nd Street, Guttenberg, IA 52052.
7425 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 205 / Wednesday, October 23, 2019 / Notices
Library
Address
Montfort Public Library .............................................................................
Mount Horeb Public Library ......................................................................
Platteville Public Library ...........................................................................
Potosi Branch Library ...............................................................................
Rosemary Garfoot Public Library .............................................................
Schreiner Memorial Library ......................................................................
USFWS McGregor District Office .............................................................
To
obtain copies of the Final EIS or for
further information, contact: Dennis
Rankin, Environmental Protection
Specialist, USDA, Rural Utilities
Service, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW, Room 2244, Stop 1571,
Washington, DC 20250–1571, by phone
at (202) 720–1953 or email
Dennis.Rankin@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is the
lead agency for the federal
environmental review with U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) serving as cooperating
agencies, and the National Park Service
(NPS) as a participating agency.
The purpose of the proposed project
is to: (1) Address reliability issues on
the regional bulk transmission system,
(2) alleviate congestion that occurs in
certain parts of the transmission system
and remove constraints that limit the
delivery of power, (3) expand the access
of the transmission system to additional
resources, (4) increase the transfer
capability of the electrical system
between Iowa and Wisconsin, (5) reduce
the losses in transferring power and
increase the efficiency of the
transmission system, and (6) respond to
public policy objectives aimed at
enhancing the nation’s transmission
system and to support the changing
generation mix.
The Final EIS addresses the
construction and operation of the
proposed project, which, in addition to
the 345-kV transmission line and
associated infrastructure, includes the
following facilities:
• At the existing Cardinal Substation
in Dane County, Wisconsin: A new 345kV terminal within the substation;
• At the proposed Hill Valley
Substation near the Village of Montfort,
Wisconsin: An approximately 22-acre
facility with five 345-kV circuit
breakers, one 345-kV shunt reactor, one
345-/138-kV autotransformer, three 138kV circuit breakers, and a 345-kV and
138-kV terminals;
• At the existing Eden Substation
near the village of Montfort, Wisconsin:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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56757
102 E Park Street, Montfort, WI 53569.
105 Perimeter Road, Mount Horeb, WI 53572.
65 S Elm Street, Platteville, WI 53818.
103 N Main Street, Potosi, WI 53820.
2107 Julius Street, Cross Plains, WI 53528.
113 W Elm Street, Lancaster, WI 53813.
470 Cliff Haven Road, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821.
Transmission line protective relaying
upgrades to be compatible with new
productive relays installed at the new
Hill Valley Substation and replacement
of conductors and switches to meet the
Utilities’ operating limits;
• Between the existing Eden
Substation and the proposed Hill Valley
Substation near the village of Montfort,
Wisconsin: A rebuild of the
approximately 1 mile Hill Valley to
Eden 138-kV transmission line;
• At the existing Wyoming Valley
Substation near Wyoming, Wisconsin:
Installation of nine 16-foot ground rods
to mitigate fault current contributions
from the proposed project;
• At either the Lancaster or Hillman
substation, depending on the final route,
equipment installation to use the optical
ground wire that would be part of the
C–HC Project;
• Between the existing Cardinal
Substation and the proposed Hill Valley
Substation: A new 50- to 53-mile
(depending on the final route) 345-kV
transmission line;
• Between the proposed Hill Valley
Substation and existing Hickory Creek
Substation: A new 50- to 70-mile
(depending on the final route) 345-kV
transmission line;
• At the Mississippi River in
Cassville, Wisconsin: A rebuild and
possible relocation of the existing
Mississippi River transmission line
crossing to accommodate the new 345kV transmission line and Dairyland’s
161-kV transmission line, which would
be capable of operating at 345-/345-kV
but will initially be operated at 345-/
161-kV;
Æ depending on the final route and
the Mississippi River crossing location:
• A new 161-kV terminal and
transmission line protective relaying
upgrades within the existing Nelson
Dewey Substation in Cassville,
Wisconsin;
• a replaced or reinforced structure
within the Stoneman Substation in
Cassville, Wisconsin;
• Multiple, partial, or complete
rebuilds of existing 69-kV, 138-kV, and
161-kV transmission lines in Wisconsin
that would be collocated with the new
345-kV line;
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• At the existing Turkey River
Substation in Clayton County, Iowa:
One new 161-/69-kV transformer, three
new 161-kV circuit breakers, and four
new 69-kV circuit breakers;
• At the completion of the C–HC
Project construction and energization at
the Turkey River Substation, Dairyland
would retire and decommission
approximately 2.8 miles of the existing
N–9 transmission line (69-kV); and
• At the existing Hickory Creek
Substation in Dubuque County, Iowa: A
new 345-kV terminal within the existing
Hickory Creek Substation.
Among the alternatives addressed in
the Final EIS is the No Action
alternative, under which the proposed
project would not be undertaken.
Additional alternatives addressed in the
Final EIS include six action alternatives
connecting the Cardinal Substation in
Wisconsin with the Hickory Creek
Substation in Iowa. RUS has carefully
studied public health and safety,
environmental impacts, and engineering
aspects of the proposed project.
RUS used input provided by
government agencies, private
organizations, and the public in the
preparation of the Final EIS. RUS has
considered all comments received on
the Draft EIS and revised the EIS
accordingly. Following the 30-day
comment period for the Final EIS, RUS
will prepare a Record of Decision
(ROD). A Notice announcing the
availability of the ROD will be
published in the Federal Register and in
local newspapers. Additionally, letters
and emails will be sent to stakeholders.
In accordance with Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act and
its implementing regulation, ‘‘Protection
of Historic Properties’’ (36 CFR 800) and
as part of its broad environmental
review process, RUS must take into
account the effect of the proposed
project on historic properties. 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. Any
party wishing to participate more
directly with RUS as a ‘‘consulting
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 205 / Wednesday, October 23, 2019 / Notices
party’’ in Section 106 review may
submit a written request to the RUS
contact provided in this notice.
The proposed project involves
unavoidable impacts to wetlands and
floodplains; this Notice of Availability
also serves as a statement of no
practicable alternatives to impacts on
wetlands and floodplains, in accordance
with Executive Orders 11990 and 11988,
respectively (see Final EIS Sections 3.3
and 3.5).
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
the RUS Environmental Policies and
Procedures (7 CFR 1970).
Christopher A. Mclean,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs,
Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–23049 Filed 10–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Central Electric Power Cooperative,
Inc.: Extension of Comment Period for
an Environmental Impact Statement
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice: Extension of Comment
Period for an Environmental Impact
Statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), a Rural Development agency of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), has issued a Supplemental
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(Supplemental Draft EIS) for Central
Electric Power Cooperative’s (Central
Electric) proposed McClellanville Area
115-kV Transmission Project (Project) in
South Carolina. In this document, RUS
analyzes the environmental impacts
associated with an anticipated decision
request to approve or deny funding for
Central Electric’s proposed Project. The
Supplement Draft EIS was prepared to
address substantial changes to the
proposed action and assesses new
circumstances and information relevant
to potential environmental impacts
originally evaluated in the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft
EIS). RUS published a Notice of Intent
and Availability on August 30, 2019,
that provided a 60-day comment period,
ending on the date announced in the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(USEPA) EIS receipt notice on October
22, 2019. RUS is extending the public
SUMMARY:
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18:10 Oct 22, 2019
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comment period for the Draft EIS by an
additional 30 days to November 21,
2019.
With this notice, RUS extends
the public comment period to November
21, 2019. Comments submitted to RUS
regarding the Supplemental Draft EIS
prior to this announcement do not need
to be resubmitted as a result of this
extension to the comment period. The
date(s) and time for a public meeting
will be announced in local newspapers
and published on the agency’s website
at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/
publications/environmental-studies/
impact-statements/mccllellanville115kv-transmission-line.
ADDRESSES: The Supplemental Draft EIS
and associated documents are available
at the weblink provided in this Notice
(https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/
environmental-studies/impactstatements/mccllellanville-115kvtransmission-line). RUS will consider
all substantive written comments on the
Supplemental Draft EIS received or
postmarked within the 90-day
timeframe or until November 21, 2019.
Agencies, interested parties, and the
public are invited to submit comments
on the Supplemental Draft EIS at any
time during the public comment period
by either of the following methods:
• Email: Please send your comments
to Comments-mcclellanville@
louisberger.com.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send your comment addressed to
Ms. Lauren Rayburn, Environmental
Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 160
Zillicoa Street, Suite 2, Asheville, North
Carolina 28801.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the proposed Project and
the EIS process, please contact Ms.
Lauren Rayburn, Environmental
Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 160
Zillicoa Street, Suite 2, Asheville, North
Carolina 28801 or email to:
lauren.rayburn@usda.gov. Parties
wishing to be placed on the Project
mailing list for future information and
to receive copies of the Supplemental
Draft EIS and the Final EIS when
available should also contact Ms.
Rayburn.
DATES:
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
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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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 the
McClellanville area of coastal South
Carolina to meet reliability and energy
load requirements of its member owner,
Berkeley Electric Cooperative.
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 to energize the new
McClellanville Substation, located near
the McClellanville service area.
Berkeley Electric owner-customers that
would benefit from the proposed Project
include those located in the areas near
Rutledge Road, South Santee Road,
Wedge Plantation, Germantown, Toby
Road, Dupree Road, Lincoln High
School, Randall Road, Tibwin Road, St.
James-Santee School, Shellmore, Buck
Hall, Town of Awendaw, Doar Road,
and areas adjacent to U.S. Highway 17
in northern Charleston County.
The Supplemental Draft EIS considers
three alternatives, encompassing three
potential corridor locations with one
corridor including two different
alignments. The corridors range in
length from 16 to 31 miles and
encompasses parts of Berkeley,
Georgetown and Charleston counties in
South Carolina. The corridor locations
propose to cross both public and private
lands, including the Francis Marion
National Forest, Santee Coastal Reserve,
and other private and public lands used
for conservation management purposes;
all corridors are located entirely within
the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage
Corridor. The Supplemental Draft EIS
analyzes the extent of Central’s
Electric’s proposal with regard to the
following: Water resources, biological
resources, soils and geology, air quality
and greenhouse gas emissions, cultural
resources, recreation and land use,
visual resources, socioeconomics,
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56756-56758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23049]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line Project
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final Environmental Impact
Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to meet its
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the Code of Federal Regulations related to providing financial
assistance to Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) for its share in the
construction of a proposed 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and
associated infrastructure connecting the Hickory Creek Substation in
Dubuque County, Iowa, with the Cardinal Substation in the Town of
Middle, Wisconsin (near Madison, Wisconsin). The Project also includes
a new intermediate 345/138-kV substation near the Village of Montfort
in either Grant County or Iowa County, Wisconsin. The total length of
the 345-kV transmission lines associated with the proposed project will
be approximately 100 to 125 miles, depending on the final route. DPC,
along with the two other project participant utilities, American
Transmission Company LLC, and ITC Midwest LLC (together the Utilities)
have identified proposed and alternate segments and locations for
transmission lines and associated facilities and for the intermediate
substation. DPC is requesting RUS to provide financing for its portion
of the proposed project.
DATES: Written comments on this Final EIS will be accepted no later
than 30 days following the publication of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's notice of receipt of the Final EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the Final EIS may be viewed online at the
following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/impact-statements/cardinal-%E2%80%93-hickory-creek-transmission-line.
A hard copy of the Final EIS is available for review at Dairyland
Power Cooperative, 3521 East Avenue, South, La Crosse, WI 54602 and at
13 local libraries in the project area and the USFWS McGregor District
Office in Prairie du Chien, WI which are listed below.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Library Address
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allen-Dietzman Public Library.......... 220 W Barber Avenue,
Livingston, WI 53554.
Barneveld Public Library............... 107 W Orbison Street,
Barneveld, WI 53507.
Dodgeville Public Library.............. 139 S Iowa Street, Dodgeville,
WI 53533.
Dubuque County Library, Asbury Branch.. 5290 Grand Meadow Drive,
Asbury, IA 52002.
Eckstein Memorial Library.............. 1034 E Dewey Street, Cassville,
WI 53806.
Guttenberg Public Library.............. 603 S 2nd Street, Guttenberg,
IA 52052.
Middleton Public Library............... 7425 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton,
WI 53562.
[[Page 56757]]
Montfort Public Library................ 102 E Park Street, Montfort, WI
53569.
Mount Horeb Public Library............. 105 Perimeter Road, Mount
Horeb, WI 53572.
Platteville Public Library............. 65 S Elm Street, Platteville,
WI 53818.
Potosi Branch Library.................. 103 N Main Street, Potosi, WI
53820.
Rosemary Garfoot Public Library........ 2107 Julius Street, Cross
Plains, WI 53528.
Schreiner Memorial Library............. 113 W Elm Street, Lancaster, WI
53813.
USFWS McGregor District Office......... 470 Cliff Haven Road, Prairie
du Chien, WI 53821.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the Final EIS or
for further information, contact: Dennis Rankin, Environmental
Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Room 2244, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, by phone at
(202) 720-1953 or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is the lead agency for the federal
environmental review with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) serving as cooperating agencies, and the National Park
Service (NPS) as a participating agency.
The purpose of the proposed project is to: (1) Address reliability
issues on the regional bulk transmission system, (2) alleviate
congestion that occurs in certain parts of the transmission system and
remove constraints that limit the delivery of power, (3) expand the
access of the transmission system to additional resources, (4) increase
the transfer capability of the electrical system between Iowa and
Wisconsin, (5) reduce the losses in transferring power and increase the
efficiency of the transmission system, and (6) respond to public policy
objectives aimed at enhancing the nation's transmission system and to
support the changing generation mix.
The Final EIS addresses the construction and operation of the
proposed project, which, in addition to the 345-kV transmission line
and associated infrastructure, includes the following facilities:
At the existing Cardinal Substation in Dane County,
Wisconsin: A new 345-kV terminal within the substation;
At the proposed Hill Valley Substation near the Village of
Montfort, Wisconsin: An approximately 22-acre facility with five 345-kV
circuit breakers, one 345-kV shunt reactor, one 345-/138-kV
autotransformer, three 138-kV circuit breakers, and a 345-kV and 138-kV
terminals;
At the existing Eden Substation near the village of
Montfort, Wisconsin: Transmission line protective relaying upgrades to
be compatible with new productive relays installed at the new Hill
Valley Substation and replacement of conductors and switches to meet
the Utilities' operating limits;
Between the existing Eden Substation and the proposed Hill
Valley Substation near the village of Montfort, Wisconsin: A rebuild of
the approximately 1 mile Hill Valley to Eden 138-kV transmission line;
At the existing Wyoming Valley Substation near Wyoming,
Wisconsin: Installation of nine 16-foot ground rods to mitigate fault
current contributions from the proposed project;
At either the Lancaster or Hillman substation, depending
on the final route, equipment installation to use the optical ground
wire that would be part of the C-HC Project;
Between the existing Cardinal Substation and the proposed
Hill Valley Substation: A new 50- to 53-mile (depending on the final
route) 345-kV transmission line;
Between the proposed Hill Valley Substation and existing
Hickory Creek Substation: A new 50- to 70-mile (depending on the final
route) 345-kV transmission line;
At the Mississippi River in Cassville, Wisconsin: A
rebuild and possible relocation of the existing Mississippi River
transmission line crossing to accommodate the new 345-kV transmission
line and Dairyland's 161-kV transmission line, which would be capable
of operating at 345-/345-kV but will initially be operated at 345-/161-
kV;
[cir] depending on the final route and the Mississippi River
crossing location:
A new 161-kV terminal and transmission line protective
relaying upgrades within the existing Nelson Dewey Substation in
Cassville, Wisconsin;
a replaced or reinforced structure within the Stoneman
Substation in Cassville, Wisconsin;
Multiple, partial, or complete rebuilds of existing 69-kV,
138-kV, and 161-kV transmission lines in Wisconsin that would be
collocated with the new 345-kV line;
At the existing Turkey River Substation in Clayton County,
Iowa: One new 161-/69-kV transformer, three new 161-kV circuit
breakers, and four new 69-kV circuit breakers;
At the completion of the C-HC Project construction and
energization at the Turkey River Substation, Dairyland would retire and
decommission approximately 2.8 miles of the existing N-9 transmission
line (69-kV); and
At the existing Hickory Creek Substation in Dubuque
County, Iowa: A new 345-kV terminal within the existing Hickory Creek
Substation.
Among the alternatives addressed in the Final EIS is the No Action
alternative, under which the proposed project would not be undertaken.
Additional alternatives addressed in the Final EIS include six action
alternatives connecting the Cardinal Substation in Wisconsin with the
Hickory Creek Substation in Iowa. RUS has carefully studied public
health and safety, environmental impacts, and engineering aspects of
the proposed project.
RUS used input provided by government agencies, private
organizations, and the public in the preparation of the Final EIS. RUS
has considered all comments received on the Draft EIS and revised the
EIS accordingly. Following the 30-day comment period for the Final EIS,
RUS will prepare a Record of Decision (ROD). A Notice announcing the
availability of the ROD will be published in the Federal Register and
in local newspapers. Additionally, letters and emails will be sent to
stakeholders.
In accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act and its implementing regulation, ``Protection of
Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 800) and as part of its broad
environmental review process, RUS must take into account the effect of
the proposed project on historic properties. 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. Any party wishing to participate
more directly with RUS as a ``consulting
[[Page 56758]]
party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request to the RUS
contact provided in this notice.
The proposed project involves unavoidable impacts to wetlands and
floodplains; this Notice of Availability also serves as a statement of
no practicable alternatives to impacts on wetlands and floodplains, in
accordance with Executive Orders 11990 and 11988, respectively (see
Final EIS Sections 3.3 and 3.5).
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 the RUS
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR 1970).
Christopher A. Mclean,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23049 Filed 10-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
