Interconnection of the Proposed Rail Tie Wind Project, Wyoming (DOE/EIS-0543), 71921-71923 [2019-28222]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure require all intervenors
filing documents with the Commission
to serve a copy of that document on
each person on the official service list
for the project. Further, if an intervenor
files comments or documents with the
Commission relating to the merits of an
issue that may affect the responsibilities
of a particular resource agency, they
must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
k. Description of Request: The
applicant requests a temporary variance
to operate the reservoir elevation below
its normal maximum elevation of 813.3
feet U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
datum, to prevent damage to a power
canal embankment. The applicant
would maintain a minimum elevation of
808.6 feet USGS datum from June 16
through the last day of February, and
maintain a minimum elevation of 809.1
feet USGS datum from March 1 through
June 15. The project would return to
normal operation by the end of
September 2020.
l. Locations of the Applications: A
copy of the application is available for
inspection and reproduction at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room,
located at 888 First Street NE, Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426, or by calling
(202) 502–8371. The filing may also be
viewed on the Commission’s website at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number
excluding the last three digits in the
docket number field to access the
document. You may also register online
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, call 1–866–208–3676 or
email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for
TTY, call (202) 502–8659. A copy is also
available for inspection and
reproduction at the address in item (h)
above.
m. Individuals desiring to be included
on the Commission’s mailing list should
so indicate by writing to the Secretary
of the Commission.
n. Comments, Motions to Intervene, or
Protests: Anyone may submit
comments, a motion to intervene, or a
protest in accordance with the
requirements of Rules of Practice and
Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.
In determining the appropriate action to
take, the Commission will consider all
protests or other comments filed, but
only those who file a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
Commission’s Rules may become a
party to the proceeding. Any comments,
motions to intervene, or protests must
be received on or before the specified
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:00 Dec 27, 2019
Jkt 250001
comment date for the particular
application.
o. Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in
all capital letters the title COMMENTS,
MOTION TO INTERVENE, or PROTEST
as applicable; (2) set forth in the
heading the name of the applicant and
the project number(s) of the application
to which the filing responds; (3) furnish
the name, address, and telephone
number of the person intervening or
protesting; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR
385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, motions to intervene, or
protests must set forth their evidentiary
basis. A copy of all other filings in
reference to this application must be
accompanied by proof of service on all
persons listed in the service list
prepared by the Commission in this
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR
385.2010.
Dated: December 20, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–28121 Filed 12–27–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Interconnection of the Proposed Rail
Tie Wind Project, Wyoming (DOE/EIS–
0543)
Western Area Power
Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement and to
conduct scoping meetings; notice of
floodplain and wetlands involvement.
AGENCY:
ConnectGen Albany County
LLC applied to interconnect their
proposed Rail Tie Wind Project (Project)
with the Western Area Power
Administration’s (WAPA) existing AultCraig 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line
in Albany County, Wyoming. WAPA
will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on the proposal to
interconnect the Project in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA), U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) NEPA Implementing
Procedures, and the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations for implementing NEPA.
Portions of the proposed Project may
affect floodplains and wetlands, so this
Notice of Intent (NOI) also serves as a
notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action in accordance with DOE
floodplain and wetland environmental
review requirements.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
71921
The public scoping period starts
with the publication of this notice and
ends on January 29, 2020. To initiate the
public involvement process,
informational/public scoping meetings
will be held in Laramie, Wyoming, near
the Project site. Public notice of the
date, time, and place of the meetings
will be posted on the Project website at
https://www.wapa.gov/transmission/
EnvironmentalReviewNEPA/Pages/railtie-wind-project.aspx. All known
interested parties, agencies, tribes, and
the public will be notified of the
meetings directly via the Project mailing
list, and via paid advertising, news
releases, or other appropriate means.
WAPA will consider all comments on
the scope of the EIS received or
postmarked by the end of the scoping
period. The public is invited to submit
comments on the proposed Project for
WAPA’s consideration at any time
during the EIS process.
ADDRESSES: Oral or written comments
may be provided at the public scoping
meetings or mailed or emailed to Mark
Wieringa, NEPA Document Manager,
Headquarters, Western Area Power
Administration, P.O. Box 281213,
Lakewood, CO 80228–8213, email
RailTieWind@wapa.gov, telephone (720)
962–7448.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information on the scoping
meeting, proposed Project, the EIS
process, or to receive a copy of the Draft
EIS when it is published, contact Mark
Wieringa using the information above.
For general information on DOE’s NEPA
review process, contact Brian Costner,
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance,
GC–54, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20585–0119, email AskNEPA@
hq.doe.gov, telephone (202) 586–4600 or
(800) 472–2756, facsimile (202) 586–
7031.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WAPA is
a Federal power marketing
administration within the DOE that
markets and delivers Federal wholesale
electric power (principally hydroelectric
power) to municipalities, rural electric
cooperatives, public utilities, irrigation
districts, Federal and State agencies,
and Native American tribes in 15
western and central States. The
proposed Project would be located
within WAPA’s Rocky Mountain
Region, which operates in Arizona,
Colorado, most of Wyoming, and
portions of Kansas, Nebraska, New
Mexico, and Utah. ConnectGen applied
to interconnect up to 504 megawatts
(MW), via two 252–MW applications,
with WAPA’s existing Ault-Craig 345kV transmission line in Albany County,
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
71922
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
Wyoming. The Ault-Craig transmission
line passes through the proposed Project
area, which is located south of Laramie
and north of the Colorado state line, on
either side of U.S. Highway 287. The
proposed Project would be located on
private and State lands; no federallymanaged land would be affected. There
are no designated cooperating agencies
at this time, but cooperating agencies
could be identified at a later date.
WAPA will prepare an EIS on the
interconnection of the proposed Project
in accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.); DOE NEPA Implementing
Procedures (10 CFR part 1021), and the
CEQ regulations for implementing
NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508).
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
WAPA needs to consider
ConnectGen’s interconnection request
under its Open Access Transmission
Service Tariff (Tariff), which provides
for open access to its transmission
system through an interconnection if
there is available capacity in the
transmission system. This EIS will
address WAPA’s Federal action of
interconnecting the proposed Project to
WAPA’s transmission system,
constructing an interconnection
switchyard on the existing Ault-Craig
transmission line, and making any
necessary system modifications to
accommodate the interconnection of
ConnectGen’s proposed Project.
Preliminary studies indicate that the
power system can accommodate the
proposed interconnection without
negatively affecting system reliability or
power deliveries to existing customers.
The transmission system may require
network and/or transmission system
upgrades as determined in the final
studies.
WAPA’s Proposed Action
Subject to compliance with the
provisions of the Tariff and after
consideration of the impacts identified
in the Final EIS, WAPA will consider
approving ConnectGen’s
interconnection request and
constructing a 345-kV interconnection
switchyard on the Ault-Craig
transmission line. By taking this action,
power generated by the proposed
Project would use WAPA’s transmission
system to reach the market. If WAPA’s
decision is to approve the
interconnection request, WAPA would
construct, own, operate, and maintain a
345-kV interconnection switchyard
located adjacent to the Ault-Craig
transmission line. The interconnection
switchyard would consist of a line
interconnection, switching equipment
and breakers, a control house,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:00 Dec 27, 2019
Jkt 250001
communications gear, supervisory
control and data acquisition (SCADA)
capability, and related equipment. The
switchyard would be eight to ten acres
in size, surfaced with gravel or crushed
rock and enclosed by security fencing.
Alternatives
WAPA will evaluate location options
for its interconnection switchyard
within the proposed Project area along
the existing Ault-Craig transmission
line. Under the No Action Alternative,
WAPA would not approve the
interconnection request or construct the
interconnection facility.
Applicant’s Proposed Project
ConnectGen’s proposed Project would
consist of up to 84 to 151 wind turbine
generators with a generating capability
of 3 to 6 MW each, for a combined total
generating capacity of up to 504 MW.
The wind turbines would be located
within an approximately 26,000-acre
site in southeast Albany County,
Wyoming, roughly centered on the town
of Tie Siding and bisected by U.S.
Highway 287. The turbines would be
located in a varying number of generally
north-south oriented strings of varying
lengths, with the strings being
approximately one-half mile apart.
Separation between turbines, between
turbine strings, and the number of
turbine strings would vary with
different turbine sizes. Each turbine
would have a maximum height of up to
675 feet to the blade tip, and a
permanent footprint including base,
transformer, and associated pads of
about one-tenth of an acre.
In addition to the turbines, temporary
access roads and permanent all-weather
access roads to each turbine location
would be required. To the extent
possible, existing roads and trails would
be incorporated into the access road
system and upgraded as necessary. It is
estimated that approximately 60 miles
of new permanent all-weather access
roads would be needed for the proposed
Project.
Two 345-kV Project substations, one
on either side of U.S. Highway 287
would be constructed. The substation
sites would be about five acres in size,
and each would contain one or two
main power transformers, breakers and
switches, control buildings, SCADA and
metering equipment, a permanent
meteorological tower, and other related
equipment. The substations would be
gravel- or crushed rock-surfaced, and
enclosed by security fencing.
Approximately four miles of 345-kV
single circuit transmission line would
connect the two Project substations with
WAPA’s interconnection switchyard.
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Up to 105 miles of 34.5-kV collection
lines would connect the transformers at
each turbine to the Project substations.
The collection lines would typically be
34.5 kV, and would likely be a
combination of buried electrical cables
and overhead lines on poles 30 to 50
feet tall. To the extent practicable, the
collection lines would parallel Project
access roads to limit environmental
disturbance and facilitate maintenance.
The proposed Project would also
include eight 105-meter-tall permanent
meteorological towers, four on either
side of the highway, each located so as
to best capture wind and other weather
data. The towers would likely be of the
self-supported, lattice-mast type, to
eliminate the bird collision risk posed
by guy wires.
An approximately 7,000-square-foot
operations and maintenance (O&M)
building would be constructed to
support the proposed Project. The O&M
building would include water, sanitary,
and electrical services, and would house
equipment for monitoring turbine
operation and performance and a shop
area for repair and maintenance. The
O&M building would be located within
an approximately five-acre securityfenced area, which would provide a
secure yard for vehicle parking and
spare components.
Several temporary laydown yards of
approximately 15 acres each would be
sited after biological and cultural
resources surveys were completed to
avoid sensitive areas. The sites would
be temporarily gravel-surfaced and
would serve as vehicle parking and
staging areas for construction equipment
and turbine and collection line
components and materials. These sites
would be reclaimed after completion of
construction. Although mobile concrete
mixing batch plants are not proposed at
this time, it is possible they could be
employed. As with the laydown yards,
any batch plant sites would be surveyed
before use, and reclaimed after
construction was completed.
Although WAPA’s Federal action is to
consider the interconnection request
and the physical interconnection to
WAPA’s existing transmission system,
the EIS will also identify and analyze
the environmental impacts of
ConnectGen’s entire proposed Project.
ConnectGen would complete necessary
coordination with State and local
agencies to permit their proposed
Project, while WAPA would be
responsible for its interconnection
switchyard.
Floodplain or Wetland Involvement
Since the proposed Project may
involve action in floodplains or
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2019 / Notices
wetlands, this NOI also serves as a
notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The EIS will include a
floodplain/wetland assessment and
floodplain/wetland statement of
findings following DOE regulations for
compliance with floodplain and
wetlands environmental review (10 CFR
part 1022).
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Environmental Issues
The location of the proposed Project
is in a sparsely populated portion of
southeastern Wyoming. Available
overview information indicates this area
has a relatively low probability of
substantial natural resources conflicts.
This information includes the 2012
Draft EIS for the Hermosa West Wind
Energy Project (DOE/EIS–0438), which
analyzed an area largely included in the
proposed Project west of U.S. Highway
287. ConnectGen’s siting process for the
wind turbine strings and associated
facilities will consider sensitive
resources, and the proposed Project
would be designed to avoid these areas.
The EIS will evaluate the level of impact
WAPA’s proposed action and
ConnectGen’s proposed Project
alternatives would have on
environmental resources within the
approximately 26,000-acre site, which
may lead to modifications in the
proposed Project to further avoid or
minimize resource impacts. Although
no substantive resource conflicts have
been identified thus far, the EIS will
analyze the potential impacts on
potentially affected environmental
resources. Wind turbine power
generation projects are generally known
to have visual and noise effects, and
may affect birds and bats.
Public Participation
Interested parties are invited to
participate in the scoping process to
help define the important resources and
issues to be analyzed in depth, and to
eliminate from detailed study issues
that are not pertinent. The scoping
process will involve all interested
agencies (Federal, State, county, and
local), Native American tribes, public
interest groups, businesses, affected
landowners, and individual members of
the public.
WAPA will consult with potentially
affected tribes to jointly evaluate and
address the potential Project effects on
cultural resources, traditional cultural
properties, or other resources important
to the tribes. These consultations will be
conducted in accordance with Executive
Order 13175, Consultation and
Coordination with Indian Tribal
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:00 Dec 27, 2019
Jkt 250001
Governments (65 FR 67249), the
President’s memorandum of April 29,
1994, Government-to-Government
Relations with Native American Tribal
Governments (59 FR 22951), DOEspecific guidance on tribal interactions,
and applicable natural and cultural
resources laws and regulations.
Public informational/scoping
meetings will be held as described
under DATES and ADDRESSES sections at
the beginning of this notice. The
meetings will be informal, and attendees
will be able to speak directly with
WAPA and ConnectGen representatives
about the proposed Project. The public
is encouraged to provide information
and comments on issues it believes
WAPA should address in the EIS.
Comments may be broad in nature or
restricted to specific areas of concern,
but should be directly relevant to
Project issues, the NEPA process, or
expected resource impacts. After
gathering comments on the scope of the
EIS during the 30-day scoping period,
WAPA will address the issues raised in
the EIS. Comments on WAPA’s
proposed action and ConnectGen’s
proposed Project will be accepted and
considered at any time during the EIS
process, and may be directed to WAPA
as described under the ADDRESSES
section.
WAPA’s EIS process will include the
public scoping meetings; consultation
and coordination with appropriate
Federal, State, county, and local
agencies and tribal governments;
involvement with affected landowners;
distribution of and public review and
comment on the Draft EIS; a public
hearing or hearings on the Draft EIS;
distribution of a published Final EIS;
and publication of WAPA’s Record of
Decision in the Federal Register.
Dated: December 17, 2019.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019–28222 Filed 12–27–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–10003–84–Region 6]
Underground Injection Control
Program; Hazardous Waste Injection
Restrictions; Petition for Exemption
Reissuance—Class I Hazardous Waste
Injection; Great Lakes Chemical
Corporation (GLCC) El Dorado,
Arkansas Facility
Notice of a final decision on a
UIC no migration petition reissuance.
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given that a
reissuance of an exemption to the Land
Disposal Restrictions, under the 1984
Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments to the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, has
been granted to GLCC for two Class I
hazardous waste injection wells located
at their El Dorado, Arkansas facility.
The company has adequately
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
by the petition reissuance application
and supporting documentation that, to a
reasonable degree of certainty, there will
be no migration of hazardous
constituents from the injection zone for
as long as the waste remains hazardous.
This final decision allows the
underground injection by GLCC of the
specific restricted hazardous wastes
identified in this exemption reissuance
request, into Class I hazardous waste
injection wells WDW–5 and WDW–6
until December 31, 2026, unless the
EPA moves to terminate this exemption.
Additional conditions included in this
final decision may be reviewed by
contacting the EPA Region 6 Ground
Water/UIC Section. A public notice was
issued October 7, 2019, and the public
comment period closed on November
22, 2019, and no comments were
received. This decision constitutes final
Agency action and there is no
Administrative appeal.
SUMMARY:
This action is effective as of
December 12, 2019.
DATES:
Copies of the petition
reissuance and all pertinent information
relating thereto are on file at the
following location: Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 6, Water
Division, Safe Drinking Water Branch
(6WDD), 1201 Elm Street, Suite 500,
Dallas, Texas 75270–2102.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Philip Dellinger, Chief, Ground Water/
UIC Section, EPA—Region 6, telephone
(214) 665–8324.
Dated: December 12, 2019.
James R. Brown,
Associate Director, Safe Drinking Water
Branch.
[FR Doc. 2019–28209 Filed 12–27–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
71923
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71921-71923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28222]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Interconnection of the Proposed Rail Tie Wind Project, Wyoming
(DOE/EIS-0543)
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
and to conduct scoping meetings; notice of floodplain and wetlands
involvement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: ConnectGen Albany County LLC applied to interconnect their
proposed Rail Tie Wind Project (Project) with the Western Area Power
Administration's (WAPA) existing Ault-Craig 345-kilovolt (kV)
transmission line in Albany County, Wyoming. WAPA will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) on the proposal to interconnect
the Project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) NEPA Implementing
Procedures, and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations
for implementing NEPA. Portions of the proposed Project may affect
floodplains and wetlands, so this Notice of Intent (NOI) also serves as
a notice of proposed floodplain or wetland action in accordance with
DOE floodplain and wetland environmental review requirements.
DATES: The public scoping period starts with the publication of this
notice and ends on January 29, 2020. To initiate the public involvement
process, informational/public scoping meetings will be held in Laramie,
Wyoming, near the Project site. Public notice of the date, time, and
place of the meetings will be posted on the Project website at https://www.wapa.gov/transmission/EnvironmentalReviewNEPA/Pages/rail-tie-wind-project.aspx. All known interested parties, agencies, tribes, and the
public will be notified of the meetings directly via the Project
mailing list, and via paid advertising, news releases, or other
appropriate means. WAPA will consider all comments on the scope of the
EIS received or postmarked by the end of the scoping period. The public
is invited to submit comments on the proposed Project for WAPA's
consideration at any time during the EIS process.
ADDRESSES: Oral or written comments may be provided at the public
scoping meetings or mailed or emailed to Mark Wieringa, NEPA Document
Manager, Headquarters, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box
281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213, email [email protected], telephone
(720) 962-7448.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the
scoping meeting, proposed Project, the EIS process, or to receive a
copy of the Draft EIS when it is published, contact Mark Wieringa using
the information above. For general information on DOE's NEPA review
process, contact Brian Costner, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance,
GC-54, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585-0119, email [email protected], telephone (202)
586-4600 or (800) 472-2756, facsimile (202) 586-7031.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WAPA is a Federal power marketing
administration within the DOE that markets and delivers Federal
wholesale electric power (principally hydroelectric power) to
municipalities, rural electric cooperatives, public utilities,
irrigation districts, Federal and State agencies, and Native American
tribes in 15 western and central States. The proposed Project would be
located within WAPA's Rocky Mountain Region, which operates in Arizona,
Colorado, most of Wyoming, and portions of Kansas, Nebraska, New
Mexico, and Utah. ConnectGen applied to interconnect up to 504
megawatts (MW), via two 252-MW applications, with WAPA's existing Ault-
Craig 345-kV transmission line in Albany County,
[[Page 71922]]
Wyoming. The Ault-Craig transmission line passes through the proposed
Project area, which is located south of Laramie and north of the
Colorado state line, on either side of U.S. Highway 287. The proposed
Project would be located on private and State lands; no federally-
managed land would be affected. There are no designated cooperating
agencies at this time, but cooperating agencies could be identified at
a later date.
WAPA will prepare an EIS on the interconnection of the proposed
Project in accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); DOE NEPA
Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021), and the CEQ regulations for
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508).
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
WAPA needs to consider ConnectGen's interconnection request under
its Open Access Transmission Service Tariff (Tariff), which provides
for open access to its transmission system through an interconnection
if there is available capacity in the transmission system. This EIS
will address WAPA's Federal action of interconnecting the proposed
Project to WAPA's transmission system, constructing an interconnection
switchyard on the existing Ault-Craig transmission line, and making any
necessary system modifications to accommodate the interconnection of
ConnectGen's proposed Project. Preliminary studies indicate that the
power system can accommodate the proposed interconnection without
negatively affecting system reliability or power deliveries to existing
customers. The transmission system may require network and/or
transmission system upgrades as determined in the final studies.
WAPA's Proposed Action
Subject to compliance with the provisions of the Tariff and after
consideration of the impacts identified in the Final EIS, WAPA will
consider approving ConnectGen's interconnection request and
constructing a 345-kV interconnection switchyard on the Ault-Craig
transmission line. By taking this action, power generated by the
proposed Project would use WAPA's transmission system to reach the
market. If WAPA's decision is to approve the interconnection request,
WAPA would construct, own, operate, and maintain a 345-kV
interconnection switchyard located adjacent to the Ault-Craig
transmission line. The interconnection switchyard would consist of a
line interconnection, switching equipment and breakers, a control
house, communications gear, supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) capability, and related equipment. The switchyard would be
eight to ten acres in size, surfaced with gravel or crushed rock and
enclosed by security fencing.
Alternatives
WAPA will evaluate location options for its interconnection
switchyard within the proposed Project area along the existing Ault-
Craig transmission line. Under the No Action Alternative, WAPA would
not approve the interconnection request or construct the
interconnection facility.
Applicant's Proposed Project
ConnectGen's proposed Project would consist of up to 84 to 151 wind
turbine generators with a generating capability of 3 to 6 MW each, for
a combined total generating capacity of up to 504 MW. The wind turbines
would be located within an approximately 26,000-acre site in southeast
Albany County, Wyoming, roughly centered on the town of Tie Siding and
bisected by U.S. Highway 287. The turbines would be located in a
varying number of generally north-south oriented strings of varying
lengths, with the strings being approximately one-half mile apart.
Separation between turbines, between turbine strings, and the number of
turbine strings would vary with different turbine sizes. Each turbine
would have a maximum height of up to 675 feet to the blade tip, and a
permanent footprint including base, transformer, and associated pads of
about one-tenth of an acre.
In addition to the turbines, temporary access roads and permanent
all-weather access roads to each turbine location would be required. To
the extent possible, existing roads and trails would be incorporated
into the access road system and upgraded as necessary. It is estimated
that approximately 60 miles of new permanent all-weather access roads
would be needed for the proposed Project.
Two 345-kV Project substations, one on either side of U.S. Highway
287 would be constructed. The substation sites would be about five
acres in size, and each would contain one or two main power
transformers, breakers and switches, control buildings, SCADA and
metering equipment, a permanent meteorological tower, and other related
equipment. The substations would be gravel- or crushed rock-surfaced,
and enclosed by security fencing. Approximately four miles of 345-kV
single circuit transmission line would connect the two Project
substations with WAPA's interconnection switchyard. Up to 105 miles of
34.5-kV collection lines would connect the transformers at each turbine
to the Project substations. The collection lines would typically be
34.5 kV, and would likely be a combination of buried electrical cables
and overhead lines on poles 30 to 50 feet tall. To the extent
practicable, the collection lines would parallel Project access roads
to limit environmental disturbance and facilitate maintenance.
The proposed Project would also include eight 105-meter-tall
permanent meteorological towers, four on either side of the highway,
each located so as to best capture wind and other weather data. The
towers would likely be of the self-supported, lattice-mast type, to
eliminate the bird collision risk posed by guy wires.
An approximately 7,000-square-foot operations and maintenance (O&M)
building would be constructed to support the proposed Project. The O&M
building would include water, sanitary, and electrical services, and
would house equipment for monitoring turbine operation and performance
and a shop area for repair and maintenance. The O&M building would be
located within an approximately five-acre security-fenced area, which
would provide a secure yard for vehicle parking and spare components.
Several temporary laydown yards of approximately 15 acres each
would be sited after biological and cultural resources surveys were
completed to avoid sensitive areas. The sites would be temporarily
gravel-surfaced and would serve as vehicle parking and staging areas
for construction equipment and turbine and collection line components
and materials. These sites would be reclaimed after completion of
construction. Although mobile concrete mixing batch plants are not
proposed at this time, it is possible they could be employed. As with
the laydown yards, any batch plant sites would be surveyed before use,
and reclaimed after construction was completed.
Although WAPA's Federal action is to consider the interconnection
request and the physical interconnection to WAPA's existing
transmission system, the EIS will also identify and analyze the
environmental impacts of ConnectGen's entire proposed Project.
ConnectGen would complete necessary coordination with State and local
agencies to permit their proposed Project, while WAPA would be
responsible for its interconnection switchyard.
Floodplain or Wetland Involvement
Since the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or
[[Page 71923]]
wetlands, this NOI also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The EIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment
and floodplain/wetland statement of findings following DOE regulations
for compliance with floodplain and wetlands environmental review (10
CFR part 1022).
Environmental Issues
The location of the proposed Project is in a sparsely populated
portion of southeastern Wyoming. Available overview information
indicates this area has a relatively low probability of substantial
natural resources conflicts. This information includes the 2012 Draft
EIS for the Hermosa West Wind Energy Project (DOE/EIS-0438), which
analyzed an area largely included in the proposed Project west of U.S.
Highway 287. ConnectGen's siting process for the wind turbine strings
and associated facilities will consider sensitive resources, and the
proposed Project would be designed to avoid these areas. The EIS will
evaluate the level of impact WAPA's proposed action and ConnectGen's
proposed Project alternatives would have on environmental resources
within the approximately 26,000-acre site, which may lead to
modifications in the proposed Project to further avoid or minimize
resource impacts. Although no substantive resource conflicts have been
identified thus far, the EIS will analyze the potential impacts on
potentially affected environmental resources. Wind turbine power
generation projects are generally known to have visual and noise
effects, and may affect birds and bats.
Public Participation
Interested parties are invited to participate in the scoping
process to help define the important resources and issues to be
analyzed in depth, and to eliminate from detailed study issues that are
not pertinent. The scoping process will involve all interested agencies
(Federal, State, county, and local), Native American tribes, public
interest groups, businesses, affected landowners, and individual
members of the public.
WAPA will consult with potentially affected tribes to jointly
evaluate and address the potential Project effects on cultural
resources, traditional cultural properties, or other resources
important to the tribes. These consultations will be conducted in
accordance with Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination
with Indian Tribal Governments (65 FR 67249), the President's
memorandum of April 29, 1994, Government-to-Government Relations with
Native American Tribal Governments (59 FR 22951), DOE-specific guidance
on tribal interactions, and applicable natural and cultural resources
laws and regulations.
Public informational/scoping meetings will be held as described
under DATES and ADDRESSES sections at the beginning of this notice. The
meetings will be informal, and attendees will be able to speak directly
with WAPA and ConnectGen representatives about the proposed Project.
The public is encouraged to provide information and comments on issues
it believes WAPA should address in the EIS. Comments may be broad in
nature or restricted to specific areas of concern, but should be
directly relevant to Project issues, the NEPA process, or expected
resource impacts. After gathering comments on the scope of the EIS
during the 30-day scoping period, WAPA will address the issues raised
in the EIS. Comments on WAPA's proposed action and ConnectGen's
proposed Project will be accepted and considered at any time during the
EIS process, and may be directed to WAPA as described under the
ADDRESSES section.
WAPA's EIS process will include the public scoping meetings;
consultation and coordination with appropriate Federal, State, county,
and local agencies and tribal governments; involvement with affected
landowners; distribution of and public review and comment on the Draft
EIS; a public hearing or hearings on the Draft EIS; distribution of a
published Final EIS; and publication of WAPA's Record of Decision in
the Federal Register.
Dated: December 17, 2019.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-28222 Filed 12-27-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
