Department of Agriculture May 29, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the addition of a new regulation that provides forage seed insurance. The provisions will be used in conjunction with the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions (Basic Provisions), which contain standard terms and conditions common to most crop insurance programs. The intended effect of this action is to convert the Forage Seed pilot crop insurance program to a permanent insurance program for the 2015 and succeeding crop years.