Rural Utilities Service August 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financial assistance to Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. (Minnkota Power) for the construction of the proposed Distribution Substation and Overhead Transmission Line for the Keystone Pipeline Pump Station No. 17 Project in Steele County, North Dakota.

RUS and NTIA announce additional measures to ensure that any pending electronic applications experiencing difficulties uploading attachments into the Easygrants[reg] System for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) can be submitted by the extended application deadline of August 20, 2009. The Easygrants[reg] System will not accept applications after 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 20, 2009. In order to ensure that all pending electronic applications experiencing difficulties uploading attachments can be completed, the core application must be electronically submitted using the Easygrants[reg] System by 5 p.m. ET on August 20, 2009. The extension described herein pertains only to the attachments listed in the ``Uploads Checklist'' of the ``Uploads'' page of the Easygrants[reg] System, including documents submitted as Supplemental Information. The core application is defined as all fields and questions in the application, not including the attachments listed in the ``Uploads Checklist'' of the ``Uploads'' page. Any attachments that the applicant is unable to upload to the Easygrants[reg] System must be submitted by August 24, 2009, using one of the following methods of delivery: hand-delivery, overnight express, or regular mail.

RUS and NTIA announce that the application closing deadline for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is extended until 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 20, 2009, for any electronic applications pending as of 5 p.m. ET on August 14, 2009. There are no changes to the filing instructions for paper applications.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 7 CFR part 1794 in connection with potential impacts related to a proposed project in Colorado by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) and Public Service Company of Colorado (Public Service), an Xcel Energy Operating Company. The proposed San Luis Valley-Calumet-Comanche Transmission Project (proposed action) consists of the following: a proposed 230/345-kilovolt (kV) Calumet Substation to be located approximately 6 miles north of the existing Walsenburg Substation in Huerfano County; a proposed double-circuit 230-kV transmission line between the existing San Luis Valley Substation in Alamosa County and the Calumet Substation; a proposed single-circuit 230-kV transmission line between the Calumet Substation and the Walsenburg Substation; and a proposed double-circuit 345-kV transmission line connecting the Calumet Substation to the existing Comanche Substation in Pueblo County. Tri-State is requesting that RUS provide financial assistance for the proposed action.