Western Area Power Administration November 20, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), intends to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the interconnection of NextEra Energy Resources' proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center Project (Project), Burleigh County, North Dakota. Western is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform the public and interested parties about a change in the proposed Project and to invite the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues to be addressed in the SDEIS. Based on substantial changes to the proposed Project, Western has made the decision to prepare an SDEIS. These changes include the relocation of 30 planned turbine locations and 5 alternate turbine locations in Crofte Township, and moving them as far as 12 miles north-east to Rock Hill Township. Additionally, up to 20 miles of new overhead transmission line will be necessary to connect the Project collector substation to the existing Wilton/Baldwin substation. Portions of the proposed Project may affect floodplains and wetlands, so this NOI also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or wetland action in accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland environmental review requirements.