[Federal Register: July 18, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 138)]
[Notices]
[Page 47348]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jy02-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Great River Energy; Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a
project proposed by Great River Energy (GRE) of Elk River, Minnesota.
The project consists of a short reroute of an existing GRE 230 kV
transmission line to facilitate access to coal reserves of the Falkirk
Mining Company, and a short segment of additional 230 kV line to
provide for separation of the circuits on an existing double-circuited
transmission line. The project is located approximately 4.5 miles south
and 4 miles west of Underwood in McLean County, North Dakota. RUS may
provide financial assistance to GRE for this project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection
Specialist, Rural Utilities Service, Engineering and Environmental,
Staff, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-
1571, telephone: (202) 720-1414; Fax: (202) 720-0820 e-mail:
nislam@rus.usda.gov. Information is also available from Ms. Carole
Schmidt, Environmental Scientist, Great River Energy, 17845 E. Highway
10, P.O. Box 800, Elk River, MN 55330-0800, telephone: (763) 241-2272;
e-mail: cschmidt@GREnergy.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GRE currently owns a 230 kV transmission
line that runs between two of its generating facilities--Coal Creek
Station (Coal Creek) and Stanton Station (Stanton). A 4.5-mile portion
of this line is double-circuited. The purpose of this project is two
fold: (1) To reroute a portion of this transmission line to allow
access to coal reserves in the area of the line, and (2) to separate
the two circuits onto separate transmission structures to allow for
additional transmission capacity in the Coal Creek-Stanton area. The
relocation will maintain transmission capabilities between Coal Creek
and the Stanton area. GRE also intends to place an optical ground wire
(fiber optic cable) between Coal Creek and Stanton area to provide a
high-speed telecommunications link between the two sites. Portions of
the fiber optic cable will be installed in underground conduit. The
conduit will be installed by trenching at a depth of approximately 36
inches. A right-of-way of 120 feet will be needed for the line. A
combination of single-pole and H-frame structures will be used for the
transmission line. The proposed rerouted portion of the line and
separation of the line onto separate transmission structures of the
double-circuited portion of the 230 kV line will allow for additional
transmission capacity in the Coal Creek-Stanton area. This will
facilitate increased coal-fired generation in the area.
RUS, in accordance with its environmental policies and procedures,
requires that GRE prepare an environmental report reflecting the
potential impacts of the proposed facilities. The environmental report
that includes input from federal, state, and local agencies has been
reviewed and accepted as RUS' Environmental Analysis (EA) for the
project in accordance with 7 CFR 1794.41. GRE published notices of the
availability of the EA and solicited public comments per 7 CFR 1794.42.
The 30-day comment period on the EA for the proposed project ended May
20, 2002. No comments were received on the EA. GRE, however, received
comments on the environmental report from federal, state, and local
agencies. GRE has agreed to follow Federal, State, and local agency
recommendations and secure all permits prior to constructing and during
operation of the proposed facilities.
Based on the EA and the GRE's commitments to follow all agency
recommendations, RUS has concluded that the proposed action will not
have a significant effect to various resources, including important
farmland, floodplains, wetlands, cultural and historic properties,
threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat, and water
quality. RUS has also determined that there would be no negative
impacts of the proposed project on minority communities and low-income
communities as a result of construction of the project. RUS believes
that there are no significant potential environmental conflicts related
to this project.
Dated: July 12, 2002.
Alfred Rodgers,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities
Service.
[FR Doc. 02-18044 Filed 7-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P