[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1963-1964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-604]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Dairyland Power Cooperative, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Hold 
Public Scoping Meetings and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an 
environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public 
scoping meetings and prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in 
connection with possible impacts related to a project being proposed by 
Dairyland Power Cooperative, Inc. (DPC), of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The 
proposal consists of the construction and operation of a coal-fired 
electric generation facility, consisting of a single 400 Megawatt (MW) 
unit, at a site in Mitchell or Chickasaw Counties, Iowa.

DATES: RUS will conduct the public scoping meetings in an open-house 
format on January 28, 2004, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Pinicon 
Restaurant, Highway 63 and 18 South, in New Hampton, Iowa, and on 
January 29, 2004, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the First Lutheran Church, 
212 North Main Street, in St. Ansger, Iowa.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, RUS, Engineering and Environmental Staff, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone: (202) 
720-1414 or e-mail: [email protected], or Rob Palmberg, Dairyland 
Power Cooperative, Inc., 3200 East Avenue South, La Crosse, WI 54602-
0817, telephone: (608) 788-4000, extension 483 or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DPC proposes to construct and operate a 400 
MW coal-fired electric generation facility at one of two sites in 
northeast Iowa. The Otranto site is located approximately 6 miles north 
of St. Ansgar in Mitchell County. The New Hampton site is located 
approximately 4 miles east of New Hampton in Chickasaw County. 
Construction of the project will require interconnection with existing 
electric transmission lines, the upgrade of existing electric 
transmission lines and/or the construction of new electric transmission 
lines. The schedule developed by DPC would place the facility in 
commercial operation by the spring of 2009. Alternatives to be 
considered by RUS include no action, purchased power, load management, 
renewable energy sources, distributed generation, and alternative site 
locations. Comments regarding the proposed project may be submitted 
(orally or in writing) at the public scoping meetings or in writing 
within 30 days after the January 29, 2004, meeting to RUS at the 
address provided in this notice.
    The DPC and their consultants have prepared an alternatives 
evaluation and a site selection study for the proposed project. The 
studies are available for public review at RUS or DPC, at the addresses 
provided in this notice. These studies are also available at the public 
libraries in St. Ansgar and New Hampton. Please consult local notices 
for locations.
    From information provided in the studies mentioned above, input 
that

[[Page 1964]]

may be provided by government agencies, private organizations, and the 
public, RUS will prepare a Draft EIS. The Draft EIS will be available 
for review and comment for 45 days. A Final EIS will then be prepared 
that considers all comments received. The Final EIS will be available 
for review and comment for 30 days. Following the 30-day comment 
period, RUS will prepare a Record of Decision (ROD). Notices announcing 
the availability of the Draft and Final EIS and the ROD will be 
published in the Federal Register and in local newspapers.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal, 
State and local environmental laws and regulations and completion of 
the environmental review requirements as prescribed in the RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).

    Dated: January 5, 2004.
Lawrence R. Wolfe,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 04-604 Filed 1-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P