[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77644-77645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30665]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota; Thunder Basin National
Grassland, Wyoming; Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Transmission 230 kV Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Corrected Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on a proposal by Black Hills Power (BHP) to construct
and operate a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Teckla
and Osage Substations in northeastern Wyoming to the Lange Substation
in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a
cooperating agency on this EIS. The Teckla-Osage-Rapid City
Transmission 230 kV Project would be approximately 150 miles long. It
would cross portions of the Black Hills National Forest and private
lands in South Dakota and portions of the Thunder Basin National
Grasslands, private lands, BLM lands, and state lands in Wyoming. The
line would be constructed on wood or steel H-frame structures for most
of its length with possibly some steel monopole structures in the Rapid
City area. The structures would be 65 to 75 feet tall and the line
would require a right-of-way approximately 125 feet wide.
This corrected notice of intent (corrected NOI) updates information
in
[[Page 77645]]
the original notice, published in the Federal Register August 26, 2011
(76FR53400). A corrected notice was needed to update the timing
information for the Draft and Final EISs, and to clarify the mailing
address for comments. Also, this project analysis is being conducted
under the authority of the Forest Service predecisional objection
regulation at 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B, issued in the Federal
Register on March 27, 2013 (78FR18481).
DATES: The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be
available for public review in December 2013 and the final
environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by August
2014.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ruth Esperance, District Ranger,
Mystic Ranger District, Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Project, 8221 South
Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702;. Send comments via email to
[email protected] with ``Teckla-
Osage-Rapid City Transmission Line'' as the subject. Electronic
comments must be readable in Word, Rich Text or PDF formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Those with questions or needing
additional information should contact Jessica Eggers at the Mystic
Ranger District office in Rapid City at (605) 343-1567, or Geri Proctor
at the Thunder Basin National Grasslands in Douglas, WY at (307) 358-
4690. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The actions proposed are in direct response
to an application submitted to the Black Hills National Forest and
Thunder Basin National Grassland by Black Hills Power (BHP) to
construct and operate a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the
Teckla and Osage Substations in northeast Wyoming and the Lange
Substation in Rapid City, South Dakota. The project area covers parts
of Campbell and Weston Counties in Wyoming, and Pennington, Meade, and
Lawrence Counties in South Dakota.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the Teckla-Osage-Rapid City Transmission Project is
to:
Strengthen the regional transmission network
Improve the reliability of the transmission system
Provide additional transmission capacity to help meet the
growing demand for electricity and economic development in the region
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to construct the Teckla-Osage-Rapid City 230
kV transmission line as described below:
Approximately 135 miles of transmission line
Require a 125 foot right-of-way
Construction of wood or steel H-frame structures 65-75 feet in
height.
This proposal also includes specific actions needed for interim and
final reclamation.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Bureau of Land Management is a cooperating agency on this EIS.
Responsible Officials
For the Forest Service: Craig Bobzien, Forest Supervisor, Black
Hills National Forest, 1019 N. 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730; and
Carolyn P. Upton, Deputy Forest Supervisor, Medicine Bow--Routt
National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland, 2468 Jackson
Street, Laramie, WY 82070. For the Bureau of Land Management: Stephanie
Connolly, District Manager, BLM Wyoming High Plains District, 2987
Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisors and BLM District Manager will decide whether
the proposed action will proceed as proposed or as modified by an
alternative; which recommended mitigation measures and monitoring
requirements will be applied; and whether an Amendment to a forest plan
or resource management plan is required.
Issues
Prior to scoping the preliminary issues included effects of the
project on plants and wildlife including sensitive species such as sage
grouse, goshawks, and other raptors; archaeological sites; hydrology
and water quality; and scenic integrity and visual resources. Public
scoping and analysis of comments has allowed the Forest Service and BLM
to clarify the list of key issues. While the EIS will analyze effects
of the alternatives on archaeological sites, hydrology and water
quality, these topics are not expected to drive the formulation of
alternatives and thus will not be listed as key issues. Those issue
topics which will drive alternatives include effects of the project on
wildlife including sensitive species such as sage grouse, goshawks, and
other raptors; wetlands and vegetation communities; scenic integrity
and visual resources; private property including values and electricity
rates; existing and future motorized recreation trail opportunities;
existing forest vegetation (tree removal); and public health as
affected by electromagnetic fields.
Scoping Process and Next Steps
The original notice of intent initiated the scoping process, which
guides the development of the environmental impact statement. Comments
and input regarding the proposal were received from the public, other
groups, and agencies during the initial public comment period through
October 28, 2011. Public meetings were held at the Hell Canyon Ranger
District Office, 1225 Washington Boulevard in Newcastle, WY; and the
Mystic Ranger District office, 8221 South Highway 16 in Rapid City, SD.
The agencies read and considered all comments, refined the list of
issues, and developed one additional alternative to the proposed
action, and analyzed the effects of all alternatives. The Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is expected to be issued in
December 2013. The public will be invited to review the DEIS and
respond with comment during a 45-day comment period. The agencies
expect to host one or more public meetings after the DEIS is issued,
with the time(s) and place(s) yet to be determined. Public comment will
be reviewed and appropriate changes will be documented in the Final
EIS, which is expected to be issued in August 2014.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of any comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
Comments received in response to a solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered, however, anonymous comments may not provide
eligibility to participate in the predecisional objection process.
Dated: December 17, 2013.
Dennis L. Jaeger,
Deputy Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2013-30665 Filed 12-23-13; 8:45 am]
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