[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30805-30806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12454]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability
of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of a Public
Meeting
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS) for Central Electric Power Cooperative's
(Central Electric) proposed McClellanville 115-kV Transmission Project
(Project) in South Carolina. RUS is issuing the DEIS to inform the
public and interested parties about the proposed Project and to invite
the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues
addressed in the DEIS.
The DEIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of
Central Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes construction,
operation, and maintenance of approximately 15-20 miles of new 115-kV
transmission line, 1 new substation, temporary construction roads,
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other
facilities described in the DEIS. The overall project area encompasses
parts of Georgetown and Charleston counties in coastal South Carolina.
Portions of Central Electric's proposed routes may affect
floodplains, wetlands, cultural, historical and paleontological
resources. Once a final right-of-way (ROW) is selected within the
preferred route, coordination with the federal and state agencies and
other interested parties would occur to identify, evaluate and if
needed mitigate any adverse effects. RUS will hold a public hearing
meeting to share information and receive comments on the DEIS.
DATES: The public comment period on the DEIS starts with the
publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's environmental
impact statement (EIS) receipt notice in the Federal Register and will
continue for 45 days. RUS will consider all substantive written
comments on the DEIS received or postmarked by that date. Agencies,
interested parties, and the public are invited to submit comments on
the DEIS at any time during the public comment period. An open house
public hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2014. The time and location of
the meeting will be well-advertised in local media outlets a minimum of
15 days prior to the time of the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
Project, the DEIS process, and RUS financing, contact Ms. Lauren McGee
Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe
Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, Telephone: (202) 695-
2540, Facsimile: (202) 690-0649, or email: [email protected].
Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list for future
information and to receive copies of the DEIS and the Final EIS when
available should also contact Ms. McGee Rayburn.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is authorized to make loans and loan
guarantees that finance the construction of electric distribution,
transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements
and replacements required to furnish and improve electric service in
rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy conservation
programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Central
Electric is an electric transmission cooperative that provides
transmission service from the bulk transmission system to South
Carolina's 20 retail electric cooperatives. Berkeley Electric, a member
distribution electric cooperative of Central Electric, was formed in
1940 to bring electric service to rural areas of coastal South
Carolina. Berkeley Electric owns and operates more than 5,000 miles of
distribution line serving more than 80,000 accounts in Berkeley,
Charleston, and Dorchester counties.
Project Description: Central Electric has identified the need for
additional electric transmission capacity in coastal South Carolina to
meet reliability and system stability requirements for the region.
Investigations and analyses conducted for the overall power delivery
systems found that without improvements, the flow of power along
existing lines may result in local line overloads and power outages.
To resolve these issues, Central Electric is proposing to
construct, own and operate a new 115-kV transmission line and
associated supporting infrastructure. The entire Project will consist
of constructing approximately 15-20 miles of new single circuit 115-kV,
the construction of 1 new substation, improvements to temporary off-ROW
construction roads, river crossings, and a single, temporary, 5-to 10-
acre construction staging site. The proposed Project would connect from
either the Belle Isle Substation or at a tap point on the Winyah-Belle
Isle 115 kV transmission line to McClellanville. The proposed Project
would be located in portions of Georgetown and Charleston counties in
coastal South Carolina and considers six possible Alternative Routes
for the transmission line.
Central Electric has requested financial assistance for the
proposed Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS's
requirements in processing Central Electric's application, along with
other technical and financial considerations. In accordance with 40 CFR
1501.5(b) of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Regulation
for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act, RUS will serve as the lead agency in the
preparation of the EIS.
[[Page 30806]]
RUS has prepared a DEIS and intends to issue a Final EIS to analyze
the impacts of its respective federal actions and the proposed Project
in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
amended, Council on Environmental Quality Regulation for Implementing
the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and RUS
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).
Because the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or
wetlands, this Notice also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or
wetland action. The DEIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment
and, if required, a floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be
issued with the Final EIS.
RUS has determined that its action regarding the proposed Project
would be an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 and its implementing
regulations, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 CFR Part 800).
As part of its broad environmental review process, RUS must take into
account the effect of the proposed Project on historic properties in
accordance with Section 106. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), RUS is
using its procedures for public involvement under NEPA to meet its
responsibilities to solicit and consider the views of the public during
Section 106 review. Accordingly, comments submitted in response to this
Notice will inform RUS decision-making in its Section 106 review
process. Any party wishing to participate more directly with RUS as a
``consulting party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request
to the RUS contact provided in this Notice.
Agency Responsibilities: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency,
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the DEIS. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service are participating as
cooperating agencies and will be issuing decisions relevant to the
project under separate authorities. RUS is also serving as the lead
Federal agency for the Section 106 and Section 7 review processes.
Public Participation: Public participation and full disclosure are
planned for the entire EIS process. The EIS process has included a
scoping comment period to solicit comments from interested parties;
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local,
and tribal governments. In addition, a 45-day review/comment period of
the DEIS, with an open house public hearing is scheduled on June 3,
2014. The time and location of the meeting will be well-advertised in
local media outlets a minimum of 15 days prior to the time of the
meeting. Attendees will be welcome to come and go at their convenience
and provide written or oral comments on the Project. In addition,
attendees may provide written comments by letter, fax, or email. The
process will be followed by publication of a Final EIS and publication
of a Record of Decision. The expected environmental project review
completion date is expected to be spring 2015.
Dated: May 6, 2014.
James F. Elliot,
Acting Assistant Administrator--Electric Programs, Rural Utilities
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12454 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
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