[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31085-31086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12316]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability of
a Final Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact
Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has prepared a Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) to meet its responsibilities under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), RUS's implementing regulations, 7 CFR
part 1794, and other applicable environmental requirements related to
providing financial assistance for Basin Electric Power Cooperative's
(Basin Electric) proposed Antelope Valley Station (AVS) to Neset 345-kV
Transmission Project (Project) in North Dakota. RUS will also use the
FEIS to meet its responsibilities 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).
The FEIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of
approximately 278 miles of new 345-kV single pole transmission line, a
230-kV single pole transmission line, and a double circuit 345/115-kV
transmission line, 4 new substations and a switchyard, modifications to
4 existing substations, maintenance access roads, temporary
construction roads, river crossings, temporary construction staging
sites, and other facilities described previously in the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Supplemental Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS). It also addresses comments
received during the comment periods for the DEIS and the SDEIS. The
overall project area encompasses parts of Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer,
Mountrail, and Williams Counties in western North Dakota.
DATES: Written comments on the FEIS will be accepted 30 days following
the publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's environmental
impact statement receipt notice in the Federal Register. Notices of
Availability of FEIS will be published in the local newspapers. After a
30-day public review period on the FEIS, RUS will prepare a Record of
Decision for its respective action. The environmental review process is
expected to conclude in the summer of 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive copies of the FEIS or
request information on the proposed Project, the FEIS process, and RUS
financing, contact Mr. Dennis Rankin, Engineering and Environmental
Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop
1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, Telephone: (202) 720-1953, or email:
[email protected]. Copies of the FEIS will be available for
review in local libraries in the project area. Library locations will
be published in the local papers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Basin Electric is a regional wholesale
electric generation and transmission cooperative owned and controlled
by its member cooperatives. Basin Electric serves approximately 2.5
million customers covering 430,000 square miles in portions of nine
states, including Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New
Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Basin Electric has
identified the need for additional electric transmission capacity in
northwestern North Dakota to meet reliability and system stability
requirements for the region resulting from increases in demand and load
forecasts. 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, especially in
the vicinity of Williston, North Dakota.
Basin Electric is proposing to construct, own and operate a new
345-kV transmission line and associated supporting infrastructure. The
entire proposed Project will consist of constructing approximately 278
miles of new single circuit 345-kV, 230-kV and a double circuit 345/
115-kV transmission line, the construction of 4 new substations and a
switchyard, modifications to 4 existing substations, maintenance access
roads, temporary construction roads, river crossings, temporary
construction staging sites, and other facilities. The proposed Project
would connect to the Integrated System, the high-voltage transmission
grid in the upper Great Plains managed by Western, at several
locations, including Western's Williston Substation.
The new 345-kV transmission line would start at the AVS Electric
Generation Station located near Beulah, North Dakota, and extend west
where it would connect with Basin Electric's existing Charlie Creek
345-kV Substation located near Grassy Butte. The line would then extend
north where it would connect with Basin Electric's proposed Judson
Substation near Williston and terminate at Basin Electric's newly
proposed Tande Substation (Alternative C). Additional 230-kV
transmission lines would be constructed between the new Judson 345-kV
Substation and Western's existing Williston Substation, between a new
345/230/115-kV substation referred to as the Blue Substation and
Western's existing 230-kV transmission line, and also between the Tande
345-kV Substation and Basin Electric's existing Neset 230-kV Substation
located near Tioga, North Dakota.
Three transmission line alternatives, two transmission line
variations in the Little Missouri National Grasslands (LMNG), and the
No Action alternative were evaluated. Alternative C is described above;
Alternative D is similar to Alternative C with the primary difference
being the construction of a double-circuit 345 kV line north of
Killdeer for 63 miles to the Blue Substation. Alternative E is similar
to Alternative D with the primary difference being the construction of
two parallel 345-kV transmission lines north of Killdeer rather than a
double-circuit line. The variations across the LMNG include double-
circuiting the 345-kV line with Western's existing 230 kV transmission
Line. RUS has identified Alternative C as its preferred alternative
because it best meets the purpose and
[[Page 31086]]
need and minimizes or mitigates potential impacts.
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. RUS is responsible for completing the
environmental review process in processing Basin Electric's
application. RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency, as defined at
40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the FEIS. Based on an interconnection
with the Western Area Power Administration's (Western) transmission
system, Western has, in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.6, is serving as a
cooperating agency for the environmental review of the proposed
Project. Western is also serving as the lead Federal agency, in
accordance with 36 CFR 800.2(a)(2), for the Section 106 review of
cultural resources and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Section 7
review for threatened and endangered species. The U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) may issue a special use permit under the Federal Land Policy
Management Act and is also serving as a cooperating agency. Separate
Records of Decision (RODs) will be issued by Western and the USFS for
their respective actions. It is anticipated that the RODS will be
issued in July 2014.
The proposed Project is subject to the jurisdiction of the North
Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC), which has regulatory
authority for siting electrical transmission facilities within the
State. Basin Electric has submitted applications to the NDPSC for
Transmission Corridor and Route Permits. The NDPSC Permits would
authorize Basin Electric to construct the proposed Project under North
Dakota rules and regulations.
RUS has prepared the FEIS to analyze the impacts of its respective
Federal actions and the proposed Project in accordance with the NEPA,
as amended, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulation for
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), Department of Energy's NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part
1021), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).
RUS has already prepared and published a DEIS and a SDEIS which can
both be found on the internet at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.
Because the Project covers a large land area and access in some
cases has been restricted, Section 106 review will be phased in
accordance with 36 CFR 800.4(b)(2) and 800.5(a)(3). Accordingly,
Western will complete Section 106 review using a Programmatic Agreement
(PA) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14(b)(1)(ii). RUS, at the request of
Western, will manage the development and execution of the PA. RUS may
issue the Record of Decision for the proposed Project once the PA has
been executed.
This Notice of Availability also serves as a notice of proposed
floodplain or wetland action. It is anticipated that there will be no
effect on floodplains and wetlands by the proposed Project. The
majority of the floodplains/wetlands crossed are associated with river
and stream crossings and can be spanned. Some structures may be located
in the floodplain of the Little Missouri River; however, no effects to
the floodplain are anticipated.
James F. Elliott,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, USDA, Rural
Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12316 Filed 5-29-14; 8:45 am]
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