[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 1847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-715]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Freedom Power Station Plant: Notice of Availability of an
Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) for its Federal action
related to a project proposed by Southwestern Electric Cooperative,
Inc., (SWEC) of Greenville, Illinois. The project consists of
constructing a natural gas-fired simple cycle, combustion turbine power
generation facility near Wright's Corner in Fayette County, Illinois.
RUS may provide financing assistance to SWEC for the project.
FOR FUTHER 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. His e-mail address is
[email protected]. Information is also available from Mr. Joe
Richardson, Business Development and Marketing Manager, SWEC, 525 US
Route 40, Greenville, IL 62246, telephone (618) 664-1025. Questions and
comments should be sent to RUS at the address provided. RUS should
receive comments on the EA in writing within 30 days of the publication
of this notice to insure that RUS prior to making its environmental
impact determination considers them.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SWEC proposes to construct the Freedom Power
Generation Plant near Wright's Corner in Fayette County, Illinois. The
primary purpose of the facility is to meet SWEC peak electrical load.
The generation unit consists of a turbine similar to those found in
commercial airline engines. Natural gas will be used as generating fuel
for the plant. The unit will have a peak capacity of 45 MW. The
facility will be located on a 1.5-acre tract of land on the east side
of County Highway 4 approximately six miles north of the city of St.
Elmo, Illinois. The power generated from the facility will be
distributed through an existing transmission line owned and operated
jointly by SWEC and Ameren. No additional construction of the
transmission facility will be required. Kansas-Nebraska Energy will
provide natural gas fuel for the facility. The Kansas-Nebraska Energy's
gas pipeline is located about 50 feet from the plant site.
Environmental Audits and Consultants, Inc., of Vandalia, Illinois,
prepared an environmental report on behalf of the SWEC and submitted it
to RUS for its evaluation. The environmental report describes the
project and assesses its potential environmental impacts. RUS has
conducted an independent evaluation of the environmental report and
believes that it accurately assesses the impacts of the proposed
project. This environmental report will serve as RUS' EA of the
project. No significant impacts are expected as a result of the
construction of the project.
The EA can be reviewed at the headquarters of SWEC and the RUS, at
the addresses provided above in this notice.
Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the address
provided in this notice. RUS will accept questions and comments on the
EA for at least 30 days from the date of publication of this notice.
Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal
environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental
review procedures as prescribed by the 7 CFR Part 1794, Environmental
Policies and Procedures.
Dated: January 6, 2000.
Lawrence R. Wolfe,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 00-715 Filed 1-11-00; 8:45 am]
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