Federal Register: October 10, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 197)NoticesPage 63074From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr10oc02-17

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

Wisdom Combustion Turbine Project, Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500- 1508), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794), has made a finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a joint project proposed by Corn Belt Power Cooperative (Corn Belt) of Humboldt, Iowa, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) of Bismarck, North Dakota.

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection Specialist, RUS, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone: (202) 720-1414. His e-mail address is: nislam@rus.usda.gov. Information is also available from Mr. Donald E. Jensen, Corn Belt, WCT Project Manager, 1300 13th St. North, P.O. Box 508, Humboldt, Iowa, 50548-0508, telephone (515) 332-7984, or e-mail: djensen@trvnet.net, or Mr. James Miller, Basin Electric, Manager Environmental Affairs, 1717 East Interstate Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501, telephone (701) 255- 5144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The joint project proposed by Corn Belt and Basin Electric will consist of one 80 megawatt (MW), simple cycle combustion turbine. The primary purpose of the Wisdom Combustion Turbine (WCT) project is to meet the increasing power consumption requirements in the northwestern Iowa region. The proposed combustion turbine will be constructed in rural Clay County located in northwest Iowa approximately 4 miles west of Spencer, Iowa. The proposed simple cycle combustion turbine will be located at the existing 231 acre Earl F. Wisdom Station site that currently includes one coal-fired boiler. The construction of the WCT project will require approximately 10 acres of the 231 acres available at the Earl F. Wisdom Station site. The WCT project will utilize the existing gas pipeline, transmission lines and substation, and water wells currently used for operating the existing coal-fired boiler and therefore will not require the construction of additional infrastructure outside of the Earl F. Wisdom Station site boundaries. The WCT project will be fired on natural gas, with 2 diesel fuel oil as backup fuel.

RUS, in accordance with its environmental policies and procedures, required that Corn Belt and Basin Electric prepare an environmental report reflecting the potential impacts of the proposed project. The environmental report, which includes input from federal, state, and local agencies, has been reviewed and accepted as RUS'' environmental assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with RUS'' Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR 1794.41. In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, RUS requested comments from all federal, state, and local agencies, which may be affected by, or may have jurisdiction over, the proposed project. Corn Belt published notices of the availability of the EA and solicited public comments per 7 CFR 1794.42. Federal and state agencies have responded but no objections were raised to the project. No comments were received from the public. Based on the EA, RUS has concluded that the proposed action will not have a significant effect to various resources, including important farmland, floodplains, wetlands, cultural resources, threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat, air and water quality, and noise. RUS has also determined that there would be no negative impacts of the proposed project on minority communities and low-income communities as a result of the construction of the project. RUS believes that there are no significant unresolved environmental conflicts related to this project.

RUS has concluded that the impacts from the proposed project would not be significant and that the proposed action is not a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not necessary.

Copy of the FONSI can be reviewed at the headquarters of Corn Belt, Basin Electric, and RUS, at the addresses provided above in this notice.

Dated: October 7, 2002. Blaine D. Stockton, Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service.

FR Doc. 02-25867Filed10-9-02; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 3410-15-P