Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kV Transmission Line Project

Published date14 February 2020
Citation85 FR 8554
Record Number2020-02946
SectionNotices
CourtRural Utilities Service
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 31 (Friday, February 14, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2020)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 8554-8556]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-02946]
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                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                Rural Utilities Service
                Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kV Transmission Line Project
                AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
                ACTION: Notice of availability of a Record of Decision.
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                SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities
                Service (RUS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Army
                Corps of Engineers (USACE) have issued a single Record of Decision
                (ROD) to approve the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for
                the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line
                Project (C-HC Project). The C-HC Project will connect the Cardinal
                Substation in Dane County, Wisconsin with the Hickory Creek Substation
                in Dubuque County, Iowa. The C-HC Project also includes a new
                intermediate 345-/138-kV substation near the village of Montfort in
                Grant County, Wisconsin. The total length of the 345-kV transmission
                lines associated with the proposed project will be approximately 100
                miles.
                ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the ROD or for further information,
                contact: Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA,
                Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 2244, Stop
                1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, by telephone at (202) 720-1414, or
                email [email protected]. The ROD and Final Environmental Impact
                Statement are available online at https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/impact-statements/cardinal-%E2%80%93-hickory-creek-transmission-line.
                 For information about the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife
                and Fish Refuge and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, contact: Tim
                Yager, Deputy Refuge Manager, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife
                and Fish Refuge, 51 E 4th Street, Winona, MN 55987, by telephone at
                (507) 494-6219, or email at [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS, the lead Federal agency, has approved
                the C-HC Project to proceed to the RUS loan review and engineering
                review processes for Dairyland Power Cooperative's (Dairyland's) share
                in the construction of the C-HC Project. The USFWS has received an
                application package from ITC Midwest LLC (ITC Midwest) and Dairyland
                for a right-of-way (ROW) permit to cross the Upper Mississippi River
                National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge). The USFWS is obligated to
                review the right-of-way application package, complete an associated
                National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, identify a preferred
                alternative, and decide whether or not to issue a right-of-way permit.
                Before a right-of-way permit can be issued, the USFWS must determine
                that the proposed use (a transmission line across the Refuge) is
                compatible with the purpose for which the Refuge was established. The
                USFWS has found the proposed transmission line ROW across the Refuge as
                presented in Alternative 6 and described in the right-of-way
                application from ITC Midwest and Dairyland to be compatible. As a
                cooperating agency, the USFWS agrees that the NEPA process is complete
                and the FEIS adequately describes impacts to the human environment. The
                FEIS will be used to inform USFWS decision makers on the impacts of
                allowing a transmission line ROW across the Refuge. The USACE will
                approve the ROW request and will issue permit applications required by
                Section 10 and Section 408 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section
                404 of the Clean Water Act.
                 The ROD has been signed by the Administrator for the Rural
                Utilities Service, Regional Director for the USFWS in Unified Region 3,
                and Colonel Steven M. Sattinger, Commander and District Engineer for
                USACE, which was effective upon signing on January 17, 2020.
                 The RUS is the lead agency for the Federal environmental review,
                with USFWS, USACE, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
                serving as cooperating agencies, and the National Park Service (NPS) as
                a participating agency. The FEIS was prepared pursuant to NEPA (United
                States Code [U.S.C.] 4231 et seq.) and in accordance with Council on
                Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural
                provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508),
                RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR 1970), USFWS
                Environmental Policies and Procedures (43 CFR 46.10-46.50 and 560 DM
                8), and the USACE's
                [[Page 8555]]
                NEPA implementing procedures (33 CFR 230.9). As the lead Federal
                agency, and as part of its broad environmental review process, RUS must
                take into account the effect of the C-HC Project on historic properties
                in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
                Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) and its implementing regulation ``Protection of
                Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 800). Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), RUS
                used its procedures for public involvement under NEPA, in part, to meet
                its responsibilities to solicit and consider the views of the public
                and other interested parties during the Section 106 review process.
                Accordingly, comments submitted in the EIS process also informed RUS's
                decision making in the Section 106 review process. Dairyland is
                participating in the proposed project with two other utilities:
                American Transmission Company LLC and ITC Midwest (altogether referred
                to as ``the Utilities''). The purpose of the proposed project is to:
                (1) Address reliability issues on the regional bulk transmission
                system, (2) alleviate congestion that occurs in certain parts of the
                transmission system and remove constraints that limit the delivery of
                power, (3) expand the access of the transmission system to additional
                resources, (4) increase the transfer capability of the electrical
                system between Iowa and Wisconsin, (5) reduce the losses in
                transferring power and increase the efficiency of the transmission
                system, and (6) respond to public policy objectives aimed at enhancing
                the nation's transmission system and to support the changing generation
                mix.
                 The C-HC Project includes the construction and operation of the
                345-kV transmission line and its associated infrastructure, including
                the following facilities:
                 At the existing Cardinal Substation in Dane County,
                Wisconsin: A new 345-kV terminal within the substation;
                 At the proposed Hill Valley Substation near the village of
                Montfort, Wisconsin: An approximately 22-acre facility with five 345-kV
                circuit breakers, one 345-kV shunt reactor, one 345-/138-kV
                autotransformer, and three 138-kV circuit breakers;
                 At the existing Eden Substation near the village of
                Montfort, Wisconsin: Transmission line protective relaying upgrades to
                be compatible with the new protective relays installed at the new Hill
                Valley Substation and replacement of conductors and switches to meet
                the Utilities' operating limits;
                 Between the existing Eden Substation and the proposed Hill
                Valley Substation near the village of Montfort, Wisconsin: A rebuild of
                approximately 1 mile of the Hill Valley to Eden 138-kV transmission
                line;
                 At the existing Wyoming Valley Substation near Wyoming,
                Wisconsin: Installation of nine 16-foot ground rods to mitigate
                potential fault current contributions from the proposed project;
                 Between the existing Cardinal Substation and the proposed
                Hill Valley Substation: A new 53-mile 345-kV transmission line;
                 Between the proposed Hill Valley Substation and existing
                Hickory Creek Substation: A new 49-mile 345-kV transmission line;
                 At the Mississippi River in Cassville, Wisconsin: A
                relocation of the existing Mississippi River transmission line crossing
                to accommodate the new 345-kV transmission line and Dairyland's 161-kV
                transmission line, which would be capable of operating at 345-/345-kV
                but would initially be operated at 345-/161-kV;
                 a new 161-kV terminal and transmission line protective
                relaying upgrades within the existing Nelson Dewey Substation in
                Cassville, Wisconsin;
                 replacement or reinforcement of an existing transmission
                line structure within the Stoneman Substation in Cassville, Wisconsin;
                 Multiple, partial, or complete rebuilds of existing 69-kV,
                138-kV, and 161-kV transmission lines in Wisconsin that would be
                collocated with the new 345-kV line;
                 At the existing Turkey River Substation in Clayton County,
                Iowa: One new 161-/69-kV transformer, three new 161-kV circuit
                breakers, and four new 69-kV circuit breakers; and
                 At the existing Hickory Creek Substation in Dubuque
                County, Iowa: A new 345-kV terminal within the existing Hickory Creek
                Substation.
                 The decisions documented in the ROD are as follows:
                 The RUS agrees to consider, subject to loan approval,
                financing Dairyland's share in the proposal. Details regarding RUS's
                regulatory authority, rationale for the decision, and compliance with
                applicable regulations are included in the ROD.
                 The USFWS has determined that the NEPA review is complete
                and the FEIS adequately evaluates and describes impacts on the human
                environment. The USFWS agrees that the preferred alternative most
                effectively avoids, minimizes, and mitigates impacts to the Refuge. The
                USFWS also agrees that consultation under the Endangered Species Act is
                complete with the issuance of the biological opinion. The USFWS has
                found the transmission line route which crosses the Refuge as described
                in the preferred alternative to be compatible. The USFWS will continue
                to review a right-of-way permit application from ITC Midwest and
                Dairyland and will make a decision on granting a right-of-way permit
                within 270 days of signature of the ROD. Subsequent special use permits
                authorizing construction of the transmission line would be evaluated
                and issued after the right-of-way permit is granted.
                 The USACE will issue a permit for the C-HC Project under
                Sections 10 and 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, for the crossing of
                the Mississippi River at the selected alternative. The USACE will also
                issue permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, for activities
                that discharge fill into waters of the U.S., including wetlands. The
                USACE will also grant a ROW authorization to issue an easement across
                USACE-managed/owned lands for the selected alternative.
                 RUS published its Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft EIS
                (DEIS) in the Federal Register, 83 FR 235 (December 7, 2018), and in
                newspapers of general circulation within the proposed project's area of
                environmental impact. The USEPA published its notice of receipt of the
                DEIS in the Federal Register 83 FR 235 (December 7, 2018). The comment
                period for the DEIS was extended from February 5, 2019, to April 1,
                2019, due to a partial lapse in Federal government funding.
                 Public meetings to receive comments on the DEIS were held from
                March 13 to 20, 2018, in Dodgeville, Barneveld, Cassville, and
                Middleton, Wisconsin, and Guttenberg and Peosta, Iowa. All comments
                received on the DEIS were addressed in the FEIS. The RUS published its
                NOA of the FEIS in the Federal Register 84 FR 205 (October 23, 2019)
                and in newspapers of general circulation within the proposed project's
                area of environmental impact. The USEPA published its notice receipt of
                the FEIS in the Federal Register 84 FR 2017 (October 25, 2019). The 30-
                day comment period ended on November 25, 2019. Comments received on the
                FEIS were addressed in the ROD.
                 The FEIS considered six action alternatives to meet the project
                need. These alternatives were evaluated in terms of ability to meet the
                purpose and need, technical feasibility, and environmental impacts
                (e.g., geology and soils; vegetation, including wetlands and special
                status plants; wildlife, including special status species; water
                resources and quality; air quality and climate change; noise;
                [[Page 8556]]
                transportation; cultural and historic resources; land use, including
                agriculture and recreation; visual quality and aesthetics;
                socioeconomics and environmental justice; public health and safety;
                Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge; and
                cumulative effects).
                 The RUS selected Alternative 6. See ROD Section 2.6.1 ``Selected
                Alternative and Agency Rationale'' for the rationale for selecting
                Alternative 6. The resources or environmental impacts that could be
                affected by the C-HC Project selected alternative are summarized in the
                ROD Section 2.7 ``Summary of Environmental Consequences.''
                 Based on an evaluation of the information and impact analyses
                presented in the FEIS, including the evaluation of all alternatives,
                and in consideration of RUS's NEPA implementing regulations,
                Environmental Policies and Procedures, as amended (7 CFR part 1970),
                RUS finds the evaluation of reasonable alternatives is consistent with
                NEPA.
                 Because the proposed project may involve action in floodplains or
                wetlands, this NOA also serves as a final notice of action in
                floodplains and wetlands (in accordance with Executive Orders 11988 and
                11990).
                 The ROD is not a decision on Dairyland's loan application and
                therefore not an approval of the expenditure of Federal funds. This
                notice of the ROD concludes RUS's environmental review process in
                accordance with NEPA and RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7
                CFR 1970). The ultimate decision as to loan approval depends upon the
                conclusion of this environmental review process plus financial and
                engineering analyses. Issuance of the ROD will allow these reviews to
                proceed.
                 The ROD is not a decision on the ROW permit application the USFWS
                has received from Dairyland and ITC Midwest, and therefore not an
                approval for crossing the Refuge. This notice concludes USFWS's
                environmental review process in accordance with NEPA and USFWS
                Environmental Policies and Procedures (43 CFR 46.10-46.450 and 516 DM
                8). Processing, review, and further evaluation of the ROW permit
                application received from Dairyland Power and ITC can proceed with
                issuance of the ROD.
                Chad Rupe,
                Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
                [FR Doc. 2020-02946 Filed 2-13-20; 8:45 am]
                 BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
                

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