[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13151-13152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7248]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service


Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. Finding of No Significant 
Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.

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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 
project proposed by Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. (KEA), of Kodiak, 
Alaska. The proposed project consists of constructing a 10 MW 
combustion turbine electric generation power plant and fuel tanks for 
increasing generation capacity at its Swampy Acres Substation. The new 
generation would replace the four existing diesel generators 
representing a total of 6 MW of capacity at the same site. The need for 
this project was established in KEA's 1994 Power Requirements Study and 
1994 Power Generation Study.
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Senior 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Engineering and Environmental 
Staff, Rural Utilities Service, Agriculture South Building, Washington, 
DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-1784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS, in accordance with its environmental 
policies and procedures, required that KEA prepare a Borrower's 
Environmental Report (BER) reflecting the potential impacts of the 
proposed facilities. The BER, which includes input from the Federal, 
State, and local agencies, has been adopted as RUS's Environmental 
Assessment for the project in accordance with 7 CFR Section 1794.61. 
RUS has concluded that the BER represents an accurate assessment of the 
environmental impacts of the project. The proposed project will not 
affect any known properties listed or eligible for listing in the 
National Register of Historic Places. The project will be constructed 
on land which has previously been disturbed. However, if previously 
unknown resources are discovered during project construction, KEA will 
halt construction while the significance of the find and proper 
mitigation is determined. Given these procedures, the project will not 
have any significant effect on cultural resources. The project should 
have no impact on floodplains, wetlands, important farmland, prime 
forest land, formally classified areas, coastal areas, federally listed 
or proposed for listing threatened or endangered species or their 
critical habitat. The project should also have no significant impact on

[[Page 13152]]

water quality, air quality, noise or visibility.
    Alternatives considered to the project as proposed were no action, 
a review of various alternative energy sources and their application, 
power demand and load management alternatives, and alternative sites. 
RUS has considered these alternatives and concluded that the project as 
proposed will allow KEA to provide adequate and reliable electric 
service to the customers in the Kodiak Island with a minimum of adverse 
impact.
    Copies of the BER and FONSI are available for review at RUS at the 
aforementioned address, or may be reviewed at or obtained from the 
offices of KEA, P.O. Box 787, Kodiak, Alaska, 99615 telephone (907) 
486-7700.

    Dated: March 18, 1996.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator, Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 96-7248 Filed 3-25-96; 8:45 am]
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