[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6940-6941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3835]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 6940]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Research Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Development of Wind Energy at Plum Island Animal Disease Center

AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announces its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, in accordance with 
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA 
(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), USDA NEPA procedures (7 CFR Part 1b), and ARS 
NEPA procedures (7 CFR Part 520). This Environmental Impact Statement 
will evaluate potential impacts of alternate means of reducing energy 
consumption, meeting heating and cooling energy needs, and supplying 
electrical power to USDA facilities at Plum Island Animal Disease 
Center (PIADC), located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. ARS 
invites other Federal agencies, states, Indian tribes, local 
governments, and the general public to submit written comments or 
suggestions concerning the scope of the issues to be addressed, 
alternatives to be analyzed, and the environmental impacts to be 
addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The public is 
invited to participate in scoping activities including one or more 
scoping meetings through which comments and suggestions will be 
received. Oral and written comments will be considered equally in 
preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Those not 
desiring to submit comments or suggestions at this time, but who would 
like to receive a copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
review when it is issued, should write to Mr. Carlos M. Santoyo at the 
address below. When the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is 
complete, its availability will be announced in the Federal Register 
and in the local news media. A public hearing will be held, and 
comments will be solicited on this document.

DATES: All comments received or postmarked by May 2, 1997, will be 
considered in scoping and preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement. ARS will consider comments received or postmarked after that 
date to the extent practicable. ARS will conduct public scoping 
meetings in the potentially affected areas (including Southold or 
Orient, New York and Old Saybrook or New London, Connecticut) to assist 
in defining the appropriate scope of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement and identifying significant environmental issues to be 
addressed. The dates, times, and specific locations of the scoping 
meetings/workshops will be announced in the local media at least 15 
days before the meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this EIS 
and the public scoping process, contact Carlos M. Santoyo at the 
address and telephone numbers listed below.

ADDRESSES: Please direct written comments or suggestions on the scope 
of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, requests to speak at 
public scoping meetings and workshops, or questions concerning the 
project to: Carlos M. Santoyo, USDA, ARS, NAA, PIADC, P.O. Box 848, 
Greenport, New York 11944-0848, (516) 323-2500, Extension 210, Fax: 
(516) 323-2507, Internet address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) is 
in the Township of Southold, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. 
PIADC is located on Plum Island, which is 1.8 miles off the northeast 
end of Long Island, New York. Plum Island is owned by the Federal 
government and has an area of 840 acres (1.3 square miles). It is about 
12 miles southwest of New London, Connecticut. The bodies of water 
surrounding Plum Island include Long Island Sound on the north and 
Block Island Sound on the south.
    The principal mission of PIADC is to conduct research on the 
prevention, control, and eradication of foreign animal diseases and to 
develop and maintain diagnostic capability for foreign animal diseases 
in order to protect this country's animal industries and exports 
against catastrophic economic losses caused by foreign animal disease 
agents introduced into the United States. PIADC is shared by two USDA 
Agencies. ARS is responsible for research and Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for diagnosis.
    This isolated location is necessary because Pub. L. 496 requires 
research laboratories for the study of foot-and-mouth disease be 
located on an island surrounded by navigable water entirely under 
Federal control and not connected to the mainland by bridge or tunnel. 
Travel to Plum Island is by government-owned marine vessels from both 
Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and Orient Point, New York. Due to its 
remote location, PIADC is substantially self-sufficient, having its own 
potable water and wastewater treatment systems and harbor facilities; 
under normal conditions, PIADC relies on Long Island Lighting Company 
(LILCO) for its supply of electric power through underwater cables, 
although PIADC's standby generators (fueled by No. 2 or No. 4 fuel oil) 
are capable of supplying electrical energy demand as needed.
    The 1992 Energy Policy Act (EPACT) (Pub. L. 102-486) and Executive 
Order (E.O.) 12902 of March 8, 1994, established the energy management 
goals and requirements for the Federal Government. It required each 
Agency to develop and implement its energy management plan dealing with 
the use of energy and water. EPACT mandated a 20 percent reduction in 
energy consumption levels by the Year 2000 and E.O. 12902 increased 
this goal to 30 percent by the Year 2005. In addition to energy 
management goals and requirements for Federal Agencies, EPACT 
established energy savings performance contracting mechanism [Sec. 155 
of EPACT, amending Sec. 801 to Sec. 804 of the National Energy 
Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8287)], a Federal and private-sector 
partnership whereby an energy service company (ESCO) pays the upfront 
cost of purchasing and installing new energy-efficient or renewable 
energy

[[Page 6941]]

equipment and the Government repays the ESCO over the life of the ESPC 
contract. ARS is considering the use of energy savings performance 
contracting to assist ARS in meeting its compliance with EPACT and E.O. 
12902 and securing its own energy supply capabilities.
    PIADC's existing electrical baseload is supplied through underwater 
cables from the grid by Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO). 
Electrical energy use on Plum Island varies seasonally, with a winter 
(February 1994) baseload of 1.1 megawatts (MW) and peak load of 1.4 MW 
and a summer (July 1993) baseload of 1.4 MW and peak load of 2.3 MW. In 
Fiscal Year 1996, total electrical cost was approximately $1.2 million 
based on a total usage of 9850 MWhr. In addition to electricity, PIADC 
annually consumes 950,000 gallons of heating oil. The heating oil is 
used in the production of steam for heating and biological 
decontamination and to fuel the emergency electrical generators.
    To meet the requirements of EPACT and E.O. 12902 and to better meet 
the energy needs of PIADC's facilities, ARS has already implemented 
some energy efficiency or energy conservation measures (e.g., 
replacement of incandescent lights with energy efficient lighting, 
installation of light sensors, replacement of chillers). Through the 
provisions of energy savings performance contracting, ARS is 
investigating additional energy conservation measures and alternate 
means of utilizing renewable energy and reducing its current dependence 
on fossil fuel-based energy resources.

Preliminary Identification of Alternatives

    PIADC proposes to implement energy conservation measures to reduce 
its consumption of energy by 20 percent by the Year 2000 and by 30 
percent by the Year 2005 (in compliance with EPACT and E.O. 12902) and 
to develop its own electrical and heating and cooling energy generation 
capabilities to substantially meet its operating demand. Through the 
provisions of energy savings performance contracting, PIADC will 
examine energy conservation and supply technologies capable of meeting 
these demand scenarios, with particular emphasis on technologies that 
reduce its dependence on fossil fuel-based resources. Based on a 
favorable preliminary analysis of the wind energy potential on Plum 
Island conducted by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in 1995, ARS 
intends to assess the health and environmental impacts and other issues 
associated with the use of wind energy on Plum Island. Other energy 
conservation and supply technologies, as well as the no action 
alternative, will be evaluated in the environmental impact statement. 
At this time, PIADC intends to evaluate:
     Wind energy,
     Solar water heating,
     Thermal storage systems (for heating and cooling),
     Tidal energy,
     Replacement of emergency generators,
     Additional lighting retrofits,
     Water conservation measures, and
     No action.
    Since it is possible that ARS might decide to implement a number of 
these (or additional) measures, the environmental impact statement will 
assess the health and environmental impact of each alternative 
individually as well as in various combinations. The no action 
alternative will assume that none of the energy conservation and supply 
technologies will be implemented.

Preliminary Identification of Health and Environmental Issues

    ARS has identified the following issues for analysis for 
alternative actions in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 
Additional issues may be identified as a result of the scoping process:
     Impact on air quality.
     Impact on marine water quality and coastal resources.
     Impact on land use.
     Impact associated with transportation.
     Impact on plants, animals, and habitat (e.g., nesting 
shorebirds and ospreys, freshwater and tidal wetland impact).
     Impact on aesthetic and visual resources (e.g., historic 
viewsheds)
     Impact on socioeconomic resources (e.g., impact on growth 
and character of local communities, impact on tourism).
     Noise impact (e.g., to area residents, workers, tourists, 
and wildlife).
     Impact on archaeological resources.
     Impact on public health.
     Environmental justice impact (i.e., disproportionately 
high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and 
low-income populations).
     Impact on energy consumption and resource availability.
     Cumulative impacts.

Preliminary Identification of Decision Criteria

    In addition to the goals of EPACT and E.O. 12902, ARS will identify 
and evaluate alternatives using the following supplemental criteria:
     Health and environmental impact of the alternative(s).
     Proven and commercially available energy conservation and 
generation technologies.
     Life-cycle cost (or economic viability) of the 
alternative(s).
     Compliance with Federal, State, and local permitting 
requirements.
     Compliance with PIADC's security and biological safety 
requirements; and
     Pollution prevention.
    The Environmental Impact Statement will focus on the health and 
environmental impact of alternative decisions but will also report on 
these supplemental criteria.
    ARS invites comments from other Federal Agencies, States, Indian 
tribes, local governments, and the general public related to the scope 
of the environmental impact statement including energy conservation and 
supply technologies and alternatives to be evaluated, health and 
environmental issues to be evaluated, and the decision criteria ARS 
intends to use in making its decision.
John A. Crew,
Area Administrative Officer, North Atlantic Area.
[FR Doc. 97-3835 Filed 2-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-M