[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 23430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11185]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Palmetto Electric Cooperative; 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) 
has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a 
request to an anticipated request by Palmetto Electric Cooperative for 
financing assistance to construct a district office facility in Jasper 
County, South Carolina. The FONSI is based on a borrower's 
environmental report (BER) submitted to RUS by Palmetto Electric 
Cooperative. RUS conducted an independent evaluation of the report and 
concurs with its scope and content. In accordance with RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR 1794.61, RUS has adopted 
the BER as its environmental assessment for the project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Engineering and Environmental Staff, RUS, Stop 1571, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 
720-0468, E-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The district office facility is proposed to 
be located on the northern side of U.S. Highway 278 on the western side 
of a railroad right-of-way south of State Route 141. The size of the 
proposed site for the district office facility is approximately 40 
acres of which approximately 20 acres would be developed.
    The district office facility would consist of a 20,000 square foot 
administration building, a 10,000 square foot warehouse and operations 
building, a 3,200 square foot fleet maintenance building with covered 
car and truck wash and diesel and gasoline refueling station with two 
2,500 gallon underground storage tanks, a 2,400 square foot transformer 
and metering equipment repair and maintenance building, an asphalt 
covered pole storage yard, a concrete covered transformer storage area 
with oil spill containment, two 3,200 square foot wire and vehicle 
equipment storage sheds, paved parking to accommodate 50 employee, 75 
visitor, and 25 company vehicles, a 100-foot high, self-supporting 
lattice type radio and microwave communications tower, and a 200 
kilowatt emergency diesel power electric generator to supply backup 
power to the facility in the event of a power outage.
    RUS considered the alternatives of no action, expanding Palmetto 
Electric Cooperative's existing district office, and three alternative 
site locations. Under the no action alternative, RUS would not approve 
financing assistance for construction of the district office facility. 
Since RUS believes that Palmetto Electric Cooperative has a need to 
expand its district facility to adequately serve its rapidly growing 
consumer base, it has determined that the no action alternative is not 
acceptable. The expansion of the existing district office is not 
practicable as there is not enough space available there for the 
proposed new facilities. Of the four sites considered for locating the 
proposed district, the preferred site was selected based on flexibility 
of site layout and reasonable cost.
    Copies of the BER and FONSI are available for review at, or can be 
obtained from, RUS at the address provided herein or from Mr. Berl 
Davis, Jr., Palmetto Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 21239, 111 Mathews 
Drive, Hilton Head, South Carolina, telephone (803) 681-5551.

    Dated: April 24, 1997.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator, Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-11185 Filed 4-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P