[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 35786-35787] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-17465] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Georgia Transmission Corp.; 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) has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a request by Georgia Transmission Corporation for approval to construct the proposed 115/25 kV St. George Substation and 115 kV St. George Transmission Line. The FONSI is based on a borrower's environmental report (BER) submitted to RUS by Georgia Transmission Corporation. 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, D.C. 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-0468, E-mail at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substation and transmission line are proposed to be located in Charlton County, Georgia. The transmission line will interconnect with Georgia Power Company's existing 115 kV Kettle Creek to Folkston Transmission Line at a point northwest of the town of Homeland, traverse south past the west side of Folkston, and terminate east of St. George just south of Highway 94 and west of the St. Mary River at the site of the proposed St. George Substation. Approximately 1.7 acres of land will be disturbed to accommodate placement of the St. George Substation. The length of the transmission line is approximately 27.5 miles. The width of the proposed transmission line right-of-way will be 75 feet for most of the route with the right-of-way being expanded to 100 feet in wetland areas where maintenance access will need to be increased so that adverse impacts to wetland areas can be avoided. RUS considered the alternatives of no action, constructing a 230/25 kV substation at the proposed St. George Substation site and the construction of 65 miles of 230 kV transmission line from Waycross to the proposed substation site. Under the no action alternative, RUS would not approve construction of the substation and transmission line. Since RUS believes that Georgia Transmission Corporation has a need to upgrade its transmission facilities to relieve overloading on two of Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation's existing circuits in the area and to allow Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation to serve a new wood chip mill near St. George, the no action alternative is not considered acceptable. Construction of the proposed 115/25 kV substation and 115 kV transmission line is preferred to [[Page 35787]] the alternative of constructing a 230/25 kV substation and a 230 kV transmission line which would be over twice a long. This is due primarily to additional project cost and the greater amount of environmental impact that would likely result from a longer transmission line. Three substation sites and three transmission line routes were considered. The preferred substation site will require the least amount of vegetation clearing and least impact to land use. The preferred transmission line route is longer than the two alternative routes considered; however, it is preferred because it avoids impacts to the more densely developed areas around the cities of Folkston and St. George and it would affect fewer residential properties and historic resources known to occur in the project area. 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. Clayton M. Doherty, Construction and Project Management Department, Georgia Transmission Corporation, P.O. Box 2088, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, Georgia 30085-2088, telephone (770) 270-7719, E-mail [email protected]. Dated June 30, 1997. Blaine D. Stockton, Jr., Assistant Administrator, Electric Program. [FR Doc. 97-17465 Filed 7-1-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-15-P