[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38971-38972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19025]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Mid-Carolina 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 from Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative for financing assistance 
from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) related to the construction of a 
new operations center in Richland County, South Carolina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Engineering and

[[Page 38972]]

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 new operations center is proposed to be 
located northeast of the town of Irmo, South Carolina, on the northern 
side of U.S. Highway 176 just east of the Interstate 26/101 
Interchange. The size of the proposed site for the new operations 
center is approximately 6 acres.
    The new operations center will consist of a 20,000 square foot 
office/operations center building, a 20,000 square foot warehouse, a 
one-acre asphalt outside storage area with concrete pads for electrical 
equipment and wire storage, a vehicle refueling area including one fuel 
pump for gasoline and one pump for diesel fuel, two double-walled 
10,000 gallon underground fuel storage tanks (one for gasoline and one 
for diesel fuel) with leak detection and monitoring, a 30 kilowatt 
standby electric generator with 500 gallon aboveground, diesel fuel 
storage tank, and parking and paved areas to accommodate 50 employees 
and visitor vehicles and 10 utility trucks. The facade of the two 
buildings that make up the office/operations center will be masonry or 
metal. The majority of the area surrounding the proposed new operations 
center will not be fenced; however, the outside pole yard will be 
enclosed by a 7-foot high chain link fence topped with 3 strands of 
barbed wire.
    RUS considered the alternatives of no action and 3 alternative site 
locations. Under the no action alternative, RUS would not approve 
financing assistance for construction of the new operations center. 
Since RUS believes that Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative has a need to 
expand its operations facility to provide better response times by 
maintenance and repair crews to the northern part of its service 
territory and to avoid future overcrowding at its existing headquarters 
facility located in Lexington, South Carolina, the no action 
alternative is not considered to be acceptable. The preferred site is 
considered to be the best location for the new operations center and is 
currently owned by Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative.
    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. Russ C. 
Dantzler, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, 254 Longs Pond Road, P.O. 
Drawer 669, Lexington, South Carolina 29071-0669, telephone (803) 359-
5551.

    Dated: July 11, 1997.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator, Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-19025 Filed 7-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P