[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 20 (Monday, January 31, 2000)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 4595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2014]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


National Power Cooperative; Notice of Intent

AGENCY:  Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice of intent to hold a public meeting and prepare an 
environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service 
(RUS), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
Regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794) proposes to 
prepare an Environmental Assessment for possible financing assistance 
to National Power Cooperative, Inc. (NPC) to construct a 510 megawatt, 
natural gas fired combustion turbine electric generation plant in 
northwest Ohio.

MEETING INFORMATION:  RUS will conduct a public meeting in an open 
house forum on Wednesday, February 16, 2000, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 
p.m., at Delphos Jefferson Senior High School on Route 66 in Delphos, 
Ohio. All interested parties are invited to attend the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Bob Quigel, Engineering and 
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, at (202) 720-0468. Bob's 
E-mail address is: [email protected]. You can also contact Keith A. 
Crabtree of NPC at (614) 846-5757. Keith's email address is: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  NPC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ohio 
Rural Electric Cooperatives, proposes to construct the natural gas 
fired electric generation plant at one of two potential sites. One site 
is located in Van Wert County near Convoy, just southwest of the 
intersection of Mentzer Road and Shaner Road. The other site is located 
in Allen County, east of Cairo, north of the Lincoln Highway between 
Stewart Road and Slabtown Road.
    The proposed project will be composed of three gas fired turbine 
generation units with an output of 170 megawatts each. The entire plant 
will require approximately 30 acres. No major natural gas pipeline or 
electric transmission line improvements will be needed at either site 
beyond the proposed site boundaries. Specific details of the plant will 
be available at the scoping meeting.
    Alternatives to be considered by RUS to constructing the generation 
facility proposed include: (a) No action, (b) Load management, (c) 
Purchased power, and (d) An alternative site location.
    To be presented at the public scoping meeting will be a siting 
study and alternative evaluation study prepared by AEP Resources and 
Dames & Moore for NPC. The siting study and alternative evaluation 
study are available for public review at RUS in Room 2242, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, and at the NPC headquarters 
located at 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio. This document will 
also be available at the Lima Public Library, 650 W. Market St., Lima, 
Ohio (419-228-5113) and it's Cairo Branch, 519 Wall St., Cairo, Ohio 
(419-641-7744) and at the Brumback Library, 215 W. Main St. in Van 
Wert, Ohio (419-238-2168) and it's Convoy Branch, 116 E. Tully St., 
Convoy, Ohio (419-749-4000).
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives of RUS and NPC will be available at the 
scoping meeting to discuss RUS' environmental review process, describe 
the project and alternatives under consideration, discuss the scope of 
environmental issues to be considered, answer questions, and accept 
oral and written comments. Written comments will be accepted for at 
least 30 days after the public scoping meeting.
    From information provided in the siting study and alternative 
evaluation study, input that may be provided by government agencies, 
private organizations, and the public, NPC will prepare an 
environmental analysis to be submitted to RUS for review. RUS will use 
the environmental analysis to determine the significance of the impacts 
of the project and may adopt it as its environmental assessment of the 
project. RUS' environmental assessment of the project would be 
available for review and comment for 30 days.
    Should RUS determine, based on the environmental assessment of the 
project, that the impacts of the construction and operation of the 
plant would not be significant, it will prepare a finding of no 
significant impact. Public notification of a finding of no significant 
impact would be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers 
with a circulation in the project area.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with environmental review 
requirements as prescribed by CEQ and RUS environmental policies and 
procedures.

    Dated: January 24, 2000.
Glendon D. Deal,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 00-2014 Filed 1-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P