[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 181 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56292-56293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23911]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Oglethorpe Power Corporation; 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 related to possible financing assistance to 
Oglethorpe Power Corporation to construct a 652 megawatt simple cycle 
combustion turbine in Talbot County or Harris County, Georgia.
    Meeting Information: RUS will conduct a public meeting in an open 
house format on Thursday, October 5, 2000, from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 
p.m. at Central Elementary--High School Talbotton, Highway 41 North, 
Talbotton, GA. All interested parties are invited to attend the 
meeting.

FOR 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 Greg Jones of Oglethorpe 
Power Corporation at 1-800-241-5374, extension 7890. Greg's email 
address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Oglethorpe Power Corporation proposes to 
construct the natural gas fired electric generation plant at one of two 
potential sites. One site is located in Talbot County, Georgia, 
approximately 10 miles southwest of Talbotton. This site is 
approximately 2 miles north of U.S. 80 and State Road 22. Approximately 
5

[[Page 56293]]

miles of natural gas pipeline and no new electric transmission line 
would be associated with a plant at this site. The other site is 
located in Harris County, Georgia, approximately 7.5 miles north of 
downtown Columbus. The site is adjacent to the east side of Interstate 
185 north of Interchange 9. Approximately 3 miles of natural gas 
pipeline and reconductoring of several miles of electric transmission 
line would be associated with a plant at this site.
    The proposed project will be composed of 6,108 megawatt (nominal) 
Siemens V84.2 combustion turbines capable of burning natural gas or 
fuel oil. It is the goal of Oglethorpe Power Corporation to have 4 of 
the units in operation by the summer of 2002 and the last two in 
operation in the summer of 2003.
    Alternatives considered by RUS and Oglethorpe Power Corporation to 
constructing the generation facility proposed include: (a) no action, 
(b) purchased power, (c) renewable energy, (d) hydroelectric 
generation, (e) pumped storage hydroelectric generation, and (f) 
distributed generation.
    An alternative evaluation and site selection study for the project 
was prepared by Oglethorpe Power Corporation. The alternative 
evaluation and site selection study are available for public review at 
RUS in Room 2242, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, and at 
the headquarters of Oglethorpe Power Corporation located at 2100 East 
Exchange Place, Tucker, Georgia. This document will also be available 
at the Talbot County Library at Jefferson Avenue and Harrison Street in 
Talbotton, Georgia, phone (706) 665-3134, the Harris County Library in 
Hamilton, Georgia, phone (706) 628-4685, and the Bradley Library at 
1120 Bradley Street in Columbus, Georgia, phone (706) 649-0780.
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives of RUS and Oglethorpe Power Corporation 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 alternative evaluation and site 
selection study, input that may be provided by government agencies, 
private organizations, and the public, Oglethorpe Power Corporation 
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 have a significant environmental impact, 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: September 12, 2000.
Glendon Deal,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 00-23911 Filed 9-15-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P