[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 200 (Monday, October 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 61141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26459]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Elk Mound Combustion Turbine Project, Notice of 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), 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794), 
has made a finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a 
project proposed by Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) of La Crosse, 
Wisconsin. The proposed project will have a total of two combustion 
turbine units. Each turbine unit will have a maximum rating of 49 MW. 
DPC proposes to construct the facility in Wheaton Township in Chippewa 
County, Wisconsin. The site is located adjacent to DPC's Elk Mound 
Substation, which is located north of Highway 29. The primary purpose 
of the facility is to meet DPC's peak electrical load. The facility 
will require approximately 5 acres of land. However, DPC wants to 
purchase up to 60 acres in order to provide sufficient construction 
lay-down area and to maintain an appropriate distance between the 
facility and its neighbors. The primary fuel for the facility will be 
natural gas that will be obtained from the Viking Gas Transmission 
Company pipeline that is located approximately 2.2 miles north of the 
plant site. A 6-inch lateral pipeline will connect the Viking pipeline 
with the plant site. No new electric transmission lines will be 
required.
    RUS has concluded that the impacts from the proposed project would 
not be significant and that the proposed action is not a major federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. 
Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not 
necessary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Rural Utilities Service, Engineering and Environmental 
Staff, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-
1571, telephone: (202) 720-1414. His e-mail address is 
[email protected]. Information is also available from Mr. George L. 
Johnston, Senior Environmental Biologist, DPC, 3200 East Avenue South, 
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, telephone (608) 787-1322, FAX: (608) 787-
1241. His e-mail address is: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS, in accordance with its environmental 
policies and procedures, required that DPC prepare an Environmental 
Analysis (EVAL) reflecting the potential impacts of the proposed 
facilities. The EVAL, which includes input from federal, state, and 
local agencies, has been reviewed and accepted as RUS' Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with Sec. 1794.41. RUS 
and DPC published notices of the availability of the EA and solicit 
public comments per Sec. 1794.42. No responses were received from the 
public or any agencies and also no objections were raised to the 
project. Based on the EA, RUS has concluded that the proposed action 
will not have a significant effect to various resources, including 
important farmland, floodplains, wetlands, cultural resources, 
threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat, air and 
water quality, and noise. RUS has also determined that there would be 
no negative impacts of the proposed project on minority communities and 
low-income communities as a result of the construction of the project.
    Copies of the EA and FONSI can be reviewed at the headquarters of 
DPC and RUS, at the addresses provided above in this notice.

    Dated: October 10, 2000.
George J. Bagnall,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Electric Program.
[FR Doc. 00-26459 Filed 10-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P