[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 228 (Monday, November 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70691-70692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30098]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation; Notice of Availability 
of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), 
has accepted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the 
Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) as its Environmental 
Assessment. RUS may provide financial assistance to Arkansas Electric 
Cooperative Corporation (AECC) for the construction of a 153-megawatt 
(MW) combustion turbine electric generating station in southwest 
Arkansas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Engineering and 
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, Stop 1571, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 
720-0468. The E-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AECC subsequent to receipt of a Certificate 
of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) from the APSC initiated construction 
of the project at a 159 acre site east of Fulton, Arkansas. Fulton is 
located in Hempstead County. The CCN (Order No. 7) for the generating 
station was issued on November 18, 1999. The CCN (Order No. 3) for the 
transmission line was issued on May 9, 2000.
    The project, when completed, will initially consist of a single 153 
MW gas-fired, simple-cycle combustion turbine generating unit. Other 
on-site facilities include a 90-foot exhaust stack, step-up and 
auxiliary transformers, motor control centers, bus ductwork, an 
electric substation, and control, maintenance, and operations 
buildings. The project also includes 4 miles of 115 kV transmission 
line that will tie the station to the existing transmission grid. The 
transmission line will be built to 161 kV specifications in 
anticipation that additional transmission line capacity may be needed 
in the future.
    The facility is designed to accommodate conversion of the unit to 
combined cycle operation, but will be initially operated as a simple 
cycle unit. The site has been sized to accommodate additional simple or 
combined cycle units. However, the environmental assessment announced 
herein will cover only the initial 153 MW simple cycle unit and related 
electric transmission

[[Page 70692]]

line. Only those facilities are being considered for RUS financial 
assistance.
    The only alternative to providing financial assistance to AECC for 
the construction of the subject project being considered by RUS would 
be to take no action, therefore, not provide financial assistance.
    An EIS for the proposed generating station was submitted by AECC to 
the APSC on July 1, 1999. Information on the proposed transmission line 
was submitted to the APSC on February 15, 2000. RUS has independently 
evaluated the information contained in both submittals to the APSC and 
believes that it accurately assesses the environmental impacts of the 
project. In accordance with the provisions of Secs. 1794.53 and 1794.74 
of RUS'' Environmental Policies and Procedures, the information 
referenced above will serve as RUS'' environmental assessment for this 
project.
    The environmental assessment can be reviewed at the AECC 
headquarters located at 8000 Scott Hamilton Drive, Little Rock, 
Arkansas (501-570-2462). This document will also be available for 
public inspection at the Hempstead County Library, 500 South Elm 
Street, Hope, Arkansas (870-777-4564). It can also be reviewed at the 
headquarters of RUS at the address provided previously.
    Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the address 
provided. RUS will accept questions and comments on its proposed action 
for at least 30 days from the date of publication of this notice.
    RUS will take no final action related to the project until after 
notification of that action is published in the Federal Register and in 
the same newspapers that this notice is being published.

    Dated: November 16, 2000.
Lawrence R. Wolfe,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 00-30098 Filed 11-24-00; 8:45 am]
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