[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 18429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8646]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 68 / Monday, April 9, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 18429]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Dairyland Power Cooperative; 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 85 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 project consists of constructing a coal ash landfill at 
its existing Alma off-site disposal facility. The project is located in 
the NE\1/4\ of the NE\1/4\ of section 19 and portions of sections 18 
and 20, T21N, R12W, Belvidere Township, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. The 
proposed site is located approximately two miles southeast of Alma, 
Wisconsin. The proposed landfill will be an expansion of DPC's existing 
facility. All construction activity will take place on property owned 
by DPC. RUS may provide financial assistance to DPC for this project.
    RUS has concluded that the impacts of the proposed project would 
not be significant and 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 FUTHER 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; e-mail: [email protected]. 
Information is also available from Bradley P. Foss, Environmental 
Biologist, DPC, 3200 East Avenue South, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, 
telephone (608) 787-1492, FAX: (608) 787-1490. 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 7 CFR 1794.41. RUS 
and DPC published notices of the availability of the EA and solicited 
public comments per 7 CFR 1794.42. The 30-day comment period on the EA 
for the proposed Phase IV Coal Ash Landfill ended February 24, 2001. 
Comments were received from the Wisconsin Department of Natural 
Resources (WDNR), Town Board for the Town of Belvidere (the Board), and 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). DPC has submitted their 
asbestos-handling plan to WDNR for its approval. The asbestos-handling 
plan, submitted by DPC, had been revised per WDNR's request. Asbestos 
containing insulation will be sealed in plastic bags before disposal. 
The bags will be placed in a specially designated asbestos containment 
area in the central portion of the active disposal area of a cell in 
Phase IV. The asbestos containing bags shall be laid down flat in the 
prepared area and covered with two feet of low moisture blended fly 
ash. The location of the asbestos disposal area within the site shall 
be mapped and recorded. DPC will not exhume asbestos that will be 
disposed in the Phase IV. The plan is under review by the WDNR. DPC 
will revise its asbestos-handling plan as per WDNR recommendation. DPC 
has already secured or will secure the following approval or permits 
prior to Phase IV construction of the landfill: initial site 
investigation report approval, feasibility report approval, plan of 
operations report approval, and a storm water permit. The Environmental 
Planning and Evaluation Branch, Region 5, USEPA, reviewed the EA and 
stated that the environmental impacts appear to be minimal and 
temporary and should not adversely affect human health or significantly 
degrade the environment. They did not object to the project or the EA.
    Comments were received from the Board in Buffalo County. Its 
concern included: (1) Tax-exempt status of the landfill and additional 
lands that are used for buffer zone, and (2) potential pollution from 
the landfill. The Board's question for the tax-exempt status of lands 
within a utility project was based upon provisions within the Wisconsin 
Statues. The proposed Phase IV area has always been within the overall 
solid waste site and, therefore, we believe that the proposed 
development will have no effect on the local real property tax. In 
other words, the real property tax status will remain the same. The 
land around the landfill acts to maintain a buffer around the landfill. 
This buffer zone consisting primarily of woodland protects and 
preserves the aesthetics of the adjacent lands and at the same time 
helps settling the fugitive dust generated in the landfill area. 
Fugitive dust will be controlled at the site mainly by the use of 
water. Other dust control operations will include, but will not limited 
to, moistening of fly ash, wetting the roads with water to control dust 
generated by vehicular movements, and placing temporary soil covering 
of fill material. The proposed Plan of Operation submitted to WDNR 
include a detailed Dust Control Plan, a groundwater monitoring program, 
and a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan. We believe that all 
environmental related comments were resolved.
    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.

    Dated: March 27, 2001.
Blaine D. Stockton,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 01-8646 Filed 4-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P