[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 140 (Friday, July 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37945-37946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17934]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


South Mississippi Electric Power Association; 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, the Council 
on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (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 South Mississippi Electric Power Association related to 
the construction and operation of 475 megawatts of simple cycle, 
combustion turbine electric generation plants in Mississippi.
    Meeting Information: RUS and South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association will conduct a public meeting on Thursday, August 9, 2001, 
from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the headquarters of South Mississippi 
Electric Power Association, located at 7037 US Highway 49, Hattiesburg, 
Mississippi.
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives of RUS and South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association will be available at the public 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

[[Page 37946]]

comments. Written comments will be accepted for 30 days after the 
public scoping meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Engineering and 
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, at (202) 720-0468. Mr. 
Quigel's E-mail address is [email protected]. Information is also 
available from Joey Ward of South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association at (601) 268-2083. Mr. Ward's E-mail address is 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: South Mississippi Electric Power Association 
proposes to construct three GE LM6000 combustion turbines with a 
nameplate rating of 47 megawatts each at a site approximately 2 miles 
south of Sylvarena in Smith County, Mississippi, three GE 7EAs with a 
nameplate rating of 83.5 megawatts each at a site located approximately 
6 miles east of Silver Creek, in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, 
and one GE 7EA at its existing Moselle Generating Plant which is 
located approximately 1 mile north of Moselle in Jones County, 
Mississippi.
    Alternatives considered by RUS and South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association include: (a) No action, (b) purchased power, (c) load 
management and conservation of energy, (d) renewable energy, (e) 
combined cycle, and (f) various site locations.
    An alternatives evaluation and siting study for the projects was 
submitted to RUS by South Mississippi Electric Power Association. The 
alternatives evaluation and siting study are available for public 
review at RUS in Room 2242, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC, and at the headquarters of South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association, 7037 US Highway 49, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This 
document will also be available at the Prentiss Public Library, 
Prentiss, Mississippi; the Evon A. Ford Library, 208 Spring Street, 
Taylorsville, Mississippi; the Floyd A. Robinson Memorial Library, 150 
Main Street, Raleigh, Mississippi; the Laurel-Jones Library, 530 
Commerce Street, Laurel, Mississippi; and Ellisville Public Library, 
110 Court Street, Ellisville, Mississippi.
    From information provided in the alternatives evaluation and site 
selection study, input that may be provided by government agencies, 
private organizations, and the public, South Mississippi Electric Power 
Association will have prepared 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 projects and may adopt 
it as its environmental assessment of the projects. RUS' environmental 
assessment of the projects will 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 
projects will not have a significant environmental impact, it will 
prepare a finding of no significant impact. Public notification of a 
finding of no significant impact will be published in the Federal 
Register and in newspapers with a circulation in the areas where the 
projects are proposed to be located.
    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 Council on Environmental Quality and RUS 
environmental policies and procedures.

    Dated: July 12, 2001.
Glendon D. Deal,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 01-17934 Filed 7-19-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P