[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50396-50397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24740]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft environmental impact 
statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), 
has released for public review and comment a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Southern Intertie Project. The project being 
proposed by the Intertie Participants Group (IPG) is the construction 
of a 138 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Kenai Peninsula 
and Anchorage, Alaska. The RUS is the lead Federal agency in the 
environmental review process. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(USFWS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are serving as 
cooperating agencies.
    Three public hearings have been scheduled during the review and 
comment period on the DEIS. The dates and locations of these hearings 
are described below.

DATES: The public hearing dates are:

1. October 30, 2001, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Washington, DC
2. November 13, 2001, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Anchorage, Alaska
3. November 14, 2001, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Soldotna, Alaska

ADDRESSES: The public hearing locations are:

1. Washington, DC--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Room 200 A/B, Arlington, VA
2. Anchorage, AK--Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street, Wilda Marston 
Theater, Anchorage, AK
3. Soldotna, AK--Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building, 144 
North Binkley Street, Kenai Peninsula Borough Chambers, Soldotna, AK

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Senior Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA Rural 
Utilities Service, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-1784. The E-mail address 
is: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPG has proposed a new 138 kV 
transmission line in order to improve the overall Railbelt electrical 
system reliability and energy transfer capabilities between the Kenai 
Peninsula and Anchorage. The IPG proposed alternative, the Enstar 
Route, would connect the Soldotna Substation on the Kenai Peninsula 
with the International Substation in Anchorage. This alternative would 
parallel the Enstar Pipeline through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge 
(KNWR). A second alternative, the Tesoro Route, would connect the 
Bernice Lake Substation on the Kenai Peninsula with the Pt. Woronzof 
Substation in Anchorage. This alternative would parallel the Tesoro 
Pipeline from the

[[Page 50397]]

Captain Cook State Recreational Area to Pt. Possession. The DEIS 
analyzes the potential impacts of constructing and operating a 138 kV 
transmission line along both the Enstar and Tesoro Routes. The DEIS 
evaluates a number of routing alternatives and related system 
improvements between the proposed substation connections, as well as 
alternative technologies and the no-action alternative.
    The RUS, USACE, and USFWS will issue final decisions regarding the 
IPG proposal at the conclusion of the environmental review process. 
Regardless of which routing alternatives are selected, certain 
construction activities will require a Department of the Army permit. A 
copy of the Public Notice of Application for Permit is included in the 
DEIS. Comments on the permit application may be submitted to the USACE 
directly or may be included with other comments on the DEIS.
    The USFWS must decide whether to issue a right-of-way permit to the 
IPG to construct and operate the proposed facilities on lands within 
the KNWR. The decision will be made in accordance with the requirements 
of Title XI of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA) (Pub. L. 96-487) for access by transportation and utility 
systems across conservation system units in Alaska. Title XI of ANILCA 
stipulates that public hearings be held in Washington, DC and Alaska 
during the DEIS review period.
    The USFWS must also prepare a compatibility determination in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd), as amended, for any proposed 
facilities on lands within the KNWR. The compatibility determination 
will be prepared by the USFWS following the public review and comment 
period on the DEIS. Public comments received during the review will be 
used in the compatibility determination process.
    Copies of the DEIS are available for public review at the following 
public libraries in Anchorage: Z.J. Loussac Public Library; Chugiak-
Eagle Public Library; Gerrish (Girdwood) Branch Library; Mountain View 
Branch Library; Muldoon Branch Library; and the Samson-Dimond Public 
Library. Copies will also be available for review at the following 
libraries on the Kenai Peninsula: Hope Community Library; Cooper 
Landing Community Library; Soldotna Public Library; and Kenai Community 
Library. In Washington, D.C., copies are available for review at RUS 
offices. A copy of the DEIS is also available for review online at 
http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ees/eis.htm.
    Public comments concerning the adequacy and accuracy of the DEIS 
will be accepted during a 60 day comment period ending December 5, 
2001. Comments should be sent to Lawrence R. Wolfe at the address 
provided above.

    Dated: September 26, 2001.
Alfred Rodgers,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-24740 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P