[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59237-59238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29576]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kentucky 
Pioneer Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Demonstration Project at 
Trapp, KY

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability for 
public review and comment of the Kentucky Pioneer Integrated Combined 
Cycle (IGCC) Demonstration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(Draft EIS) (DOE/EIS-0318). DOE also announces two public hearings on 
the Draft EIS. DOE prepared the Draft EIS pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508), and the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part 1021). The Draft 
EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of the Kentucky Pioneer 
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project, a proposed Clean Coal 
Technology Program demonstration project in Clark County, Kentucky that 
was proposed by Global Energy, Inc. DOE's proposed action is to provide 
cost-shared funding of approximately $78 million (about 18 percent of 
the total cost of $432 million) for the proposed project. The project 
would involve constructing and operating a 540 megawatt-electric IGCC 
plant at the J.K. Smith Site owned by Eastern Kentucky Power 
Cooperative. The plant would be powered by synthesis gas generated from 
coal and refuse-derived fuel and a molten-carbonate fuel cell operating 
on the synthesis gas. This proposed project is expected to demonstrate 
the commercial viability of the fixed bed British Gas Lurgi process in 
the United States, and the operation of a high temperature molten 
carbonate fuel cell using synthesis gas. IGCC plants can operate at 
significantly higher efficiencies than conventional coal-fired power 
plants.

DATES: DOE invites the public to comment on the Kentucky Pioneer IGCC 
Demonstration Project Draft EIS. Comments should be submitted by 
January 4, 2002 to ensure consideration (see ADDRESSES section for more 
details). DOE will consider comments submitted after January 4, 2002, 
to the extent practicable. Public hearings on the Kentucky Pioneer IGCC 
Demonstration Project Draft EIS will be held at the Lexington Public 
Library, 140 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky, December 10, 2001, 
from 7 PM to 9 PM, and at Trapp Elementary School, Clark County, 
Kentucky, December 11, 2001, from 7 PM to 9 PM. In addition, informal 
sessions will be held prior to both hearings beginning at 4 p.m. for 
the public to learn more about the proposed action. Displays and other 
information about the proposed agency action and location will be 
available, and DOE personnel will be present to answer questions. The 
hearings will provide an opportunity for information

[[Page 59238]]

exchange and discussion among DOE and the public, as well as 
opportunities for the public to present oral or written comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by U.S. mail, fax, telephone, or 
electronic mail to: Mr. Roy Spears, NEPA Document Manager, U.S. 
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 
880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, Telephone: 304-285-5460, Fax 304-285-
4403, leave message at 1-800-276-9851, [email protected].
    Requests for copies of the Kentucky Pioneer IGCC Demonstration 
Project Draft EIS or other information regarding this environmental 
analysis should be addressed to Mr. Spears at any of the addresses 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the 
proposed project or the environmental impact statement, please contact 
Mr. Spears as directed above. For general information on the 
Department's NEPA process, please contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, 
Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, EH-42, U.S. Department 
of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585. Ms. 
Borgstrom may be contacted by calling 202-586-4600 or by leaving a 
message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 14, 2000, the Department published a Notice of Intent (65 
FR 20142) to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed 
Kentucky Pioneer Energy Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle 
Demonstration Project, in Clark County, Kentucky. The Notice of Intent 
informed the public of the proposed scope of the EIS, solicited public 
input, and announced a public scoping meeting that was held on May 4, 
2000, in Trapp, Kentucky. The public scoping period closed on May 31, 
2000. Comments received during the public scoping process were 
considered in preparing the Draft EIS.
    Since then, the participant in the Cooperative Agreement, Global 
Energy, Inc. (Global), changed the proposed solid fuel source from fuel 
briquettes made from high-sulfur coal and municipal solid waste to co-
feeding coal and refuse-derived fuel pellets.

Alternatives Considered

    The Draft EIS evaluates a proposed action and two no-action 
alternatives. DOE's proposed action is to provide Kentucky Pioneer 
Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of Global, with cost-shared funding of 
approximately $78 million for the construction and operation of a 540 
megawatt-electric (MWe) IGCC plant utilizing synthesis gas generated 
from coal and refused-derived fuel. The plant would also demonstrate a 
molten-carbonate fuel cell operating on coal-derived synthesis gas. The 
proposed location for the project is a 300-acre parcel within the 
existing 3,120-acre J.K. Smith Site, owned by East Kentucky Power 
Cooperative. The site is approximately two miles west of Trapp, 
Kentucky.
    The two no-Action alternative scenarios are: (1) Global would not 
construct power generation facilities; and (2) Global would construct a 
combined-cycle gas turbine plant fueled by natural gas, without DOE 
funding. The Draft EIS compares the environmental impacts expected to 
occur from construction and operation of the proposed IGCC plant and 
fuel cell under the proposed action with the impacts that would be 
likely from each of the two no-action alternative scenarios.
    The Draft EIS focuses on impacts from construction and operation of 
the proposed project on the following resource areas: human health, air 
quality, surface water, groundwater, ecological resources, 
socioeconomic resources, environmental justice, noise, and traffic and 
transportation. In addition, impacts on land use, floodplains, 
wetlands, waste management, and cultural resources are considered.

Availability of the Draft EIS

    DOE has distributed copies of the Draft EIS to appropriate Members 
of Congress, State and local government officials in Kentucky, Federal 
agencies, and other groups and interested parties. Copies of the 
document may be obtained by contacting DOE as provided in the section 
of this notice entitled ADDRESSES. Copies of the Draft EIS are also 
available for inspection at the locations identified below:
    (1) U.S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Reading Room, 
1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC 20585.
    (2) U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology 
Laboratory, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880.
    (3) U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology 
Laboratory Federal Energy Technology Center, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940.
    (4) Trapp Elementary School, 11400 Irvine Road, Winchester, 
Kentucky 40391.
    (5) Clark County Public Library, 370 South Burns Avenue, 
Winchester, Kentucky 40391.
    (6) Lexington Public Library, 140 East Main Street, Lexington, 
Kentucky 40507.
    Comments on the Draft EIS may be submitted to Mr. Roy Spears (see 
ADDRESSES above) or provided at public hearings (see DATES above). 
After the public comment period ends on January 4, 2002, DOE will 
consider all comments received, revise the Draft EIS as appropriate, 
and issue a Final EIS. DOE will consider the Final EIS, along with 
other information, such as economic and technical factors, in deciding 
whether or not to provide funding for the Kentucky Pioneer IGCC 
Demonstration Project.

    Issued in Washington, DC, this 20th day of November, 2001.
Richard D. Furiga,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 01-29576 Filed 11-23-01; 12:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P