[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2868-2869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1469]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Plymouth Generating Facility

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare a joint 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/State Environmental Policy Act 
(SEPA) EIS in cooperation with Benton County, State of Washington, for 
an electrical interconnection including a new one-mile transmission 
line and other facilities associated with a proposed powerplant. BPA is 
the lead Federal agency under NEPA and Benton County is the lead 
Washington State agency under SEPA. The Plymouth Generating Facility is 
a 306-megawatt (MW) generating station proposed by Plymouth Energy, 
L.L.C. (PE) that would be located near the town of Plymouth in Benton 
County, Washington. PE has requested an interconnection to BPA's 
transmission system that would allow firm power delivery to the 
wholesale power market. BPA proposes to execute an agreement with PE to 
provide the interconnection and firm power transmission.

ADDRESSES: To be placed on the project mailing list, including 
notification of proposed meetings, call toll-free 1-800-622-4520, name 
this project, and leave your complete name and address. To comment, 
call toll-free 1-800-622-4519; send an e-mail to the BPA Internet 
address [email protected]; or send a letter to Communications, Bonneville 
Power Administration--KC-7, PO Box 12999, Portland, Oregon, 97212.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Philip W. Smith, Bonneville Power 
Administration--KEC-4, PO Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; toll-
free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-3294; or e-mail 
[[email protected]]. Additional information can be found at BPA's Web 
site: www.efw.bpa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS will assess the environmental 
consequences of the proposed project, including:
     Interconnection agreement that BPA proposes with PE;
     Construction and operation of the powerplant;
     Construction and operation of an approximately 800-foot, 
6-inch diameter gas line to tie into Williams Northwest Pipeline 
Company's Plymouth Compressor Station pipeline;
     Construction and operation of a rail spur near the 
powerplant site for use during powerplant construction; and
     Construction and operation of an interconnection 
consisting of a substation and approximately one mile of 230-kV or 500-
kV transmission line from the substation to either the existing BPA 
McNary-Big Eddy 230-kV transmission line or the proposed, new BPA 
McNary-John Day 500-kV transmission line.
    The powerplant and the gas and power interconnections would all be 
located within Benton County, Washington.
    Responsibility for construction and operation of the new facilities 
is principally with PE who would build and operate the powerplant. 
However, the transmission would be constructed under BPA's management, 
and BPA would be responsible for the operation and maintenance of these 
transmission facilities. Williams Northwest Pipeline Company would 
build and operate the proposed approximately 800-foot gas pipeline that 
would supply fuel to the powerplant.
    Proposed Action: The Plymouth Generating Facility would be a 
natural gas-fired, combined-cycle combustion turbine powerplant with a 
nominal generating capacity of approximately 306 MW. The plant site 
would be on approximately 44 acres zoned for agricultural use (with 
energy projects permitted as conditional uses) and located about 6 
miles west of Plymouth, Washington.
    Natural gas would be burned in a gas turbine engine, in which the 
expanding gases from combustion would turn the turbine's rotor, driving 
a generator to produce electrical energy. Hot exhaust from the gas 
turbine would be used to boil water using a heat recovery steam 
generator (HRSG). Steam produced by the HRSG turns a steam turbine, 
which would connect to another generator, producing additional 
electrical energy.
    The Plymouth Generating Facility would consist of a single gas 
turbine generator, heat recovery steam generator and steam turbine 
generator. Steam cycle cooling would utilize an air cooled condenser 
and a conventional mechanical draft tower in combination to minimize 
water use.
    Water would be required to generate steam, for cooling and for 
sanitary uses. The proposed powerplant would require 1,241 gallons per 
minute of water under average conditions and use no more than 1000 acre 
feet per year. PE proposes to use on-site wells and to return 
wastewater flows from plant operations for agricultural irrigation.
    PE proposes that project storm water be collected in retention and 
filtration ponds located at the south side of the property.
    The proposed Plymouth Generation Facility would deliver electricity 
to the regional power grid through an interconnection with either the 
existing

[[Page 2869]]

BPA McNary-Big Eddy 230-kV transmission line or the new, proposed BPA 
McNary-John Day 500-kV transmission line.
    Process to Date: BPA is the lead Federal agency for the joint NEPA/
SEPA EIS, and Benton County is the lead Washington State agency. Benton 
County has received a SEPA Checklist and determined that preparation of 
an EIS is required. Benton County has scheduled a public meeting to be 
held on January 24, 2002, at Patterson, Washington, to obtain public 
input concerning the scope of the EIS. An additional EIS scoping 
meeting will be scheduled and announced by direct mail and through 
local media.
    Alternatives Proposed for Consideration: Alternatives thus far 
identified for evaluation in the EIS are (1) the proposed action, (2) 
alternative sites within the property under lease by PE, (3) 
alternative transmission line interconnections, and (4) no action. 
Other alternatives may be identified through the scoping process.
    Identification of Environmental Issues: Benton County will prepare 
an EIS consistent with its responsibilities under Chapter 43.21C of the 
Revised Code of Washington and Chapter 197-11 of the Washington 
Administrative Code. PE has requested transmission interconnection and 
firm transmission service. Such an action triggers a need for BPA to 
prepare NEPA documentation. Therefore, BPA and Benton County intend to 
prepare a joint NEPA/SEPA EIS addressing both the powerplant and the 
associated electric power interconnection and transmission facilities. 
The principal issues identified thus far for consideration in the Draft 
EIS are (1) air quality impacts, (2) aesthetic and visual impacts, (3) 
socio-economic impacts including transportation impacts, (4) wetlands 
and wildlife habitat impacts, (5) cultural resource impacts, (6) water 
supply and quality impacts, (7) health and safety impacts, and (8) 
noise impacts from plant operation. These issues, together with any 
additional significant issues identified through the scoping process, 
will be addressed in the EIS. BPA will also use the EIS and NEPA 
process to address historic preservation and cultural resource issues 
under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    Public Participation: A public scoping meeting will be held at 
Patterson, Washington, on January 24, 2002. Representatives of BPA and 
Benton County will be available to receive oral and written public 
comment. An additional meeting will be scheduled and announced by 
direct mail and through local media. We request public and agency 
comments on the scope of the EIS by March 15, 2002.
    Receiving comments from interested parties will assure that BPA and 
Benton County address in the EIS the full range of issues and 
potentially significant impacts related to the proposed project. When 
completed, a draft EIS will be circulated for review and comment, and 
BPA and Benton County will hold at least one public comment meeting on 
the draft EIS. BPA and Benton County will consider and respond in a 
final EIS to comments received on the draft EIS.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on January 11, 2002.
Stephen J. Wright,
Acting Administrator and, Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-1469 Filed 1-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P