[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 42232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15721]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Basin Electric 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) 
has made a finding of no significant impact in connection with a 
request from Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) of 
Bismarck, North Dakota for assistance from RUS to finance the 
construction of an asynchronous tie that would connect the eastern and 
western transmission grids near Rapid City in Pennington County, South 
Dakota.

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, Fax (202) 720-0820, e-mail 
[email protected]. Information is also available from Mr. James A. 
Berg, Water Quality/Waste Management Coordinator, Basin Electric, 1717 
East Interstate Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota 58501, telephone (701) 
223-0441, Fax (701) 224-5336, e-mail address [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Basin Electric is proposing construction of 
an asynchronous tie that would connect the eastern and western 
transmission grids near Rapid City in Pennington County, South Dakota. 
This project is known as the Rapid City Tie project. The Rapid City Tie 
Project will include approximately 23 miles of 230 kV transmission 
line, a line terminal bay at the South Rapid City Substation, a line 
terminal bay at the New Underwood Substation, and an asynchronous tie 
converter station. The project is located just south of Rapid City and 
the transmission line extends eastward for approximately 23 miles. The 
Rapid City Tie Project is anticipated encompassing approximately 325 
acres of land including 285 acres for the transmission line (a 100-foot 
right-of-way is assumed) and 40 acres for the converter station. The 
project is required to meet the growing needs for power of Basin 
Electric's membership in South Dakota and in northeastern Wyoming. RUS 
may provide financial assistance to Basin Electric 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. RUS, in accordance with its environmental policies and 
procedures, required that Basin Electric prepare an environmental 
report (ER/Environmental Analysis) reflecting the potential impacts of 
the proposed facilities. The Environmental Analysis, 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. Basin Electric 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 project ended May 
6, 2002. Comments were received on the EA from the following agencies: 
South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT); South Dakota 
Department of Fish, Game and Parks (SDDFG&P); Natural Resources 
Conservation Service (NRCS); United States Army Corps of Engineers 
(COE); United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); and Planning 
Department, City of Rapid City (Rapid City PD). Basin Electric has 
agreed to follow Federal, state, and local agency recommendations 
(SDDOT, SDDFG&P, COE, USFWS, NRCS, and Rapid City PD) and secure all 
necessary permits prior to constructing and operating the proposed 
project.
    Based on the EA and the Basin Electric's commitments to follow all 
agency recommendations, 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 pollution and water 
quality, noise, electrocution of birds. 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. RUS believes that there are no significant unresolved 
environmental conflicts related to this project.

    Dated: June 17, 2002.
Blaine D. Stockton,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 02-15721 Filed 6-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P