[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 58072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23370]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Right of Way Request, Environmental Assessment or Environmental 
Impact Statement, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare either an environmental assessment 
or environmental impact statement on a request by Duke Energy 
Frederick, LLC for a right-of-way permit for water conveyance pipelines 
associated with a proposed electric power plant.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is evaluating a right-of-way 
(ROW) request by Duke Energy Frederick, LLC, of Houston, Texas, for 
construction of two pipelines across the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 
National Historical Park (C&O Canal NHP). The four alternative 
locations proposed for the placement of the ROW are between mileposts 
45 and 47 along the canal near the community of Point of Rocks in 
Frederick County, Maryland. Each of the alternatives is approximately 
60 feet in width by 300 feet to 1150 feet in length. The power 
generating facility itself is not adjacent to the park but is 
approximately 7,700 feet from the park boundary. The proposed power 
generating facility is subject to licensing and permitting by the state 
of Maryland.
    The proposed pipelines will provide water for cooling and other 
purposes for two gas and one steam turbine generators with a combined 
output of 640 MW. One 24-inch raw water pipeline will withdraw a 
maximum of 7.5 million gallons per day from the Potomac River while a 
second 10-inch pipeline will return approximately 0.8 million gallons 
per day.
    Consistent with the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), NPS is soliciting comments from concerned 
parties respecting the proposed right-of-way permit's potential effects 
on the quality of the human environment. NPS will consider the comments 
from this scoping process in determining whether to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
on this right-of-way application. Should NPS choose to prepare an EIS, 
notice of this decision will be published in the Federal Register. In 
this event, the NPS will invite additional comments. However, persons 
commenting on this notice would not need to provide additional or 
duplicate comments.
    NPS's environmental analysis will identify the reasonably 
foreseeable direct, indirect and cumulative effects of the proposed 
right-of-way permit, and will develop and evaluate alternatives to 
address NPS natural resource, cultural resource and visitor use 
concerns. Alternatives may include mitigation and measures necessary to 
avoid adverse impacts to park values and purposes, including natural 
and cultural resources.
    NPS will consult with State and federal agencies including the 
Maryland departments of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the State 
Historical Trust and other interested parties during the NEPA 
compliance process. NPS will, to the greatest extent practicable, 
coordinate its activities with other agencies to avoid unnecessary 
duplication.
    A fact sheet and map describing this proposed action will be 
available for public review and comment. Public meetings will be held 
in the vicinity of the proposed project during the scoping period. In 
addition to describing the proposed action the fact sheet will contain 
a map showing alternative locations identified to date and indicate 
when and where public meetings will be held. A press release will 
further notify interested persons and groups that this information is 
available. The public may request this information by contacting the 
superintendent at the address below

DATES: The scoping and comment period will end 45 days from the date of 
publication in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Individual copies of the Fact Sheet 
can be requested by writing to Park Superintendent, 1850 Dual Highway, 
Suite 100, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Identical information is available on 
the park's Internet page at http://www.nps.gov/choh.

Douglas D. Faris,
Superintendent, C&O Canal National Historical Park.
[FR Doc. 02-23370 Filed 9-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P