[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59540-59541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-24066]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) for a right-of-way request to cross the Saint Croix National 
Scenic Riverway (Riverway) with the Arrowhead--Weston Electric 
Transmission Line Project, Wisconsin.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the National Park Service (NPS) will 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to consider a right-of-
way request from Minnesota Power and Wisconsin Public Service 
Corporation (the Utilities). The Utilities are requesting the right-of-
way in order to cross the Namekagon River with the Arrowhead-Weston 
Electric Transmission Line Project.
    The Arrowhead-Weston Electric Transmission Line Project is a 
proposed 345-kilovolt (kV) bulk electric transmission line that would 
reach 220 miles from the Arrowhead Substation near Duluth, Minnesota to 
the Weston Substation near Wausau, Wisconsin. According to the 
applicants, the purpose of the project is to strengthen the bulk 
transmission system by providing a second high-capacity connection 
across the Wisconsin-Minnesota transmission interface. The Public 
Service Commission of Wisconsin, the State Agency with regulatory 
authority for the overall project, approved the routing for the line in 
late 2001. The Utilities are now seeking other necessary permits from 
Federal, State and local agencies.
    The State-approved route for the Arrowhead-Weston Project crosses 
the Namekagon River in Stinnett Township, approximately 10 river miles 
west of Hayward, Wisconsin. The Namekagon River is part of the 
Riverway, which is administered by the NPS. The Utilities need a right-
of-way permit from the NPS to cross the Riverway. The Utilities propose 
to cross at an existing 161-kV transmission line easement granted to 
Xcel Energy by private landowners prior to NPS land acquisition in the 
area. The span of the transmission line that would be within the 
Riverway boundary is 4500 feet.
    The EIS will consider a range of alternatives for the crossing 
including a double-circuit single overhead transmission line combined 
with the existing 161-kV line, undergrounding the existing 161kV with 
the proposed 345-kV line built overhead, undergrounding the 345-kV line 
with the 161-kV line built overhead, and undergrounding both lines. 
Depending on the alternative, an additional 10-55 feet of right-of-way 
would be required on the eastside of the existing transmission line 
easement. A no action alternative will be included to provide a 
baseline of existing conditions against which to compare the impacts of 
the action alternatives. An additional alternative will be considered 
that would go around the Namekagon River to the east in order to 
disclose the potential impacts should the right-of-way request be 
denied. Since the NPS has no authority to require such a route, this 
alternative will be explored in a general, rather than site specific, 
sense.
    The Riverway was designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 
1968 (Public Law 90-542, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 1271-1287) to protect 
its free-flowing quality and its outstanding natural, scenic, 
aesthetic, cultural, and recreational values. The EIS will analyze the 
impacts of each alternative on natural and cultural resources, scenic 
values, recreation use, and social and economic resources. Major issues 
to be addressed in the EIS will include the impact of the proposed 
crossing on scenic values and the visitor experience. The responsible 
NPS manager must determine whether or not the proposed action could 
lead to impairment of park resources and values. The information 
presented in the EIS will be used to reach a decision about the right-
of-way request.
    Additional issues to be addressed in the EIS may be identified 
during the scoping process. Federal, State, local agencies, and 
individuals or organizations are invited to participate in the scoping 
process. The scoping process will include the identification of 
potential issues, the identification of potential impact topics and 
topics to be analyzed in depth, and the determination of potential 
cooperating agencies and assignment of responsibilities.

DATES: A public scoping meeting in an open house format will be held in 
the Hayward area in early fall. Public notice

[[Page 59541]]

of the open house will be made in the local press. The public is 
encouraged to attend the scoping meeting and send written comments and 
suggestions concerning preparation of the EIS to Mr. Thomas Bradley, 
Superintendent, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, PO Box 708, 401 
Hamilton Street, Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin 54024. The NPS will 
accept comments at this address at any time during the EIS process. 
However, to facilitate timely identification of issues and impact 
topics to be addressed in the EIS, the NPS recommends that initial 
comments be submitted by November 1, 2002.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request we withhold their home address from the record, 
which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There may also be 
circumstances where we would withhold from the record a respondent's 
identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name 
and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous comments. We will 
make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives, officials, 
organizations, or businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jill Medland, Compliance 
Specialist, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, PO Box 708, 401 
Hamilton Street, Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin 54024, telephone 715-483-
3284, Extension 609.

    Dated: September 4, 2002.
William W. Schenk,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 02-24066 Filed 9-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P