[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 63074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25867]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Wisdom Combustion Turbine Project, 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), 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794), 
has made a finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a 
joint project proposed by Corn Belt Power Cooperative (Corn Belt) of 
Humboldt, Iowa, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) 
of Bismarck, North Dakota.

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, RUS, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Stop 1571, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone: (202) 
720-1414. His e-mail address is: [email protected]. Information is 
also available from Mr. Donald E. Jensen, Corn Belt, WCT Project 
Manager, 1300 13th St. North, P.O. Box 508, Humboldt, Iowa, 50548-0508, 
telephone (515) 332-7984, or e-mail: [email protected], or Mr. James 
Miller, Basin Electric, Manager Environmental Affairs, 1717 East 
Interstate Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501, telephone (701) 255-
5144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The joint project proposed by Corn Belt and 
Basin Electric will consist of one 80 megawatt (MW), simple cycle 
combustion turbine. The primary purpose of the Wisdom Combustion 
Turbine (WCT) project is to meet the increasing power consumption 
requirements in the northwestern Iowa region. The proposed combustion 
turbine will be constructed in rural Clay County located in northwest 
Iowa approximately 4 miles west of Spencer, Iowa. The proposed simple 
cycle combustion turbine will be located at the existing 231 acre Earl 
F. Wisdom Station site that currently includes one coal-fired boiler. 
The construction of the WCT project will require approximately 10 acres 
of the 231 acres available at the Earl F. Wisdom Station site. The WCT 
project will utilize the existing gas pipeline, transmission lines and 
substation, and water wells currently used for operating the existing 
coal-fired boiler and therefore will not require the construction of 
additional infrastructure outside of the Earl F. Wisdom Station site 
boundaries. The WCT project will be fired on natural gas, with 
2 diesel fuel oil as backup fuel.
    RUS, in accordance with its environmental policies and procedures, 
required that Corn Belt and Basin Electric prepare an environmental 
report reflecting the potential impacts of the proposed project. The 
environmental report, 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 RUS'' Environmental 
Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR 1794.41. In accordance with the Council 
on Environmental Quality Regulations, RUS requested comments from all 
federal, state, and local agencies, which may be affected by, or may 
have jurisdiction over, the proposed project. Corn Belt published 
notices of the availability of the EA and solicited public comments per 
7 CFR 1794.42. Federal and state agencies have responded but no 
objections were raised to the project. No comments were received from 
the public. Based on the EA, 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 and 
water quality, and noise. 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.
    RUS has concluded that the impacts from the proposed project would 
not be significant and that 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.
    Copy of the FONSI can be reviewed at the headquarters of Corn Belt, 
Basin Electric, and RUS, at the addresses provided above in this 
notice.

    Dated: October 7, 2002.
Blaine D. Stockton,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 02-25867 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P