[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73194-73195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7105]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Great River Energy, Notice of Availability of an Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) in connection with possible 
impacts related to the construction and operation of a natural gas-
fired simple cycle, combustion turbine power generation facility in 
Cambridge Township in Isanti County, Minnesota. The electrical output 
from the facility is expected to range from 170 megawatts (MW) to 190 
MW depending upon operating conditions.

FOR FURTHER 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, FAX: (202) 720-0820; or e-mail: [email protected].; or 
Mark Strohfus, Environmental Project Leader, GRE, 17845 East Highway 
10, P.O. Box 800, Elk River, Minnesota 55330-0800, telephone (763) 241-
2491, FAX: (763) 241-6033, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GRE is proposing to construct a simple-cycle 
combustion turbine generation plant in Cambridge Township in Isanti 
County, Minnesota. Total electrical output is expected to range from 
170 MW to 190 MW depending on operating conditions. An alternative site 
for the plant is also being proposed for the project. The alternative 
site location is at GRE's Elk River headquarters in Sherburne County, 
Minnesota. The Elk River site presently has a 40 MW facility fueled 
with refuse derived fuel and it would remain if the proposed plant were 
to be constructed at this alternative site. No additional land would be 
purchased if the plant were to be constructed at this location. Due to 
constraints on natural gas availability, a combustion turbine at the 
Elk River site would be equipped to fire fuel oil as a backup fuel. The 
generator would be connected to the Elk River Station. Construction of 
the

[[Page 73195]]

project at the proposed Cambridge site would necessitate upgrading 
approximately 47 miles of existing 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. 
Construction at the alternative Elk River site would necessitate 
upgrading approximately 27 miles of existing 69-kV transmission lines 
to allow the electricity from the new generator to be reliably 
delivered from the site. A fuel oil-fired combustion turbine rated at 
approximately 20 MW exists at the proposed Cambridge site and will 
remain in operation at the site after construction of the proposed 
combustion turbine. Additional land would be acquired to facilitate the 
proposed construction activities. The project at the Cambridge site 
would include upgrades to the existing substation at the Cambridge 
plant site. A 10-inch high pressure gas lateral pipeline approximately 
\1/2\-mile long would be constructed to provide a natural gas fuel 
supply for the project.
    GRE prepared an environmental analysis for RUS that describes the 
project and assesses the proposed projects environmental impacts. RUS 
has conducted an independent evaluation of the environmental analysis 
and believes that it accurately assesses the impacts of the proposed 
project. This environmental analysis will serve as RUS' environmental 
assessment (EA) of the project.
    EA is available at GRE's Web site at http://www.greatriverenergy.com/. It is also available for public review at 
the RUS or GRE at the addresses provided in this notice or at the 
following locations:

Cambridge Public Library, 244 South Birch Street, Cambridge, Minnesota 
55008, Tel: (763) 689-7390
Elk River Public Library, 413 Proctor Avenue, Elk River, Minnesota 
55330, Tel: (763) 441-1641

    Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the address 
provided in this notice. RUS will accept questions and comments on the 
EA for 30 days from the date of publication of this notice.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal 
environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental 
review procedures as prescribed by the 7 CFR part 1794, Environmental 
Policies and Procedures.

    Dated: November 29, 2005.
Glendon D. Deal,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service.
 [FR Doc. E5-7105 Filed 12-8-05; 8:45 am]
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