[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17072-17073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4879]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Georgia Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent To Hold Public 
Scoping Meetings and Prepare an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA).

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SUMMARY: USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs 
through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development (the 
Agency) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) in connection with potential impacts 
related to projects proposed by Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC), 
with headquarters in Tucker, Georgia. The proposal consists of the 
construction of approximately 55 miles of 500 kilovolt transmission 
line and approximately 13 miles of 230 kilovolt transmission line, a 
500/230 kilovolt substation and a switching station. The 500-kilovolt 
transmission line project would be located in Putnam, Morgan, Walton 
and Oconee Counties, Georgia. The 230 kilovolt transmission line 
projects would be located in Walton County, Georgia. The substation and 
switching station are also located in Walton County, Georgia. In 
addition, a 230 kilovolt transmission line in Walton and Oconee 
Counties and a 230/115 kilovolt substation in Oconee County are 
included in the proposal as a connected action. GTC is requesting the 
Agency provide financing for the proposed action.

DATES: The Agency will conduct two Scoping Meetings in an open house 
format, seeking the input of the public and other interested parties. 
The meetings will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., on April 17 & 18, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: The April 17, 2006 meeting will be held at the Carver Middle 
School Gymnasium, Monroe, Georgia, ZIP: 30655, Phone: 770 270-7741 or 
770 267-6000. The address is 1095 Good Hope Road, Monroe, Georgia. The 
April 18, 2006 meeting will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., at the 
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, Georgia, ZIP: 30650-1640, 
Phone: 706-342-4743. The Community Center address is 434 South Main 
Street, located on South Main Street between Foster Street and Hill 
Street.
    An Electric Alternatives Evaluation and Macro Corridor Study 
Report, prepared by Georgia Transmission Corporation, will be presented 
at the public scoping meetings. The Report will be available for public 
review at the Agency's address provided in this notice, at the Agency's 
Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/ water/ees/ea.htm, at Georgia 
Transmission Corporation, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, Georgia 
30084 and at the:
    Morgan County Library: 1131 East Avenue, Madison, GA, 706-342-1206.
    Eatonton Putnam County Library: 309 North Madison Avenue, Eatonton, 
GA, 706-485-6768.
    Walton-Monroe Public Library: 217 West Spring Street, Monroe, GA 
30655, Phone: (770) 267-4630.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Strength, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, USDA Rural Development, Utilities Programs, 
Engineering and Environmental Staff, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-0468. Mrs. 
Strength's e-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Georgia Transmission Corporation proposes to 
construct a 500 kilovolt transmission line between the proposed East 
Walton 500/230 kV Substation located in the vicinity of Highway 186 and 
Jones Woods Road in Walton County, Georgia to Georgia Power Company's 
proposed Rockville Switching Station that would be located 
approximately 3 miles southwest of Wallace Dam and 1 mile east of the 
intersection of the existing Scherer-Warthen 500 kV and Eatonton 
Primary-Wallace Dam 230 kV Transmission Lines in Putnam County, 
Georgia. The approximate length of the 500 kV Transmission Line is 55 
miles. Georgia Transmission Corporation also proposes to construct a 
230 kilovolt transmission line between the proposed East Walton 500/230 
kV Substation and the proposed Bostwick Switching Station. The proposed 
Bostwick Switching Station would be located in the vicinity of the 
intersection of Georgia Transmission Corporation's existing East Social 
Circle-East Watkinsville 230 kV Transmission Line and the proposed East 
Walton-Rockville 500 kV Transmission Line. The approximate length of 
the East Walton-Bostwick 230 kV Transmission Line would be 3 miles. In 
addition, Georgia Transmission proposes to construct a 230 kilovolt 
transmission line between the proposed East Walton 500/230 kV 
Substation and MEAG Power's proposed Jack's Creek Switching Station 
that would be located in the proximity of GTC's LG&E Monroe Substation. 
The approximate length of the proposed East Walton-Jack's Creek 230 
kilovolt Transmission Line is 9 miles. Lattice steel towers ranging in 
height from 80- to 150-feet would support the proposed East Walton-
Rockville 500 kV conductors. It would require a right-of-way of 180 
feet. Guyed and unguyed concrete or steel poles ranging in height from 
80- to 120-feet would support the East Walton-Bostwick 230 kV and the 
East Walton-Jack's Creek 230 kV conductors. Both lines would require a 
right-of-way of 35 feet if located parallel to a road; 75-feet if 
located parallel to an existing transmission line; or 100-feet

[[Page 17073]]

if located cross country. It is anticipated that all of the facilities 
would be in service in 2011.
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives from the Agency and Georgia Transmission 
Corporation will be available at the scoping meeting to discuss the 
Agency's environmental review process, describe the project, the need 
for the project, macro corridors under consideration, and to discuss 
the scope of environmental issues to be considered, answer questions, 
and accept comments. Comments regarding the proposed action may be 
submitted (orally or in writing) at the public scoping meetings or in 
writing for receipt no later than May 18, 2006 to the Agency at the 
address provided in this notice.
    From information provided in the alternative evaluation and site 
selection study, input that may be provided by government agencies, 
private organizations, and the public, Georgia Transmission Corporation 
will use to prepare an environmental analysis to be submitted to the 
Agency for review. The Agency will use the environmental analysis to 
determine the significance of the impacts of the project and if 
acceptable will adopt it as its environmental assessment of the 
project. The Agency's environmental assessment of the project would be 
available for review and comment for 30 days.
    Should the Agency determine, based on the Environmental Assessment 
of the project, that the impacts of the construction and operation of 
the transmission line would not have a significant environmental 
impact, it will prepare a finding of no significant impact. Public 
notification of a finding of no significant impact would be published 
in the Federal Register and in newspapers with a circulation in the 
project area.
    Any final action by the Agency related to the proposed project will 
be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with environmental 
review requirements as prescribed by the Agency's environmental 
policies and procedures (7 CFR part 1794).

    Dated: March 29, 2006.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA/Rural Development/
Utilities Programs.
 [FR Doc. E6-4879 Filed 4-4-06; 8:45 am]
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