[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29617-29619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4752]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Big Stone II Power Plant and Transmission Project Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0377)

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

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ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE), Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region, 
and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Department of Defense, 
as cooperating agencies, announce the availability of the Draft Big 
Stone II Power Plant and Transmission Project (Project) Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for public review and comment. The draft EIS 
addresses the environmental impacts of constructing and operating the 
proposed Project. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires 
Western to make the Draft EIS available to interested members of the 
public, groups, and Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies for 
review and comment to assure they have an opportunity to provide input 
to the Federal decision making process. Comments on the Draft EIS may 
be provided in writing or at one of three hearings scheduled during the 
review period.

DATES: Western invites the public to comment on the Draft EIS during 
the 45-day public review and comment period, which begins on May 19 and 
ends on July 3, 2006. Western will hold public hearings on:
    1. June 13, 2006, 7 p.m., Big Stone City, SD.
    2. June 14, 2006, 7 p.m., Morris, MN.
    3. June 15, 2006, 7 p.m., Granite Falls, MN.
    4. June 16, 2006, 7 p.m., Benson, MN.

ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held at:
    1. BIG Stone City American Legion, Highway 12 West, Big Stone City, 
SD.
    2. Best Western/Prairie Inn, 200 Highway 28 East, Morris, MN.
    3. Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Granite Falls, 
MN.
    4. Benson Golf Course, 2222 Atlantic Avenue, Benson, MN.
    Written comments on the Draft EIS should be mailed, faxed, or e-
mailed to: Ms. Nancy Werdel, NEPA Document Manager, Big Stone II EIS, 
A7400, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 
80228-8213, fax (720) 962-7263 or 7269, e-mail [email protected],.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to request 
a copy or summary of the Draft EIS, please write Ms. Nancy Werdel, NEPA 
Document Manager, Big Stone II EIS, A7400, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213, fax (720) 
962-7263 or 7269, e-mail [email protected], or telephone her at 
(800) 336-7288.
    For general information on DOE's NEPA review process, please 
contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and 
Compliance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, 
(202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Otter Tail Corporation (dba Otter Tail Power 
Company (OTP)), Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Great River 
Energy (GRE), Heartland Consumers Power District (HCPD), Montana-Dakota 
Utilities Co., Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency and Western 
Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (dba Missouri River Energy Services 
(MRES)) (collectively referred to as the project co-owners) propose to 
construct and operate the Big Stone II 600-megawatt (MW) (net) coal-
fired power plant and ancillary equipment and facilities in eastern 
South Dakota and up to 129 miles of new or upgraded transmission lines 
and substation modifications in South Dakota and Minnesota. the 
proposed plant would be built in response to growing base-load energy 
needs of the co-owners.
    The proposed Big Stone II plant would be located adjacent to the 
existing Big Stone plant about 8 miles northeast of Milbank and 2 miles 
northwest of Big Stone City in Grant County, South Dakota. The existing 
Big Stone plant site was one of 38 sites identified by the co-owners as 
potential locations for the new power plant within South Dakota, North 
Dakota, and Minnesota. Based on independent analyses of the co-owners 
siting studies, Western determined that the Big Stone site was the only 
reasonable alternative for the proposed plant that meets the co-owners' 
needs and objectives to provide reliable, cost-effective base-load 
energy to the co-owner utilities.
    Existing infrastructure, such as the cooling water intake 
structure, pumping system and delivery pipelines, coal delivery and 
handling facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, and water storage 
ponds would be used for the proposed Big Stone II plant. The existing 
rail and road facilities would be used to access the property and plant 
site. New construction would include the proposed plant, cooling tower 
blowdown pond, cooling tower, and make-up water storage pond. The 
proposed Big Stone II plan would use pulverized coal-fired, super-
critical boiler technology and would burn low-sulfur, Power River Basin 
coal. The proposed plant would include a new Wet Flue Gas 
Desulfurization system to control air emissions from both the proposed 
Big Stone II plant and the existing Big Stone plant.
    Substation modifications and associated transmission lines would 
also be constructed in South Dakota and Minnesota and interconnect to 
the southwestern Minnesota utility grid as part of the proposed Big 
Stone II Project. Two transmission alternatives have been identified. 
Alternative A would require construction and operation of a 230-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Big Stone to Western's substation 
near Morris, Minnesota (Corridor A) and a 230-kV transmission line from 
Big Stone to Western's substation at Granite Falls, Minnesota 
(Corridors C or C1). Alternative B would require construction and 
operation of a 230-kV transmission line from Big Stone to a substation 
jointly owned by Willmar Municipal Utilities, Xcel Energy, and GRE at 
Willmar, Minnesota (Corridors B or B1), and a 230-kV transmission lime 
from Big Stone to Western's Granite Falls Substation (Corridors C or 
C1). Under both Alternative A and Alternative B, a portion of the 
transmission line in Corridor C or C1 from Big Stone Substation to 
Granite Falls Substation would be designed and constructed at 345-kV 
but operated at 230-kV. These alternatives would require modifications 
of existing transmission lines and/or construction of new transmission 
lines.
    Existing substations would require modification or reconstruction 
to accept the interconnections to transfer the power from the proposed 
Big Stone II plant to the transmission system. Substations that would 
require modification include Morris Substation and the Johnson Junction 
Switching Station in Corridor A; Willmar Substation in Corridor B and 
B1; and Canby and Granite Falls substations in Corridor C and C1; and 
Big Stone Substation, which is adjacent to the existing Big Stone 
plant. Specific equipment modifications will be determined based on 
systems studies and final design. Other system modification may be 
required based on the outcome of final system studies expected in late 
spring 2006, and would be included in the Final EIS if impacts differed 
from those addressed in this document.
    The Draft EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of the proposed 
Big Stone II plant, the transmission alternatives and the substation 
modifications on air quality, water resources (ground water, 
floodplains, surface water), geology, minerals, paleontological 
resources, soils

[[Page 29619]]

biological resources (vegetation, wildlife, fisheries, special status 
species, wetland/riparian areas), cultural resources, Native American 
concerns, land use (land use planning, public facilities, recreation, 
agricultural practices and prime and unique farmland), infrastructure, 
public health, waste management, visual resources, noise, social and 
economic values, environmental justice, and cumulative impacts.
    Additionally, the RUS must grant or deny a loan to GRE to finance 
its portion of the proposed Project. Also, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE) must consider issuing a permit under Section 10 of 
the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to 
the co-owners to construct the proposed Project within or across 
navigable waters and waters of the United States. Therefore, RUS and 
USACE are cooperating agencies on the EIS.
    Western maintains a mailing list of those interested in the Big 
Stone II Project EIS. Copies of the complete Draft EIS or the Executive 
Summary have been distributed to all persons any groups on the mailing 
list that requested a copy. A distribution has been made to various 
libraries in the project are.
    Oral comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted only during the 
public hearings scheduled for the dates and locations provided above. 
Those wishing to make oral comments may do so at the scheduled public 
hearings. Speakers will be asked to register at the door prior to the 
beginning of the hearing. Speakers are encouraged to provide a written 
version of their oral comments for the record. Each speaker will be 
allowed 5 minutes to present comments unless more time is requested and 
available. Comments will be recorded by a court reporter at each 
hearing and will become part of the public hearing record. Western will 
conduct open house information sessions 2 hours prior to each public 
hearing to field questions and provide information to the public.
    Copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review at the 
offices and public libraries listed below:

Public Libraries

Ortonville Public Library, 412 Second Street Northwest, Ortonville, 
Minnesota.
Morris Public Library, 102 East 6th Street, Morris, Minnesota.
Granite Falls Public Library, 155 7th Avenue, Granite Falls, Minnesota.
Appleton Public Library, 322 W. Schlieman Avenue, Appleton, Minnesota.
Canby Public Library, 110 Oscar avenue North, Canby, Minnesota.
Willmar Public Library, 410 5th Street Southwest, Willmar, Minnesota.
Kerkhoven Public Library, 208 10th Street North, Kerkhoven, Minnesota.
Benson Public Library, 200 13th Street South, Benson, Minnesota.
Grant Public Library, 207 Park Avenue East, Milbank, South Dakota.
Watertown Regional Library, 611 Bruhn Avenue, NE., Watertown, South 
Dakota.

    The Draft EIS is also available at DOE Reading Rooms at the 
following addresses: U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, 
Reading Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585; Western Area Power Administration, Corporate Services Office, 
12155 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, Colorado 80228; and Western Area 
Power Administration, Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region, South 
Dakota Maintenance Office, 200 4th Street, SW., Huron, South Dakota 
57350.
    MRES (Applicant), on behalf of the big Stone II Project co-owners 
has applied to Western to interconnect the proposed Project to 
Western's power transmission system. Additionally, MRES and HCPD have 
requested transmission service contract modifications to deliver power 
from the proposed Big Stone II plant to their service territories on 
Western's transmission system. Western must consider allowing the 
applicant an interconnection to Western's transmission system at the 
Morris and Granite Falls substations, including required modifications 
to these substations and other Western facilities, and decide to modify 
transmission service contracts with MRES and HCPD. The RUS must 
consider providing a loan to GRE to finance its portion of the proposed 
Project. The USACE must consider issuing a permit for Section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act 
to the co-owners for construction of the proposed Project within or 
across navigable waters and waters of the United States.
    Western will consider all written comments postmarked or received 
during the public comment period in preparing the Final EIS. Decisions 
by each of the involved Federal agencies will be made after considering 
comments on the Draft and Final EIS. The decisions to be made by 
Western, RUS, and USACE regarding the proposed Big Stone II Power Plant 
and Transmission project will be issued following the Final EIS in the 
form of separate records of decision for each agency.

    Dated: May 9, 2006.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 06-4752 Filed 5-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M