[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35411-35412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9642]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


East Kentucky Power Cooperative: Notice of Availability of an 
Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an Environmental Assessment for 
public review.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs 
(USDA Rural Development) proposes to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) related to possible financial assistance to East 
Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) for the proposed construction of 
approximately 15.21 miles of 161 kilovolt (kV) electric transmission 
line in Warren County, Kentucky. EKPC is requesting the USDA Rural 
Development to provide financial assistance for the proposed project.

DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received on or before 
July 20, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The EA will be available for public review at the USDA Rural 
Development, Utilities Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1571; at the USDA Rural Development's Web site--
http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ees/ea.htm; at EKPC's headquarters office 
located at 4775 Lexington Road, Winchester, Kentucky 40391; at Warren 
Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, 951 Fairview Avenue, Bowling 
Green, Kentucky 42101; and two Bowling Green Public Library locations:

The Main Library, 1225 State Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101.
The Depot Branch, 401 Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101.

    Written comments should be sent to: Ms. Stephanie Strength, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Development, Utilities 
Programs, Engineering and Environmental Staff, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, or e-mail: 
[email protected].

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. Ms. 
Strength's e-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project area is located in 
central Warren County, Kentucky. The proposed route for the new 
electric transmission line extends westerly following an existing 
electric utility line rights-of-way (ROW) from an existing substation 
at an automotive assembly plant located east of Bowling Green, 
Kentucky, to an existing electric generating station located on the 
southern side of the Barren River in northern Bowling Green. The 
proposed route then extends in a general southwesterly direction 
paralleling an existing electric transmission line from the generating 
station and following an existing electric transmission line ROW to a 
point where the route extends due south to connect to an existing 
electric substation southwest of Memphis Junction, Kentucky.
    Alternatives considered by the USDA Rural Development and EKPC 
included: (a) No action, (b) alternate transmission line routes, and 
(c) other electrical alternatives. An Environmental Report (ER) that 
describes the proposed project in detail and discusses its anticipated 
environmental impacts has been prepared by EKPC. The USDA Rural 
Development has accepted the ER as its EA of the proposed project. The 
EA is available for public review at addresses provided above in this 
Notice.
    Questions and comments should be sent to Ms. Stephanie Strength, 
USDA Rural Development at the mailing or e-mail addresses provided 
above in this Notice. The USDA Rural Development should receive 
comments on the EA in writing by July 20, 2006 to ensure that they are 
considered in its environmental impact determination.
    Should the USDA Rural Development determine, based on the EA of the 
proposed project, that the impacts of the construction and operation of 
the project 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 circulation in the project area.
    Any final action by the USDA Rural Development related to the 
proposed project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance 
with all relevant Federal, state and local environmental laws and 
regulations, and completion of the environmental review requirements as 
prescribed in the USDA Rural Development's Environmental Policies and 
Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).


[[Page 35412]]


    Dated: June 14, 2006.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA/Rural Development/
Utilities Programs. 1
 [FR Doc. E6-9642 Filed 6-19-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P