[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68798-68799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9412]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


South Mississippi Electric Power Association: Notice of 
Availability of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the 
U.S.

[[Page 68799]]

Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (USDA 
Rural Development) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) 
related to possible financial assistance to South Mississippi Electric 
Power Association (SMEPA) for the proposed construction of one 
approximately 5.76 acre 230:161:69 kV substation, two approximately 0.1 
mile 230 kilovolt (kV) electric transmission lines, one 0.4 mile 69 kV 
electric transmission line, and one microwave tower on an approximate 
fourteen (14) acre parcel in Greene County, Mississippi. SMEPA 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 
December 28, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The EA will be available for public review at 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 SMEPA's headquarters 
office located at 7037 U.S. Highway 49, Hattiesburg, MS; at Singing 
River EPA's Greene County Office, 39276 Highway 63 North, Richton, 
Mississippi, 39476; and at the following Greene County Public Library 
location: Leakesville Library, 301B Lafayette, Leakesville, MS 39451.
    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., Room 2244, 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., 
Room 2244, 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 
southeast Greene County, Mississippi. The proposed project will consist 
of one (1) 5.76 acre 230:161:69 kV substation, two (2) one-tenth (0.1) 
mile 230 kV transmission lines, one (1) four-tenths (0.4) mile 69 kV 
transmission line, and one microwave tower. The transmission lines and 
microwave tower will occupy the remainder of the approximate fourteen 
(14) acre site. The site is located approximately nine and one-half 
(9.5) miles south of Leakesville, Mississippi.
    Alternatives considered by the USDA Rural Development and SMEPA 
included: (1) 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 SMEPA. 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 December 28, 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).

    Dated: November 17, 2006.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA/Rural Development/
Utilities Programs.
[FR Doc. 06-9412 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am]
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