[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 134 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38560-38561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13590]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


KAMO Power: 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: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an Agency delivering the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development 
Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or 
Agency, intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) related to possible financial assistance 
to KAMO Power (KAMO) of Vinita, Oklahoma, for the proposed construction 
of approximately 100 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in 
Cherokee and Crawford Counties, Kansas; portions of Jasper, Newton, and 
McDonald Counties, Missouri; and Ottawa, Delaware, Craig, and Mayes 
Counties, Oklahoma. KAMO is requesting USDA Rural Development to 
provide financial assistance for the proposal.

DATES: Rural Development will hold two scoping meetings in an open 
house format in order to provide information and solicit comments for 
the preparation of an EA. The first meeting will be held on July 24, 
2007, at Cowboy Junction, 27544 South 4380 Road, Vinita, Oklahoma 
74301. The second meeting will be held at the Baxter Springs Community 
Center, 1101 E Avenue, Baxter Springs, Kansas 66713. Both meetings will 
be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the EA, or for further information, 
contact: Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA, 
Rural Development, Utilities Programs, Engineering and Environmental 
Staff, 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 
20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-1953, or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    A Macro Corridor Study will be available for public review at USDA 
Rural Development, Utilities Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1571; at Rural Development's Web site http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ees/ea.htm; and at KAMO's headquarters office, 
500 South KAMO Drive, Vinita, Oklahoma 74301. The document will also be 
available for review in the public libraries in Langley, Pryor, Miami, 
and Vinita, Oklahoma, and Pittsburg, Galena, and Baxter Springs, 
Kansas.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: KAMO proposes to construct a 345 kV 
transmission line between its new Blackberry Substation in western 
Jasper County, Missouri and the new Chouteau 345/161 kV Substation and 
the existing Grand River Dam Authority's (GRDA) Coal-Fired Complex in 
Mayes County, Oklahoma. A single-circuit 161 kV transmission line will 
also be constructed from the Chouteau Substation to the Associated 
Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), Chouteau Gas Plant. The Blackberry 
Substation will be located 3.5 miles north of Asbury, Missouri. The 
transmission line will terminate at the GRDA Coal-Fired Complex located 
east of the City of Chouteau, Oklahoma. The Chouteau Substation will be 
located approximately two miles east of the AECI's gas plant. 
Transmission structures will be steel H-frame for the 345 kV 
transmission line and wood or steel H-frame for the 161 kV transmission 
line. The transmission line would require a right-of-way of 150 feet.
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposal. 
Representatives from Rural Development and KAMO will be available at 
the scoping meeting to discuss Rural Development's environmental review 
process, describe the purpose and need of the proposal,

[[Page 38561]]

the macro corridors under consideration, and discuss the scope of 
environmental issues to be considered, answer questions, and accept 
oral and written comments.
    Questions and comments should be received by Rural Development in 
writing by August 17, 2007, to ensure that they are considered in this 
environmental impact determination. The comments received will be 
incorporated into the Environmental Analysis KAMO will submit to Rural 
Development for review. Rural Development will use the environmental 
analyses to determine the significance of the impacts of the proposal 
and may adopt it as its EA of the proposal. Rural Development's EA 
would be available for review and comment for 30 days.
    Should Rural Development determine that the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement is not necessary, it will prepare a 
Finding of No Significant Impact. Any final action by Rural Development 
related to the proposal 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 
procedures as prescribed by RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures 
(7 CFR part 1794).

    Dated: July 9, 2007.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA/Rural Development/
Utilities Programs.
 [FR Doc. E7-13590 Filed 7-12-07; 8:45 am]
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