[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53526-53527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18385]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


East Kentucky Power Cooperative: Notice of Finding of No 
Significant Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact.

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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, has 
made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a 
request for possible financing assistance to East Kentucky Power 
Cooperative (EKPC) for the construction of two new Smith Station 
combustion turbine electric generating units (CTs), two new electric 
switching stations, and the 36-mile, Smith-West Garrard 345 kilovolt 
(kV) electric transmission line located in Clark, Madison, and Garrard 
Counties, Kentucky (Proposal).

ADDRESSES: The Environmental Assessment (EA) and FONSI are available 
for public review at USDA Rural Development, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571; and at EKPC's headquarters office 
located at 4775 Lexington Road, Winchester, Kentucky 40391. To obtain 
copies of the EA, or for further information, contact: Stephanie 
Strength, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Development, 
Utilities Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 1571 
Washington, DC 20250-1571, Telephone: (202) 720-0468 or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EKPC proposes to construct 2 new CTs at 
EKPC's existing J. K. Smith Electric Generating Station in southern 
Clark County, Kentucky. The proposed CTs would be fueled by natural gas 
and would each have a net electrical output of between 82 and 98 
megawatts. The proposed new units are needed to provide additional 
electric generating capacity that would allow EKPC to meet its 
projected electrical peaking demand for 2009-2011. The Proposal also 
includes the construction of 2 new electric switching stations, 1 at 
its existing J. K. Smith Generating Station (utilizing approximately 8 
acres) and 1 in western Garrard County, Kentucky (disturbing between 5 
and 10 acres), and a 36-mile, 345-kV electric transmission line (on a 
150-foot right-of-way) that would extend through Clark, Madison, and 
Garrard Counties, Kentucky. The proposed new transmission facilities 
are needed to provide an outlet for the additional electric power that 
would be generated at the J. K. Smith Generating Station as a result of 
the installation of the proposed new CTs. The new transmission line 
would be supported by vertical H-frame steel pole structures that would 
range in height from 90 to 130 feet above ground. The construction of 
the Proposal is tentatively scheduled to begin in the fall of 2007 with 
estimated construction duration of 2 years.
    Alternatives considered by Rural Development and EKPC include: (a) 
No action, (b) alternative generation technology, (c) alternative 
transmission improvements, (d) alternative sites, and (e) alternate 
transmission line corridors. The alternatives are discussed in the 
Smith Station CT Units 9 & 10 and the Smith-West Garrard Transmission 
Line Project Environmental Report (ER).
    Rural Development has accepted the ER as its EA for the proposed 
project. Rural Development held an agency meeting and a public scoping 
meeting in an open house format on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 in Richmond, 
Kentucky. Approximately 22 people attended the meeting. EKPC held 2 
additional public open houses, and, as a result of the 3 meetings, 117 
comments were received. The comments were subsequently addressed in the 
EA. The notice of availability of the EA for public review was 
published in the Federal Register Vol. 72, No. 122, Tuesday, June 26, 
2007, and was also published in the local papers Lexington Herald 
Leader, Lexington, Kentucky; Richmond Register, Richmond, KY; Garrard 
Central Record, Lancaster, KY; and the Winchester Sun, Winchester, 
Kentucky. The EA was distributed for public and agency review. The 30-
day comment period on the EA ended July 26, 2007. Comments were 
received from 2 parties and the concerns were addressed. Rural 
Development has determined that the Proposal will have no significant 
impact to water quality, wetlands, the 100-year floodplain, land use, 
aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
    The Proposal will have an adverse effect on 1 historic property 
eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and 1 
currently listed historic property. Mitigation measures for the 
Proposal are stipulated in a Memorandum of Agreement signed on July 23, 
2007 by Rural Development, the Kentucky State Historic Preservation 
Officer, and EKPC.
    Rural Development has also concluded that the Proposal is not 
likely to affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or 
designated critical habitat. The Proposal will not disproportionately 
affect minority and/or low-income populations. No other potential 
significant impacts resulting from the Proposal have been identified. 
Therefore, Rural Development has determined that this finding of no 
significant impact fulfills its obligations under the National 
Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 
Council on Environmental

[[Page 53527]]

Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), and USDA Rural Development's 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794). Since Rural 
Development's Federal action would not result in significant impacts to 
the quality of the human environment, an environmental impact statement 
will not be prepared for its action related to the Proposal.

    Dated: September 13, 2007.
James R. Newby,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, Rural Utilities Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-18385 Filed 9-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P