[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3241-3242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-819]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Construction and Operation of a 300-MW Coal-Fired Electric Generating 
Unit Proposed by Wisconsin Power and Light Company near Cassville in 
Grant County, WI

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) has applied to the St. 
Paul District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) for a permit to conduct work 
below the ordinary high water mark of the Mississippi River, a 
navigable water of the U.S., and to discharge dredged or fill material 
into waters of the U.S. to facilitate the construction and operation of 
a 300 megawatt (MW) baseload coal-fired electric generating unit, 
referred to as NED 3, near Cassville in Grant County, WI. Specifically, 
the WPL is proposing an atmospheric circulating fluidized bed boiler 
and steam turbine

[[Page 3242]]

generator unit at a site adjacent to the existing Nelson Dewey 
Generating Station (NED) Units 1 and 2 on the Mississippi River at 
River Mile 607.7. In addition to the new power generating unit, the 
following associated facilities would be constructed and operated: A 
new lateral collector well to supply cooling water; additional barge 
unloading capacity including three additional barge moorings in the 
Mississippi River, a new barge unloading tower foundation, and a 
temporary equipment barge unloading ramp; a new storm water detention 
pond and pipe outfall structure; 1.7-mile-long off-site parallel 
industrial railroad tracks, including a sheet pile retaining wall, 
adjacent to the existing BNSF railroad mainline tracks; new railroad 
bridges over two creeks for the off-site parallel industrial railroad 
tracks; and two new coal pile runoff ponds to replace the existing coal 
pile runoff pond adjacent to the railroad tracks.
    The project would require the discharge of dredged or fill material 
into the Mississippi River and two creeks that are tributaries to the 
Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is a navigable water of the 
U.S. The discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. 
requires a permit issued by the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act. Construction work conducted below the ordinary high water 
mark of a navigable water of the U.S. requires a permit issued by the 
Corps under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The final 
environmental impact statement will be used as a basis for the permit 
decision and to ensure compliance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).

ADDRESSES: Questions concerning the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) can be addressed to Mr. Jon K. Ahlness, Regulatory 
Branch by letter at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 190 Fifth Street 
East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101-1638, by telephone or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jon K. Ahlness, (651) 290-5381.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps and the Public Service Commission 
of Wisconsin (PSCW) will jointly prepare the federal/state DEIS. The 
Corps is the lead federal agency and the PSCW is the lead state agency. 
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is participating 
in the preparation of the DEIS. The Corps and the PSCW will jointly 
conduct two public scoping meetings to identify issues that will be 
addressed in the DEIS. The first public scoping meeting will be held at 
the Cassville Elementary School Gym, 412 Crawford St., Cassville, 
Wisconsin on January 30, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The second 
public scoping meeting will be held at the City of Portage Municipal 
Building Community Room, 115 West Pleasant St., Portage, Wisconsin, on 
February 11, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    We anticipate that the DEIS will be made available to the public in 
April of 2008. The DEIS will assess impacts of the proposed action and 
reasonable alternatives, identify and evaluate mitigation alternatives, 
and discuss potential environmental monitoring. Significant issues and 
resources to be identified in the DEIS will be determined through 
coordination with responsible federal, state, and local agencies; the 
general public; interested private organizations and parties; and 
affected Native American Tribes. Anyone who has an interest in 
participating in the development of the DEIS is invited to contact the 
St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers. Significant issues that will be 
addressed in the DEIS include:
    1. Fish, wildlife, and ecologically sensitive resources.
    2. Water resources, including: Surface water hydrology; groundwater 
hydrology; and waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
    3. Water quality, including: Surface water runoff; and storm water 
management.
    4. Air quality, including: Mercury emissions; and carbon dioxide 
emissions.
    5. Cumulative impacts, including: Wildlife habitat loss; water 
quality; and air quality.
    Additional issues of interest may be identified through the public 
scoping process.
    Our environmental review will be conducted to meet the requirements 
of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966, Endangered Species Act of 1973, Section 404 
of the Clean Water Act, and other applicable laws and regulations.

    Dated: January 10, 2008.
Jon L. Christensen,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E8-819 Filed 1-16-08; 8:45 am]
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