[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56173-56174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26146]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.: 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.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public 
scoping meetings and prepare an Environmental Assessment with Scoping 
(EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) and 7 CFR part 1794 in connection with potential 
impacts related to a proposed project by Minnkota Power Cooperative, 
Inc. (Minnkota). The proposed Center to Grand Forks Transmission Line 
Project (proposed action) consists of: the construction of 
approximately 260 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from 
Center to Grand Forks, North Dakota; upgrades at the Center 345 kV 
substation; upgrades at the Square Butte 230 kV Substation; an 
additional 230 kV tie line; and upgrades at the Prairie Substation and 
fiber optic regeneration stations. Minnkota is requesting that RUS 
provide financial assistance for the proposed action.

DATES: RUS will conduct public scoping meetings in an open house format 
to provide information and solicit comments for the preparation of the 
EA. Scoping meetings will be held on the following dates: Grand Forks, 
ND, Alerus Center, Eagle Room 10, 1200 S. 42nd St., Monday, November 
16, 2009, 5-8 p.m.; Cooperstown, ND, Cooperstown City Hall, 611 9th 
St., Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Carrington, ND, 
Chieftain Conference Center, Tee Pee Room 60, 4th Avenue S., Tuesday, 
November 17, 2009, 5:00-8:00 pm; McClusky, ND, McClusky Community Hall, 
117 Avenue B North, Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; 
Wilton, ND, City of Wilton Memorial Hall, 105 Dakota Avenue, Wednesday, 
November 18, 2009, 5-8 p.m.; and Center, ND, Center Civic Center 
Building, 312 N Lincoln Ave., Thursday, November 19, 2009, 5-8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: To send comments or request additional information, contact: 
Mr. Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural 
Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 1571, 
Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone: (202) 720-1953 or e-mail:

[[Page 56174]]

[email protected]. An Alternative Evaluation Study (AES) and a 
Macro Corridor Study (MCS) has been prepared for the proposed project. 
All documents are available for public review prior to and during the 
public scoping meetings. The reports are available at the RUS address 
provided in this notice and on the agency's Web site at: http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ees/ea.htm., the offices of Minnkota Power 
Cooperative, Inc. and their Web site at: http://www.minnkota.com; and 
the following repositories: Aneta Public Library, 11995 19th St., 
Aneta, ND 58212-0088; Bismarck's Veterans Memorial Library, 515 N. 5th 
St., Bismarck, ND 58501-4057; Oliver County Auditor, 115 West Main, 
Center, ND 58530; City of Carrington Library, 55 9th Ave., Carrington, 
ND 58421-2017; Griggs County Library, 902 Burrel Ave., Cooperstown, ND 
58425-0546; Goodrich Public Library, 122 McKinley Ave., Goodrich, ND 
58444-0175; Grand Forks Library, 2110 Library Circle, Grand Forks, ND 
58201-6324; Harvey Public Library, 119 10th St., Harvey, ND 58341-1531; 
Mayville Library, 52 Center Ave., Mayville, ND 58257-1299; Sheridan 
County Auditor, 215 East 2nd St., McClusky, ND 58356-1510; New Rockford 
Public Library, 811 First Ave. N, New Rockford, ND 58356-1510; Turtle 
Lake Public Library, 107 Eggert St., Turtle Lake, ND 58575-0540; 
Washburn Public Library, 705 Main Ave., Washburn, ND 58577-0637; and 
Northwood Public Schools and City Library, 300 35th St., Northwood, ND 
58267.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed action is to 
reallocate energy presently transmitted on an existing direct current 
(DC) line to the proposed 345 kV line. Currently, the output from the 
Milton R. Young Generation Station Unit 2 (Young 2) is purchased under 
contract by Minnkota and Minnesota Power; each utility receives 
approximately 50 percent of the output. Electricity generated by Young 
2 flows over a dedicated DC, 465-mile transmission line from Center, 
North Dakota to Duluth, Minnesota, where it is converted back to 
alternating current (AC) for further transmission into the Minnesota 
Power and Minnkota service areas. Minnesota Power will take 100 percent 
ownership of the existing DC line and DC/AC conversion facilities in 
early 2010; the DC line will be used to deliver wind energy. In 2013, 
Minnkota will receive increasing allocations of Young 2 output until 
the year 2026 when Minnkota will purchase 100 percent of the Young 2 
output. With no continuous capacity available to Minnkota on the HVDC 
system, the power needs be moved over the AC transmission system to 
Minnkota's service territory.
    Minnkota is seeking financing from RUS for its ownership of the 
proposed project. Before making a decision to provide financing for the 
proposed project, RUS is required to conduct an environmental review 
under NEPA in accordance with RUS's Environmental Policies and 
Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794). Government agencies, private 
organizations, and the public are invited to participate in the 
planning and analysis of the proposed action. Representatives from RUS 
and Minnkota will be available at the scoping meetings to discuss the 
environmental review process, describe the proposed action, discuss the 
scope of environmental issues to be considered, answer questions, and 
accept comments. RUS will use comments and input provided in the 
preparation of the Draft EA. If RUS finds, based on the EA, that the 
proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment, RUS will prepare a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI). Public notification of the FONSI would be published in 
the Federal Register and in newspapers with circulation in the project 
area. RUS may take its final action on proposed actions requiring an EA 
(Sec.  1794.23) any time after publication of applicant notices that a 
FONSI has been made and any required review period has expired. When 
substantive comments are received on the EA, RUS may provide an 
additional period (15 days) for public review following the publication 
of its FONSI determination. Final action will not be taken until this 
review period has expired. Where appropriate to carry out the purposes 
of NEPA, RUS may impose, on a case-by-case basis, additional 
requirements associated with the preparation of an EA. If at any point 
in the preparation of an EA, RUS determines that the proposed action 
will have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment, 
the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement will be required. 
Any final action by RUS related to the proposed action 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 RUS's Environmental 
Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794).

    Dated: October 23, 2009.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E9-26146 Filed 10-29-09; 8:45 am]
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