[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63141-63143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25825]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Apalachicola National Forest; Florida; City of Tallahassee 230kV 
Southwestern Transmission Line

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Forest Service, Apalachicola National Forest intends 
to prepare an environmental impact statement under a 3rd party 
agreement with the City of Tallahassee, Florida to

[[Page 63142]]

issue a special use authorization for the construction, occupancy and 
use of national forest system land for a 230kV electric transmission 
line. The addition of an east-west 230kV transmission line would 
connect the Hopkins--Crawfordville 230kV transmission line south of the 
Tallahassee Regional Airport (near the intersection of Springhill and 
Bice Roads), with the existing Substation BP-5 (southeast of the 
Capital Circle S.W./Woodville Highway intersection). The proposed 
transmission line would be approximately 8 miles long with 
approximately 6.4 miles located within the Apalachicola National 
Forest. The transmission line would parallel the existing Florida Gas 
Transmission Company's natural gas lines from the Hopkins--
Crawfordville line until the forest boundary south of Substation BP-5. 
Once off the forest it would parallel an existing 115kV electric 
transmission line to its terminus at Substation BP-5.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by November 19, 2010 in order to be considered in the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
is expected in April 2011. A Final Environmental Impact Statement is 
expected in October 2011. A Public Workshop will be held in 
Tallahassee, Florida on October 28, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Susan Jeheber-Matthews, Forest 
Supervisor, National Forests in Florida, 325 John Knox Road Suite F-
100, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to 
[email protected]., or via facsimile to (850) 523-
8505.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Shenk, U.S. Forest Service, 57 
Taff Drive, Crawfordville, FL 32327. Telephone; (850) 926-3561.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is the 
electric reliability organization certified by the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop and enforce Reliability 
Standards for the bulk power system. NERC Transmission Planning 
Standards (TPL Standards 001-004) identify the mandatory planning 
standards that electric utilities must follow to ensure that reliable 
systems are developed that meet specified performance requirements.
    The City conducts annual studies to evaluate the reliability of the 
bulk transmission system under a variety of contingencies that ensure 
the system meets the NERC standards. Recent studies have identified 
that the existing electric transmission network needs to be modified to 
ensure continued compliance with the NERC reliability planning 
standards.
    Absent system improvements, the reliable delivery of power from the 
City's generating facilities and imported power via ties with other 
utilities to all customers cannot be ensured in the future under 
certain contingencies. The loss of multiple transmission lines due to a 
single event on a common right of way would cause other lines on the 
system to be overloaded. An additional electric transmission delivery 
path from east to west was identified as the means by which the City 
can maintain the ability to supply projected customer demands and 
wholesale transmission services into the future as required by the NERC 
Standards.
    The proposed 230kV Transmission Line would provide enhanced system 
benefits that will meet the NERC mandated requirements and will improve 
system performance to the general public. These benefits include: (1) 
Improved system reliability over a broader range of contingencies & 
longer duration as a result of providing an additional delivery path 
from generation sources and interconnections with other utilities to 
customers; (2) improved power transfer (east to west) as a result of 
the reduced losses associated with higher voltage transmission lines; 
and (3) address reliability concerns regarding the ability to supply 
future customer demands should one or more of the current east to west 
delivery paths become unavailable due to an equipment fault or failure.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action is to issue a special use authorization for the 
construction, occupancy and use of a 230kV electric transmission line 
on approximately 6.4 miles of national forest system lands on the 
Apalachicola National Forest. The proposed electric transmission line 
would connect the Hopkins-Crawfordville 230kV line south of the 
Tallahassee Regional Airport (near the intersection of Springhill and 
Bice Roads), with the existing Substation BP-5 (southeast of the 
Capital Circle SW. and Woodville Highway intersection). The proposed 
transmission line would be approximately 8 miles long with 
approximately 6.4 miles located within the Apalachicola National 
Forest.
    The proposed transmission line would be located adjacent to an 
existing utility corridor currently under a U.S. Forest Service Special 
Use Permit with the Florida Gas Transmission Company. The proposed 
transmission line would increase the existing 80 foot-wide Florida Gas 
corridor by an additional 60 feet. The additional corridor would occur 
within the temporary work space previously created by the Florida Gas 
Transmission Company and documented in the January 11, 2010 Record of 
Decision, Special Use Permit, Florida Gas Transmission Company, Phase 
VIII Expansion Project. The Proposed Action would also include the 
development of a new tap point on the Hopkins-Crawfordville line.

Possible Alternatives

    Two additional routes were evaluated during development of the 
proposed transmission line. The first alternative route follows 
Springhill Road, passes through a smaller undisturbed area of the 
Apalachicola National Forest, and then parallels Capital Circle SW. The 
second route, consisting of a minor deviation of the first route, would 
follow Springhill Road all the way to Capital Circle SW., reducing 
impact to the national forest, but would not meet FAA safety 
regulations (FAR Part 77) for structure height near the runway at the 
Tallahassee Regional Airport.

Responsible Official

    Susan Jeheber-Matthews, Forest Supervisor, 325 John Knox Road, 
Suite F-100, Tallahassee, FL 32303.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Forest Service will decide whether or not to issue a special 
use authorization for the construction, occupancy and use of a 230kV 
electric transmission line on approximately 6.4 miles of national 
forest system lands on the Apalachicola National Forest and conditions 
there of.

Permits or Licenses Required

    Leon County Environmental Management Permit.
    Florida Department of Environmental Protection, National Discharge 
Elimination permit.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which will 
guide the development of the environmental impact statement. A Public 
Workshop will be held in Tallahassee, Florida on October 28, 2010 
(Woodville Elementary

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School Cafeteria, 9373 Woodville Highway, 5-7 p.m.) to provide citizens 
an opportunity to learn about the project and to provide comments. 
Letters requesting comments on the proposed action will be mailed to 
the public involvement mailing list for the Apalachicola National 
Forest and local citizens that may be affected by the project.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide 
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent 
environmental documents.

    Dated: October 7, 2010.
Susan Jeheber-Matthews,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-25825 Filed 10-13-10; 8:45 am]
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