[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 218 (Friday, November 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 69397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28563]



[[Page 69397]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability of an 
Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an Environmental Assessment.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has issued an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality's 
(CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and 
RUS's Environmental and Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794) in 
connection with potential impacts related to a proposal by Minnkota 
Power Cooperative, Inc. (Minnkota) with headquarters in Grand Forks, 
North Dakota. The proposal consists of the construction of 
approximately 260 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in North 
Dakota between the Center 345 kV Substation (located northeast of the 
Milton R. Young Generation Station, near Center, North Dakota) and the 
Prairie Substation (located west of Grand Forks, North Dakota). 
Minnkota is requesting financial assistance from RUS for the proposal.

DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received on or before 
December 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the EA or for further information, 
contact: Mr. Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA/
RUS, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 2244-S, Stop 1571, Washington, 
DC 20250-1571, fax: (202) 690-0649, or e-mail: 
[email protected]. A copy of the EA will be available for 
public review at the Agency's address provided in this Notice, at the 
Agency's Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ees/ea.htm#Minnkota_Power_Cooperative,_Inc._, and at the following repositories:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Building location                Address               Phone
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aneta Public Library..........  11995 19th St., Aneta,      701-326-4505
                                 ND 58212.
Bismarck's Veterans Memorial    515 N. 5th St.,             701-355-1480
 Library.                        Bismarck, ND 58501-
                                 4057.
City of Carrington Library....  55 9th Ave.,                701-652-3921
                                 Carrington, ND 58421-
                                 2017.
Goodrich Public Library.......  122 McKinley Ave.,          701-884-2632
                                 Goodrich, ND 58444.
Grand Forks Library...........  2110 Library Circle,        701-772-8116
                                 Grand Forks, ND 58201-
                                 6324.
Griggs County Library.........  902 Burrel Ave.,            701-797-2241
                                 Cooperstown, ND 58425-
                                 0546.
Harvey Public Library.........  119 10th St., Harvey,       701-324-2156
                                 ND 58341-1531.
Mayville Library..............  52 Center Ave. N.,          701-788-3388
                                 Mayville, ND 58257.
New Rockford Public Library...  811 First Ave. N., New      701-947-5540
                                 Rockford, ND 58356.
Northwood Public Schools and    204 N Doheny St.,           701-587-5221
 City Library.                   Northwood, ND 58267.
Oliver County Auditor.........  115 West Main,              701-794-8777
                                 Hensler, ND 58530.
Sheridan County Auditor.......  215 East 2nd St.,           701-363-2205
                                 McClusky, ND 58463.
Turtle Lake Public Library....  107 Eggert St., Turtle      701-448-9170
                                 Lake, ND 58575-0637.
Washburn Public Library.......  705 Main Ave.,              701-462-8180
                                 Washburn, ND 58577-
                                 0637.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Minnkota proposes to construct the following 
for the project: (1) Construct approximately 260 miles of 345 kV 
transmission line between the Center 345 kV Substation (located 
northeast of the Milton R. Young Generation Station, near Center, North 
Dakota) and the Prairie Substation (located west of Grand Forks, North 
Dakota), (2) modification of three existing substations (Center 345 kV, 
Square Butte 230 kV, and Prairie Substations), (3) construction of 
about 1,500 feet of 230 kV tie line, (4) relocation of transmission 
line structures at the Center 345 kV and Prairie Substations, and (5) 
other associated facilities. It is anticipated that the facility would 
be in service in 2013. A Notice of Intent to prepare an EA and hold 
scoping meetings was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 
2009. Public meetings were held during the week of November 16, 2009. A 
summary of public comments can be found at the Agency's Web site listed 
in this Notice.
    An EA that describes the proposal in detail and discusses its 
anticipated environmental impacts has been prepared by Minnkota and HDR 
Engineering, Inc. RUS has reviewed and accepted the document as its EA 
of the proposal. The EA is available for public review at the addresses 
provided in this Notice.
    Questions and comments should be sent to RUS at the mailing or e-
mail addresses provided in this Notice. RUS should receive comments on 
the EA in writing by December 13, 2010 to ensure that they are 
considered in its environmental impact determination. Should RUS, based 
on the EA of the proposal, determine that the impacts of the 
construction and operation of the proposal would not have a significant 
environmental impact, it will prepare a Finding of No Significant 
Impact. Public notification of a Finding of No Significant Impact would 
be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers with circulation 
in the proposal area.
    Any final action by RUS 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 requirements as prescribed in RUS's Environmental 
Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).

    Dated: November 8, 2010.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-28563 Filed 11-10-10; 8:45 am]
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