[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 2903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-897]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Interconnection of the Proposed Hyde County Wind Energy Center 
Project (DOE/EIS-0461), and Proposed Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Center 
Project (DOE/EIS-0462)

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Extension of Scoping Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western) published separate 
Notices of Intent to prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) for 
the Hyde County Wind Energy Center Project and the Crowned Ridge Wind 
Energy Center Project in the Federal Register on November 30, 2010. 
Both Notices of Intent specified a 45-day public scoping period, which 
would end on January 14, 2011. Western received a request for an 
extension of the public scoping period deadline to January 30, 2010, 
due to the holidays. Western is granting that request, and by this 
notice and local advertising is extending the formal scoping period to 
midnight Monday, January 31, 2011.

DATES: The public scoping period commenced with the publication of the 
Federal Register notices on November 30, 2010, and will, with the 
extension of time, end on midnight, January 31, 2011. Western will 
consider all comments on the scope of the EISs received or postmarked 
by that date. The public is invited to submit comments on either 
proposed project at any time during the EIS process.

ADDRESSES: Oral or written comments on the scope of either proposed 
project may be mailed or e-mailed to Matt Marsh, Upper Great Plains 
Regional Office, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 35800, 
Billings, MT 59107-5800, e-mail [email protected], telephone (800) 358-
3415.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the 
proposed projects, the EIS process, or to receive a copy of either 
Draft EIS when they are published, contact Matt Marsh at the address 
above. For general information on the DOE's NEPA review process, 
contact Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and 
Compliance, GC-54, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0119, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-
2756, facsimile (202) 586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextEra Energy Resources (NextEra) applied 
to interconnect its proposed 150-megawatt (MW) Hyde County Wind Energy 
Center Project, located in Hyde County, South Dakota, with the 
Western's existing Fort Thompson Substation in Buffalo County, South 
Dakota. NextEra has also applied to interconnect its proposed 150-MW 
Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Center Project with Western's existing 
Watertown Substation in Codington County, South Dakota. The proposed 
Project would be located in Codington and Grant counties, South Dakota. 
Western is preparing separate EISs on the proposals to interconnect the 
projects in accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347); DOE NEPA 
Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021); and the CEQ regulations for 
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508).\1\
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    \1\ On October 4, 1999, DOE's Assistant Secretary for 
Environmental, Safety and Health delegated to Western's 
Administrator the authority to approve EISs for integrating 
transmission facilities with Western's transmission grid.
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    Separate Notices of Intent were published in the Federal Register 
for both proposed projects on November 30, 2010 (75 FR 74040 for Hyde 
County and 75 FR 74042 for Crowned Ridge). Scoping meetings were held 
on December 14, 2010, in Highmore, South Dakota, for the Hyde County 
Project, and on December 15, 2010, in Watertown, South Dakota, for the 
Crowned Ridge Project. The Notices of Intent specified a 45-day public 
scoping period, which would end on January 14, 2011. One commenter, 
writing on his own behalf and that of other area landowners, has 
requested an extension of the public scoping period deadline to January 
30, 2011, due to the holidays. Western is granting that request, and by 
this notice and local advertising is extending the formal scoping 
period to midnight Monday, January 31, 2011.

    Dated: January 10, 2011.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-897 Filed 1-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P