[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 10475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4082]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, 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), an agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, intends to hold public scoping 
meetings and prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to meet its 
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794) in 
connection with potential impacts related to a proposed project in 
Colorado by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. 
(Tri-State). The proposed Burlington-Wray 230-kilovolt (kV) 
Transmission Project (Proposal) consists of the following: a proposed 
new single-circuit 230-kV electric transmission line between the 
existing Burlington Substation in Kit Carson County and the existing 
Wray Substation in Yuma County. Tri-State is requesting that RUS 
provide financial assistance for the Proposal.

DATES: RUS will conduct public scoping meetings in an open house format 
to provide information and solicit comments for the preparation of the 
EA. The scoping meetings will be held on the following dates: Tuesday, 
March 6, 2012, from 5-8 p.m. at the Burlington Community Center, 340 
South 14th Street, Burlington, Colorado 80807; Wednesday, March 8, 
2012, 5-8 p.m. at the Wray Roundhouse, 245 West 4th Street, Wray, 
Colorado 80758. All written questions and comments must be received on 
or before March 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: An Alternative Evaluation Study (AES) and Macro Corridor 
Study (MCS) have been prepared for the proposed project. All documents 
are available for review prior to and at the public scoping meetings. 
The reports are available at the RUS address provided in this notice 
and on the agency's Web site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-ea.htm. 
The documents are also available for review at the offices of Tri-State 
and its member cooperatives K.C. Electric Association and Y-W Electric 
Association. In addition, the following repositories will have the AES 
and MCS available for public review:
    Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., 1100 West 
116th Avenue, Westminster, Colorado 80234-2814.
    K.C. Electric Association, 281 Main Street, Stratton, Colorado 
80836.
    Y-W Electric Association, 1016 Grants Way, Wray, Colorado 80758-
1915.
    Wray Public Library, 301 W. 7th Street, Wray, Colorado 80758.
    Burlington Public Library, 321 14th Street, Burlington, CO 80807.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the EA, to comment 
on the EA, or for further information, contact Dennis Rankin, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA Rural Utilities Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, 
Telephone: (202) 720-1953, Facsimile: (202) 690-0649, or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary purpose for the Proposal is to 
alleviate transmission system limitations in eastern Colorado, improve 
Tri-State's ability to dispatch existing generation resources in 
eastern Colorado, and improve Tri-State's ability to deliver energy to 
native load customers. The proposed action also would provide a 
transmission outlet for renewable energy generation in eastern 
Colorado.
    Tri-State is seeking funding from RUS for the Proposal. Prior to 
making a financial decision about whether to provide financial 
assistance for a proposed project, RUS is required to conduct an 
environmental review under the NEPA in accordance with the RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures codified in 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 the RUS and Tri-State will be available at the 
scoping meetings to discuss the environmental review process, describe 
the Proposal, discuss the scope of environmental issues to be 
considered, answer questions, and accept comments. RUS and Tri-state 
will use comments and input provided by all interested parties in the 
preparation of an Environmental Assessment Tri-State will submit the EA 
to RUS for review. RUS will use the environmental document to determine 
the significance of the impacts of the Proposal and may adopt the 
environmental document as its EA for the proposal. RUS's EA will be 
available for review and comment for 30 days. Announcement of the 
availability of the EA will be published in the Federal Register and in 
newspapers with circulation in the project area.
    Should RUS determine that the preparation of an Environmental 
Impact Statement is not necessary, it will prepare a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI). Announcement of the availability of a FONSI 
will be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers with 
circulation in the project 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 procedures as prescribed by 
RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).

    Dated: February 15, 2012.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-4082 Filed 2-21-12; 8:45 am]
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