[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 2 (Thursday, January 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 285-286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31643]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for Healy Power 
Generation Unit 2, Healy, AK

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Final Environmental 
Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), intends to prepare a supplemental 
final environmental impact statement (SFEIS) to update information in 
the Department of Energy's (DOE's) ``Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Healy Clean Coal Project'' (FEIS), completed 
in 1993. The FEIS evaluated potential impacts to the human environment 
from DOE's proposal to partially fund the Healy Clean Coal Project 
(HCCP) in cooperation with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export 
Authority (AIDEA). The DOE published a Record of Decision for HCCP in 
1994, and in 1997 Healy Unit 2 was constructed as a major 
modification to the existing Healy power plant, now known as Healy Unit 
1. Healy Unit 1 is a 25 megawatt (MW) coal-fired 
boiler that has been owned and operated by Golden Valley Electric 
Association (GVEA) since 1967. Healy Unit 2 is a 50 MW coal-
fired steam generator owned by AIDEA, which underwent test operation 
for two years as part of DOE's Clean Coal Technology Program. Unit 
2 has been in warm layup since late 1999.

DATES: The Draft SFEIS is scheduled for publication in February 2013. A 
notice of availability will be published in the Federal Register 
announcing the review period of the SFEIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the SFEIS by any of the following 
methods: Mail: Deirdre M. Remley, Environmental Protection Specialist, 
RUS, Water and Environmental Programs, Engineering and Environmental 
Staff, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-
1571; Telephone: (202) 720-9640; or email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deirdre Remley: (202) 720-9640, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS makes loans and loan guarantees to 
finance new infrastructure and upgrades to existing facilities in the 
areas of electricity, telecommunications, and water and wastewater in 
rural areas that qualify for federal assistance. During the 1994 USDA 
reorganization, the former Rural Electrification Administration (REA) 
utility programs were consolidated under RUS. The RUS Electric Program 
is authorized to make loans and loan guarantees that finance the 
construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation 
facilities, including system improvements and replacements required to 
furnish and improve electric service in rural areas, as well as demand 
side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid 
renewable energy systems.
    GVEA is a not-for-profit cooperative formed in 1946 with financing 
from REA to provide electric service to rural communities in interior 
Alaska. Because GVEA is an RUS borrower, RUS holds liens on GVEA assets 
and transfers of borrower assets in which RUS holds an interest require 
lien accommodations. AIDEA provides support for the Alaska Energy 
Authority whose mission is to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. 
AIDEA partially funded HCCP in cooperation with DOE's Clean Coal 
Technology Program. AIDEA currently owns Healy Unit 2 and 
wishes to sell it to GVEA.
    RUS's predecessor, REA, was a cooperating agency on DOE's FEIS for 
HCCP, because it had administrative actions related to its lien 
interests in GVEA holdings. Recently, AIDEA and GVEA reached an 
agreement for GVEA to purchase Unit 2. Subsequent to the 
transfer of ownership, GVEA's subsidiary, Tri-Valley Electrical 
Cooperative (Tri-VEC), would begin generating electrical power for 
commercial use in GVEA's service territory.
    GVEA proposes to install additional emission controls to both Unit 
1 and Unit 2 and to operate Unit 2 for the 
remainder of the plant's operational life. GVEA plans to request 
financial assistance from RUS to purchase and install additional 
emission control devices. Additionally, actions GVEA may request from 
RUS include any or all of the following:
     Approve a Power Sales Agreement from Tri-VEC to GVEA as 
required under Section 5(c) of RUS Loan Contract dated February 2, 2004 
between GVEA and the United States of America.
     Approve a release of RUS's existing lien on the HCCP site 
at the time of its sale to Tri-VEC from GVEA, as provided to RUS under 
the Restated Mortgage and Security Agreement dated February 2, 2004, 
between GVEA and the United States of America.

[[Page 286]]

     Providing financial assistance to GVEA or Tri-VEC for 
purchase and installation of emission control equipment.
    As applicable, the SFEIS will document changes in the affected 
environment and environmental consequences that may have occurred since 
the FEIS was published in 1993. The FEIS is available on GVEA's Web 
site at http://www.gvea.com/energy/hccp, and the SFEIS will incorporate 
this document by reference and include only those topics that have 
changed since the FEIS was finalized.

    Dated: December 4, 2012.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, USDA/Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-31643 Filed 1-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P