[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50026-50027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19956]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Intent To 
Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), intends to prepare a supplemental 
draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) for Basin Electric Power 
Cooperative's (Basin Electric) proposed Antelope Valley Station (AVS) 
to Neset 345-kV Transmission Project (Project) in North Dakota. RUS is 
issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform the public and interested 
parties about a change in the proposed Project and invite the public to 
comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues to be addressed 
in the SDEIS.
    RUS made the decision to prepare an SDEIS for the AVS Project to 
evaluate significant project changes. These changes are due to an 
increase in the electric load forecast for western North Dakota which 
is changing the scope of the project. To accommodate this change, the 
SDEIS will evaluate a new alternative for the transmission line.
    The SDEIS will address the construction, operation, and maintenance 
of Basin Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes 
construction, operation and maintenance of approximately 275

[[Page 50027]]

miles of new 345-kV single pole transmission line (approximately 85 
miles more than the project identified in the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS)), 230-kV single pole transmission line and 
double circuit 345/115-kV transmission lines, 5 new substations, 
modifications to 4 existing substations, maintenance access roads, 
temporary construction roads, river crossings, temporary construction 
staging sites, and other facilities to be described in the SDEIS. Basin 
Electric's proposed Project would be located in portions of Dunn, 
McKenzie, Mercer, Mountrail, and Williams counties in western North 
Dakota.
    Portions of Basin Electric's proposed Project may affect 
floodplains and wetlands. This NOI also serves as a notice of proposed 
floodplain or wetland action. RUS will hold public hearing meetings to 
share information and receive comments on the SDEIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed 
Project, the SDEIS process, and RUS financing, contact Mr. Dennis 
Rankin, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, 
telephone: (202) 720-1953, or email: [email protected]. 
Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list for future 
information and to receive copies of the SDEIS and the Final EIS when 
available should also contact Mr. Rankin.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS 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. Based on 
an interconnection with the Western Area Power Administration's 
(Western) transmission system, Western has in accordance with 40 CFR 
1501.6, requested to serve as a cooperating agency for the 
environmental review of the proposed Project.
    Basin Electric is a regional wholesale electric generation and 
transmission cooperative owned and controlled by its member 
cooperatives. Basin Electric serves approximately 2.5 million customers 
covering 430,000 square miles in portions of nine states, including 
Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, 
South Dakota, and Wyoming.
    Project Description: Basin Electric has identified the need for 
additional electric transmission capacity in northwestern North Dakota 
as a result of increased demand and to meet reliability and system 
stability requirements for the region. Investigations and analyses 
conducted for the overall power delivery systems found that without 
improvements, the flow of power along existing lines may result in 
local line overloads, especially in the vicinity of Williston, North 
Dakota.
    To resolve these issues, Basin Electric is proposing to construct, 
own and operate a new 345-kV transmission line and associated 
supporting infrastructure. The entire Project will consist of 
constructing approximately 275 miles of new single circuit 345-kV 
(approximately 85 miles more than the project identified in the Draft 
EIS), 230-kV and double circuit 345/115-kV transmission lines, the 
construction of 5 new substations, modifications to 4 existing 
substations, maintenance access roads, temporary construction roads, 
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other 
facilities. The Project would connect to the Integrated System at 
several locations, including Western's Williston Substation. The 
proposed Project would be located in portions of Dunn, McKenzie, 
Mercer, Mountrail, and Williams counties in western North Dakota.
    Basin Electric has requested financial assistance for the proposed 
Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS's requirements in 
processing Basin Electric's application, along with other technical and 
financial considerations.
    In accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(b) on the Council of Environmental 
Quality's Regulation for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act, RUS will serve as the lead agency in 
the preparation of the EIS.
    The proposed Project is subject to the jurisdiction of the North 
Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC), which has regulatory 
authority for siting electrical transmission facilities within the 
State. Basin Electric will submit applications for NDPSC Transmission 
Corridor and Route Permits. The NDPSC Permits would authorize Basin 
Electric to construct the proposed Project under North Dakota rules and 
regulations.
    RUS intends to prepare a SDEIS and Final EIS to analyze the impacts 
of its respective federal actions and the proposed Project in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as 
amended, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulation for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021), and RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). RUS has 
already produced a Draft EIS which was released to the public on 
December 7, 2012 and can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.
    Because the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or 
wetlands, this NOI also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or 
wetland action. The SDEIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment 
and, if required, a floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be 
issued with the Final EIS.
    Agency Responsibilities: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency, 
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the SDEIS. Western Area 
Power Administration and the U.S. Forest Service are participating as 
cooperating agencies and will be issuing decisions relevant to the 
project under separate authorities.
    Public Participation: Public participation and full disclosure are 
planned for the entire EIS process. The EIS process has included a 
scoping comment period to solicit comments from interested parties; 
publication of a DEIS and public hearing and comment period; 
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local, 
and tribal governmental agencies. In addition, public review and 
hearings on the SDEIS will be scheduled on the fall followed by 
publication of a final EIS; and publication of a Record of Decision. 
Expected EIS completion date is March 2014. Additional informal public 
meetings may be held in the proposed Project areas, if public interest 
and issues indicate a need. If additional public meetings are 
determined to be necessary public notices will be published as 
appropriate.
    RUS will hold open-house public hearing meetings once the SDEIS is 
published. The times and locations of these meetings will be well-
advertised in local media outlets a minimum of 15 days prior to the 
time of the meetings. Attendees will be welcome to come and go at their 
convenience and provide written or oral comments on the Project. In 
addition, attendees may provide written comments by letter, fax, email.

    Dated: July 18, 2013.
Mark S. Plank,
Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-19956 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
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