[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30805-30806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12454]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Notice of Availability 
of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of a Public 
Meeting

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a draft environmental 
impact statement (DEIS) for Central Electric Power Cooperative's 
(Central Electric) proposed McClellanville 115-kV Transmission Project 
(Project) in South Carolina. RUS is issuing the DEIS to inform the 
public and interested parties about the proposed Project and to invite 
the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues 
addressed in the DEIS.
    The DEIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of 
Central Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes construction, 
operation, and maintenance of approximately 15-20 miles of new 115-kV 
transmission line, 1 new substation, temporary construction roads, 
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other 
facilities described in the DEIS. The overall project area encompasses 
parts of Georgetown and Charleston counties in coastal South Carolina.
    Portions of Central Electric's proposed routes may affect 
floodplains, wetlands, cultural, historical and paleontological 
resources. Once a final right-of-way (ROW) is selected within the 
preferred route, coordination with the federal and state agencies and 
other interested parties would occur to identify, evaluate and if 
needed mitigate any adverse effects. RUS will hold a public hearing 
meeting to share information and receive comments on the DEIS.

DATES: The public comment period on the DEIS starts with the 
publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's environmental 
impact statement (EIS) receipt notice in the Federal Register and will 
continue for 45 days. RUS will consider all substantive written 
comments on the DEIS received or postmarked by that date. Agencies, 
interested parties, and the public are invited to submit comments on 
the DEIS at any time during the public comment period. An open house 
public hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2014. The time and location of 
the meeting will be well-advertised in local media outlets a minimum of 
15 days prior to the time of the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed 
Project, the DEIS process, and RUS financing, contact Ms. Lauren McGee 
Rayburn, Environmental Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 84 Coxe 
Ave., Suite 1E, Ashville, North Carolina 28801, Telephone: (202) 695-
2540, Facsimile: (202) 690-0649, or email: [email protected]. 
Parties wishing to be placed on the Project mailing list for future 
information and to receive copies of the DEIS and the Final EIS when 
available should also contact Ms. McGee Rayburn.

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. Central 
Electric is an electric transmission cooperative that provides 
transmission service from the bulk transmission system to South 
Carolina's 20 retail electric cooperatives. Berkeley Electric, a member 
distribution electric cooperative of Central Electric, was formed in 
1940 to bring electric service to rural areas of coastal South 
Carolina. Berkeley Electric owns and operates more than 5,000 miles of 
distribution line serving more than 80,000 accounts in Berkeley, 
Charleston, and Dorchester counties.
    Project Description: Central Electric has identified the need for 
additional electric transmission capacity in coastal South Carolina 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 and power outages.
    To resolve these issues, Central Electric is proposing to 
construct, own and operate a new 115-kV transmission line and 
associated supporting infrastructure. The entire Project will consist 
of constructing approximately 15-20 miles of new single circuit 115-kV, 
the construction of 1 new substation, improvements to temporary off-ROW 
construction roads, river crossings, and a single, temporary, 5-to 10-
acre construction staging site. The proposed Project would connect from 
either the Belle Isle Substation or at a tap point on the Winyah-Belle 
Isle 115 kV transmission line to McClellanville. The proposed Project 
would be located in portions of Georgetown and Charleston counties in 
coastal South Carolina and considers six possible Alternative Routes 
for the transmission line.
    Central Electric has requested financial assistance for the 
proposed Project from RUS. Completing the EIS is one of RUS's 
requirements in processing Central Electric's application, along with 
other technical and financial considerations. In accordance with 40 CFR 
1501.5(b) of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 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.

[[Page 30806]]

    RUS has prepared a DEIS and intends to issue a 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 Regulation for Implementing 
the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794).
    Because the proposed Project may involve action in floodplains or 
wetlands, this Notice also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or 
wetland action. The DEIS will include a floodplain/wetland assessment 
and, if required, a floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be 
issued with the Final EIS.
    RUS has determined that its action regarding the proposed Project 
would be an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 and its implementing 
regulations, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 CFR Part 800). 
As part of its broad environmental review process, RUS must take into 
account the effect of the proposed Project on historic properties in 
accordance with Section 106. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), RUS is 
using its procedures for public involvement under NEPA to meet its 
responsibilities to solicit and consider the views of the public during 
Section 106 review. Accordingly, comments submitted in response to this 
Notice will inform RUS decision-making in its Section 106 review 
process. Any party wishing to participate more directly with RUS as a 
``consulting party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request 
to the RUS contact provided in this Notice.
    Agency Responsibilities: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency, 
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for preparation of the DEIS. The U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service are participating as 
cooperating agencies and will be issuing decisions relevant to the 
project under separate authorities. RUS is also serving as the lead 
Federal agency for the Section 106 and Section 7 review processes.
    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; 
consultation and involvement with appropriate Federal, State, local, 
and tribal governments. In addition, a 45-day review/comment period of 
the DEIS, with an open house public hearing is scheduled on June 3, 
2014. The time and location of the meeting will be well-advertised in 
local media outlets a minimum of 15 days prior to the time of the 
meeting. 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, or email. The 
process will be followed by publication of a Final EIS and publication 
of a Record of Decision. The expected environmental project review 
completion date is expected to be spring 2015.

    Dated: May 6, 2014.
James F. Elliot,
Acting Assistant Administrator--Electric Programs, Rural Utilities 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12454 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
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