[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56557-56558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22412]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.: Antelope Valley Station--
Neset 345-kV Transmission Line Project: Notice of Availability of the 
Record of Decision

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) 
to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA), RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR part 
1794, and other applicable environmental requirements related to 
providing financial assistance for Basin Electric Power Cooperative's 
(Basin Electric) proposed Antelope Valley Station (AVS) to Neset 345-kV 
Transmission Project (Project) in North Dakota. The Administrator of 
RUS has signed the ROD, which was effective upon signing. This ROD 
concludes RUS's environmental review process in accordance with NEPA 
and RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794). The 
ultimate decision as to loan approval depends on the conclusion of the 
environmental review process plus financial and engineering analyses. 
Issuance of the ROD will allow these reviews to proceed. This ROD is 
not a decision on Basin's loan application and is not an approval of 
the expenditure of federal funds.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available upon request from Mr. Dennis 
Rankin, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, 
Tel: (202) 720-1953 or email: mailto:[email protected]. The 
ROD is also available at RUS's Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dennis Rankin, Engineering and 
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, Tel: (202) 720-1953, or 
email: [email protected]. The ROD is also available at RUS's 
Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    Basin Electric has identified the need for additional electric 
transmission capacity in northwestern North Dakota to meet reliability 
and system stability requirements for the region resulting from 
increases in demand and load forecasts. 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.

[[Page 56558]]

    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 proposed Project will consist of 
constructing approximately 278 miles of new single circuit 345-kV, 230-
kV and a double circuit 345/115-kV transmission line, the construction 
of 4 new substations and a switchyard, modifications to 4 existing 
substations, maintenance access roads, temporary construction roads, 
river crossings, temporary construction staging sites, and other 
facilities. The proposed Project would connect to the Integrated 
System, the high-voltage transmission grid in the upper Great Plains 
managed by Western Area Power Administration (Western), at several 
locations, including Western's Williston Substation. The new 345-kV 
transmission line would start at the AVS Electric Generation Station 
located near Beulah, North Dakota, and extend west where it would 
connect with Basin Electric's existing Charlie Creek 345-kV Substation 
located near Grassy Butte. The line would then extend north where it 
would connect with Basin Electric's proposed Judson Substation near 
Williston and terminate at Basin Electric's newly proposed Tande 
Substation. Additional 230-kV transmission lines would be constructed 
between the new Judson 345-kV Substation and Western's existing 
Williston Substation, between a new 345/230/115-kV substation referred 
to as the Blue Substation and Western's existing 230-kV transmission 
line, and also between the Tande 345-kV Substation and Basin Electric's 
existing Neset 230-kV Substation located near Tioga, North Dakota.
    Three transmission line alternatives, two transmissions line 
variations in the Little Missouri National Grasslands (LMNG) and the No 
Action alternative were evaluated. Alternative C is described above, 
Alternative D is similar to Alternative C with the primary difference 
being the construction of building a double-circuit 345-kV line north 
of Killdeer for 63 miles to the Blue Substation. Alternative E is 
similar to Alternative D with the primary difference being the 
construction of two parallel 345-kV transmission lines north of 
Killdeer rather than a double-circuit line. The variations across the 
LMNG include double-circuiting the 345-kV line with Western's existing 
230-kV transmission Line. 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 has submitted applications 
to the NDPSC for Transmission Corridor and Route Permits. The NDPSC 
permits would authorize Basin Electric to construct the proposed 
Project under North Dakota rules and regulations.
    RUS is authorized under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 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. Basin Electric intends to request financial 
assistance from RUS for the proposed Project. Along with other 
technical and financial considerations, completing the environmental 
review process is one of RUS's requirements in processing Basin 
Electric's application. RUS is the lead Federal agency for the 
environmental review of the proposed Project. The Western Area Power 
Administration (Western) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are 
participating as cooperating agencies. Western may approve an 
interconnection agreement for the project with its transmission system 
and the USFS may issue a special use permit under the Federal Land 
Policy Management Act. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.2(a)(2), Western 
has been designated as the lead agency for Section 106 review of 
cultural resources and the Endangered Species Act, Section 7 review for 
threatened and endangered species. Western and USFS will issue separate 
RODs for their actions.
    RUS prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and 
published a notice of availability in the Federal Register on May 30, 
2014, 79 FR 31085, to analyze the impacts of the respective federal 
actions and the proposed Project in accordance with the NEPA, as 
amended, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508) and RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 
1794). The FEIS also provided notice of proposed action in floodplains 
and wetlands. This Notice of Availability of the ROD serves as a final 
notice of action in floodplains and wetlands in accordance with 
Executive Orders 11988 and 11990.
    Because the Project covers a large land area and access in some 
cases has been restricted, Western will complete Section 106 review 
using a Programmatic Agreement (PA) pursuant to 36 CFR 
800.14(b)(1)(ii). The PA was executed by all appropriate parties on 
July 2, 2014. Based on consideration of the environmental impacts of 
the proposed Project and comments received throughout the agency and 
public review process, RUS has determined that alternative C as 
described above best meets the purpose and need for the proposed 
Project. RUS finds that the evaluation of reasonable alternatives is 
consistent with NEPA and RUS's Environmental Policies and Procedures. 
Details regarding RUS's regulatory decision and compliance with 
applicable regulations are included in the ROD.

    Dated: September 13, 2014.
Jacqueline M. Ponti-Lazaruk,
Acting Administrator, USDA, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-22412 Filed 9-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P