[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 3412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01930]



[[Page 3412]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Extension of Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line Project

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line 
Project.

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SUMMARY: A notice of availability, public meetings, and Section 106 
notification was published in the Federal Register by the Rural 
Utilities Service (RUS) on December 7, 2018 (83 FR 63149) for the 
Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kV Transmission Line Project Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Meetings were scheduled for 
January 2019 and the public review period was to conclude on February 
5, 2019. Due to the lapse in federal funding, this notice announces an 
extension of the public comment period to April 1, 2019. Additionally, 
previously scheduled Draft EIS public comment meetings in January 2019 
were also cancelled and will be rescheduled, once RUS receives full 
funding for FY 2019.

DATES: Written comments on this Draft EIS will be accepted until April 
1, 2019. RUS will reschedule the Draft EIS public comment meetings for 
later in 2019 and publish another Notice.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Draft EIS may be viewed online at the 
following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/impact-statements/cardinal-%E2%80%93-hickory-creek-transmission-line and Dairyland Power Cooperative, 3521 East Avenue, 
South, La Crosse, WI 54602 and at local libraries in the project area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the Draft EIS, to 
request further participation or request consulting party status under 
section 106 of the NHPA or for further information, contact: Lauren 
Cusick (202) 720-1414) or Dennis Rankin (202-720-1953), Environmental 
Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Room 2244, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, or email 
[email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to meet its responsibilities 
under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 7 CFR 1794 
related to providing financial assistance to Dairyland Power 
Cooperative (DPC) for its share in the construction of a proposed 345-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line and associated infrastructure 
connecting the Hickory Creek Substation in Dubuque County, Iowa, with 
the Cardinal Substation in the Town of Middle, Wisconsin (near Madison, 
Wisconsin). The Project also includes a new intermediate 345/138-kV 
substation near the Village of Montfort in either Grant County or Iowa 
County, Wisconsin. The total length of the 345- kV transmission lines 
associated with the proposed project will be approximately 125 miles. 
DPC and the other project participants have identified proposed and 
alternate segments and locations for transmission lines and associated 
facilities and for the intermediate substation. Dairyland Power 
Cooperative is requesting RUS to provide financing for its portion of 
the proposed project. DPC is participating in the proposed project with 
two other utilities, American Transmission Company LLC, and ITC Midwest 
LLC (Utilities).
    The purpose of the proposed project is to: (1) Address reliability 
issues on the regional bulk transmission system, (2) alleviate 
congestion that occurs in certain parts of the transmission system and 
remove constraints that limit the delivery of power, (3) expand the 
access of the transmission system to additional resources, (4) increase 
the transfer capability of the electrical system between Iowa and 
Wisconsin, (5) reduce the losses in transferring power and increase the 
efficiency of the transmission system, and (6) respond to public policy 
objectives aimed at enhancing the nation's transmission system and to 
support the changing generation mix.
    RUS is the lead agency for the federal environmental review with 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) serving 
as cooperating agencies, and the National Park Service (NPS) as a 
participating agency.

    Dated: February 5, 2019.
Christopher A. McLean,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-01930 Filed 2-11-19; 8:45 am]
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