[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29177-29179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13229]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 
Proposed: High Voltage Electrical Transmission Line and Its Associated 
Infrastructure, Known as Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton Aerial 
Transmission Line ``Project''

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate project alternatives 
and the public interest review factors for the Project which includes 
17 in-stream transmission towers and fender protection systems to 
support a 500kiloVolt (kV) aerial transmission line over navigable 
waters and placement of 27 transmission towers in non-tidal wetlands. 
The Project begins in Surry County near Surry Nuclear Power Plant, 
crosses the James River towards Skiffes Creek in James City County, and 
continues through Newport News, York County, and Hampton to an existing 
substation in Whealton. In total, the Project permanently impacts 2712 
square feet (0.06 acres) of subaqueous river bottom and 281 square feet 
(0.006 acres) of non-tidal wetlands, and converts 0.67 acres of 
palustrine forested non-tidal wetlands to palustrine scrub shrub non-
tidal wetlands. The Project is located within the Lower James River and 
Lynnhaven-Poquoson watersheds; specifically the James River, Skiffes 
Creek, Lee-Hall Reservoir, Harwood's Mill Reservoir, Woods Creek, Jones 
Run, Brick Kiln Creek, Newmarket Creek and Whiteman Swamp. Hydrologic 
Unit Codes 02080206 & 02080108.

DATES: A Public Scoping meeting will be held on July 17, 2019, between 
the hours of 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton 
Williamsburg located at 50 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, Virginia 
23185.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) can be answered by: 
Randy Steffey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, 803 
Front Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, (757) 201-7579 or 
[email protected]. More information about the project can 
be found at the following website: https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/

[[Page 29178]]

Missions/Regulatory/SkiffesCreekPowerLine.aspx.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Proposed Action: Virginia Electric and 
Power Company (Dominion) has proposed an electrical transmission 
powerline and associated infrastructure, known as Surry-Skiffes Creek-
Whealton project. The proposed project involves a 7.76-mile 500 kV 
overhead transmission powerline from Surry nuclear power plant to the 
proposed Skiffes Creek 500 kV-230 kV-115 kV switching station, on 51 
acres of private and commercial property in James City County, and 20.2 
miles of 230 kV overhead powerline along an existing right of way from 
the switching station to Whealton substation in Hampton. In July 2017, 
the Corps issued an Individual Permit for the Project under Section 404 
of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and Section 10 of the Rivers 
and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403), as well as a permission letter 
under RHA Section 408. As part of its review process, the Corps 
prepared an environmental assessment (EA), which is available at the 
Corps' project website (https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/SkiffesCreekPowerLine.aspx). Among other conditions, the 
permit was issued subject to compliance with a 2017 Memorandum of 
Agreement (MOA) executed by the Corps; Dominion; and the Acting 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (on 
behalf of the National Park Service (NPS)), among other parties. The 
MOA, developed through the National Historic Preservation Act Section 
106 consultation process, contained stipulations to avoid, minimize, 
and mitigate impacts to the historic properties in proximity to the 
proposed project. Dominion proceeded with construction of the project 
pursuant to the Corps permit and its conditions, including the 
conditions set forth in the MOA. The Corps permit was challenged in the 
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which awarded summary 
judgment to the Corps and upheld the permit decision. That decision was 
appealed. In National Parks Conservation Association v. Semonite, No. 
18-5179, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia Circuit remanded this action to the district court with 
instructions to direct the Corps to prepare an EIS pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Consistent with the court's 
decision, Dominion seeks authorization from the Corps for the original 
proposed project whose construction is approximately 99 percent 
complete and scheduled for completion by October 2019. On February 26, 
2019, Dominion Energy electrically energized the Project.
    2. Alternatives: Alternatives subject to consideration include, but 
will not be limited to:
    a. No action alternative.
    b. Implementation of demand-side management practices.
    c. Operate all units at Yorktown using co-firing fuels (i.e., 
natural gas and oil, but no coal).
    d. Decommission Yorktown Units 1 and 2.
    e. 230 kV Line #214/263 rebuild at the James River Bridge crossing.
    f. Chuckatuck--Newport News 230 kV line.
    g. Chickahominy--Lenexa 500 kV.
    h. Save the James Alliance Alt Solution (Close Yorktown Unit 1, 
operate Yorktown Unit 2, construct a submarine 230 kV line across the 
James River, and construct future generation facilities).
    i. Surry--Skiffes Underwater 230 kV single circuit line 
(standalone).
    j. Surry--Skiffes Underwater 230 kV double circuit line 
(standalone).
    k. 230 kV phase angle regulating transformer.
    l. Surry--Skiffes Underwater 345 kV line.
    m. National Trust for Historic Preservation (NHTP)/Tabors Caramanis 
Rudkevich (TCR) Alternative A (Enable Yorktown Unit 3 to operate 
continuously as a synchronous condenser, reconductor and reconfigure a 
number of existing transmission lines).
    n. NTHP/TCR Alternative B (Use Yorktown Unit 3 only during summer 
peak loads).
    o. NTHP/TCR Alternative C (Convert Yorktown Unit 3 to run as a 
continuous synchronous condenser and only use a standby generation 
supply under summer peak conditions upon the occurrence of a critical 
single-element contingency).
    p. NTHP/TCR Alternative D (Tap into existing 230 kV transmission 
lines, build new 230 kV transmission lines, reconductor existing 
transmission lines, enable Yorktown Unit 3 to run as a continuous 
synchronous condenser, and reconfigure transmission delivery during 
summer peak conditions).
    q. Chickahominy Generation (Utilize two natural gas plants 
projected in Charles City County).
    r. New Generation (such as combined-cycle, combustion turbine, coal 
generation, biomass, wind, or solar).
    s. Retrofit Yorktown Power Station.
    t. 230 kV Line #214/263 Rebuild at the James River Bridge crossing 
with additional facilities.
    u. Surry--Whealton 500 kV Line overhead.
    v. Chickahominy--Skiffes Creek 500 kV line.
    w. Surry--Skiffes Creek 500 kV line overhead (Dominion's Proposed 
Project).
    x. High Tension Low Sag Conductors on the Proposed Project.
    y. Surry--Skiffes Creek 500 kV underwater line (high voltage direct 
current).
    z. Surry--Skiffes Creek 500 kV underwater line (alternating 
current).
    aa. Surry--Fort Eustis underwater double circuit 230 kV line.
    bb. Hybrid alternatives including several combinations of 
retrofitting, repowering, and retiring with transmission construction.
    3. Scoping Process: The Corps has determined that the provisions of 
Executive Order 13807 (``One Federal Decision'') apply to this project. 
One Federal Decision is intended to streamline federal permitting 
processes, including environmental reviews and authorization decisions, 
for major infrastructure projects. In accordance with 40 CFR 1501 and 
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) guidance, the Corps has 
identified NOAA Fisheries and the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service as having authorization decision responsibilities in this 
action and therefore has invited them to be cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the EIS. Additionally, the Corps has invited the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, National Park Service, and United States Coast Guard as 
having special expertise important in the review of this action and 
therefore has invited them to serve as cooperating agencies in the EIS. 
As the lead federal agency, the Corps will also coordinate with the 
public and other state and local agencies and Tribes in order to 
evaluate the range of actions, alternatives, direct, indirect, and 
cumulative impacts of the proposed project. The significant issues 
identified thus far include potential impacts, due to the proximity of 
the proposed project, to historic properties.
    4. Public Scoping Meeting: This notice serves to inform the public 
that a Public Scoping meeting will be held on July 17, 2019, between 
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., at the Doubletree by Hilton Williamsburg located 
at 50 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. The Corps will use 
the comments received to assist in identifying the significant issues, 
which should be addressed in the DEIS. Attendance at the public meeting 
is not necessary to provide

[[Page 29179]]

comments. Written comments may also be given to the contact listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    5. DEIS Availability: The Corps estimates that the DEIS will be 
available to the public for review and comment around the November 
2019.

    Dated: June 14, 2019.
William T. Walker,
Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 2019-13229 Filed 6-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P