[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56756-56758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23049]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line Project

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to meet its 
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the Code of Federal Regulations 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 100 to 125 miles, depending on the final route. DPC, 
along with the two other project participant utilities, American 
Transmission Company LLC, and ITC Midwest LLC (together the Utilities) 
have identified proposed and alternate segments and locations for 
transmission lines and associated facilities and for the intermediate 
substation. DPC is requesting RUS to provide financing for its portion 
of the proposed project.

DATES: Written comments on this Final EIS will be accepted no later 
than 30 days following the publication of the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency's notice of receipt of the Final EIS in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Final 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.
    A hard copy of the Final EIS is available for review at Dairyland 
Power Cooperative, 3521 East Avenue, South, La Crosse, WI 54602 and at 
13 local libraries in the project area and the USFWS McGregor District 
Office in Prairie du Chien, WI which are listed below.

 
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                Library                              Address
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Allen-Dietzman Public Library..........  220 W Barber Avenue,
                                          Livingston, WI 53554.
Barneveld Public Library...............  107 W Orbison Street,
                                          Barneveld, WI 53507.
Dodgeville Public Library..............  139 S Iowa Street, Dodgeville,
                                          WI 53533.
Dubuque County Library, Asbury Branch..  5290 Grand Meadow Drive,
                                          Asbury, IA 52002.
Eckstein Memorial Library..............  1034 E Dewey Street, Cassville,
                                          WI 53806.
Guttenberg Public Library..............  603 S 2nd Street, Guttenberg,
                                          IA 52052.
Middleton Public Library...............  7425 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton,
                                          WI 53562.

[[Page 56757]]

 
Montfort Public Library................  102 E Park Street, Montfort, WI
                                          53569.
Mount Horeb Public Library.............  105 Perimeter Road, Mount
                                          Horeb, WI 53572.
Platteville Public Library.............  65 S Elm Street, Platteville,
                                          WI 53818.
Potosi Branch Library..................  103 N Main Street, Potosi, WI
                                          53820.
Rosemary Garfoot Public Library........  2107 Julius Street, Cross
                                          Plains, WI 53528.
Schreiner Memorial Library.............  113 W Elm Street, Lancaster, WI
                                          53813.
USFWS McGregor District Office.........  470 Cliff Haven Road, Prairie
                                          du Chien, WI 53821.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the Final EIS or 
for further information, contact: Dennis Rankin, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Room 2244, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, by phone at 
(202) 720-1953 or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    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.
    The Final EIS addresses the construction and operation of the 
proposed project, which, in addition to the 345-kV transmission line 
and associated infrastructure, includes the following facilities:
     At the existing Cardinal Substation in Dane County, 
Wisconsin: A new 345-kV terminal within the substation;
     At the proposed Hill Valley Substation near the Village of 
Montfort, Wisconsin: An approximately 22-acre facility with five 345-kV 
circuit breakers, one 345-kV shunt reactor, one 345-/138-kV 
autotransformer, three 138-kV circuit breakers, and a 345-kV and 138-kV 
terminals;
     At the existing Eden Substation near the village of 
Montfort, Wisconsin: Transmission line protective relaying upgrades to 
be compatible with new productive relays installed at the new Hill 
Valley Substation and replacement of conductors and switches to meet 
the Utilities' operating limits;
     Between the existing Eden Substation and the proposed Hill 
Valley Substation near the village of Montfort, Wisconsin: A rebuild of 
the approximately 1 mile Hill Valley to Eden 138-kV transmission line;
     At the existing Wyoming Valley Substation near Wyoming, 
Wisconsin: Installation of nine 16-foot ground rods to mitigate fault 
current contributions from the proposed project;
     At either the Lancaster or Hillman substation, depending 
on the final route, equipment installation to use the optical ground 
wire that would be part of the C-HC Project;
     Between the existing Cardinal Substation and the proposed 
Hill Valley Substation: A new 50- to 53-mile (depending on the final 
route) 345-kV transmission line;
     Between the proposed Hill Valley Substation and existing 
Hickory Creek Substation: A new 50- to 70-mile (depending on the final 
route) 345-kV transmission line;
     At the Mississippi River in Cassville, Wisconsin: A 
rebuild and possible relocation of the existing Mississippi River 
transmission line crossing to accommodate the new 345-kV transmission 
line and Dairyland's 161-kV transmission line, which would be capable 
of operating at 345-/345-kV but will initially be operated at 345-/161-
kV;
    [cir] depending on the final route and the Mississippi River 
crossing location:
     A new 161-kV terminal and transmission line protective 
relaying upgrades within the existing Nelson Dewey Substation in 
Cassville, Wisconsin;
     a replaced or reinforced structure within the Stoneman 
Substation in Cassville, Wisconsin;
     Multiple, partial, or complete rebuilds of existing 69-kV, 
138-kV, and 161-kV transmission lines in Wisconsin that would be 
collocated with the new 345-kV line;
     At the existing Turkey River Substation in Clayton County, 
Iowa: One new 161-/69-kV transformer, three new 161-kV circuit 
breakers, and four new 69-kV circuit breakers;
     At the completion of the C-HC Project construction and 
energization at the Turkey River Substation, Dairyland would retire and 
decommission approximately 2.8 miles of the existing N-9 transmission 
line (69-kV); and
     At the existing Hickory Creek Substation in Dubuque 
County, Iowa: A new 345-kV terminal within the existing Hickory Creek 
Substation.
    Among the alternatives addressed in the Final EIS is the No Action 
alternative, under which the proposed project would not be undertaken. 
Additional alternatives addressed in the Final EIS include six action 
alternatives connecting the Cardinal Substation in Wisconsin with the 
Hickory Creek Substation in Iowa. RUS has carefully studied public 
health and safety, environmental impacts, and engineering aspects of 
the proposed project.
    RUS used input provided by government agencies, private 
organizations, and the public in the preparation of the Final EIS. RUS 
has considered all comments received on the Draft EIS and revised the 
EIS accordingly. Following the 30-day comment period for the Final EIS, 
RUS will prepare a Record of Decision (ROD). A Notice announcing the 
availability of the ROD will be published in the Federal Register and 
in local newspapers. Additionally, letters and emails will be sent to 
stakeholders.
    In accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act and its implementing regulation, ``Protection of 
Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 800) and as part of its broad 
environmental review process, RUS must take into account the effect of 
the proposed project on historic properties. 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. Any party wishing to participate 
more directly with RUS as a ``consulting

[[Page 56758]]

party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request to the RUS 
contact provided in this notice.
    The proposed project involves unavoidable impacts to wetlands and 
floodplains; this Notice of Availability also serves as a statement of 
no practicable alternatives to impacts on wetlands and floodplains, in 
accordance with Executive Orders 11990 and 11988, respectively (see 
Final EIS Sections 3.3 and 3.5).
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal, 
State and local environmental laws and regulations, and completion of 
the environmental review requirements as prescribed in the RUS 
Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR 1970).

Christopher A. Mclean,
Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23049 Filed 10-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-15-P