Wisdom Combustion Turbine Project, Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

Wisdom Combustion Turbine Project, Notice of Finding of No

Significant Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS),

pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended,

the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-

1508), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794),

has made a finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a

joint project proposed by Corn Belt Power Cooperative (Corn Belt) of

Humboldt, Iowa, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric)

of Bismarck, North Dakota.

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nurul Islam, Environmental Protection

Specialist, RUS, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Stop 1571, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone: (202)

720-1414. His e-mail address is: [email protected]. Information is

also available from Mr. Donald E. Jensen, Corn Belt, WCT Project

Manager, 1300 13th St. North, P.O. Box 508, Humboldt, Iowa, 50548-0508,

telephone (515) 332-7984, or e-mail: [email protected], or Mr. James

Miller, Basin Electric, Manager Environmental Affairs, 1717 East

Interstate Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501, telephone (701) 255-

5144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The joint project proposed by Corn Belt and

Basin Electric will consist of one 80 megawatt (MW), simple cycle

combustion turbine. The primary purpose of the Wisdom Combustion

Turbine (WCT) project is to meet the increasing power consumption

requirements in the northwestern Iowa region. The proposed combustion

turbine will be constructed in rural Clay County located in northwest

Iowa approximately 4 miles west of Spencer, Iowa. The proposed simple

cycle combustion turbine will be located at the existing 231 acre Earl

F. Wisdom Station site that currently includes one coal-fired boiler.

The construction of the WCT project will require approximately 10 acres

of the 231 acres available at the Earl F. Wisdom Station site. The WCT

project will utilize the existing gas pipeline, transmission lines and

substation, and water wells currently used for operating the existing

coal-fired boiler and therefore will not require the construction of

additional infrastructure outside of the Earl F. Wisdom Station site

boundaries. The WCT project will be fired on natural gas, with

2 diesel fuel oil as backup fuel.

RUS, in accordance with its environmental policies and procedures,

required that Corn Belt and Basin Electric prepare an environmental

report reflecting the potential impacts of the proposed project. The

environmental report, which includes input from federal, state, and

local agencies, has been reviewed and accepted as RUS'' environmental

assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with RUS'' Environmental

Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR 1794.41. In accordance with the Council

on Environmental Quality Regulations, RUS requested comments from all

federal, state, and local agencies, which may be affected by, or may

have jurisdiction over, the proposed project. Corn Belt published

notices of the availability of the EA and solicited public comments per

7 CFR 1794.42. Federal and state agencies have responded but no

objections were raised to the project. No comments were received from

the public. Based on the EA, RUS has concluded that the proposed action

will not have a significant effect to various resources, including

important farmland, floodplains, wetlands, cultural resources,

threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat, air and

water quality, and noise. RUS has also determined that there would be

no negative impacts of the proposed project on minority communities and

low-income communities as a result of the construction of the project.

RUS believes that there are no significant unresolved environmental

conflicts related to this project.

RUS has concluded that the impacts from the proposed project would

not be significant and that the proposed action is not a major federal

action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not

necessary.

Copy of the FONSI can be reviewed at the headquarters of Corn Belt,

Basin Electric, and RUS, at the addresses provided above in this

notice.

Dated: October 7, 2002.

Blaine D. Stockton,

Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service.

[FR Doc. 02-25867 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-15-P