South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Notice of Intent To Hold Scoping Meeting and Prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Electrification Administration

South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Notice of Intent To

Hold Scoping Meeting and Prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or

Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Rural Electrification Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Hold Scoping Meeting and Prepare an

Environmental Assessment and/or Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Electrification

Administration (REA), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-

1508), and REA Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794)

may prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for its Federal action related to a proposal by South

Mississippi Electric Power Association to construct a 230 kV

transmission line. REA may provide financing assistance to South

Mississippi Electric Power Association for project construction costs.

DATES: REA will conduct a scoping meeting in an open house forum as

follows: Paulding, Mississippi, September 21, 1994, 7-9:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Jasper County Courthouse, Highway 503, Paulding,

Mississippi.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Chief, Environmental

Compliance Branch, Electric Staff Division, room 1246, South

Agriculture Building, Rural Electrification Administration, Washington,

DC 20250, telephone (202) 720-1784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: South Mississippi Electric Power Association

proposes to construct a 230 kV transmission line from an existing

substation located west of Waynesboro in Wayne County, Mississippi,

through the southwest corner of Clarke County, Mississippi, to the

eastern part of Jasper County, Mississippi, where South Mississippi

Electric Power Association will construct a 230/69 kV substation near

the community of Missionary. The total length of the line will be 36

miles. Additions will be necessary at the existing substation west of

Waynesboro to accommodate the new transmission line.

Alternatives to be considered by REA and South Mississippi Electric

Power Association include: (a) no action, (b) adding new capacitor

banks at other substations on South Mississippi Electric Power

Association's transmission system, (c) constructing a 230/161 kV

substation near Homewood, Mississippi, a 230/69 kV substation near

Missionary, Mississippi, and 29 miles of 230 kV transmission line from

Homewood to Missionary, and (d) alternative transmission line routes.

To be presented at the public scoping meeting will be an

alternative evaluation and macro-corridor study prepared by South

Mississippi Electric Power Association. The alternative evaluation and

macro-corridor study is available for public review at REA at the

address provided in this notice or at South Mississippi Electric Power

Association, 7037 U.S. Highway 49, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It can

also be reviewed at the Mary Weems Parker Memorial Library, in

Heidelberg, Mississippi, the East Mississippi Regional Library, 116

Water Street, Quitman, Mississippi, and the Waynesboro Library, 712

Wayne Street, Waynesboro, Mississippi.

Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are

invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed

project. Representatives from REA and South Mississippi Electric Power

Association will be available to discuss REA's environmental review

process, describe the project and alternatives under consideration,

discuss the scope of environmental issues to be considered, answer

questions, and accept oral and written comments. Written comments will

be accepted for at least 30 days after the September 21 public scoping

meeting. Written comments should be sent to REA at the address provided

in this notice.

From information provided in the alternative evaluation and macro-

corridor study, input from government agencies, private organizations,

and the public, South Mississippi Electric Power Association will

prepare an environmental analysis to be submitted to REA for review. If

significant effects are not evident based on a review of the

environmental analysis and other relevant information, REA will prepare

an environmental assessment to determine if the preparation of an EIS

is warranted.

Should REA determine that the preparation of an EIS is not

warranted, it will prepare a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

The FONSI will be made available for public review and comment for 30

days. REA will not take its final action related to the project prior

to the expiration of the 30-day period.

Any final action by REA related to the proposed project will be

subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal

environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental

procedures as prescribed by CEQ and REA environmental policies and

procedures.

Dated: August 12, 1994.

Adam M. Golodner,

Deputy Administrator--Program Operations.

[FR Doc. 94-20307 Filed 8-17-94; 8:45 am]

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