Georgia Transmission Corporation, Notice of Intent

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

Georgia Transmission Corporation, Notice of Intent

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

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

Environmental Assessment and/or Environmental Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

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 RUS

Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794) proposes to

prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact

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

Transmission Corporation to construct approximately 35 miles of 230 kV

transmission line between Moultrie and Valdosta, Georgia.

MEETING INFORMATION: RUS will conduct scoping meetings in an open house

forum on Thursday, September 17, 1998, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the

Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation auditorium located at 17

Rowland Drive, in Moultrie, Georgia, and on Friday, September 18, 1998,

from 9 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. in the Patterson Room of the Holiday Inn

in Valdosta, Georgia, which is located on Interstate 75 at State Route

133 (exit 5).

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Engineering and Environmental

Staff, Rural Utility Service, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-0468. Bob's E-mail

address is [email protected]. Information on this project will also

be available on Georgia Transmission Corporation's web site. The web

site address is www.gatrans.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Georgia Transmission Corporation proposes to

construct the transmission line from a proposed substation to be

constructed in Northeast Moultrie to a proposed substation to be

constructed in Northwest Valdosta. Both substations will be constructed

by Georgia Power Company. Steel or concrete H-frame structures will be

used to support the conductors for the majority of the length of the

project. The heights of these structures typically range from 65 to 85

feet and require a right-of-way width of 125 feet. Single pole steel or

concrete structures may also be used to support the conductors. These

structures would typically range in height from 80 to 100 feet and

require a right-of-way width of 100 feet. The study area for the

transmission line includes portions of Colquitt, Brooks, Cook, and

Lowndes Counties, Georgia.

Alternatives considered by RUS and Georgia Transmission Corporation

to constructing the transmission line as proposed include no action and

constructing a 230 kV transmission line between Moultrie and

Thomasville.

To be presented at the public scoping meeting will be a corridor

and alternative study prepared by Georgia Transmission Corporation. The

corridor and alternative study is available for public review at RUS at

the address provided in this notice or at Georgia Transmission

Corporation, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, Georgia. This document

will also be available at the Cook County Library located at 213 East

2nd Street in Adel, Georgia, the South Georgia Regional Library located

at 300 Woodrow Wilson Drive in Valdosta, Georgia, the Brooks County

Library located at 404 Talokas Road in Quitman, Georgia, and the

Moultrie/Colquitt County Library located at 204 5th Street, SE, in

Moultrie, Georgia.

Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are

invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed

project. Representatives from RUS and Georgia Transmission Corporation

will be available at the scoping meeting to discuss RUS'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 public

scoping meeting. Written comments should be sent to RUS at the address

provided in this notice.

From information provided in the corridor and alternative study,

input that may be provided by government agencies, private

organizations, and the public, Georgia Transmission Corporation will

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

significant impacts are not evident based on a review of the

environmental analysis and other relevant information, RUS will prepare

an environmental assessment to determine if the preparation of an EIS

is warranted.

Should RUS 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. Public notification of a FONSI would be published in the Federal

Register and in newspapers with a circulation in the project area. RUS

will not take its final action related to the project prior to the

expiration of the 30-day period.

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

subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with environmental review

requirements as prescribed by CEQ and RUS environmental policies and

procedures.

Dated: August 11, 1998.

Glendon Deal,

Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.

[FR Doc. 98-21920 Filed 8-13-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-15-P