[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 23430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11185]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Palmetto Electric Cooperative; 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)
has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a
request to an anticipated request by Palmetto Electric Cooperative for
financing assistance to construct a district office facility in Jasper
County, South Carolina. The FONSI is based on a borrower's
environmental report (BER) submitted to RUS by Palmetto Electric
Cooperative. RUS conducted an independent evaluation of the report and
concurs with its scope and content. In accordance with RUS
Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR 1794.61, RUS has adopted
the BER as its environmental assessment for the project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Environmental Protection
Specialist, Engineering and Environmental Staff, RUS, Stop 1571, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202)
720-0468, E-mail at bquigel@rus.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The district office facility is proposed to
be located on the northern side of U.S. Highway 278 on the western side
of a railroad right-of-way south of State Route 141. The size of the
proposed site for the district office facility is approximately 40
acres of which approximately 20 acres would be developed.
The district office facility would consist of a 20,000 square foot
administration building, a 10,000 square foot warehouse and operations
building, a 3,200 square foot fleet maintenance building with covered
car and truck wash and diesel and gasoline refueling station with two
2,500 gallon underground storage tanks, a 2,400 square foot transformer
and metering equipment repair and maintenance building, an asphalt
covered pole storage yard, a concrete covered transformer storage area
with oil spill containment, two 3,200 square foot wire and vehicle
equipment storage sheds, paved parking to accommodate 50 employee, 75
visitor, and 25 company vehicles, a 100-foot high, self-supporting
lattice type radio and microwave communications tower, and a 200
kilowatt emergency diesel power electric generator to supply backup
power to the facility in the event of a power outage.
RUS considered the alternatives of no action, expanding Palmetto
Electric Cooperative's existing district office, and three alternative
site locations. Under the no action alternative, RUS would not approve
financing assistance for construction of the district office facility.
Since RUS believes that Palmetto Electric Cooperative has a need to
expand its district facility to adequately serve its rapidly growing
consumer base, it has determined that the no action alternative is not
acceptable. The expansion of the existing district office is not
practicable as there is not enough space available there for the
proposed new facilities. Of the four sites considered for locating the
proposed district, the preferred site was selected based on flexibility
of site layout and reasonable cost.
Copies of the BER and FONSI are available for review at, or can be
obtained from, RUS at the address provided herein or from Mr. Berl
Davis, Jr., Palmetto Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 21239, 111 Mathews
Drive, Hilton Head, South Carolina, telephone (803) 681-5551.
Dated: April 24, 1997.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator, Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-11185 Filed 4-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
