[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 27719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12855]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Notice of Intent To
Hold Scoping Meeting and Prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or
Environmental Impact Statement
agency: Rural Utilities Service, 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 Utilities Service (RUS)
formerly the Rural Electrification Administration, 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) 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 (SMEPA) to construct additional natural gas-fired
generating capacity. RUS will provide project approval and may provide
financing assistance to SMEPA for project construction costs.
dates: RUS will conduct a scoping meeting in an open house forum from 6
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday June 28, 1995.
addresses: The meeting will be held in SMEPA's Headquarters conference
center at 7037 U.S. Highway 49 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
for further information contact: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Chief,
Environmental Compliance Branch, Rural Utilities Service, Room 1246
South Agriculture Building, Mail Code 1569, Washington, DC 20250,
telephone (202) 720-1784.
supplementary information: South Mississippi Electric Power Association
proposes to construct additional gas-fired generating capacity at its
Moselle Station on Jones County. The Moselle Station is located
approximately 2 miles west of Interstate 59 on Highway 589. The
proposed additions would consist of a 100 megawatt (MW) simply cycle
combustion turbine and repowering an existing 59 MW steam electric
generator with a 120 MW combined cycle combustion turbine. Other
facilities include two 161 kilovolt bays that would be added to the
Moselle Substation. The alternate site for the simple cycle combustion
turbine is SMEPA's Morrow Station in Lamar County.
Alternatives to be considered by RUS and SEPA include: (a) No
action, (b) demand-side reduction, (c) purchased power from other
utilities or independent power producers and (d) alternative sites.
To be presented at the public scoping meeting will be the
Combustion Turbine Project Alternative Analysis and Siting Study
(Study) prepared by SMEPA. The Study is available for public review at
RUS and SMEPA at the addresses provided in this notice.
The Study can also be reviewed at the Hattiesburg Public Library,
Main Street, Hattiesburg, the office of Dixie Electric Power
Association, Highway 84 East, Laurel, and the office of Pearl River
Valley Electric Power Association, Highway 13 North, Columbia.
Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed
project. Representatives from RUS and SMEPA will be available to
discuss RUS' 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 June 28 public scoping meeting. Written comments should be sent to
RUS at the address provided in this notice.
From information provided in the Study, input from government
agencies, private organizations, and the public, SMEPA will prepare an
environmental analysis to be submitted to RUS for review. If
significant effects 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. 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 all relevant Federal
environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental
procedures as prescribed by CEQ and RUS environmental policies and
procedures.
Dated: May 22, 1995.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator--Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 95-12855 Filed 5-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-M
