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Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Construction and Operation of a 300-MW Coal-Fired Electric Generating Unit Proposed by Wisconsin Power and Light Company near Cassville in Grant County, WI

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[Federal Register: January 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 3241-3242]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ja08-35]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Construction and Operation of a 300-MW Coal-Fired Electric Generating
Unit Proposed by Wisconsin Power and Light Company near Cassville in
Grant County, WI

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) has applied to the St.
Paul District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) for a permit to conduct work
below the ordinary high water mark of the Mississippi River, a
navigable water of the U.S., and to discharge dredged or fill material
into waters of the U.S. to facilitate the construction and operation of
a 300 megawatt (MW) baseload coal-fired electric generating unit,
referred to as NED 3, near Cassville in Grant County, WI. Specifically,
the WPL is proposing an atmospheric circulating fluidized bed boiler
and steam turbine

[[Page 3242]]

generator unit at a site adjacent to the existing Nelson Dewey
Generating Station (NED) Units 1 and 2 on the Mississippi River at
River Mile 607.7. In addition to the new power generating unit, the
following associated facilities would be constructed and operated: A
new lateral collector well to supply cooling water; additional barge
unloading capacity including three additional barge moorings in the
Mississippi River, a new barge unloading tower foundation, and a
temporary equipment barge unloading ramp; a new storm water detention
pond and pipe outfall structure; 1.7-mile-long off-site parallel
industrial railroad tracks, including a sheet pile retaining wall,
adjacent to the existing BNSF railroad mainline tracks; new railroad
bridges over two creeks for the off-site parallel industrial railroad
tracks; and two new coal pile runoff ponds to replace the existing coal
pile runoff pond adjacent to the railroad tracks.
    The project would require the discharge of dredged or fill material
into the Mississippi River and two creeks that are tributaries to the
Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is a navigable water of the
U.S. The discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S.
requires a permit issued by the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act. Construction work conducted below the ordinary high water
mark of a navigable water of the U.S. requires a permit issued by the
Corps under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The final
environmental impact statement will be used as a basis for the permit
decision and to ensure compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA).

ADDRESSES: Questions concerning the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) can be addressed to Mr. Jon K. Ahlness, Regulatory
Branch by letter at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 190 Fifth Street
East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101-1638, by telephone or by e-mail at 
jon.k.ahlness@usace.army.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jon K. Ahlness, (651) 290-5381.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps and the Public Service Commission
of Wisconsin (PSCW) will jointly prepare the federal/state DEIS. The
Corps is the lead federal agency and the PSCW is the lead state agency.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is participating
in the preparation of the DEIS. The Corps and the PSCW will jointly
conduct two public scoping meetings to identify issues that will be
addressed in the DEIS. The first public scoping meeting will be held at
the Cassville Elementary School Gym, 412 Crawford St., Cassville,
Wisconsin on January 30, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The second
public scoping meeting will be held at the City of Portage Municipal
Building Community Room, 115 West Pleasant St., Portage, Wisconsin, on
February 11, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    We anticipate that the DEIS will be made available to the public in
April of 2008. The DEIS will assess impacts of the proposed action and
reasonable alternatives, identify and evaluate mitigation alternatives,
and discuss potential environmental monitoring. Significant issues and
resources to be identified in the DEIS will be determined through
coordination with responsible federal, state, and local agencies; the
general public; interested private organizations and parties; and
affected Native American Tribes. Anyone who has an interest in
participating in the development of the DEIS is invited to contact the
St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers. Significant issues that will be
addressed in the DEIS include:
    1. Fish, wildlife, and ecologically sensitive resources.
    2. Water resources, including: Surface water hydrology; groundwater
hydrology; and waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
    3. Water quality, including: Surface water runoff; and storm water
management.
    4. Air quality, including: Mercury emissions; and carbon dioxide
emissions.
    5. Cumulative impacts, including: Wildlife habitat loss; water
quality; and air quality.
    Additional issues of interest may be identified through the public
scoping process.
    Our environmental review will be conducted to meet the requirements
of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, Endangered Species Act of 1973, Section 404
of the Clean Water Act, and other applicable laws and regulations.

    Dated: January 10, 2008.
Jon L. Christensen,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E8-819 Filed 1-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CY-P

 
 

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