Notice2022-07390
Next Era Energy Resources, LLC, Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 7, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentRural Utilities Service
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), RUS's implementing regulations, and other applicable environmental requirements related to providing financial assistance for Next Era Energy Resources, LLC's (NEER or the Applicant) proposed Skeleton Creek Solar and Battery Storage Project (Project). The Project is a proposed 250-megawatt (MW) solar array, plus 200-MW/800-megawatt-hour (MWh) storage facility using photovoltaic (PV) modules on private lands in Garfield County. RUS will also use the FEIS to meet its responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and its implementing regulations, "Protection of Historic Properties".
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20387-20388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07390]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket #RUS-22-ELECTRIC-0008]
Next Era Energy Resources, LLC, Notice of Availability of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a final environmental impact
statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS),
an agency within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to meet its
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
RUS's implementing regulations, and other applicable environmental
requirements related to providing financial assistance for Next Era
Energy Resources, LLC's (NEER or the Applicant) proposed Skeleton Creek
Solar and Battery Storage Project (Project). The Project is a proposed
250-megawatt (MW) solar array, plus 200-MW/800-megawatt-hour (MWh)
storage facility using photovoltaic (PV) modules on private lands in
Garfield County. RUS will also use the FEIS to meet its
responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, and its implementing regulations, ``Protection of
Historic Properties''.
DATES: Written comments on this FEIS will be accepted no later than 30
days following the publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's notice of receipt of the FEIS in the Federal Register (EPA
Publication Date April 8, 2022).
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f1a29a949d94859e9fb28394949aa29e9d9083a184939d9892b29e9c9c949f8582b184829590df969e87"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86d5ede3eae3f2e9e8c5f4e3e3edd5e9eae7f4d6f3e4eaefe5c5e9ebebe3e8f2f5c6f3f5e2e7a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>. The FEIS and other Project-
related information is available at the Rural Utilities Service website
located at <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/environmentalstudy/skeleton-creek-solar-and-battery-storage-project-garfield-county-oklahoma">https://www.rd.usda.gov/environmentalstudy/skeleton-creek-solar-and-battery-storage-project-garfield-county-oklahoma</a>.
All information related to the Project is available at this
website. In addition, a hardcopy of the FEIS is available at the Enid
Public Library, located at 120 W Maine St., Enid, OK 73701. Parties
wishing to be placed on the mailing list for future information or to
receive hard or electronic copies of the EIS should send an email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6a59d939a93829998b58493939da5999a9784a683949a9f95b5999b9b93988285b683859297d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98cbf3fdf4fdecf7f6dbeafdfdf3cbf7f4f9eac8edfaf4f1fbdbf7f5f5fdf6ecebd8edebfcf9b6fff7ee">[email protected]</span></a>
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive copies of the FEIS or
request information on the Project, the FEIS process, contact: Kristen
Bastis, Archeologist, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence
Ave. SW, Mail Stop 1570, Washington, DC 20250, by phone at 202-692-
4910, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d083bbb5bcb5a4bfbe93a2b5b5bb83bfbcb1a280a5b2bcb9b393bfbdbdb5bea4a390a5a3b4b1feb7bfa6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e6d555b525b4a51507d4c5b5b556d51525f4c6e4b5c52575d7d5153535b504a4d7e4b4d5a5f10595148">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS is serving as the lead Federal agency,
as defined at 40 CFR 1501.7, for preparation of the FEIS. Cooperating
agencies for this Project include the United States Army Corps of
Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a participating
agency for this Project. The following three federal agencies will use
this FEIS to inform decisions about funding, authorizing, or permitting
various components of the Project:
<bullet> RUS will evaluate whether or not to provide Project
financial assistance.
<bullet> The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will review the
Applicant's permit application, as required by Section 404 under the
Clean Water Act.
<bullet> The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine the
likelihood of Project effects on listed species, as required under
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
The FEIS addresses the construction and operation of the Project,
which consists of a 250-MW solar array, plus 200-MW/800-MWh storage
facility in Garfield County, Oklahoma. The Project consists of four
major components: Photovoltaic solar arrays, energy storage facilities,
linear facilities, and transmission interconnection facilities
(Proposed Action). The energy storage facilities consist of batteries,
solar trackers, and solar power inverters. Linear facilities include a
network of internal access roads, communication cables or lines, and a
distribution power network for construction and operations control
systems. The transmission interconnection facilities include a
substation/switchyard that interconnects to the existing OG&E 345-kV
Woodring Substation via a gen-tie line. These components are explained
in detail in the FEIS.
The Applicant is a utility company with more than 180 MW of battery
energy storage systems in operation across the United States and
Canada. Since the Applicant entered into a power purchase agreement
with Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) for the Project, the
Project's purpose and need is focused on meeting the energy buyer's
(WFEC) needs. WFEC's objective is to provide safe, adequate, and
reliable power to its members at the lowest reasonable cost. The
Project would allow the Applicant to provide the additional generation
capacity needed by WFEC to achieve these goals within the service
territories of their member cooperatives. Specifically, the Project
would provide a source of non-dispatchable power via solar panels that
increase capacity, whereas battery storage would provide a source of
dispatchable power that increases the reliability of generated power to
the grid. The pairing of battery storage with solar panels would
further allow WFEC to meet peak demand needs without adding additional
fossil fuel consumption to the system. In addition, the Project would
help WFEC and the Southwest Power Pool to continue to comply with
Oklahoma legislative declarations to facilitate the delivery of
renewable energy.
Two additional alternatives, the Other Action Alternative and the
No Action alternative, were evaluated in the FEIS. Under the No Action
alternative, the Project would not be undertaken. Under the Other
Action Alternative, the Project would be situated on buildable land
located east of the Proposed Action.
RUS used input provided by government agencies, private
organizations, and the public in the preparation of the FEIS. RUS has
considered all comments received on the Draft EIS and revised the EIS
accordingly. Following the 30-day comment period for the FEIS, RUS will
prepare a Record of Decision (ROD). A Notice announcing the
availability of the ROD will be published in the Federal Register and
in local newspapers.
In accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act and its implementing regulation, ``Protection of
Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 800) and as part of its broad
environmental review process, RUS must take into account the effect of
the proposed project on historic properties. Pursuant to 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3), RUS is using its procedures for public involvement under
NEPA to meet its responsibilities to solicit and consider the views of
the public during Section 106 review. Any party wishing to participate
more directly with RUS as a ``consulting party'' in Section 106 review
may submit a written request to the RUS contact provided in this
notice.
The proposed project involves unavoidable impacts to wetlands and
floodplains; this Notice of Availability also serves as a statement of
no
[[Page 20388]]
practicable alternatives to impacts on wetlands and floodplains, in
accordance with Executive Orders 11990 and 11988, respectively.
Any final action by RUS related to the Project will be subject to,
and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant executive orders and
federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations in
addition to the completion of the environmental review requirements as
prescribed in Rural Utilities Service Environmental Policies and
Procedures, 7 CFR part 1970.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-07390 Filed 4-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 7, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.