Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 183 / Wednesday, September 23, 2009 / Notices 48525 

consultation, pursuant to section 7 of 

the Endangered Species Act, section 305 

of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, and 

section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act. 

m. Kenai Hydro, L.L.C. filed a PreApplication Document (PAD, including 

a proposed process plan and schedule) 

with the Commission, pursuant to 18 

CFR 5.5 of the Commission’s 

regulations. 

n. A copy of the PAD is available for 

review at the Commission in the Public 

Reference Room or may be viewed on 

the Commission’s Web site (http:// 

www.ferc.gov), using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ 

link. Enter the docket number, 

excluding the last three digits in the 

docket number field to access the 

document. For assistance, contact FERC 

Online Support at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll 

free at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY, 

(202) 502–8659. A copy is also available 

for inspection and reproduction at the 

address in paragraph h. 

o. Register online at http:// 

www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filing and issuances related 

to this or other pending projects. For 

assistance, contact FERC Online 

Support. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E9–22856 Filed 9–22–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

for the Abengoa Biorefinery Project 

Near Hugoton, Stevens County, KS 

(DOE/EIS–0407D) 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) announces the availability 

of the Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement for the Abengoa Biorefinery 

Project near Hugoton, Stevens County, 

KS (DOE/EIS–0407D) (referred to as the 

‘‘Draft Abengoa Biorefinery EIS’’ or 

‘‘Draft EIS’’). This Draft EIS was 

prepared in accordance with the 

Council on Environmental Quality’s 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) Implementing Regulations (40 

CFR parts 1500–1508) and DOE NEPA 

Implementing Regulations (10 CFR part 

1021). The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Rural Development, 

(USDA–RD) is a cooperating agency in 

preparation of the Draft Abengoa 

Biorefinery EIS. 

DOE’s Proposed Action in the Draft 

Abengoa Biorefinery EIS is to provide 

federal funding to Abengoa Bioenergy 

Biomass of Kansas, LLC (ABBK) to 

support the final design, construction, 

and startup of a commercial-scale 

integrated biorefinery to be located near 

the city of Hugoton, Stevens County, 

Kansas (hereafter referred to as the 

Abengoa Biorefinery Project). The 

Abengoa Biorefinery Project would use 

lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock to 

produce ethanol and biopower 

(electricity) sufficient to meet the needs 

of the biorefinery and to sell to the 

regional power grid. In the Draft EIS, 

DOE also evaluates an Action 

Alternative, under which the biorefinery 

would not produce electricity for sale to 

the regional grid, and a No-Action 

Alternative, under which the biorefinery 

would not be constructed. The Draft 

Abengoa Biorefinery Project EIS 

evaluates the potential direct, indirect, 

and cumulative environmental impacts 

from the construction and operation of 

the Abengoa Biorefinery Project. DOE’s 

preferred alternative is the Proposed 

Action. 

DATES: The public is invited to comment 

on the Draft EIS, and all comments 

received no later than November 9, 2009 

will be addressed in preparing the Final 

EIS. Comments received after the end of 

the public comment period will be 

considered to the extent practicable. A 

public hearing on the Draft EIS will be 

held at the Stevens County Courthouse, 

200 East 6th St., Hugoton, Kansas 

67951–2606, on October 21 2009, from 

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Written and oral 

comments will be accepted and given 

equal weight. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of this Draft EIS are 

available for review at The Stevens 

County Library, 501 S. Monroe Street, 

Hugoton, KS 67951, 620–544–2301, and 

the U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA 

Reading Room, 1E–190, Forrestal Bldg., 

1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, 202–586–3142. 

The Draft EIS is also available on the 

Golden Field Office On-line FOIA 

Public Reading Room: http:// 

www.eere.energy.gov/golden/ 

Reading_Room.aspx, at: http:// 

www.biorefineryprojecteis-abengoa.com 

and at: http://www.gc.energy.gov/NEPA. 

How to Comment on the Draft EIS: 

Oral and written comments on the Draft 

EIS will be accepted at the public 

hearing, or written comments may be 

mailed to Ms. Kristin Kerwin at the U.S. 

Department of Energy, Golden Field 

Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, 

Colorado 80401, or submitted via e-mail 

to: kristin.kerwin@go.doe.gov. 

Envelopes and the subject line of emails and faxes should be labeled ‘‘Draft 

Abengoa Biorefinery EIS Comments.’’ 

Comments or requests for information 

may also be submitted via the EIS Web 

site at http://www.biorefineryprojecteisabengoa.com. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on the Draft Abengoa 

Biorefinery EIS, or information on how 

to comment, contact Ms. Kristin Kerwin 

by any of the means described above 

under ADDRESSES, or access the Abengoa 

Biorefinery Project EIS Web site at: 

http://www.biorefineryprojecteisabengoa.com. 

For further information on the DOE 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy Integrated 

Biorefinery Program, contact Mr. John 

Ferrell, Biomass Program Manager 

(Acting), U.S. Department of Energy, 

1000 Independence Avenue, SW., EE– 

2E, 5H–021, Washington, DC 20585, 

telephone: 202–586–6745, facsimile: 

202–586–1640, e-mail: 

eere_biomass@ee.doe.gov. 

For further information on the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture Rural 

Business-Cooperative Service 

Biorefinery Assistance Program contact: 

Energy Branch, Attention: Biorefinery 

Assistance Program, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Mail Stop 3225, 

Washington, DC 20250–3225; telephone: 

202–720–1400. 

For general information regarding the 

DOE National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) process contact: Ms. Carol M. 

Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 

Policy and Compliance, U.S. 

Department of Energy, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., GC–20, 

Washington, DC 20585; e-mail 

AskNEPA@hq.doe.gov; telephone 202– 

586–4600; or leave a message at 1–800– 

472–2756. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background: In September 2007, 

pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 

2005 (EPAct 2005) Section 932, DOE 

granted an initial award of 

approximately $15 million to ABBK to 

advance the conceptual design, initiate 

the permitting process, and support an 

environmental review under NEPA for a 

proposed biomass-to-ethanol and energy 

facility that would be located adjacent 

to and west of the city of Hugoton, 

Stevens County, Kansas. DOE requires 

completion of the design, permitting, 

and environmental review obligations 

prior to deciding whether to co-fund the 

final design, construction and start-up 

phases of the project. 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES

48526 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 183 / Wednesday, September 23, 2009 / Notices 

On August 25, 2008, DOE initiated the 

environmental review process by 

publishing a Notice of Intent in the 

Federal Register (‘‘Notice of Intent to 

Prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement and Notice of Wetlands 

Involvement for the Abengoa 

Biorefinery Project Near Hugoton, KS,’’ 

73 FR 50001). However, based on 

changes in the scope of the project 

proposed by ABBK and also ABBK’s 

decision to solicit loan guarantees from 

DOE’s Loan Guarantee Program 

pursuant to Title XVII of EPAct 2005 

and from USDA–RD Biorefinery 

Assistance Program, DOE published an 

Amended Notice of Intent in the 

Federal Register on April 29, 2009 

(‘‘Amended Notice of Intent To Modify 

the Scope of the Environmental Impact 

Statement for the Abengoa Biorefinery 

Project Near Hugoton, KS’’, 74 FR 

19543). Public comments were accepted 

on the original scope of the EIS from 

August 25 through October 9, 2008, and 

then on the revised scope from April 29 

through May 29, 2009. An initial public 

scoping meeting was held in Hugoton, 

KS on September 10, 2008, and an 

additional public scoping meeting was 

held on May 19, 2009 to address the 

revised scope. DOE received both oral 

and written scoping comments. DOE 

identified 16 scoping comments and 

grouped them into three categories 

reflecting the nature of the individual 

comments: (1) Support for the project, 

(2) requests for specific information or 

analyses and (3) statements of no 

negative environmental impacts. All 

requests for specific information are 

addressed in the Draft EIS. 

Proposed Action: DOE’s Proposed 

Action analyzed in the Draft EIS is to 

provide Federal funding to support the 

design, construction, and start up of the 

integrated biorefinery proposed by 

ABBK. DOE would negotiate an 

agreement with ABBK to provide 

approximately $85 million (2008 

dollars) for the final design, 

construction and start up of the 

biorefinery. The estimated total project 

cost is approximately $300 million 

(2008 dollars). At this time, DOE is not 

considering issuing a loan guarantee for 

the proposed project. The Abengoa 

Biorefinery facility would use 

lignocellulosic biomass (biomass) as 

feedstock to produce biofuels. Biomass 

such as corn stover, wheat straw, milo 

stubble, switchgrass, and other available 

materials would be harvested as 

feedstock and fermented to produce 

ethanol. The biorefinery would also 

produce electricity. 

Under the Proposed Action, the 

Abengoa Biorefinery would process 

approximately 2,300 dry metric tons per 

day of feedstock, which would be 

obtained from producers within 50 

miles of the Abengoa Biorefinery Project 

site. The biorefinery would produce up 

to 18 million gallons of denatured 

ethanol per year using a one-step 

feedstock hydrolysis and fermentation 

process. The biorefinery also would 

produce 92 megawatts of electricity, and 

117,000 dry short tons per year of 

lignin-rich stillage cake. Electricity 

would be produced via a high-pressure, 

steam-condensing turbine generator. 

Seventy megawatts of electricity would 

be sold commercially. The lignin-rich 

stillage cake could be sold to a lignin 

producer, processed and lignin-poor 

stillage cake would be returned to the 

biorefinery and burned in the solid fuel 

boiler. 

Action Alternative: For the Action 

Alternative, DOE would provide Federal 

funding for an integrated biorefinery 

that would produce approximately 12 

million gallons per year of denatured 

ethanol, 45,000 dry short tons per year 

of lignin-rich stillage cake, and 20 

megawatts of electricity for use at the 

facility (none sold commercially). 

Under the Action Alternative, the 

integrated biorefinery would use a twostage process to pretreat, hydrolyze and 

ferment sugars for ethanol production, 

and would produce syngas using a 

gasification system. A syngas boiler as 

well as the biomass boilers would 

produce steam. Steam would be used for 

ethanol production processes and 

electricity production. The biomass 

boilers and the turbines would be used 

to generate electricity solely to operate 

the plant (no electricity would be sold 

commercially) and would be smaller 

than those for the Proposed Action. 

No Action Alternative: Under the No 

Action Alternative, DOE would not 

provide Federal funding to ABBK to 

support the final design, construction, 

and start-up of the Abengoa Biorefinery 

Project. Under the No Action 

Alternative, the Draft EIS presumes that 

ABBK would not build a biorefinery. 

The Department recognizes, however, 

that ABBK could pursue alternative 

sources of capital for development of 

the biorefinery. 

Preferred Alternative: The Proposed 

Action is DOE’s Preferred Alternative. 

Following the end of the public 

comment period, November 9, 2009, 

DOE will consider and respond to the 

comments received, and issue the Final 

Abengoa Biorefinery EIS. DOE will issue 

a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 

days after the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency issues a Notice of 

Availability of the Final EIS in the 

Federal Register. 

Issued in Golden, CO on September 15, 

2009. 

Steve Blazek, 

NEPA Compliance Officer, Golden Field 

Office. 

[FR Doc. E9–22920 Filed 9–22–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. NJ08–5–003] 

Bonneville Power Administration; 

Transmission Service Terms and 

Conditions; Notice of Filing 

September 16, 2009. 

Take notice that on September 14, 

2009, Bonneville Power Administration 

(BPA), pursuant to 18 CFR 35.28(e) and 

18 CFR 385.207, filed certain 

amendments to Attachment K to its 

Open Access Transmission Tariff in 

response to the Commission’s July 16, 

2009 Order, United States Department 

of Energy—Bonneville Power 

Administration, 128 FERC ¶ 61,065 

(2009). BPA also request a declaratory 

order accepting their proposed 

Attachment K as revised, finding that it 

satisfies the Commission’s standards for 

reciprocity. 

Any person desiring to intervene or to 

protest this filing must file in 

accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of 

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and 

Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). 

Protests will be considered by the 

Commission in determining the 

appropriate action to be taken, but will 

not serve to make protestants parties to 

the proceeding. Any person wishing to 

become a party must file a notice of 

intervention or motion to intervene, as 

appropriate. Such notices, motions, or 

protests must be filed on or before the 

comment date. Anyone filing a motion 

to intervene or protest must serve a copy 

of that document on the Applicant and 

all the parties in this proceeding. 

The Commission encourages 

electronic submission of protests and 

interventions in lieu of paper using the 

‘‘eFiling’’ link at http://www.ferc.gov. 

Persons unable to file electronically 

should submit an original and 14 copies 

of the protest or intervention to the 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20426. 

This filing is accessible on-line at 

http://www.ferc.gov, using the 

‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for 

review in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room in Washington, DC. 

There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES