This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

10472 

Vol. 77, No. 35 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 

1To view the notice, supporting documents, and 

any comments we have received, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2010-0103. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2010–0103] 

Dow AgroScience LLC; Availability of 

Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, 

and Environmental Assessment for 

Determination of Nonregulated Status 

of Corn Genetically Engineered for 

Herbicide Tolerance 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment 

period. 

SUMMARY: We are extending the 

comment period for a petition received 

from Dow AgroScience LLC seeking a 

determination of nonregulated status of 

corn designated as DAS–40278–9, 

which has been genetically engineered 

for increased resistance to broadleaf 

herbicides in the phenoxy auxin group 

(such as the herbicide 2,4-D) and 

resistance to grass herbicides in the 

aryloxyphenoxypropionate acetyl 

coenzyme A carboxylase inhibitor group 

(such as quizalofop herbicides). This 

action will allow interested persons 

additional time to prepare and submit 

comments on the petition, our plant 

pest risk assessment, and our draft 

environmental assessment for the 

proposed determination of nonregulated 

status. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before April 27, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0103- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2010–0103, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at http:// 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0103 or 

in our reading room, which is located in 

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 

14th Street and Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading 

room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 690–2817 

before coming. 

The petition, draft environmental 

assessment, and plant pest risk 

assessment are also available on the 

APHIS Web site at http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/ 

09_23301p.pdf, http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/ 

09_23301p_dea.pdf, and http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/ 

09_23301p_dpra.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Evan Chestnut, Policy Analyst, 

Biotechnology Regulatory Services, 

APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 851– 

3910, email: 

evan.a.chestnut@aphis.usda.gov. To 

obtain copies of the petition, draft 

environmental assessment, or plant pest 

risk assessment, contact Ms. Cindy Eck 

at (301) 851–3892, email: 

cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

December 27, 2011, we published in the 

Federal Register (76 FR 80872–80873, 

Docket No. APHIS–2010–0103) a 

notice 1 advising the public that the 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) has received a petition 

from Dow AgroScience LLC seeking a 

determination of nonregulated status of 

corn (Zea mays) designated as event 

DAS–40278–9, which has been 

genetically engineered for increased 

resistance to broadleaf herbicides in the 

phenoxy auxin group (such as the 

herbicide 2,4-D) and resistance to grass 

herbicides in the 

aryloxyphenoxypropionate acetyl 

coenzyme A carboxylase inhibitor group 

(such as quizalofop herbicides). 

Comments on the Dow petition, our 

plant pest risk assessment, and our draft 

environmental assessment for the 

proposed determination of nonregulated 

status were required to be received on 

or before February 27, 2012. We are 

extending the comment period on 

Docket No. APHIS–2010–0103 for an 

additional 60 days, ending April 27, 

2012. This action will allow interested 

persons additional time to prepare and 

submit comments on the Dow petition, 

our plant pest risk assessment, and our 

draft environmental assessment for the 

proposed determination of nonregulated 

status. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781– 

7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 

371.3. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of 

February 2012. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4081 Filed 2–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

San Bernardino National Forest, 

Mountaintop Ranger District, 

California, Mitsubishi South Quarry 

Expansion Project 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: Mitsubishi Cement 

Corporation is submitting to the San 

Bernardino National Forest and San 

Bernardino County, for permitting, a 

Plan of Operations and Reclamation 

Plan for the South Quarry. The South 

Quarry will total approximately 153.6 

acres consisting of a 128-acre quarry, a 

2.7 acre landscape berm, a 22.2-acre 

haul road 1.8 miles in length, and a 

temporary construction road of 0.7 

acres. The South Quarry and haul road 

will be located almost entirely (147.0 

acres) on 440 acres of unpatented claims 

owned by Mitsubishi Cement 

Corporation on the San Bernardino 

National Forest with approximately 6.6 

acres of the haul road located on 

Mitsubishi Cement Corporation fee land 

where it enters the existing East Pit. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 2012 / Notices 10473 

Current estimates project the South 

Quarry could feed the cement plant for 

approximately 120 years. No change to 

the throughput or operation of the 

Cushenbury Cement Plant is proposed 

as part of this project. Based on drilling 

conducted during the winter of 2009 

and 2010, the South Quarry site has 

estimated proven and inferred reserves 

of over 200 million tons of mostly high 

to medium grade limestone. This higher 

grade limestone would be blended with 

lower grade limestone excavated from 

the West and East Pits at a ratio of 

approximately 50/50 in order to meet 

the limestone specifications to feed the 

adjacent Mitsubishi Cement Corporation 

Cushenbury Cement Plant. Concurrent 

reclamation would be conducted 

throughout the life of the quarry and, at 

the conclusion of excavations, 5 years of 

active reclamation and revegetation 

would be implemented followed by 

revegetation monitoring and 

remediation until revegetation goals are 

achieved. 

Comments are being requested to help 

identify significant issues or concerns 

related to the proposed action, to 

determine the scope of the issues 

(including alternatives) that need to be 

analyzed and to eliminate from detailed 

study those issues that are not 

significant. Supporting documentation 

should be included with comments 

recommending that the joint 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 

(EIS/EIR), to be prepared by the San 

Bernardino National Forest and County 

of San Bernardino, as the lead state 

agency under the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), 

address specific environmental issues. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

March 23, 2012. The draft EIS/EIR is 

expected fall 2012 and the final EIS/EIR 

is expected spring 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

San Bernardino National Forest, 

Mitsubishi South Quarry Expansion 

Project, do Anne Surdzial, ECORP 

Consulting, Inc. 215 N. 5th Street, 

Redlands, CA 92374. Comments may 

also be sent via email to 

asurdzial@ecorpconsulting.com (please 

put ‘‘Mitsubishi Cement Company 

South Quarry Expansion’’ in the subject 

line), or via facsimile to (909) 307–0056. 

It is important that reviewers provide 

their comments at such times and in 

such a way that they are useful to the 

Agency’s preparation of the EIS/EIR. 

Therefore, comments should be 

provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions with the proposed action. 

Comments received in response to 

this solicitation, including names and 

addresses of those who comment, will 

be part of the public record for this 

proposed action. However, comments 

submitted anonymously will be 

accepted and considered. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Hall, Environmental 

Coordinator, San Bernardino National 

Forest at (909) 382–2905 or 

thall@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 

Time, Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mitsubishi 

Cement Corporation submitted the Plan 

of Operations and Reclamation Plan for 

the proposed South Quarry to the 

Mountaintop District Ranger, San 

Bernardino National Forest, on October 

22, 2010. The South Quarry is within 

portions of Sections 14, 15, 22, and 23 

Township 3 North, Range 1 East. 

Elevations at the South Quarry site 

currently range from 5,555 to 6,675 feet. 

The South Quarry would be mined at 

an average production rate of 1.3 

million tons per year of ore and 150,000 

tons per year of waste rock for up to 120 

years. At this time, Mitsubishi Cement 

Corporation is requesting a 120-year 

operations plan excavating 

approximately 156 million tons of ore. 

Mitsubishi Cement Corporation’s 

Cushenbury Cement Plant requires a 

limestone feed of up approximately 2.6 

million tons per year, and this would 

not change as a result of the South 

Quarry Project. East and West Pits 

would be reduced to an average of 1.3 

million tons per year of ore and 150,000 

tons per year of waste rock. Therefore 

the overall limestone production of 2.6 

million tons per year and 300,000 tons 

per year of waste rock at the mining 

complex would not change. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

Mitsubishi Cement Corporation 

submitted to San Bernardino National 

Forest and San Bernardino County a 

Plan of Operations and Reclamation 

Plan for the proposed South Quarry. 

The Forest Service is analyzing the 

surface use of National Forest System 

lands in connection with operations 

authorized by the United States mining 

laws (30 U.S.C. 21–54), which confer a 

statutory right to enter upon the public 

lands to search for minerals, shall be 

conducted so as to minimize adverse 

environmental impacts on National 

Forest System surface resources. The 

responsibility for managing mineral 

resources is in the Secretary of the 

Interior. 

Mitsubishi Cement Corporation’s 

Cushenbury Cement Plant requires a 

limestone feed of approximately 2.6 

million tons per year of a specific blend 

of limestone in order to manufacture 

cement. In 2004, as the existing East Pit 

neared its exhaustion of cement grade 

limestone, the West Pit expansion was 

approved by the County of San 

Bernardino on 191 acres to the west of 

the existing East Pit with approximately 

217 million tons of limestone reserves. 

The amount of high grade limestone to 

blend with the lower grades of 

limestone to meet the feed requirement 

for the cement plant would not be 

adequate for the life of the mine. The 

proposed South Quarry site would be 

able to meet the requirements for 

blending with its estimated, proven and 

inferred reserves of over 200 million 

tons of high to medium grade limestone 

rock. 

Proposed Action 

The development of the South Quarry 

would consist of construction of the 1.8 

mile long haul road, four phases of 

excavations, concurrent reclamation, 

and then final reclamation followed by 

revegetation monitoring. During the first 

two years, the 1.8-mile long haul road 

would be constructed. The planned haul 

road would access the South Quarry at 

5,950 feet amsl and traverse down the 

north slope to an elevation of 5,050 feet 

amsl at the southwest corner of the 

existing East Pit. The road’s surface 

width would be 50 to 60 feet with a 

grade not to exceed 10% and it would 

have a surface of crushed limestone. 

The excavation plan for the South 

Quarry is divided into four phases based 

on operational, engineering, and 

environmental concerns with the 

development of the main quarry to a 

maximum depth of 5,365 feet above 

mean sea level or 1,215 feet below the 

quarry rim on the south. Phase 1A 

would be initiated after construction of 

the haul road and compliance with 

preconstruction conditions and has ore 

reserves of approximately 3.5 years. 

Phase 1B would excavate the southeast 

31 acres of the quarry. Reserves are 

estimated at about 29 million tons of 

ore. At an ore production rate of 1.3 

million tons per year, Phase 1B would 

have a life of approximately 22 years. 

Phase 2 would excavate the central 85 

acres of the quarry. Reserves are 

estimated at 19 million tons of ore. At 

an ore production rate 1.3 million tons 

per year, Phase 1B would have a life of 

approximately 14.5 years for a 

cumulative total of 40 years from the 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
10474 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 2012 / Notices 

commencement of mining. Phase 3 

would be an approximately 40-year 

excavation phase on approximately 75 

acres within the central part of the 

quarry within the footprint of Phase 2. 

Mining would excavate to floor 

elevation of approximately 5,905 feet, a 

depth of approximately 315 feet below 

the Phase 2 floor elevation of 6,130 feet. 

Reserves are estimated at over 52 

million tons of ore. Phase 4 would be 

the final excavation phase on 

approximately 65 acres within the 

central part of the proposed South 

Quarry configuration, again within the 

footprint of Phase 2, to complete the 

120-year lifespan. Mining would 

excavate to floor elevation of 

approximately 5,365 feet, a maximum 

depth of approximately 550 feet below 

the Phase 3 floor elevation of 5,905 feet. 

Reserves are estimated at 52 million 

tons of ore. 

Minimal amounts of overburden are 

expected as the limestone is generally 

exposed across the quarry site. Any 

topsoil onsite would be in the form of 

smaller eroded limestone gravel that 

may contain organic material and seeds. 

This surface material would be salvaged 

and stored in separately marked 

stockpiles for future reclamation efforts 

along and above the top benches and 

used for the construction of the 

landscape berm along the southern rim. 

Instead of removing the waste rock and 

depositing it in a separate waste 

stockpile(s) outside the rim of the 

quarry, this plan proposes to backfill the 

waste rock within Phases 1B and 4 as 

mining progresses with depth. 

Mitsubishi Cement Corporation 

proposes to reclaim the quarry site to 

meet both Forest Service Minerals 

Regulations (36 CFR 228, Subpart A) 

under the jurisdiction of the San 

Bernardino National Forest and the 

California Surface Mining and 

Reclamation Act implemented by San 

Bernardino County that will minimize 

impacts to the surrounding 

environment. Due to planned extraction, 

the permanent perimeter quarry slopes 

would be reclaimed from the rim 

downward as completed per phase to 

meet designed slopes dependent on the 

findings of the ongoing slope stability 

assessments. Reclamation would consist 

of sloping excavated cuts and benches 

as necessary to meet the designed 

0.55H: 1V overall slope and to round the 

rims of the final benches. Each bench 

would be sloped inward toward the 

vertical wall to capture any 

precipitation or runoff. The individual 

benches would be approximately 45 feet 

vertical and 25 feet wide unless 

required to be flatter in specific areas, as 

determined by geological mapping 

during ongoing quarry operations or 

where the waste rock stockpiles would 

be located. Surface material salvaged for 

revegetation would be limited due to the 

surficial rock conditions onsite. 

Available material containing the native 

seed bank would be placed on the 

benches and would be augmented with 

additional growth media and mulch in 

‘‘islands’’ to provide future sources of 

seeds. The revegetation methods 

include seeding with native perennial 

species, plantings grown in a nursery 

whether started from seed, cuttings or 

whole plant salvage from seeds 

collected at or near the site, and 

planting plants salvaged from new 

mining areas. The Biological Monitoring 

Plan would be an ongoing effort to 

assess the results of revegetation on the 

disturbed areas of the site. The 

monitoring plan would be followed 

annually to monitor and assess 

completed revegetated areas and areas 

where revegetation is being planned or 

just beginning. 

The Plan of Operations includes 

avoidance/minimization and 

environmental protection measures, 

including: 

1. Mitsubishi Cement Corporation 

will, upon withdrawal, quit-claim 

specified unpatented mining claims 

held within San Bernardino National 

Forest, and convey specified patented 

lands, which have been verified by the 

Forest Service to contain occupied 

endangered species habitat on a 3 to 1 

ratio (acres and conservation value) as 

mitigation for impacts of the expansion 

on Cushenbury buckwheat (Eriogonum 

ovalifolium var. vineum), Cushenbury 

oxytheca (Oxytheca parishii var. 

goodmaniana), and Parish’s daisy 

(Erigeron parishii). 

2. Control of surface drainage, 

erosion, and sedimentation of the 

proposed haul road and quarry 

operations will involve the following 

primary components currently being 

implemented for existing operations: 

a. Limiting surface disturbance to the 

minimum area required for active 

operations. 

b. Diverting runoff, where 

operationally feasible, such that runoff 

from undisturbed areas does not enter 

the area of active operations. 

c. Using ditches, sediment basins, and 

localized control and maintenance 

measures to intercept and control runoff 

along the haul road. 

d. Stabilizing disturbance areas 

through regrading, revegetation, and 

other restoration practices. 

3. To avoid incidental killing of birds 

protected under the Migratory Bird 

Treaty Act, two measures will be 

implemented: (1) Complete all 

vegetation removal or initial grading 

outside the breeding season (i.e., do not 

remove potential nesting habitat from 

February 1 through August 31), or (2) 

confirm prior to beginning vegetation 

removal but after survey flagging is in 

place showing the limits of grading, that 

no birds are nesting in areas to be 

disturbed. 

4. The occurrence of weeds on-site 

shall be monitored by visual inspection. 

The goal is to prevent weeds from 

becoming established and depositing 

seeds in areas to be revegetated at a later 

date. No areas will be allowed to have 

more than 20 percent of the ground 

cover provided by nonnative plant 

species. If inspections reveal that weeds 

are becoming an issue or have 

established on-site, then removal will be 

initiated. Inspections shall be made in 

conjunction with revegetation 

monitoring. 

Lead and Cooperating Agencies 

The San Bernardino National Forest 

and County of San Bernardino, as the 

lead state agency under the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will 

be preparing a joint Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) and 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR). 

This EIS/EIR will analyze and disclose 

the potential effects of the proposed 

limestone quarry. Each joint lead agency 

retains its decisionmaking authority 

over the part of the proposed action over 

which it has authority and does not 

acquire any influence over the other’s 

decisionmaking. 

The Mojave Desert Air Quality 

Management District has agreed to 

participate as a cooperating agency and 

to provide expertise regarding the 

proposed actions’ relationship to the 

relevant objectives of regional, State and 

local land use plans, policies and 

controls. 

Responsible Official 

The Responsible Official for the 

Mitsubishi South Quarry Expansion 

project is the San Bernardino National 

Forest Supervisor, Jody Noiron. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Responsible Official will decide 

whether to approve the Plan of 

Operation following the environmental 

analysis. The Forest Service does not 

have the authority to remove the 

proponent’s ability to mine its claims on 

National Forest System lands. San 

Bernardino County will decide whether 

to approve the Reclamation Plan under 

SMARA following the analysis under 

CEQA. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 2012 / Notices 10475 

Scoping Process 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process, which guides the 

development of the EIS/EIR. The 

complete Plan of Operation and 

Reclamation Plan is available on the San 

Bernardino National Forest Web site at: 

http://data.ecosystem-management.org/ 

nepaweb/ 

nepa_project_exp.php?project=32613. 

Public Scoping meetings will be held on 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at the Lucerne 

Valley Community Center, 33187 Old 

Woman Springs Road, Lucerne Valley, 

California 92356 beginning at 7 pm PST, 

and Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at the Big 

Bear Discovery Center, 40971 North 

Shore Drive (Highway 38), Fawnskin, 

California 92333 beginning at 7 pm PST. 

It is important that reviewers provide 

their comments at such times and in 

such manner that they are useful to the 

agency’s preparation of the EIS/EIR. 

Therefore, comments should be 

provided prior to the close of the 

comment period and should clearly 

articulate the reviewer’s concerns and 

contentions. 

Dated: February 13, 2012. 

Jody Noiron, 

Forest Supervisor, San Bernardino National 

Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3938 Filed 2–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Tri-State Generation and Transmission 

Association, Inc., Notice of Intent To 

Hold Public Scoping Meetings and 

Prepare an Environmental Assessment 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Hold Public 

Scoping Meetings and Prepare an 

Environmental Assessment. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS), an agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture, intends to 

hold public scoping meetings and 

prepare an Environmental Assessment 

(EA) to meet its responsibilities under 

the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and RUS’s Environmental 

Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 

1794) in connection with potential 

impacts related to a proposed project in 

Colorado by Tri-State Generation and 

Transmission Association, Inc. (TriState). The proposed Burlington-Wray 

230-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Project 

(Proposal) consists of the following: a 

proposed new single-circuit 230-kV 

electric transmission line between the 

existing Burlington Substation in Kit 

Carson County and the existing Wray 

Substation in Yuma County. Tri-State is 

requesting that RUS provide financial 

assistance for the Proposal. 

DATES: RUS will conduct public scoping 

meetings in an open house format to 

provide information and solicit 

comments for the preparation of the EA. 

The scoping meetings will be held on 

the following dates: Tuesday, March 6, 

2012, from 5–8 p.m. at the Burlington 

Community Center, 340 South 14th 

Street, Burlington, Colorado 80807; 

Wednesday, March 8, 2012, 5–8 p.m. at 

the Wray Roundhouse, 245 West 4th 

Street, Wray, Colorado 80758. All 

written questions and comments must 

be received on or before March 23, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: An Alternative Evaluation 

Study (AES) and Macro Corridor Study 

(MCS) have been prepared for the 

proposed project. All documents are 

available for review prior to and at the 

public scoping meetings. The reports are 

available at the RUS address provided 

in this notice and on the agency’s Web 

site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWPea.htm. The documents are also 

available for review at the offices of TriState and its member cooperatives K.C. 

Electric Association and Y–W Electric 

Association. In addition, the following 

repositories will have the AES and MCS 

available for public review: 

Tri-State Generation and 

Transmission Association, Inc., 1100 

West 116th Avenue, Westminster, 

Colorado 80234–2814. 

K.C. Electric Association, 281 Main 

Street, Stratton, Colorado 80836. 

Y–W Electric Association, 1016 

Grants Way, Wray, Colorado 80758– 

1915. 

Wray Public Library, 301 W. 7th 

Street, Wray, Colorado 80758. 

Burlington Public Library, 321 14th 

Street, Burlington, CO 80807. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

obtain copies of the EA, to comment on 

the EA, or for further information, 

contact Dennis Rankin, Environmental 

Protection Specialist, USDA Rural 

Utilities Service, 1400 Independence 

Avenue SW., Stop 1571, Washington, 

DC 20250–1571, Telephone: (202) 720– 

1953, Facsimile: (202) 690–0649, or 

email dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

primary purpose for the Proposal is to 

alleviate transmission system 

limitations in eastern Colorado, improve 

Tri-State’s ability to dispatch existing 

generation resources in eastern 

Colorado, and improve Tri-State’s 

ability to deliver energy to native load 

customers. The proposed action also 

would provide a transmission outlet for 

renewable energy generation in eastern 

Colorado. 

Tri-State is seeking funding from RUS 

for the Proposal. Prior to making a 

financial decision about whether to 

provide financial assistance for a 

proposed project, RUS is required to 

conduct an environmental review under 

the NEPA in accordance with the RUS 

Environmental Policies and Procedures 

codified in 7 CFR part 1794. 

Government agencies, private 

organizations, and the public are invited 

to participate in the planning and 

analysis of the proposed action. 

Representatives from the RUS and TriState will be available at the scoping 

meetings to discuss the environmental 

review process, describe the Proposal, 

discuss the scope of environmental 

issues to be considered, answer 

questions, and accept comments. RUS 

and Tri-state will use comments and 

input provided by all interested parties 

in the preparation of an Environmental 

Assessment Tri-State will submit the EA 

to RUS for review. RUS will use the 

environmental document to determine 

the significance of the impacts of the 

Proposal and may adopt the 

environmental document as its EA for 

the proposal. RUS’s EA will be available 

for review and comment for 30 days. 

Announcement of the availability of the 

EA will be published in the Federal 

Register and in newspapers with 

circulation in the project area. 

Should RUS determine that the 

preparation of an Environmental Impact 

Statement is not necessary, it will 

prepare a Finding of No Significant 

Impact (FONSI). Announcement of the 

availability of a FONSI will be 

published in the Federal Register and in 

newspapers with circulation in the 

project area. Any final action by RUS 

related to the Proposal will be subject 

to, and contingent upon, compliance 

with all relevant Federal, State and local 

environmental laws and regulations and 

completion of the environmental review 

procedures as prescribed by RUS’s 

Environmental Policies and Procedures 

(7 CFR part 1794). 

Dated: February 15, 2012. 

Mark S. Plank, 

Director, Engineering and Environmental 

Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4082 Filed 2–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES