[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2411-2412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00688]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Speedway Solar Project: Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement and Hold Public Scoping Meeting on 
February 2, 2022

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
and hold public scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and to hold a virtual 
public scoping meeting in connection with possible impacts related to a 
project proposed by Speedway Solar LLC (Speedway Solar). The primary 
scope of the EIS is to evaluate the environmental impacts of and 
alternatives to Speedway Solar's application for financial assistance 
to develop the Speedway Solar Project (Project), a 199-megawatt (MW) 
solar array using photovoltaic (PV) modules on private, primarily 
agricultural lands in Shelby County, Indiana. RUS is considering 
funding this application, thereby making the proposed Project an 
undertaking subject to review under the National Historic Preservation 
Act (NHPA). RUS has determined that a loan for the Project would be a 
federal action and is, therefore, subject to National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review.

DATES: One virtual public scoping meeting webinar will be held on 
February 2, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. EST-8:00 p.m. EST via Zoom. The public 
scoping meeting will be conducted in a virtual format with RUS and 
Speedway Solar representatives. Attendees will be able to submit 
comments during the virtual public meeting orally or via the chat 
function. The public scoping meeting will be recorded and kept as part 
of the Project record. Equal weight will be given to oral and written 
(chat) comments. More information about the virtual public scoping 
meeting can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/environmental-studies/impact-statements.
    Written requests to participate as a ``consulting party'' or to 
provide comments for consideration during the scoping process for the 
proposed Project must be received on or before February 14, 2022.

ADDRESSES: To request ``consulting party'' status, submit comments, or 
for further information, please contact: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#edbe9d8888899a8c94be82818c9fa8a4bead989e898cc38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f8ab889d9d9c8f9981ab9794998abdb1abb88d8b9c99d69f978e">[email protected]</span></a>. 
Although electronic submittal is strongly encouraged, written comments 
may also be submitted by regular mail to United States Department of 
Agriculture, Attention: Peter Steinour, Mail Stop 1570, Rural Utilities 
Service, WEP/EES, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250.
    Project-related information will be available at RUS's and Speedway 
Solar's websites located at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/environmental-studies/impact-statements, and https://speedwaysolar.com/. This includes the Alternative Evaluation and Site 
Selection Studies prepared for the project. Project information will 
also be available at the Shelby County Public Library Morristown Branch 
at 127 E Main St., Morristown, IN.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The RUS is the lead federal agency, as 
defined at 40 CFR 1508.1(o), for preparation of the EIS. With this 
notice, federal and state agencies and federally-recognized Tribes with 
jurisdiction or special expertise are invited to be cooperating 
agencies. Such agencies or tribes may make a request to RUS to be a 
cooperating agency by contacting the RUS contact provided in this 
notice. Designated cooperating agencies have certain responsibilities 
to support the NEPA and scoping process, as specified at 40 CFR 1501.8.
    In addition, RUS invites any affected federal, state, and local 
agencies, Tribes, and other interested persons to comment on the scope, 
alternatives, and significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the 
EIS.
    Public participation is an integral component of the environmental 
review process for federal actions. Public participation will be 
especially important during the scoping phase of the proposed Project. 
The RUS will be seeking information, comments, and assistance from 
federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and other individuals who 
may be interested in or affected by the proposed Project. This input 
will be used in preparing the Draft EIS. Comments submitted during the 
scoping process should be in writing. The comments should describe as 
clearly and completely as possible any issues, concerns, or input 
commenters may have so that they can be addressed appropriately in the 
EIS.
    The RUS is considering funding this application, thereby making the 
proposed Project an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 16 U.S.C. 470(f), and 
its implementing regulation, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 
CFR part 800). Any party wishing to participate directly with RUS as a 
``consulting party'' in Section 106 review may submit a written request 
to the RUS contact provided below. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.3(f)(3), RUS 
will consider, and provide a timely response to, any and all requests 
for consulting party status.
    The Project will consist of a 199-megawatt (MW) solar array using 
photovoltaic (PV) modules on private lands in Shelby County, Indiana. 
The Project consists of a 199-MW solar array that will utilize PV 
modules. The Project consists of two major components: PV solar arrays 
(the main Project footprint) and transmission interconnection 
facilities (a collector substation). The Project will be located 
entirely on privately owned farmland in a rural area in Shelby County, 
Indiana. The Application Area encompasses approximately 1,800 acres. 
Within the Application Area, construction will occur on an 
approximately 1,100-acre project area.
    Speedway Solar entered into a power purchase agreement with Wabash 
Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) for the solar and energy storage project. 
WVPA's objective is to provide safe, adequate, and reliable power to 
its members at the lowest reasonable cost. The Project will allow the 
Applicant to provide the additional generation capacity needed by WVPA 
to achieve these goals and to serve electrical needs within the service 
territories of their member cooperatives.
    Among the alternatives that RUS will address in the EIS is the No 
Action

[[Page 2412]]

alternative, under which the proposal will not be undertaken or if RUS 
did not fund the proposed Project, other sites evaluated by Speedway 
Solar, and any reasonable alternatives defined as a result of the 
scoping process. In the EIS, the effects of the proposal will be 
compared to the existing conditions in the affected area of the 
proposal. Public health and safety, environmental impacts (such as 
impacts to vegetation, soils/prime farmland, wildlife/endangered 
species, cultural resources, and land use), socio-economic, and 
engineering aspects of the proposal will also be considered in the EIS.
    As part of its broad environmental review process, RUS must take 
into account the effect of the proposal on historic properties in 
accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA (Section 106) and its 
implementing regulation, ``Protection of Historic Properties'' (36 CFR 
800). 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 NHPA Section 106 review. 
Accordingly, comments submitted in response to this Notice will inform 
RUS decision-making during NHPA Section 106 review.
    In addition to compliance with Section 106, the Project will 
require evaluation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and will 
obtain required state, county, and local permits. The Project has 
received approval from the Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals.
    From information provided in the studies mentioned above, and using 
input provided by government agencies, tribes, and the public, RUS will 
prepare a Draft EIS. The Draft EIS will be filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and will be available for 
public comment by Spring 2022. At that time, RUS and USEPA will publish 
a notice of the availability of the Draft EIS and notice of receipt, 
respectively, in the Federal Register. In addition, Speedway Solar will 
publish notices in local newspapers and any online local news sources. 
The comment period will be 45 days from the date the EPA publishes its 
Federal Register notice announcing receipt of the Draft EIS.
    To assist the involved federal agencies in identifying and 
considering issues and concerns on the proposal, comments on the Draft 
EIS should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if the 
comments refer to the specific pages or chapters of the Draft EIS. 
Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft EIS or the merits 
of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. 
Reviewers may wish to refer to the CEQ's regulations at 40 CFR 1503.3 
in addressing these points. After the comment period ends on the Draft 
EIS, the comments will be analyzed, considered, and responded to by the 
agencies involved in preparing the Final EIS.
    The public will again have the opportunity to review and comment on 
the Final EIS. Upon completion of a 30-day public comment period, the 
RUS will document its decision regarding the proposed Project and 
reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision. A public notice 
announcing the availability of the Record of Decision will be published 
in the Federal Register and local newspapers.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposal 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 7 CFR 1970, Environmental Policies and Procedures.

Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2022-00688 Filed 1-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P


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