[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 27719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12855]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Notice of Intent To 
Hold Scoping Meeting and Prepare an Environmental Assessment and/or 
Environmental Impact Statement

agency: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

action: Notice of intent to hold scoping meeting and prepare an 
environmental assessment and/or environmental impact statement.

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summary: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
formerly the Rural Electrification Administration, pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and RUS Environmental 
Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1794) may prepare an Environmental 
Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its 
Federal action related to a proposal by South Mississippi Electric 
Power Association (SMEPA) to construct additional natural gas-fired 
generating capacity. RUS will provide project approval and may provide 
financing assistance to SMEPA for project construction costs.

dates: RUS will conduct a scoping meeting in an open house forum from 6 
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday June 28, 1995.

addresses: The meeting will be held in SMEPA's Headquarters conference 
center at 7037 U.S. Highway 49 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

for further information contact: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Chief, 
Environmental Compliance Branch, Rural Utilities Service, Room 1246 
South Agriculture Building, Mail Code 1569, Washington, DC 20250, 
telephone (202) 720-1784.

supplementary information: South Mississippi Electric Power Association 
proposes to construct additional gas-fired generating capacity at its 
Moselle Station on Jones County. The Moselle Station is located 
approximately 2 miles west of Interstate 59 on Highway 589. The 
proposed additions would consist of a 100 megawatt (MW) simply cycle 
combustion turbine and repowering an existing 59 MW steam electric 
generator with a 120 MW combined cycle combustion turbine. Other 
facilities include two 161 kilovolt bays that would be added to the 
Moselle Substation. The alternate site for the simple cycle combustion 
turbine is SMEPA's Morrow Station in Lamar County.
    Alternatives to be considered by RUS and SEPA include: (a) No 
action, (b) demand-side reduction, (c) purchased power from other 
utilities or independent power producers and (d) alternative sites.
    To be presented at the public scoping meeting will be the 
Combustion Turbine Project Alternative Analysis and Siting Study 
(Study) prepared by SMEPA. The Study is available for public review at 
RUS and SMEPA at the addresses provided in this notice.
    The Study can also be reviewed at the Hattiesburg Public Library, 
Main Street, Hattiesburg, the office of Dixie Electric Power 
Association, Highway 84 East, Laurel, and the office of Pearl River 
Valley Electric Power Association, Highway 13 North, Columbia.
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives from RUS and SMEPA will be available to 
discuss RUS' environmental review process, describe the project and 
alternatives under consideration, discuss the scope of environmental 
issues to be considered, answer questions, and accept oral and written 
comments. Written comments will be accepted for at least 30 days after 
the June 28 public scoping meeting. Written comments should be sent to 
RUS at the address provided in this notice.
    From information provided in the Study, input from government 
agencies, private organizations, and the public, SMEPA will prepare an 
environmental analysis to be submitted to RUS for review. If 
significant effects are not evident based on a review of the 
environmental analysis and other relevant information, RUS will prepare 
an environmental assessment to determine if the preparation of an EIS 
is warranted.
    Should RUS determine that the preparation of an EIS is not 
warranted, it will prepare a finding of no significant impact (FONSI). 
The FONSI will be made available for public review and comment for 30 
days. RUS will not take its final action related to the project prior 
to the expiration of the 30-day period.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal 
environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental 
procedures as prescribed by CEQ and RUS environmental policies and 
procedures.

    Dated: May 22, 1995.
Adam M. Golodner,
Deputy Administrator--Program Operations.
[FR Doc. 95-12855 Filed 5-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-M