Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Notices 70847 

municipal solid waste receiving and 

processing building; processed refuse 

fuel storage building; boiler and steam 

turbine; emission control system; ash 

processing and storage building; and 

other associated infrastructure and 

buildings. Two other connected actions, 

which would be constructed by other 

utilities, include installation of an 

approximately 2.0-mile raw water line 

and construction of a 38 kilovolt (kV) 

transmission line approximately 0.8 

miles in length. The connected actions 

will be addressed in the EIS. 

Among the alternatives that RUS will 

address in the EIS is the No Action 

alternative, under which the proposal 

would not be undertaken. In the EIS, the 

effects of the proposal will be compared 

to the existing conditions in the 

proposal area. Public health and safety, 

environmental impacts, and engineering 

aspects of the proposal will be 

considered in the EIS. 

RUS is the lead Federal agency, as 

defined at 40 CFR 1501.5, for 

preparation of the EIS. With this Notice, 

Federal and State agencies and federally 

recognized Native American 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 1501.6(b). 

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 National Historic 

Preservation Act (Section 106) and its 

implementing regulation, ‘‘Protection of 

Historic Properties’’ (36 CFR part 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 Section 

106 review. Accordingly, comments 

submitted in response to this Notice 

will inform RUS decision-making 

during Section 106 review. 

As applicable, the EIS will document 

changes in the affected environment and 

environmental consequences that may 

have occurred since the PRIDCOprepared Final EIS was published in 

2010 and USEPA’s PSD permit action. 

The PRIDCO-prepared Final EIS is 

available in both Spanish and English 

for review at the addresses provided in 

this Notice. USEPA PSD permit actions 

are available for review at the address 

provided in this notice. RUS’s EIS will 

incorporate this documentation by 

reference and focus on those topics that 

have changed since PRIDCO’s Final EIS 

was published. RUS’s Draft EIS will be 

available for review and comment for 45 

days. Following the 45-day review 

period, RUS will prepare a Final EIS. 

After a 30-day review period, RUS will 

publish a Record of Decision (ROD). 

Notices announcing the availability of 

the Draft EIS, Final EIS and the ROD 

will be published in the Federal 

Register and in 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 RUS’s 

Environmental Policies and Procedures, 

7 CFR part 1794, as amended. 

Dated: November 19, 2014. 

Mark S. Plank, 

Director, Engineering and Environmental 

Staff, USDA, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28101 Filed 11–26–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Environmental Review of 

Telecommunications Program Projects 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Request for public comment. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS), an agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture, hereinafter 

referred to as ‘‘agency,’’ seeks public 

and Federal agency comments regarding 

the preparation of a Programmatic 

Environmental Assessment for the 

development of a more efficient and 

effective environmental review process 

for the RUS Telecommunications 

Program—an environmental review 

process that is commensurate with the 

potential environmental impacts of both 

wired and wireless projects financed by 

the agency. RUS is seeking comment 

from interested stakeholders to 

contribute to the development of agency 

procedures for implementing the 

environmental review procedures of the 

Telecommunications Infrastructure 

Loan Program, Farm Bill Broadband 

Loan Program, Community Connect 

Grant Program, and Distance Learning 

and Telemedicine Program. The 

proposed review process will support 

the agency’s mission of facilitating the 

development of affordable, reliable 

utility infrastructure to improve the 

quality of life and promote economic 

development in rural America. 

DATES: Interested parties must submit 

written comments on or before January 

27, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, 

identified by docket number RUS–14– 

Telecom–0008, by any of the following 

methods: 

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery/

Hand Delivery: Michele Brooks, 

Director, Program Development and 

Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural 

Development, 1400 Independence 

Avenue SW., STOP 1522, Room 5159, 

Washington, DC 20250–1522. 

RUS will post all comments received 

without change, including any personal 

information that is included with the 

comment, on http://

www.regulations.gov. Comments will be 

available for inspection online at 

http://www.regulations.gov and at the 

address listed above between 8:00 a.m. 

and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except holidays. A copy of this 

publication is also available through the 

Rural Development homepage at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/RDU_

FederalRegisterPubs.html. Additional 

information about the Agency and its 

programs is available on the Internet at 

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/home.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Emily Orler, USDA, Rural Utilities 

Service, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Stop 1571, Room 2244–S, 

Washington, DC 20250–1570, 

Telephone (202) 720–1414 or email to: 

Emily.Orler@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The RUS Telecommunications 

Program provides a variety of loans and 

grants to build and expand broadband 

networks in rural America. Loans to 

build broadband networks and deliver 

service to households and businesses in 

rural communities provide a necessary 

source of capital for rural 

telecommunications companies, 

broadband, wireless companies, and 

fiber-to-the-home providers. Grant 

funding is awarded based on a number 

of factors relating to the benefits to be 

derived from the proposed broadband 

network project, as specified in 

applicable program regulations. 

Eligible applicants for RUS loans and 

grants include for-profit and non-profit 

entities, tribes, municipalities, and 

cooperatives. The agency particularly 

encourages investment in tribal and 

economically disadvantaged areas. 

Through low-cost funding for 

broadband infrastructure, rural residents 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
70848 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Notices 

can have access to broadband services 

that will close the digital divide 

between rural and urban communities, 

that is sustainable over time, and is 

crucial for economic development. Once 

funds are awarded, RUS monitors the 

projects to make sure they are 

completed in accordance with program 

requirements. Each loan and grant 

program has different applicants, project 

eligibility requirements, and program 

objectives. 

The Telecommunications Program 

includes the following programs: 

Telecommunications Infrastructure 

Loan Program provides loans for a 

variety of applicable technologies, for 

the costs of construction, improvement, 

expansion, and acquisition (some 

restrictions apply) of facilities and 

equipment to provide 

telecommunications services in rural 

areas; 

Farm Bill Broadband Loan Program 

provides loans for a variety of 

applicable technologies, for costs of 

construction, improvement, expansion, 

and acquisition (some restrictions 

apply) of facilities and equipment to 

provide broadband service to eligible 

rural communities; 

Community Connect Grant Program 

provides grants to eligible applicants for 

broadband access to rural communities 

currently without broadband service. 

Priority is given to areas where 

development of new broadband services 

will improve economic development 

and provide enhanced educational and 

healthcare opportunities. The program 

serves the most rural, lowest income 

communities without existing 

broadband access; and 

Distance Learning and Telemedicine 

Grant Program provides grants for 

distance learning and telemedicine in 

rural areas through the use of 

telecommunications, computer 

networks, and related advanced 

technologies to be used by students, 

teachers, medical professionals, and 

other rural residents. Grants are 

awarded based on rurality and 

economic need through a competitive 

process and may be used to fund 

telecommunications-enabled 

information, audio, and video 

equipment. 

In accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 

National Historic Preservation Act 

(NHPA), the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) and other applicable 

environmental statutes, regulations, and 

Executive Orders, RUS must evaluate 

the environmental impact of its actions 

prior to taking those actions. RUS 

actions include the approval of financial 

assistance for project proposals by 

eligible applicants within eligible 

service areas. 

The application process for requesting 

financial assistance for the 

Telecommunications programs varies 

slightly from a competitive grant 

program, individual project proposals, 

or multi-year ‘‘loan design’’ 

applications. Accordingly, each 

program’s application process and 

resulting environmental review process 

is administered differently. The agency 

seeks to synchronize future 

environmental review compliance 

processes for all Telecommunications 

Programs and develop a more efficient 

and effective environmental review 

process commensurate to the potential 

environmental impacts of 

Telecommunications Program projects. 

The Programmatic Environmental 

Assessment of the Telecommunications 

Program will provide an analysis of the 

RUS administrative record of past 

Telecommunications Program projects 

regarding NEPA, NHPA, and ESA. The 

analysis will address 

telecommunication technologies and 

construction methods, and evaluate 

alternative program delivery processes 

for individual projects and loan design 

applications relevant to existing and 

future RUS Telecommunications 

Program projects. If appropriate, the 

Programmatic Environmental 

Assessment will provide a basis for 

preliminary environmental review 

decisions. 

Request for Comment 

Stakeholder input is vital to 

improving delivery of the 

Telecommunications Program to agency 

participants and the public. The 

following questions are intended to 

guide stakeholder comments; however, 

RUS welcomes pertinent comments 

beyond the scope of these questions. 

RUS is requesting comment and 

discussion from the following 

stakeholders: 

Interested or Affected Citizens 

1. What are your primary concerns 

with the construction of wired 

broadband infrastructure in or near road 

rights-of-way, on existing electrical 

distribution poles or towers, or on new 

poles or towers? 

2. What environmental issues do you 

want studied as part of the 

environmental review of 

Telecommunications Program projects? 

Please address your recommendations 

for wired or wireless technology 

projects. 

3. What environmental protection and 

design and construction standards 

would you like Telecommunications 

Program participants to use during 

project construction? 

4. How would you like to be involved 

in RUS and applicant planning for 

broadband projects? 

5. How would you benefit from 

broadband availability or improvements 

in your area? 

Broadband Providers 

1. What are your greatest challenges 

in completing environmental reviews, 

including NEPA, NHPA, and ESA for 

both wired and wireless technologies? 

2. For projects requiring the use of 

Federal land, what are the greatest 

challenges in obtaining the necessary 

land use authorizations or permits? 

3. What do you believe is a reasonable 

length of time for RUS to consider a 

completed loan application, including 

environmental reviews and compliance, 

before making a decision to fund a 

project? 

4. What should RUS do to expedite 

the completion of environmental 

reviews and compliance during the 

review of project applications, 

particularly for projects that cross land 

with multiple ownership, i.e., private, 

Federal, state, or tribal lands? 

5. What additional guidance do you 

want from RUS field personnel to assist 

you in completing the necessary 

requirements for a loan or grant 

application, including environmental 

reviews and Federal land use permits if 

they are needed? 

6. What environmental protection 

measures and/or design and 

construction standard operating 

procedures for environmental protection 

have you found to be most efficient and 

cost-effective? 

Federal Land Management and Other 

Agencies as Appropriate 

1. How and when would you like to 

be contacted regarding a pending 

Telecommunications Program project 

application that relates to or affects your 

agency’s responsibilities? 

2. Telecommunications Program 

projects at times require the use of 

Federal land, requiring authorization by 

the relevant Federal land management 

agency. The land use request prepared 

by the applicant is summarized in a SF– 

299 form with appropriate attachments. 

What information, studies, and reports 

are most important to you in fulfilling 

your agency’s responsibilities for 

environmental review of the decision to 

authorize, modify, or deny a requested 

land use? Is there a difference in 

requested information if the proposal is 

a wired or wireless proposal? 

3. If your agency requires an applicant 

to submit environmental information to 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 2014 / Notices 70849 

1The Regulations are currently codified in the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 15 CFR parts 730– 

774 (2014). The Regulations issued pursuant to the 

Export Administration Act (50 U.S.C. app. §§ 2401– 

2420 (2000)) (‘‘EAA’’). Since August 21, 2001, the 

EAA has been in lapse and the President, through 

Executive Order 13222 of August 17, 2001 (3 CFR, 

2001 Comp. 783 (2002)), which has been extended 

by successive Presidential Notices, the most recent 

being that of August 7, 2014 (79 FR 46959 (August 

11, 2014)), has continued the Regulations in effect 

under the International Emergency Economic 

Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701, et seq. (2006 & Supp. 

IV 2010)). 

be evaluated during the consideration of 

a request to use Federal land, how is 

guidance provided to the applicant by 

your agency prior to completion of the 

SF–299? What role should the 

Telecommunications Program play in 

providing guidance to such applicants? 

4. The Programmatic Environmental 

Assessment of the Telecommunications 

Program will outline the Federal land 

management agencies’ categorical 

exclusions and procedures for 

identifying extraordinary circumstances. 

The RUS environmental document will 

also acknowledge that the use and 

occupancy of Federal land by some 

Telecommunications Program projects 

is necessary and, in particular 

circumstances with necessary 

authorizations, appropriate. What 

barriers do you envision in adopting a 

RUS environmental document in the 

consideration of your agency’s decisions 

to authorize a special use permit by a 

Telecommunications Program 

participant? 

5. How can RUS and other Federal 

agencies work together to share 

information as well as train managers 

and staff at the field levels regarding 

broadband issues and necessary 

environmental reviews and Federal 

decisionmaking, including land use 

authorizations? 

Dated: November 4, 2014. 

Jasper Schneider, 

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28100 Filed 11–26–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Bureau of Industry and Security 

In the Matter of: Lev Steinberg, 119 

Mackenzie Street, Brooklyn, New York 

11235; Order Denying Export 

Privileges 

On February 25, 2014, in the U.S. 

District Court for the Southern District 

of New York, Lev Steinberg 

(‘‘Steinberg’’) was convicted of violating 

the International Emergency Economic 

Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701, et seq. 

(2006 & Supp. IV 2010)) (‘‘IEEPA’’). 

Specifically, Steinberg unlawfully, 

willfully and knowingly exported and 

attempted to export from the United 

States to Russia, items on the Commerce 

Control List, namely, an Eo-Tech 552 

holographic weapons scope and other 

items, without first having obtained a 

license to do so from the United States 

Department of Commerce. Steinberg was 

sentenced to probation for a term of 12 

months, criminal fine of $4000 and a 

$200 assessment. 

Section 766.25 of the Export 

Administration Regulations (‘‘EAR’’ or 

‘‘Regulations’’) 1 provides, in pertinent 

part, that ‘‘[t]he Director of the Office of 

Exporter Services, in consultation with 

the Director of the Office of Export 

Enforcement, may deny the export 

privileges of any person who has been 

convicted of a violation of the Export 

Administration Act (‘‘EAA’’), the EAR, 

or any order, license or authorization 

issued thereunder; any regulation, 

license, or order issued under the 

International Emergency Economic 

Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706); 18 

U.S.C. 793, 794 or 798; section 4(b) of 

the Internal Security Act of 1950 (50 

U.S.C. 783(b)), or section 38 of the Arms 

Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778).’’ 15 

CFR 766.25(a); see also Section 11(h) of 

the EAA, 50 U.S.C. app. § 2410(h). The 

denial of export privileges under this 

provision may be for a period of up to 

10 years from the date of the conviction. 

15 CFR 766.25(d); see also 50 U.S.C. 

app. § 2410(h). In addition, Section 

750.8 of the Regulations states that the 

Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office 

of Exporter Services may revoke any 

Bureau of Industry and Security (‘‘BIS’’) 

licenses previously issued in which the 

person had an interest in at the time of 

his conviction. 

BIS has received notice of Steinberg’s 

conviction for violating the IEEPA, and 

in accordance with Section 766.25 of 

the Regulations, BIS has provided notice 

and an opportunity for Steinberg to 

make a written submission to BIS. BIS 

has not received a submission from 

Steinberg. 

Based upon my review and 

consultations with BIS’s Office of 

Export Enforcement, including its 

Director, and the facts available to BIS, 

I have decided to deny Steinberg’s 

export privileges under the Regulations 

for a period of two (2) years from the 

date of Steinberg’s conviction. I have 

also decided to revoke all licenses 

issued pursuant to the Act or 

Regulations in which Steinberg had an 

interest at the time of his conviction. 

Accordingly, it is hereby ordered: 

First, from the date of this Order until 

February 25, 2016, Lev Steinberg, with 

a last known address of 119 Mackenzie 

Street, Brooklyn, New York 11235, and 

when acting for or on his behalf, his 

successors, assigns, employees, agents 

or representatives (the ‘‘Denied 

Person’’), may not, directly or indirectly, 

participate in any way in any 

transaction involving any commodity, 

software or technology (hereinafter 

collectively referred to as ‘‘item’’) 

exported or to be exported from the 

United States that is subject to the 

Regulations, including, but not limited 

to: 

A. Applying for, obtaining, or using 

any license, License Exception, or 

export control document; 

B. Carrying on negotiations 

concerning, or ordering, buying, 

receiving, using, selling, delivering, 

storing, disposing of, forwarding, 

transporting, financing, or otherwise 

servicing in any way, any transaction 

involving any item exported or to be 

exported from the United States that is 

subject to the Regulations, or in any 

other activity subject to the Regulations; 

or 

C. Benefitting in any way from any 

transaction involving any item exported 

or to be exported from the United States 

that is subject to the Regulations, or in 

any other activity subject to the 

Regulations. 

Second, no person may, directly or 

indirectly, do any of the following: 

A. Export or reexport to or on behalf 

of the Denied Person any item subject to 

the Regulations; 

B. Take any action that facilitates the 

acquisition or attempted acquisition by 

the Denied Person of the ownership, 

possession, or control of any item 

subject to the Regulations that has been 

or will be exported from the United 

States, including financing or other 

support activities related to a 

transaction whereby the Denied Person 

acquires or attempts to acquire such 

ownership, possession or control; 

C. Take any action to acquire from or 

to facilitate the acquisition or attempted 

acquisition from the Denied Person of 

any item subject to the Regulations that 

has been exported from the United 

States; 

D. Obtain from the Denied Person in 

the United States any item subject to the 

Regulations with knowledge or reason 

to know that the item will be, or is 

intended to be, exported from the 

United States; or 

E. Engage in any transaction to service 

any item subject to the Regulations that 

has been or will be exported from the 

United States and which is owned, 

possessed or controlled by the Denied 

Person, or service any item, of whatever 

origin, that is owned, possessed or 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES