[Federal Register: September 7, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 173)]
[Notices]
[Page 51420-51421]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07se07-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Pee
Dee Electrical Generating Station in Florence County, SC
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District intends
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the
potential social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed
construction of a coal-fired electrical generating station with
associated facilities, a rail line extension and transmission corridor
by the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper), in the
vicinity of the Bostic Landing on the Great Pee Dee River, in Florence
County, South Carolina. The EIS will assess potential effects of a
range of alternatives, including an alternative proposed in the Federal
permit application.
DATES: General Public Scoping Meetings: Two Public Scoping meetings are
being planned. The first will take place on Tuesday, September 25, 2007
from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Coastal Carolina University located in Conway,
South Carolina in the Recital Hall of the Edwards College of Humanities
and Fine Arts. The second Public Scoping meeting will be held on
Thursday, September 27, 2007 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Commons Area
and Auditorium of South Florence High School located at 3200 South Irby
Street in Florence, South Carolina.
Federal and State Agency Scoping Meeting: A Federal and State
Agency Scoping Meeting is planned to be held on Thursday, September 20,
2007 in Charleston, South Carolina.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or
questions about the proposed project and EIS, please contact Dr.
Richard Darden, Project Manager, by telephone: 843-329-8043 or toll
free 1-866-329-8187, or by mail: CESAC-RE-P, 69A Hagood Avenue,
Charleston, SC 29403. For inquiries from the media, please contact the
Corps, Charleston District Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Ms. Connie
Gillette by telephone: (843) 329-8123.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An application for a Department of the Army
permit was submitted by Santee Cooper pursuant to section 10 of the
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) and section 404 of the
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) on December 11, 2006 and was
advertised in a local public notice, P/N SAC 2006-3574-SIB,
on December 22, 2006. The public notice is available on Charleston
District's public Web site at http://www.sac.usace.army.mil/?action=publicnotices.pn2006.
Santee Cooper agreed that based on the
potential social, economic, and environmental effects associated with
the construction of the proposed Pee Dee Electrical Generating Station
in Florence County, an EIS should be prepared by the Charleston
District, Corps of Engineers.
1. Description of Proposed Project. The project proposed by the
South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) is to construct
a coal-fired electrical generating station with associated facilities
on the Great Pee Dee River, in Florence County, SC. The proposed
facility will involve the installation of an intake and discharge
structure in the Great Pee Dee River in the vicinity of the Bostic
Landing and this Notice of Intent will refer to the proposed project as
the Pee Dee Station. The Pee Dee Station development will include the
generating station structure and facilities that include intake and
discharge structures, solid waste landfills, ash ponds, onsite-rail,
rail switchyard, transmission lines, cooling towers, and roads. In
total, approximately 93.75 acres of jurisdictional and non-
jurisdictional wetlands may be impacted to construct the proposed Pee
Dee Station. Construction of the Pee Dee Station may require filling an
estimated 9.45 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and 5.10 acres of fill
in non-jurisdictional wetlands, 8.14 acres of mechanized land clearing
in jurisdictional wetlands, 2.32 acres mechanized land clearing in non-
jurisdictional wetlands, and 0.67 acres of excavation in waters of the
United States. Construction/upgrade of the rail line extension may
require filling of 4.49 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and 4.90 acres
of mechanized clearing. Construction of the transmission line may
involve converting an estimated 58.68 acres of jurisdictional wetlands
from forested wetlands to scrub shrub wetlands.
2. Alternatives. The following alternatives have been identified as
reasonable alternatives that will be fully evaluated in the EIS: No
Action; the modification of existing Santee Cooper facilities to meet
the purpose and need of and for the proposed project; alternative
locations within the jurisdictional authority of Santee Cooper where
the proposed project might be developed; alternative facility layouts
for the proposed Pee Dee Station; alternatives for energy generation,
and mitigation measures. However, this list is not exclusive and
additional alternatives may be considered for inclusion as reasonable
alternatives.
3. Scoping and Public Involvement Process. Scoping meetings will be
conducted to gather information on the scope of the project and the
alternatives to be addressed in detail in the EIS. There will be three
(3) sessions: One (1) Specifically for the Federal and State
[[Page 51421]]
agencies with regulatory responsibilities and two (2) for the general
public that are being planned. Additional public and agency involvement
will be gained through the implementation of a public outreach plan and
agency coordination team.
4. Significant Issues. Issues associated with the proposed project
to be given significant analysis in the EIS are likely to include, but
may not be limited to, the potential impacts of the proposed Pee Dee
Station on: Air quality, wetland quality, conservation, economics,
aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic
properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain
values, land use, navigation, shore erosion and accretion, recreation,
water supply and conservation, energy needs, public health and safety,
hazardous wastes and materials, food and fiber production, mineral
needs, considerations of property ownership, environmental justice and,
in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
5. Cooperating Agencies. S.C. Department of Health and
Environmental Control, S.C. Department of Archives and History, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency will be asked to participate as
cooperating agencies.
6. Additional Review and Consultation. Additional review and
consultation which will be incorporated into the preparation of this
EIS will include, but shall not be limited to: Section 401 of Clean
Water Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic
Preservation Act; the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air Act.
7. Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is anticipated to be
available late in 2008. A Public Hearing will be conducted following
the release of the DEIS.
Lieutenant Colonel J. Richard Jordan, III,
Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District.
[FR Doc. E7-17685 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
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