82 FR 17657 - Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center, Burleigh County, North Dakota

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 69 (April 12, 2017)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is cancelling the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on an interconnection request by NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NextEra).

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17657-17658]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07386]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

[DOE/EIS-0469-S1]


Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center, Burleigh County, North Dakota

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

[[Page 17658]]


ACTION: Notice of cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power 
Administration (WAPA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that 
it is cancelling the preparation of an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on an 
interconnection request by NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NextEra).

DATES: This cancellation is effective on April 12, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the 
cancellation of this EIS process, contact Mark Wieringa, NEPA Document 
Manager, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, 
CO 80228-8213, email [email protected], telephone (720) 962-7448. For 
general information on DOE's NEPA review process, contact Brian 
Costner, Acting Director of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-54, 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0119, telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756, facsimile (202) 
586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextEra, through its subsidiary Wilton Wind 
IV, LLC proposed to design, construct, operate, and maintain an up to 
99-megawatt Wilton IV Wind Energy Center (Project) in Burleigh County, 
North Dakota, and interconnect that Project with WAPA's transmission 
system. NextEra's interconnection request caused WAPA to initiate a 
NEPA review of its Federal action to allow the interconnection. WAPA 
published a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register 
on July 20, 2011 (76 FR 43324), and started the EIS process. A public 
scoping meeting was held in Wilton, North Dakota, on July 26, 2011, and 
a Draft EIS was approved by WAPA's acting Administrator for public 
review and comment on March 5, 2013. The Environmental Protection 
Agency's Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS was published in the 
Federal Register on March 22, 2013 (78 FR 17662). A public hearing on 
the Draft EIS was held on April 10, 2013, in Wilton, North Dakota.
    Subsequent to the issuance of the Draft EIS, NextEra proposed major 
changes to its proposed Project, including expanding the boundaries of 
the Project beyond those analyzed in the Draft EIS. Although WAPA's 
Federal action did not change, WAPA determined that the Project changes 
proposed by NextEra were substantial changes relevant to environmental 
concerns. In response to these Project changes, WAPA determined that 
preparation of a Supplemental Draft EIS was appropriate, and published 
a Notice of Intent to prepare this NEPA document in the Federal 
Register on November 20, 2013 (78 FR 69664). A public scoping meeting 
was held in Wilton, North Dakota, on December 11, 2013, to present 
Project changes and solicit public input on the modified proposed 
Project. Work on the preparation of the Supplemental Draft EIS has 
continued since that date, during which additional Project changes were 
proposed, including identification of necessary upgrades to WAPA's 
Bismarck-Hilken 115-kilovolt transmission line.
    NextEra has since decided to suspend further action on its proposed 
Project, and verbally notified WAPA of its decision to withdraw its 
interconnection request on January 12, 2017. A letter dated February 
22, 2017, formally terminated the interconnection agreement. NextEra's 
decision removes the need for Federal action, and WAPA is now formally 
terminating the NEPA review process on its interconnection decision and 
NextEra's proposed Project. No Supplemental Draft EIS, Final EIS, or 
Record of Decision will be issued for the Wilton IV Wind Energy Center. 
NextEra could decide to reinitiate the proposed Project or a similar 
project at some future date. In that event WAPA would initiate a new 
NEPA process with the issuance of a new Notice of Intent.
    On November 16, 2011, the DOE General Counsel re-delegated all EIS 
authorities to WAPA's Administrator. Under the authority granted by 
that memorandum, I hereby terminate the EIS process for NextEra's 
proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center with the publication of this 
notice.

    Dated: March 28, 2017.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-07386 Filed 4-11-17; 8:45 am]
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