Department of Agriculture
Rural Utilities Service
AGENCY:
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION:
Extension of Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kv Transmission Line Project.
SUMMARY:
A notice of availability, public meetings, and Section 106 notification was published in the Federal Register by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) on December 7, 2018 (83 FR 63149) for the Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kV Transmission Line Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Meetings were scheduled for January 2019 and the public review period was to conclude on February 5, 2019. Due to the lapse in federal funding, this notice announces an extension of the public comment period to April 1, 2019. Additionally, previously scheduled Draft EIS public comment meetings in January 2019 were also cancelled and will be rescheduled, once RUS receives full funding for FY 2019.
DATES:
Written comments on this Draft EIS will be accepted until April 1, 2019. RUS will reschedule the Draft EIS public comment meetings for later in 2019 and publish another Notice.
ADDRESSES:
A copy of the Draft EIS may be viewed online at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/impact-statements/cardinal-%E2%80%93-hickory-creek-transmission-line and Dairyland Power Cooperative, 3521 East Avenue, South, La Crosse, WI 54602 and at local libraries in the project area.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To obtain copies of the Draft EIS, to request further participation or request consulting party status under section 106 of the NHPA or for further information, contact: Lauren Cusick (202) 720-1414) or Dennis Rankin (202-720-1953), Environmental Protection Specialist, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 2244, Stop 1571, Washington, DC 20250-1571, or email Lauren.Cusick@usda.gov or Dennis.Rankin@usda.gov.