Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Minnesota Agri-Power Plant and Associated Facilities

Zusammenfassung

On October 7, 1998 (63 FR 53885), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board [MEQB, a Minnesota State agency] announced its intent to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding a proposal by the Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers (MnVAP) to construct and operate a 75-103 megawatt biomass fueled gasifier and electric generating facility, known as the Minnesota Agri-Power Plant (MAPP), and associated transmission lines and alfalfa processing facilities. After careful review of this proposed biopower gasification project, DOE has determined that it will no longer participate in the cooperative agreement with MnVAP. This determination terminates DOE's financial support for the MAPP project, thus DOE will not provide funding toward the cost of constructing the proposed biomass power plant and the associated alfalfa processing facilities. As a result of DOE's decision not to fund the construction of the power plant and the associated processing facilities, there is no longer a federal requirement to conduct an EIS. Accordingly, DOE is withdrawing its notice of intent to prepare an EIS.