Appalachian Power Company Transmission Line Construction- Cloverdale, VA, to Oceana, WV; George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the New River, and R.D. Bailey Lake Flowage Easement Land; Virginia Counties of Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, Bland, and Giles and the West Virginia Counties of Monroe, Summers, Mercer, and Wyoming

Résumé

The Forest Service will prepare a draft and final environmental impact statement on a proposed action to authorize the Appalachian Power Company to construct a 765,000-volt transmission line across approximately twelve miles of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, as well as portions of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the New River (at Bluestone Lake) and R.D. Bailey Lake Flowage Easement Land (at Guyandotte River). The federal agencies identified a study area in which alternatives to the proposed action were developed. The study area includes land located in the Virginia counties of Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, Bland and Giles and the West Virginia counties of Monroe, Summers, Mercer and Wyoming. The Appalachian Power Company proposal involves federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the USDA Forest Service (George Washington and Jefferson National Forests), the USDI National Park Service (Appalachian National Scenic Trail) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (New River and R.D. Bailey Lake Flowage Easement Land). The Forest Service is the lead agency and is responsible for the preparation of the environmental impact statement