Iliamna-Newhalen-Nondalton Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Finding of No Significant Impact

Résumé

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500- 1508), and RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1794), has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a project proposed by Iliamna-Newhalen-Nondalton Electric Cooperative, Inc. (INNEC), of Iliamna, Alaska. The proposed project is a 700 kilowatt hydroelectric generating plant which will be built on the Tazimina River near Iliamna, Newhalen, and Nondalton, Section 24, Range 32 West, Township 3 South, Seward Meridian, in Southcentral Alaska. On January 31, 1995, INNEC filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to exempt the Tazimina River Project from the licensing requirements pursuant to Section 2407 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The FONSI is based on an environmental assessment (EA) prepared by the FERC. RUS made an independent evaluation of the impacts resulting from the proposed construction and concurs with the scope and content of the EA. In accordance with RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures, 7 CFR Pa