South Dakota Prairie Winds Project; Partial Term Relinquishment and Release of Easement for Wind Energy Development; Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement

Résumé

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a record of decision (ROD) for the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on the South Dakota Prairie Winds Project issued by the Department of Energy's Western Area Power Administration (Western), and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and its implementing regulations, the Service participated as a cooperating agency in the preparation and release of the FEIS. The purpose of this ROD is to document the Service's decision to release and relinquish certain easement rights for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed wind energy generation facilities on lands in Aurora County and Brule County, South Dakota, on which the Service holds an easement for waterfowl habitat protection. The action selected by the Service corresponds with the proposed alternative of the FEIS.