Georges River Energy: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to Georges River Energy (GRE) for the construction of the Georges River Energy Project in Waldo County, Maine.
FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Cheryl Pelletier, Area Loan Specialist, 735 Main Street Suite 1, Presque Isle, ME 04769-2285, 207-760-4607, Cheryl.pelletier@me.usda.gov. The EA and FONSI are also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office, as well as at GRE's offices at 53 Ghent Road, Searsmont, ME 04973.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal is for construction of a new biomass-fueled power generation facility by Georges River Energy, LLC (GRE) in conjunction with Robbins Lumber, Inc., who owns the existing lumber mill upon which is project will be installed. GRE proposes to build and operate a biomass power generation facility that will generate high-pressure steam to drive a steam turbine. The generated electricity will support the sawmill operation and be exported to the Central Maine Power (CMP) grid for sale. The remaining useful thermal energy generated from the system will provide steam for the existing lumber kiln. The change in available electricity supply and steam for kilns will provide for improved lumber production at the current facility. The proposed project will involve the construction of a woodchip storage area, a biomass boiler, heat recovery steam generator, and turbine for electrical cogeneration, plus associated buildings and site improvements.
Alternatives considered by RBS and GRE include: No action; construction at an alternative location; and a sawmill upgrade. The alternatives are discussed in the Georges River Energy Project EA. The RBS has reviewed and approved the EA for the proposed project.
The availability of the EA for public review was announced via notice in the following newspaper: Bangor Daily News on June 21, 22, and 23, 2017. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notices. The EA was available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office, as well as GRE's offices. No comments on the EA were received.
Based on its EA, commitments made by GRE, and public comments received, RBS has concluded that the project would have no significant impact (or no impacts) to water quality, wetlands, floodplains, land use, aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
The proposed project will have no adverse effect on resources listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Agency has also concluded that the proposed project is not likely to affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitat thereof. The proposed project would not disproportionately affect minority and/or low-income populations.
No other potential significant impacts resulting from the proposed project have been identified. Therefore, RBS has determined that this FONSI fulfills its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR §§ 1500-1508), and USDA Rural Development's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970) for its action related to the project.
RBS is satisfied that the environmental impacts of the proposed project have been adequately addressed. RBS federal action would not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment, and as such it will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for its action related to the proposed project.
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