Public Notice Announcing Finding of No Significant Impact
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Development
Fry Ontario, Inc.: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 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 Fry Ontario, Inc. for the construction of the solar array project in Malheur County, Oregon.
FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Emily Jennings, Assistant State Environmental Coordinator, [email protected], (503)414-3337.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project consists of the construction of a 5MW solar array on approximately 26 acres. Alternatives considered by RBS and Fry Ontario, Inc. include no action and alternate renewable energy technologies. The alternatives are discussed in the Fry Ontario, Inc. Solar 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(s): Malheur Enterprise on November 20 and 27, 2024. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notices. The EA was also available for public review by request to RBS staff. No comments were received.
Based on its EA, commitments made by Fry Ontario, Inc., and the lack of public comments received, RBS has concluded that the project would have no significant impact to water quality, wetlands, floodplains, land use, aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
The proposed project will utilize the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement Among the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Programs, National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and The Advisory Council on historic Preservation for Sequencing Section 106 (NPA) to achieve compliance with the Nation Historic Preservation Act and formally determine effects on historic properties listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Agency has also concluded that the proposed project would have no effect to federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitat. 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’s 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.
Publish Date: December 18, 2024.
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