Public Notice Announcing the Availability of an Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Development Minke Solar Site: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Rural Business Service (RBS), USDA ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) SUMMARY: The RBS has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to Minke Solar Site for the construction of a 16.9 acre tract on privately owned property in Clackamas County, Oregon. FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Michael Beyer, State Environmental Coordinator, (503) 414-3368 michael.beyer@or.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Applicant’s proposed project would use ground-mounted, fixed tilt solar arrays, consisting of photovoltaic (PV) modules, inverters, and associated racking and electrical equipment. Once constructed, the Project would sell this energy to Portland General Electric (PGE) under a long-term fixed power purchase agreement. When constructed, the solar arrays and associated components would be no more than 10 feet in height and would be surrounded by 7-foot tall chain link security fence. The facility will be located on privately-owned property in Clackamas County, Oregon. The availability of the EA for public review was announced via notice in the following newspaper(s): The Business Tribune Newspaper on May 12, 15 and 19, 2020. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper. The EA was also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office. Based on its EA, RBS has concluded 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’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. Dated: June 2, 2020 Published August 11, 2020. BT173583

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