Environmental Impact Statements

In accordance with 7 CFR 1794.25, Proposals normally requiring an Environmental Impact Statement, the following list includes the Environmental Impact Statements prepared or are under preparation for agency consideration. The links below provide electronic copies of all related Federal Register notices and EIS documentation.

Southern Montana Electric Cooperative, Inc.

SME proposes to construct and operate a 250 MW coal-fired electric generation facility at one of two sites near Great Falls, Montana. Construction of the proposal will require the construction of new electric transmission lines that will interconnect with the Great Falls Substation and the Great Falls to Broadview 230-kV electric transmission line.

• Federal Register Notice of Intent to Hold Public Scoping Meeting and Prepare an EIS (9/24/2004) (57 KB)

• Alternative Evaluation Study, Section 1 (10/2004) (752 KB)

• Alternative Evaluation Study, Section 2 (10/2004) (2.55 MB)

• System Load Forecast (10/2004) (11.3 MB)

• Site Screening Study (10/2004) (6.6 MB)

• Site Selection Study (10/15/2004) (9.4 MB)

• RUS Scoping Meeting Summary of Comment (10/2004) (9.7 MB)

• Montana Department of Environmental Quality Scoping Meeting Materials (4/6/2005) (1.2 MB)

• Montana Department of Environmental Quality Scoping Report (June 2005) (6.9 MB)

• Federal Register Notice Announcing the Availability of Draft EIS and Public Meeting , June 29, 2006

• Federal Register Notice Announcing U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's receipt of the Draft EIS, July 3, 2006

• Federal Register Notice Announcing the Extension of Public Comment Period (to August 30) and Additional Public Meeting (Havre, MT), August 7, 2006

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement - with appendices (6/27/06) (47.3 MB)

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement - compressed file (6/27/06) (27 MB)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement - Individual Sections

• Cover (166 KB)

• Abstract (17 KB)

• Executive Summary (79 KB)

• Table of Contents (43 KB)

• Chapter 1 - Introduction (384 KB)

• Chapter 2 - Alternatives Including the Proposed Action (3.7 MB)

• Chapter 3 - Affected Environment (9.7 MB)

• Chapter 4 - Environmental Consequences (8.6 MB)

• Chapter 5 - Cumulative Impact (147 KB)

• Chapter 6 - References Cited (116 KB)

• Chapter 7 - List of Preparers (22 KB)

• Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations (21 KB)

• Appendix B: Glossary (64 KB)

• Appendix C: Relevant Federal and State Environmental Laws and Regulations (52 KB)

• Appendix D: List of Persons/Agencies Consulted (12 KB)

• Appendix E: List of Terms (20 KB)

• Appendix F: Fish, Wildlife and Vegetation Resources Inventory (484 KB)

• Appendix G: Cultural Resource Inventory and Evaluation (4.2 MB)

• Appendix H: Native American Presence in Cascade County and the Great Falls Area During the Historic Period (18 KB)

• Appendix I: DEQ Supplementary Preliminary Determination on Air Quality Permit for HGS (502 KB)

• Appendix J: Significant Criteria (78 KB)

• Appendix K: Preliminary Cause-Effects-Questions Diagram (180 KB)

• Final Environmental Impact Statement - with appendices (January 2007) (30 MB)

• Executive Summary (116 KB)

• FEIS Volume 1 - Main Report (23.2 MB)

• FEIS Volume 2 - Appendices (7.1 MB)

• Federal Register Notice Announcing the Availability of Final EIS, February 9, 2007

• Federal Register Notice Announcing U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's receipt of the Final EIS, February 9, 2007

• Record of Decision, May 10, 2007 (3.6 MB)

• Federal Register Notice Announcing the Availability of the Record of Decision, May 22, 2007.