Wellington Microtech, LLC: 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 (RBCS) has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to Wellington Microtech, LLC, of Wellington, Carbon County, Utah, for the construction of a biofuel refinery.
FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and FONSI, or for further information, contact James Campbell, Energy Program Specialist, RBCS, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 205-2421, email @ james.campbell3@usda.gov].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project will consist of the construction and operation of a 3,000 barrel per day (41.2 million gallon per year) biofuel refinery which will produce drop-in renewable diesel fuel, renewable hydrotreated naphtha, and renewable jet fuel. Wellington Microtech’s renewable diesel can replace traditional diesel without blending and without requiring engine modifications. Burning WM’s biofuels in place of petroleum fuels will result in a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed construction will be situated on approximately 46 acres comprised of two parcels identified by the Carbon County Assessor as 02-2215-0002 and 1B-0292-0000. The proposed site is located off Industry Lane, north of West Ridge Road in Wellington, Utah, in an industrialized area and is currently vacant land which has historically been used for agriculture. Alternatives considered by the RBCS and Wellington Microtech include: No action and the proposed action alternative. The alternatives are discussed in the EA prepared for the RBCS by True North Environmental Consultants. The RBCS has reviewed and approved the EA for the proposed project.
The availability of the EA for public review and comment was announced via notice in the ETV News on July 14 and July 21, 2021. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notices. The EA was also available from Mr. Campbell. No comments were received.
Based on its EA, commitments made by Wellington Microtech, and no public comments received, the RBCS 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, the RBCS 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.
The RBCS is satisfied that the environmental impacts of the proposed project have been adequately addressed. The RBCS’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: August 11, 2021