PUBLIC NOTICE:

Pursuant to Executive Order 11990 (Wetlands) and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides final notice of its decision to provide Public Assistance Program funding for an action located in a wetland. Funding would be provided through the NH Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management to the NH Electric Co-op for underground trenching of electrical utility wires.

The action is located adjacent to Blake Road in the towns of Epping and Nottingham. The project is to move approximately one mile of the Raymond substation’s overhead electrical wiring to an underground trench, which will reconnect to overhead poles at intersections with Stingy River Rd. (southern end) and French Rd. (northern end). All work will take place within the existing utility right-of-way.

The project is within an area that contains vegetative wetlands. Mitigation is being achieved by leaving two spans overhead at crossings with sensitive wetland resources, avoiding potential for permanent impacts to those areas.

Alternatives considered and dismissed include no action (dependent customers would continue to experience frequent outages) and trenching the entire span of the project (would have a greater impact on wetland resources). Grant conditions will also require compliance with all federal, state and local laws, including coordination with the NH Department of Environmental Services Wetlands Bureau.

Map requests and questions about this project and potential wetland impacts should be submitted within 15 days of the date of this publication to:

Monica Pepe, Environmental Protection Specialist

FEMA Region I Mitigation Division

220 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Monica.pepe@fema.dhs.gov; 202-285-8153