DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Development Sawtell Solar, LLC: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact SUMMARY: The RBS has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to Sawtell Solar, LLC for the construction of a 5.0 Megawatt (MW) Solar Photovoltaic Facility in Henderson County, NC. FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Bill Tew, Business Program Specialist, USDA Rural Development, 2416 Tramway Road, Sanford, NC 27332, Bill.Tew@usda.gov, (919) 895-3647. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed construction activities on the project site include the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 5.0 Megawatt alternating current (MWac) commercial solar facility using ground-mounted, fixed tilt solar arrays and associated racking/electrical equipment on a 37-acre tract of undeveloped land located on the north side of Chimney Rock Road in Hendersonville, Henderson County, North Carolina. Alternatives considered by the RBS and Sawtell Solar, LLC include: No action and proposed action. The alternatives are discussed in the Sawtell Solar, LLC Proposed Solar Photovoltaic Facility 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: The Hendersonville Lightning on February 21, 2018 and February 28, 2018. A 14-day comment period was announced in the newspaper notices. The EA was also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office. There were no comments received during the 14-day comment period. Based on its EA, commitments made by the Sawtell Solar, LLC, and lack of public comments received, RBS 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, 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’ 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. 04/01/20