[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 179 (Friday, September 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47944-47946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23007]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5228-8]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared August 28, 1995 Through 
September 01, 1995 pursuant to the Environmental Review Process (ERP), 
under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act and Section 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act as amended. Requests for copies of 
EPA comments can be directed to the Office of Federal Activities at 
(202) 260-5076.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 14, 1995 (60 
FR 19047). 

[[Page 47945]]


Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65238-MT Rating EC2, Bull Sweats Vegetation 
Manipulation Project, Implementation, Helena National Forest, Helena 
Ranger District, Lewis and Clark Counties, MT.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential 
air quality impacts of proposed prescribed burning, and believes 
additional information on air quality impacts, timber harvest 
prescriptions, and water quality/wetlands impacts are needed to fully 
assess and mitigate all potential impacts of the management actions.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65239-MT Rating EC2, South Fork Yaak Salvage 
Project, Implementation, Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger 
District, Lincoln County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the existing 
condition, sensitivity to disturbance, and slow recovery of Fowler and 
Can Creeks, and potential air quality impacts of proposed activities. 
The EPA also believes additional information is needed to fully assess 
and mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the management 
actions.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65172-ID Rating EC2, Idaho Panhandle National 
Forests Noxious Weed Management Projects, Implementation, Bonners Ferry 
Ranger District, Boundary County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and believes that 
information is required to effectively address risks associated with 
the proposed herbicide treatments related to specific management 
objectives. Potential impacts to ground and surface water should be 
expanded.
    ERP No. D-BLM-J01073-WY Rating EC2, Jackpot Underground Uranium 
Mine Project, Construction and Operation, Plan of Operation Approval, 
NPDES Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Fremont and Sweetwater 
Counties, WY.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and believes that air 
dispersion modeling in a screening mode should be performed to estimate 
impacts to NAAQS. The final EIS should address procedures when PM-10 
has been trigged and include a contingency plan for the permit.
    ERP No. D-BLM-L65243-OR Rating EC2, Lake Abert Area Designation as 
an Area of Critical Environmental Concerns (ACEC), High Desert 
Management Framework Amendment Plan, Right-of-Way Grant and Drilling 
Permit, Valley Falls, Lake County, OR.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommends that a 
grazing-prohibition alternative be considered, and that potential noise 
impacts should be addressed in the final EIS.
    ERP No. D-NOA-A29004-00 Rating LO, Programmatic EIS--Coastal 
Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, Implementation, Approval for 29 
States and Territories Coastal Nonpoint Program.
    Summary: EPA rated the draft EIS as ``LO'' (lack of objections). As 
a cooperating agency on the EIS EPA provided some suggestions to 
strengthen the document in providing a thorough explanation of the 
program and the problems it is designed to address.
    ERP No. D-NPS-K65171-CA Rating EC2, Cabrillo National Monument, 
General Management Plan/Development Concept Plans, Implementation, San 
Diego County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns in these the major 
areas: air quality, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System 
permitting, and Coastal Zone Management Act requirements. The draft EIS 
lacked discussion of air impacts and EPA provided extensive comments 
and guidance for conformity determinations and analyzing air impacts to 
be included in the final EIS.
    ERP No. DR-DOE-L91009-WA Rating EC2, Yakima River Basin Fisheries 
Project, Updated and Additional Information, Construction, Operation 
and Maintenance, Funding, COE Section 10/404 Permits and NPDES Permit, 
Yakima Indian Nation, Yakima County, WA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on the 
potential impacts to fisheries resources and the need to ensure that 
the BPA and other responsible parties are evaluating opportunities to 
complement their respective management actions/objectives within the 
Yakima River Basin. EPA has requested additional information on fish 
habitat conditions, and clarification on the relationship of the 
proposed action with the Bureau of Reclamation's water enhancement 
project.
    ERP No. DS-NPS-L65229-AK Rating EC2, Brooks River Area, Katmai 
National Park and Preserve Development Concept Plan, Updated 
Information Concerning a New Proposal Alternative for Beaver Pond 
Terrace, Implementation, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about wetlands, water 
quality and mitigation.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BLM-K60026-CA, Mesquite Regional Landfill Project, 
Implementation, Federal Land Exchange, Right-of-Way Approval, 
Conditional-Use-Permit and General Plan Amendment, Imperial County, CA.
    Summary: The final EIS satisfactorily addressed issues raised in 
EPA's comments on the draft EIS. EPA believed it may be possible to 
further reduce air quality impacts by implementing EPA's proposed New 
Source Performance Standard for MSW landfills (56 FR 24476, May 30, 
1991).
    ERP No. F-NPS-D61036-DC, Rock Creek Park Tennis Center and 
Associated Recreation Fields, Implementation, Northwest Quadrant of 
Washington, DC.
    Summary: EPA believes the documentation and range of alternatives 
discussed are sufficient and no further comments are warranted. EPA had 
no objections to the preferred alternative described in the FEIS.
    ERP No. F-NPS-K61133-CA, Joshua Tree National Monument General 
Management Plan and Development Concept Plan, Implementation, Riverside 
and San Bernardino Counties, CA.
    Summary: The final EIS has been responsive to concerns expressed in 
EPA's comments on the draft EIS.
    ERP No. F-NPS-K61135-AZ, Grand Canyon National Park General 
Management Plan, Implementation, Coconino and Mohave Counties, AZ.
    Summary: EPA had environmental concerns with the potential adverse 
impacts with road realignment on the east rim, development of area 
services on the south rim and compliance with drinking water standards.
    ERP No. F-NPS-L61197-OR, Fort Clatsop National Memorial General 
Management and Development Concept Plans, Implementation, Astoria, 
Clatsop County, OR.
    Summary: Review of the final EIS has been completed and the project 
found to be satisfactory. EPA provided no formal written comments. EPA 
had no objection to the preferred alternative as described in the FEIS.
    ERP No. F-USN-E11035-SC, Charleston Naval Base Disposal and Reuse, 
Implementation, Charleston and Dorchester Counties, SC.
    Summary: EPA environmental concerns with the DEIS were addressed. 
However, EPA expressed environmental concerns with water quality and 
radiological issues in the FEIS.
    ERP No. FS-AFS-J65183-UT, East Fork Blacks Fork Multiple Use 
Management Project, Implementation, Additional Information, Wasatch-
Cache National Forest, Evanston Ranger District, Summit County, UT. 

[[Page 47946]]

    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the proposed action.

Regulations

    ERP No. R-AFS-A65162-00, Forest Service Handbook for Review of FERC 
Hydropower Authorizations on National Forest Service Lands--RIN 0596-
AA47.
    Summary: EPA agrees that the USFS and FERC should streamline their 
process and interactions concerning hydropower projects, however it is 
critical that the USFS maintain sufficient, independent authority to 
ensure that its environmental responsibilities with regard to National 
Forest Lands are met.

    Dated: September 12, 1995.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 95-23007 Filed 9-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U