[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30233-30234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15204]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5470-5]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared May 28, 1996 through May 31, 
1996 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) 
564-7167.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 5, 1996 (61 FR 
15251).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-K61141-CA Rating EC2, Snowcreek Golf Course 
Expansion, Construction and Operation, Special Use Permit, Inyo 
National Forest System Lands, Mono County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the separate 
environmental evaluation of the related Snowcreek ski area and 
Snowcreek golf course projects, the need for the golf course, water 
quality and quantity, and potential impacts to wildlife habitat. The 
final EIS should develop mitigation measures for potential cumulative 
impacts.
    ERP No. D-AFS-K65181-CA Rating EC2, Sequoia National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan, Amendment ``Grazing Management'', 
Implementation, Kern, Tulare and Fresno Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the preferred 
alternative. It does not address forage utilization or an all season 
monitoring plan which allows for adaptive management.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65261-AK Rating EC2, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw 
Timber Harvest Sale Project, Implementation, Tongass National Forest, 
Chatham and Stikine Areas, South of Juneau, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding project 
impacts on water quality and the marine environment.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K67034-NV Rating EO2, Talapoosa Gold Mine Project, 
Construction and Operation, Plan of Operations Approval, Special-Use-
Permit and COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Silver Springs, Lyon 
County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections due to potential 
groundwater and post-mining pit lake impacts. EPA requested additional 
information on groundwater modeling, pit water quality, ecological risk 
assessment, geochemical characterization and waste rock disposal, 
seepage rates from waste rock dumps, facilities design and reclamation, 
and mitigation measures.
    ERP No. D-DOE-L09807-WA Rating EC2, Hanford Site K Basins 
Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel, Storage and Disposal, Application for 
Approval of Construction and NPDES Permit Issuance, Columbia River, 
Richland, Benton County, WA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding permitting, 
accidential releases, and economic analysis.
    ERP No. D-OSM-E67003-TN Rating EC2, Fern Lake Petition Area for 
Surface Coal Mining Operations, Designation or Undesignation as 
Unsuitable for Coal Mining Operations, Claiborne County, TN.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over surface mining 
in the Fern Lake watershed because of potential adverse impacts to 
water quality, aquatic life and the water supply for the City of 
Middlesboro.
    ERP No. DS-NPS-K61126-AZ Rating LO, Tumacacori National Historical 
Park General Management Plan, Additional Information, Santa Cruz 
County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections with the new preferred 
alternative.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-K67031-NV. Dash Open Pit and Underground Mining 
Project, Implementation, Expanding existing Gold Mining Operations at 
the Jerritt Canyon Project, Plan of Operation Approval and COE Section 
404 Permit, Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, Independence Mountain 
Range, Elko County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding potential 
water quality impacts and recommended that the Forest Service conduct 
modeling to predict the concentrations and effects of contaminants in 
streams. EPA also expressed concern regarding the placement of waste 
rock in waters of the United States and the need for additional 
information on mitigation measures for this activity.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K67020-AZ. Cyprus Bagdad Copper Mine, Mill Tailings 
and Waste Rock Storage Expansion, Plan of Operation Approval, NPDES and 
COE Section 404 Permits Issuance, Yavapai County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about the project 
as proposed. EPA recommended that quantitative modeling of the post-
project quality of pit water be conducted prior to BLM's Record of 
Decision. Mitigation of and monitoring for impacts to waters of the 
U.S. should have been addressed in the EIS and EPA suggests that the 
mitigation and monitoring plan be discussed in the Record of Decision.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K67032-NV. Round Mountain Mine Mill and Tailings 
Facility, Construction and Operation for the Smoke Valley Operation, 
Plan of Operations Amendment Approval, Nye County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections regarding 
cumulative impacts of the proposed project effectiveness of mitigation

[[Page 30234]]

measures and suggested that the Plan of Operation provide an 
appropriate opportunity for BLM and the State of Nevada to collect a 
contingency fund, which may be necessary for future remedial action, 
based on the predicted pit lake water quality.

    Dated: June 11, 1996.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 96-15204 Filed 6-13-96; 8:45 am]
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