[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37741-37742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18420]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5471-5]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared July 1, 1996 Through July 5, 
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-K65184-CA Rating EC2, Rock Creek Recreational Trails 
Management Plan, Implementation, Eldorado National Forest, Georgetown 
Ranger District, Eldorado County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential noise 
impacts, the proposed level of use, funding feasibility, and the 
integration of management on intermixed private lands. EPA recommended 
reconsideration of the level of participation, number of special events 
allowed and the ability to enforce road/trail closures with an all-
season road.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L61208-00 Rating EC2, Hells Canyon National 
Recreation Area (HCNRA), Comprehensive Management Plan, Implementation, 
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Nez Perce and Payette National 
Forests, Bake and Wallowa Counties, OR and Nez Perce and Adam Counties, 
ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on potential 
adverse impacts of the action from roads, grazing and increased usage 
to air quality, riparian habitat and water quality.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65266-AK Rating EC2, King George Timber Sale 
Project, Timber Harvesting and Road Construction, Implementation, 
Tongass National Forest, Stikine Area, Etolin Island, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about road closure 
methods, water quality, wildlife habitat, especially fish habitat and 
suggested the final EIS include this information.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K67035-NV Rating EC2, Bootstrap/Capstone and Tara 
Open-Pit Gold Mine Project, Construction and Operation Approval, Plan 
of Operation, Elko and Eureka Counties, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns due to potential 
impacts to water quality and suggested that complete or partial 
backfilling of the Bootstrap/Capstone pit be included in the preferred 
alternative. The FEIS should further address impacts to water and air 
quality, wildlife, and wetlands; as well as cumulative impacts; 
mitigation; and waste rock characterization and handling.
    ERP No. D-DOE-K11068-NV Rating EO2, Nevada Test Site (NTS) and Off-
Site Locations, Implementation, at the Following Sites: Tonopah Test 
Range; Portions of the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR) Complex; the 
Central Nevada Test Area and Shoal Area Project, Nye County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections due to a lack of 
mitigation to offset or reduce potential adverse impacts; a tendency to 
locate the proposed facilities in undisturbed rather than already-
disturbed areas; and a lack of pollution prevention features.
    ERP No. DS-AFS-L65201-OR Rating LO, Eagle Creek Timber Sale and 
Road Construction, Additional and Updated Information, Implementation, 
Mt. Hood

[[Page 37742]]

National Forest, Zigzag and Estacada Ranger District, Clackama County, 
OR.
    Summary: Our abbreviated review has revealed no EPA concerns on 
this project.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-K61136-00 Heavenly Ski Resort Master Plan, 
Improvement, Expansion and Management, Lake Tahoe Basin Management 
Unit, Special-Use-Permit, Douglas County, NV and El Dorado and Alpine 
Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA continued to express environmental objections to this 
expansion based on air quality, noise, traffic, fish and wildlife, and 
visual/scenic features as a result of past construction and current 
operation of Heavenly Ski Resort If the proposed level of development 
is approved, we strongly recommended that the Record of Decision (ROD) 
clearly commit to: a subsequent environmental review and cumulative 
watershed effects analysis, an if the analysis shows continued or 
potentially significant adverse environmental impacts, then continued 
development will be limited or prohibited.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K65158-CA, Clear Creek Management Area, Land and 
Resource Management Plan Amendment, Implementation, San Benito and 
Fresno Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA registered a Formal protest through BLM's appeal 
process because EPA believes that implementing the preferred 
alternative would impose the potential for significant adverse impacts 
on area users, nearby residents, and BLM employees, and would continue 
to significantly and adversely impact environmental resources. Serious 
potential impacts include fugitive emissions of asbestos in excess of 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration action levels, severe 
soil erosion; and sedimentation of several streams in and downstream of 
the Clear Creek Management Area, which appears to violate State water 
quality objectives for the protection of several designated beneficial 
uses.
    ERP No. F-COE-K32048-CA, Port of Long Beach (POLB) Main Channel 
Deepening and Navigation Improvements, Implementation, Queen's Gate, 
San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles County, CA.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-NPS-K65171-CA, Cabrillo National Monument, General 
Management Plan/Development Concept Plans, Implementation, San Diego 
County, CA.
    Summary: EPA's environmental concerns have been addressed, 
therefore we have no objections to the project as proposed.
    ERP No. F1-NAS-A12038-00, International Space Station, Assembly and 
Operation, Space Station Freedom (SSF).
    Summary: EPA had identified no potentially significant impacts and 
continues to lack objections to the proposed project.

    Dated: July 16, 1996.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 96-18420 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P