[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8013-8014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4352]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5477-7]
Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of
EPA Comments
Availability of EPA comments prepared February 3, 1997 Through
February 7, 1997 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-J65060-UT Rating EC2, Alta Ski Area Master
Development Plan Update Approval, Special-Use-Permit and COE Permits
Issuance, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake Ranger District,
Salt Lake County, UT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to
wetlands and air quality impacts.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65258-MT Rating EC2, Lewis and Clark National Forest
Plan, Implementation, Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis, Upper Missouri
River Basin, several counties, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential
cumulative impacts from directional drilling and associated oil and gas
exploration and development activities. The final EIS should address
wetland protection, specific air and water quality monitoring and
validation plans.
ERP No. D-AFS-J65259-CO Rating EC2, Aspen Highlands Ski Area
Expansion, Master Development Plan Amendment, COE 404 Permit and
Special-Use-Permit, White River National Forest, Aspen Ranger District,
Pitkin County, CO.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about inadequate
modeling and analysis to determine air quality impacts.
ERP No. D-AFS-K65192-CA Rating EC2, Jaybird Multi-Resource Project,
Implementation, Downieville Ranger District, Yuba County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the proposed
management activities are not directly integrated into the overall
watershed management plan. The final EIS should clearly define roles
and responsibilities for monitoring activities.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65265-WA Rating LO, North Sherman and Fritz Timber
Sales, Implementation, Colville National Forest, Kettle Falls Ranger
District, Ferry County, WA.
Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections. No formal comment letter
was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. D-AFS-L65280-ID Rating EC2, Mosquito-Fly Project Area,
Implementation, Harvest Timber, Road Construction and Grant Access to
Private Land, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, St. Joe Ranger
District, Shoshone County, ID.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the retention
of roadless area characteristics, water quality, and cumulative/
indirect impacts.
ERP No. D-AFS-L67035-OR Rating EO2, Stewart Mining Operation, Plan
of Operation Approval, Implementation, City Creek, North Umpqua Ranger
District, Umpqua National Forest, Douglas and Lane Counties, OR.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about compliance
with Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives provided in the Northwest
Forest Plan Record of Decision, and about impacts to the Outstandingly
Remarkable Values recognized in the North Umpqua River and Streamboat
Creek, from sedimentation and acid rock drainage.
ERP No. D-BLM-J65191-00 Rating EC2, Standards for Rangeland Health
and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management on Bureau of Land
Management Administered Lands, Implementation, MT, ND and SD.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the Standards
and Guidelines may not adequately protect the chemical, physical and
biological integrity of water quality to meet the Clean Water Act.
There was confusion concerning what CWA Section 303 water quality
standards (WQS) mean and how the States implement WQS. Consistency,
additional information and environmental commitments were requested in
the final EIS. The final EIS should include specifics of the mitigation
plans.
ERP No. D-BLM-K67039-NV Rating LO, Denton-Rawhide Mine Expansion
Project, Plan of Operation Approval, Implementation, Mineral County,
NV.
Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection.
ERP No. D-BLM-L65272-ID Rating EC2, Challis Land and Resource
Management Plan, Implementation, Upper Columbus--Salmon Clearwater
Districts, Salmon River, Lemhi and Custer Counties, ID.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns on water quality
impacts from grazing activities. EPA suggests that the final EIS
include specifics on mitigation plans, including implementation to
improve degraded riparian areas.
ERP No. D-COE-L36104-WA Rating LO, Howard A. Hanson Dam Continued
Operation and Maintenance Plan, Implementation, Green River, King
County, WA.
Summary: Our abbreviated review has revealed no EPA concerns on
this project.
ERP No. D-IBR-K31018-AZ Rating EO2, Programmatic EIS--Pima-Maricopa
Irrigation Project, Construction and Operation, Maricopa and Pinal
Counties, AZ.
Summary: EPA had environmental objection with the large scope of
the proposed action and its long-term sustainability. The PDEIS did not
persuasively demonstrate that potential adverse environmental impacts
can be avoided, minimized, or mitigated. EPA recommended prioritization
of project components for implementation with primary emphasis on
rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems and agricultural areas.
EPA also strongly advocated monitoring and adaptive management and
urged full integration of the local comprehensive water management
plan. EPA expressed concern with potential adverse impacts to surface
and groundwater quality, riparian areas, air quality, fish and
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wildlife habitat, and public health and safety.
ERP No. D-STA-G50009-00 Rating LO, Programmatic EIS--International
Bridge Crossing Project, Construction and Operation, Along the United
States-Mexico Border from EL Paso to Brownsville, TX, Presidential
Permit, NM and TX.
Summary: EPA had no objection to the proposed action.
ERP No. D-UMC-K24018-CA Rating EC2, Sewage Effluent Compliance
Project, Implementation, Lower Santa Margarita Basin, Marine Corps Base
Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the alternative
analysis and requested clarification of wetland issues.
ERP No. DA-DOE-A22076-NM Rating LO, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
Disposal Phase, Updated Information, Disposal of Transuranic Waste,
Carlsbad, NM.
Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the preferred
alternative.
Final EISs
ERP No. F-AFS-J60017-CO Fraser Valley Loop Transmission Line
Project, Construction, Operation, Associated Operations and Maintenance
Activities, Approval of Permits, Arapaho and Roosevelt National
Forests, Grand County, CO.
Summary: EPA continued to express environmental concerns that many
of the potential impacts to wetlands, old growth, and raptor nests will
not be known until a biological survey of the area is done. EPA also
expressed environmental concern over possible conflicts that may still
exist between this EIS and draft land management plans.
ERP No. F-AFS-J65242-MT Checkerboard Land Exchange, Plan of
Approval and Implementation, Kootenai, Lolo and Flathead National
Forests, Lincoln, Flathead and Sanders Counties, MT.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential
adverse water quality and fisheries impacts that could occur on lands
exchanged to the Plum Creek Timber Company (PCTC) due to high intensity
timber harvesting and road building activities by PCTC on these lands.
ERP No. F-AFS-K65189-CA, Cavanah Multi-Resource Management Project,
Implementation, Enhancing Forest Health and Productivity, Tahoe
National Forest, Foresthill Ranger District, Placer County, CA.
Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the number of
proposed road obliterations will not be adequate to improve water
quality.
ERP No. F-BLM-K67037-NV, Twin Creeks Mine Consolidation and
Expansion, which Encompasses the former Rabbit Creek Mine and the
former Chimmey Creek Mine, Plan of Operation Approval and Permit
Issuance, Winnemucca District, Humboldt County, NV.
Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
ERP No. F-COE-G39029-LA, Programmatic EIS--Marsh Management
Project, Hydrologic Manipulation, COE Section 10 and 404 Permit
Issuance, Coastal Wetland of Louisiana a part of the Coastal Wetlands
Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) River Basins, LA.
Summary: EPA recommended that the Record of Decision identify the
future directions or activities that can be implemented by the COE to
address hydrologic manipulation issues in coastal Louisiana.
ERP No. F-COE-G85180-LA, Estelle Plantation Partnership Municipal
Golf Course and Housing Development, Implementation, Jefferson Parish,
LA.
Summary: EPA continued to have environmental concerns regarding the
preferred actions but defers further comment pending completion of the
Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit processing.
ERP No. F-FHW-K40214-CA, Alternatives to Replacement of the
Embarcadero Freeway and the Terminal Separator Structure, (Formerly CA-
480) Implementation, Permit Approvals and Funding, San Francisco
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-GSA-C81017-NY, US Brooklyn Court Project, Demolition of
the Emanuel Celler Federal Building, Construction of a New Courthouse
and Renovation/Adaptive Reuse of the General Post Office at Cadman
Plaza East, Kings County, NY.
Summary: EPA continued to have environmental concerns about the
meteorological data used in the air model. EPA has requested that
updated information be used in a revised modeling analysis.
Dated: February 18, 1997.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal
Activities.
[FR Doc. 97-4352 Filed 2-20-97; 8:45 am]
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