[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 6179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3082]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5488-7]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared January 19, 1998 through 
January 23, 1998 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) 564-7267.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 11, 1997 (62 
FR 16154).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65277-CO Rating EC2, Sheep Flats Diversity Unit, 
Timber Sales and Related Road Construction, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and 
Gunnison National Forests, Collbran Ranger District, Mesa County, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and requested 
additional information related to sedimentation potential, surface 
water resource buffer zone mitigation and intermittent road closure 
BMPs.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65279-MT Rating EC2, Wayup Mine/Fourth of July Road 
Access, Right-of-Way Grant, Kootenai National Forest, Libby Ranger 
District, Lincoln County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and recommended 
additional alternatives be developed to minimize water quality impacts, 
disclosure of the effects of ``motorized'' mine exploration and 
development and incorporation of total maximum daily loads for water 
pollutants in the EIS.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65281-UT Rating LO, Spruce Ecosystem Recovery 
Project, Implementation, Dixie National Forest, Cedar City Ranger 
District, Iron County, UT.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed lack of objections.
    ERP No. D-AFS-K65201-CA Rating EC2, Liberty Forest Health 
Improvement Project, Implementation, Tahoe National Forests, 
Sierraville Ranger District, Sierra and Nevada Counties, CA.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed environmental concerns involving threshold 
of concern (TOC) exceedences in three sub-watersheds and road 
management proposals.
    ERP No. D-BLM-J01076-WY Rating EC2, Powder River (WYW136142) and 
Thundercloud (WYW136458) Coal Lease Applications, Federal Coal Leasing, 
Campbell and Converse Counties, WY.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed environmental concerns and requested 
additional information related to Air Quality and Irreverable and 
Irretrievable Commitment of Resources.
    ERP No. D-BLM-L65295-OR Rating EC2, Northeastern Oregon Assembled 
Land Exchange Resource Management Plan (RMP), Implementation, Site 
Specific, John Day, Umatilla, Granda Ronde, Power River Basins, Grant, 
Umatilla, Morrow, Wheeler, Baker, Wallowa and Union, OR.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed environmental concerns based on potential 
water quality and riparian habitat impacts, loss of Columbia Basin 
shrub-steppe habitat, and loss of old growth forest habitat.
    ERP No. DS-AFS-J65213-MT Rating LO, Helena National Forest and 
Elkhorn Mountain portion of the Deerlodge National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan, Updated Information on Oil and Gas Leasing, 
Implementation, several counties, MT.
    SUMMARY: EPA expressed lack of objections.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J02034-UT, Western Uinta Basin Oil and Gas Leasing, 
Implementation, Federal Oil and Gas Estate on Land Administrated by the 
Uinta and Ashley National Forests in the western portion of the 
National Forests in the Western portion of the Uinta Basin, Wasatch and 
Duchesne Counties, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objection to the preferred 
alternative described in the Final EIS.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65257-UT, High Uintas Wilderness Forest Plan 
Amendment, Implementation, Ashley and Wasatch-Cache National Forests, 
Duchesne and Summit Counties, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections with the preferred 
alternative.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65258-MT, Lewis and Clark National Forest Plan, 
Implementation, Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis, Upper Missouri River 
Basin, several counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
cumulative impacts analysis, and impacts to wetlands and air quality. 
EPA recommended that air and water quality monitoring be implemented at 
the lease proposal stage to verify site conditions and validate 
predictions.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65264-UT, Sheepherder Hill Sanitation Salvage Sale, 
Management of Selected Vegetation Stands, Implementation, Uinta 
National Forest, Spanish Fork District, Nebo Management Area, Utah 
County, UT.
    Summary: The final EIS addressed EPA's concerns.

    Dated: February 3, 1998.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-3082 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U