[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 99 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28381-28382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13780]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5492-2]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared May 4, 1998 Through May 8, 
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) 
564-7167.
    An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April 10, 1998 (63 
FR 17856).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-B61023-NH

    Rating EC2, Waterville Valley Ski Resort Project, Development of 
Snowmaking Water Impoundments Project, Special-Use-Permits, Dredge and 
Fill Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, White Mountain National Forest, 
Pemigewasset Ranger District, Town of Waterville Valley, Grafton 
County, NH.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns and suggested that 
the impact to water quality from alternatives two and four be further 
developed in the FEIS. EPA recommended mitigation option two to offset 
unavoidable wetland impacts associated with the project.

ERP No. D-COE-K32050-CA

    Rating EO2, Oakland Harbor Inner and Outer Deep Navigation (-50 
Foot) Improvement Project, Implementation, Feasibility Study, Port of 
Oakland, Alameda and San Francisco Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections due to potential 
air quality impacts, especially emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) 
associated with dredging, dredged material transport/disposal and 
related construction work. Despite these significant NOx emissions, 
there is no indication from the DEIS that NOx mitigation measures 
proposed by the Corps would suffice for purposes of making a positive 
conformity finding. EPA expressed serious concerns that the EIS may 
have unnecessarily constrained the range of reasonable action 
alternatives by eliminating a detailed analysis of dredge depths less 
than -50 feet. EPA asked the Corps to determine

[[Page 28382]]

if other dredging alternatives that provide less depth overall, less 
depth over portions of the project and/or phasing in -50 foot depths at 
key areas first may constitute reasonable alternatives for purposes of 
NEPA analysis.

ERP No. D-COE-K36124-CA

    Rating EC2, Yuba River Basin Investigation Study, Flood Protection, 
also portions of the Feather River Basin below Oroville Dam, City of 
Maryville, Yuba County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns over potential 
adverse impacts to water quality due to stormwater runoff during 
construction activities. EPA also recommended that the Corps conduct 
the necessary hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste site 
investigations during the current feasibility phase in order to achieve 
full public disclosure. EPA also recommended that the FEIS analyze the 
indirect/cumulative effects of induced growth in the floodplain.

ERP No. D-COE-K36125-CA

    Rating EC2, Hansen Dam Water Conservation and Supply Study, Flood 
Protection, Implementation, Los Angeles County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns that the DEIS did not 
specifically analyze an ``end of pipe'' water conservation alternative 
as an alternative to increasing water supply, or as a means of 
augmenting water conservation, at Hansen Dam. EPA believed that an 
actual ``end of pipe'' water conservation alternative may constitute a 
reasonable alternative for purposes of the Corps' NEPA analysis. EPA 
noted that the three action alternatives analyzed in detail in the DEIS 
are not true ``water conservation'' alternatives but are actually 
alternatives to ``increase storage capacity'' at Hansen Dam for release 
during peak summer use periods. Implementation and/or expansion of 
water conservation programs and efforts in the dam's service area 
should be an integral element of the project.

ERP No. D-COE-K39047-CA

    Rating EO2, Santa Clara River and Major Tributaries Project, 
Approval of 404 Permit and 1603 Streambed Alteration Agreement, In 
portions of the City of Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objection because of the 
project's potential to adversely impact the physical and biological 
qualities of the Santa Clara River System and because the measures to 
avoid and/or mitigate such impacts were not fully developed and 
presented in the DEIS. EPA also expressed concern that the DEIS did not 
address the full scope of the anticipated (development-related) actions 
and impacts directly and indirectly associated with the proposed 
project.

ERP No. D-FAA-E51045-FL

    Rating EC2, Miami International Airport Master Plan Update for the 
Proposed New Runway, Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, Miami-Dade 
County, FL.
    Summary: EPA continued to have environmental concerns; though noise 
impacts will be reduced by the year 2000 and 2005, significant noise-
impacts to the adjacent community remain. The need for additional noise 
mitigation was stated.

ERP No. D-FRC-L05219-WA

    Rating LO, Sullivan Creek Hydroelectric (FERC No. 2225) Project, An 
Application for Amendment of License, Public Utility District No. 1, 
Sullivan Creek, Pend Oreille County, WA.
    Summary: EPA had no objection to the project as proposed. No formal 
comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. DS-COE-C32030-00

    Rating LO, Arthur Kill Channel-Howland Hook Marine Terminal, 
Deepening and Realignment, Limited Reevaluation Report (LRR) Port of 
New York and New Jersey, NY and NJ.
    Summary: EPA believed that there has not been a significant change 
in the environmental conditions of the project area since the issuance 
of the FEIS. EPA does not anticipate that the proposed project would 
result in significant adverse environmental impacts. Therefore, EPA has 
no objection to the project's implementation.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-L65292-ID

    Caribou National Forest, Implementation, Federal Phosphate Leasing 
Proposal for the Manning Creek and Dairy Syncline Tracts, Caribou 
County, ID.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-USN-C11013-NY

    Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant Calverton Disposal and 
Reuse, Implementation, Towns of Riverhead and Brookhaven on Long 
Island, Suffolk County, NY.
    Summary: EPA continued to express environmental concern regarding 
wetland avoidance and requested that the Record of Decision include 
additional information on contaminant remediation, endangered/
threatened species, historic/cultural resources and environmental 
justice.

    Dated: May 19, 1998.
Anne Norton Miller,
Deputy Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-13780 Filed 5-21-98; 8:45 am]
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