[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8356-8357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4166]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6240-1]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations, Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared January 25, 1999 Through 
January 29, 1999 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, 1999 (62 
FR 17856).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-COE-J36049-00 Rating EC2, East Grand Forks, Minnesota and 
Grand Forks, North Dakota Flood Control and Flood Protection, Red River 
Basin, MN and ND.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concern over the lack of 
information regarding the relationship of the proposed action to the 
proposed Devils Lake Outlet. EPA also expressed concern over the use of 
rip-rap for bank protection, and recommended that the Corps examine the 
issue from a broad, basin-wide approach.
    ERP No. D-DOE-A09829-00 Rating EC2, Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) 
Facility Construction and Operation, Implementation and Site Selection, 
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN; Argonne National 
Laboratory, Argonne, IL; Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY; and 
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM.
    Summary: EPA has expressed environmental concerns and requested a 
more detailed analysis of the preferred alternative, more detailed 
analysis of one of the non-preferred alternatives, additional 
mitigations for wetlands impacted areas, and the exposure dose factors 
used by DOE.
    ERP No. D-IBR-K28020-CA Rating EC2, Contra Costa Water District 
Multi-

[[Page 8357]]

Purpose Pipeline (MPP) Project, Construction and Operation of Raw Water 
Delivery System, Contra Costa Canal, COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, 
Contra Costa County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
significant potential cumulative impacts of the project and requested 
information on means to mitigate these impacts.
    ERP No. D-NPS-J65285-MT Rating EO2, Interagency Bison Management 
Plan for State of Montana and Yellowstone National Park, 
Implementation, Maintain a wild, Free Ranging Population, Address the 
risk of Brucellosis Transmission, Park and Gallatin Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections about reasonable 
alternative that have not been considered in detail in the document. 
This document is an improper segmentation of NEPA and it appears that 
there has not been government-to-government consultation performed with 
concerned Tribes, especially when some tribes have officially requested 
that they be consulted with on this matter.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J67027-MT Stillwater Mine Revised Waste Management 
Plan and Hertzler Tailings Impoundment, Construction and Operation, 
Plan-of-Operation, and COE Section 404 Permit, Custer National Forest, 
Stillwater County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the cumulative 
effect of the mine on water quality. Nitrate levels in ground and 
surface waters are expected to increase over time.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K65198-00 Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines 
for Livestock Grazing on Public Rangelands in California and 
Northwestern Nevada, CA and NV.
    Summary: The Final EIS addresses the majority of our concerns 
however EPA recommended the ROD include clear rationale for the 
differences between S&Gs for the three RACs, specific criteria to be 
used to prioritize allotments for corrective action, expand the 
implementation plan to include specific timelines and triggers for 
action and that BLM consider drinking water supplies when trying to 
meet water quality management objectives.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K67047-NV, Trenton Canyon Mining Project, 
Construction, Operation and Expansion, Plan of Operation, Valma and 
North Peak Deposits, Humboldt and Lander Counties, NV.
    Summary: EPA's concerns have been adequately addressed in the Final 
EIS. EPA requested that the Record of Decision (ROD) include specific 
mitigation and monitoring provisions to ensure protection of certain 
aquatic resources and describe contingency plans for unanticipated 
adverse environmental impacts.
    ERP No. F-COE-E32196-FL, Jacksonville Harbor Navigation Channel 
Deepening Improvements, Construction, St. Johns River, Duval County, 
FL.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the possibility 
of using the offshore disposal site for any of the limestone excavated 
during the deepening operations.
    ERP No. F-FRC-J02035-00, Alliance Natural Gas Pipeline Project, 
Construction and Operation, Funding, NPDES Permit, COE Section 10 and 
404 Permit, ND, MN, IA and IL.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding system 
alternatives, route variations and wetland mitigation and compensation.
    ERP No. F-NPS-K70007-00, P140 Coaxial Cable Removal Project, Plan 
Approval and Permits Issuance, Socorro, New Mexico to Mojave, 
California, NM, CA and NV.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-NPS-L61221-AK, Sitka National Historical Park, General 
Management Plan, Implementation, City and Borough of Sitka, AK.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. FA-COE-K36009-CA, Napa River and Napa Creek Flood 
Protection Project, New Information, City of Napa, Napa County, CA.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No 
formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

    Dated: February 16, 1999.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 99-4166 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
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