[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 58 (Friday, March 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14719-14720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7490]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

(ER-FRL-6241-2)


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared March 01, 1999 Through March 
05, 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, 1998 (63 
FR 17856).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65297-MT

    Rating EC2, Bull Lake Estates Road Access Project, Implementation, 
Easement Grant Permit, Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Rangers 
District, Lincoln County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential 
adverse social, water quality, fisheries, and wildlife impacts of the 
development of the Bull Lake Estates subdivision. The Final EIS should 
discuss the environmental impacts of the management actions and 
mitigation measures.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65312-WA

    Rating EO2, Olympic Cross Cascade Pipeline Project, Construct and 
Operate a Common Carrier Petroleum Pipeline, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and 
Wenatchee National Forests, City of Pasco, Snohomish, King, Kittitas, 
Adams, Grant and Franklin Counties, WA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental objections because the draft 
EIS does not adequately discuss the need for the project in terms of a 
public interest, a range of alternatives needed to meet the purpose and 
need for the project, and environmental risks posed by the proposed 
alternative.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65316-ID

    Rating EC2, Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District Noxious Weed 
Control

[[Page 14720]]

Project, Treating 76 Specific Sites across District, Kootenai and 
Shoshone Counties, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the proposed 
methodologies for the controlling noxious weeds. The Final EIS should 
address operational objectives or performance standards, additional 
strategies to prevent the spread of noxious weeds, funding for the 
control of weed expansion and adaptive management that addresses 
treatment other than chemical ones.

ERP No. D-BLM-K65217-AZ

    Rating EO2, Ray Land Exchange/Plan Amendment, Implementation, 
Exchange of Federal Lands for Public Lands, Pinal, Gila and Mohave 
Counties, AZ.
    Summary: EPA expressed strong objections to the proposed project 
because of its potential for significant environmental degradation. EPA 
recommended that BLM consider preparing a revised DEIS with 
substantially more information regarding other alternatives, the 
affected environment, and environmental consequences, including 
indirect and cumulative impacts, with respect to site geology and 
geochemistry, hydrology and hydrogeology, existing and potential future 
water and air quality, riparian and aquatic resources, facilities 
design, minerals and land management, environmental justice, and 
mitigation measures.

ERP No. D-DOA-G36150-AR

    Rating EC2, Departee Creek Watershed Plan Flood Prevention, 
Implementation, COE Section 404 Permit, Independence and Jackson 
Counties, AR.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding wetland 
impacts, alternative, mitigation, and environmental justice. Additional 
information concerning these issues was requested.

ERP No. DS-AFS-L67036-OR

    Rating EC2, Nicore Mining Project, Implementation, New Information 
on Six New Alternatives, Plan-of-Operations, Mining of Four Sites, Road 
Construction, Reconstruction, Hauling and Stockpiling of Ore, Rough and 
Ready Creek Watershed, Illinois Valley Ranger District, Siskiyou 
National Forest, Medford District.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with mining in the 
Rough and Ready watershed because of potential impacts to water quality 
and the unique ecological values of the area. The Final EIS should 
disclose complete monitoring plan and mitigation plans.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-BLM-L65272-ID

    Challis Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Upper 
Columbus--Salmon Clearwater Districts, Salmon River, Lemhi and Custer 
Counties, ID.
    Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project 
found to be satisfactory.

ERP No. F-GSA-C60004-NY

    Governors Island Disposition of Surplus Federal Real Property, 
Implementation, Upper New York Bay, NY.
    Summary: EPA's review of the Final EIS have been adequately 
addressed. In light of the covenants that will be set forth in the 
transfer deed, EPA have concluded that the proposed project would not 
result in significant adverse environmental impacts; therefore, EPA has 
no objections to the implementation of the proposed project.

ERP No. F-IBR-K28018-CA

    Central Valley Project, Municipal and Industrial Water Supply 
Contracts under Public Law 101-514 (Section 206), Sacramento County 
Water Agency and San Juan Water District, City of Folsom, Sacramento 
County, CA.
    Summary: EPA continues to be concerned with the probability of 
additional diversions from the American river. EPA urge selection of 
diversion point on the American River below the courthouse of the 
American River.

ERP No. F-STA-G50007-00

    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 finds that the Final Programmatic EIS to be adequate 
and has no objections to preferred alternative.

ERP No. FS-UMC-K24018-CA

    Sewage Effluent Compliance Project, Updated and Additional 
Information, Implementation, Lower Santa Margarita Basin, Marine Corps 
Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, CA.
    Summary: EPA indicated that the FSEIS adequately addressed EPA 
environmental objections. EPA request that a Record of Decision (ROD) 
not be made until the Navy fully evaluates a final percolation pond 
study. EPA also asked the Navy to provide a detailed monitoring and 
reporting program and contingency measures, for their selected 
alternative, to ensure that no adverse impacts would occur to the 
nearby salt marsh. EPA also commented on concerns regarding long term 
health of riparian habitat and asked the Navy to acknowledge its 
intent, in the ROD, to seek funding for tertiary treatment facilities.

Other

ERP No. LD-UAF-K11096-NV

    Rating EO2, Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR), Renewal of the Land 
Withdrawal to Provide a Safe and Secure Location to Test Equipment and 
Train Military Personnel, Clark, Lincoln and Nye Counties, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed objections due to the excessively long 
proposed periods between public reviews of the land withdrawal (i.e., 
indefinitely or 25 years) of the roughly 3 million acre area. EPA 
requested additional information regarding impacts to ground and 
surface water, hazardous materials and waste, safety, and biological 
resources.

    Dated: March 23, 1999.
William D. Dickerson,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 99-7490 Filed 3-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U