[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 20293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9866]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6617-4]


Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of 
EPA Comments

    Availability of EPA comments prepared 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 the Federal Register dated April 14, 2000 (65 FR 20157).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65329-MT
    Rating EC2, Maudlow--Toston Post-Fire Salvage Sale, Harvesting 
Burnt Timber, Implementation, Helena National Forest, Townsend Ranger 
District, Broadway County, MT.
    Summary: The EPA expressed concerns about he limited range of 
alternatives analysis, the cumulative effects analysis, and the lack of 
information on project hydrologic/aquatics monitoring. The FEIS should 
address these issues and the needed mitigation measures.

    ERP No. D-BLM-G70005-NM Rating LO,
    Sierra and Otero Counties Resource Management Plan Amendment and 
Federal Fluid Minerals Leasing and Development, Implementation, Sierra 
and Otero Counties, NM.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections to the selection of the 
preferred alternative; however, EPA suggested that the final EIS 
include information on the pre-drilling analysis to be conducted before 
receiving permit approval as described in the application to drill 
(APD).

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BLM-K67051-NV, Marigold Mine Expansion Project, 
Implementation, COE Section 404 Permit, Special-Use-Permit, Humboldt 
County, NV.
    Summary: EPA is pleased that mercury air emissions will be 
significantly lower than those estimated in the DEIS and that the 
preferred alternative reduces surface disturbance, including direct 
impacts to Trout Creek. However, EPA continues to express concerns that 
impacts to air water quality and mitigation measures remain unclear; 
and that the bond for closure and post-closure activities is not 
included in the FEIS for public review and that the project should 
additional control technology to reduce mercury emissions.

    ERP No. F-COE-G11035-00, Programmatic--Fort Bliss Mission and Real 
Property Master Plan, Revised Land Use and Enhance Management of the 
Land, Airspace and Infrastructure, El Pasco County, TX and Dona Ana and 
Otero Counties, NM.
    Summary: EPA has reviewed the FEIS and has no further comments to 
offer.

    ERP No. F-COE-K40242-CA, Adoption--CA--125 South Route Location, 
Adoption and Construction, between CA-905 on Otay Mesa to CA-54 in 
Spring Valley, Funding and COE Section 404 Permit, San Diego County, 
CA.
    Summary: The Army Corps of Engineers announced its intent to adopt 
the Federal Highway Administration's Final EIS for the project in 
connection with a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit application 
currently pending with the Corps. EPA believes it is incumbent upon the 
Corps to address the serious inadequacies identified by EPA in FHWA's 
FEIS, especially in providing an analysis of the potential 
environmental impacts associated with full build-out of the proposed 
arterial facilities and any projects that could not proceed ``but for'' 
the construction of State Route 125 South. As noted in EPA's comment 
letter to FHWA on its FEIS, EPA believes that the FEIS is fundamentally 
flawed in several major respects and thus does not provide full public 
disclosure under NEPA. To ensure that agencies and the public have an 
opportunity to consider the full range of the project's impacts 
(including indirect and cumulative impacts), EPA strongly recommends 
that the Corps circulate for public review and comment the 
Environmental Assessment (EA) being prepared in connection with the 
proposed Clean Water Act Section 404 permit action now pending with the 
Corps.

    ERP No. F-UAF-G11039-TX, Brooks City Base Project, To Improve 
Mission Effectiveness and Reduce Cost of Quality Installation Support, 
Implementation, Brooks Air Force Base, Bexar County, TX.
    Summary: EPA review of the FEIS finds that the document adequately 
responded to the our comments offered on the Draft Statement. EPA has 
no other comments to offer.

    Dated: April 17, 2001.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 01-9866 Filed 4-19-01; 8:45 am]
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