[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49669-49671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24384]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

(ER-FRL-6622-3)


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 FR dated May 18, 2001 (97 FR 
27647).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65347-MT Rating EC2, Gold/Boulder/Sullivan (GBS), 
Implementation of Timber Harvest and Associated Activities and Rexford 
Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about proposed 
riparian timber harvests with modification of INFISH RHCA guidelines, 
harvests in the MA-2 semi-primitive non-motorized recreation area, open 
road density levels exceeding Forest standards, and regeneration 
harvests in older forest habitat. EPA recommended that additional 
analysis be conducted to modify the preferred alternative to optimize 
environmental and resources trade-offs, and to include monitoring to 
detect effects on water quality.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65348-CO Rating EC2, Bark Beetle Analysis, Proposal 
to Reduce Infestation of Trees by Tree-Killing Bark Beetles, Medicine 
Bow-Routt National Forests, Hahans Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District, 
Routt, Grand, Jackson and Moffat Counties, CO.
    Summary: EPA generally supports beetle suppression activities; 
however, EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential adverse 
impacts from thinning and associated road construction. Additional 
analysis and a description of the proposed adaptive management plan 
should be considered and included in the FEIS.
    ERP No. D-AFS-K65234-CA Rating EC2, Mineral Forest Recovery 
Project, Proposes to Construct Defensible Fuel Profile Zones (DFPZs), 
Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Tehama County, CA.
    Summary: EPA raised concerns related to purpose and need, 
alternative development, road construction and decommissioning, and 
analysis of

[[Page 49670]]

cumulative impacts associated with maintaining DFPZs.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65386-ID Rating EC2, Little Blacktail Ecosystem 
Restoration Project, To Improve the Health and Producity of Terrestrial 
and Aquatic Habitats, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Sandpoint 
Ranger District, Bonner County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns that no rationale was provided 
about choice of a preferred alternative over a more environmentally 
beneficial alternative. EPA also believes further rationale is needed 
on why two alternatives were considered but eliminated. Finally, the 
EIS needs to discuss how these project activities are consistent with 
the TMDL for the Cocolalla Creek.
    ERP No. D-COE-J64008-SD Rating EC2, Title VI Land Transfer South 
Dakota, Transfer of 91,178 Acres of Land at Lake Oahe, Lake Sharp, Lake 
Francise Case, and Lewis & Clark Lake, from the US Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE) to the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and 
Parks (SDGFP), SD.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns about the absence of an 
alternatives analysis and mitigation. EPA recommends developing 
mitigation for threatened and endangered species, water quality, 
cultural resources and historic properties, and Native American access 
to lands transferred to the state.
    ERP No. D-DOD-A11076-00 Rating EC2, Assembled Chemical Weapons 
Destruction Technologies at One or More Sites: Design, Construction and 
Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities, Anniston Army Depot, 
AL; Pine Bluff Arsenal, AR; Blue Grass Army Depot, KY and Pueblo 
Chemical Depot, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding transportation of wastes, 
impacts on agriculture and accident planning. EPA requested additional 
information on these issues.
    ERP No. D-FHW-F40396-IL Rating EC2, U.S. 67 (FAP-310) Expressway 
from Jacksonville to Macomb Transportation Improvements, NPDES and COE 
Section 10 and 404 Permits, Morgan, Cass, Schuyler and McDonough 
Counties, IL.
    Summary: EPA expressed concern regarding purpose and need, 
alignment alternatives, surface water quality impacts, and groundwater 
quality impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-K40245-CA Rating EC2, CA-78/111 Brawley Bypass, 
Construction of an Expressway from CA-86 to CA-11, City of Brawley, 
Funding, Imperial County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding the potential loss of 380 
to 450 acres of prime and statewide important farmland from the 
proposed action, and over 2,500 acres of farmland cumulatively, from 
the set of highway improvements from the Calexico Port of Entry at the 
Mexican Border to Riverside County. Additionally, EPA found the air 
quality analyses to be inconclusive.
    ERP No. D-FRC-B03012-00 Rating EC2, Phase III/Hubline Project, 
Construction and Operation a Natural Gas Pipeline, Maritimes and 
Northeast Pipeline (Docket No. CPO1-4-000), Algonquin Gas Transmission 
(Docket No. CP01-5-000) and Texas Eastern Transmission (Docket No. 
CP01-8-000), MA and CT.
    Summary: EPA requested additional information concerning impacts to 
the marine environment, drinking water supplies and project mitigation.
    ERP No. D-FTA-K51041-CA Rating EC2, BART-Oakland International 
Airport Connector, Extending south from the Existing Coliseum BART 
Station, about 3.2 miles, to the Airport Terminal Area, Alameda County, 
CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed concerns regarding the absence of a formal 
jurisdictional wetland delineation and the absence of an environmental 
review of the candidate sites for the Quality Bus maintenance and 
storage facility. EPA requested additional analysis and documentation 
on both of these issues.
    ERP No. D-GSA-D81032-MD Rating EC2, Suitland Federal Center, 
Construction and Operation of a 226-acre Federal Employment Center, 
Programmatic Development Plan and Phase I Implementation, Prince 
George's County, MD.
    Summary: EPA expressed concern relating to air quality impacts 
associated with increased traffic and that the phases of development 
may not conform with the air quality attainment plan. EPA encouraged 
consultation with the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee 
prior to the issuance of the FEIS and that GSA make a committed effort 
to mitigate ongoing traffic impacts by adopting alternatives that will 
alleviate traffic congestion during standard peak hours.
    ERP No. D-SFW-L91014-WA Rating EC2, Icicle Creek Restoration Creek 
Project, To Protect and Aid in the Recovery of Threatened and 
Endangered Fish, Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (LNFH), COE Section 
404 and NPDES Permits, Leavenworth, WA.
    Summary: EPA's expressed concerns that the DEIS did not evaluate 
all reasonable alternatives and did not adequately analyze the projects 
environmental impacts.
    ERP No. DA-NPS-K61137-AZ Rating LO, Organ Pipe Cactus National 
Monument General Management Plan and Development Concept Plan, Updated 
Information concerning Re-Analysis of Cumulative Effects of the Sonoran 
Pronghorn, Portion of the Sonoran Desert, Pima County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA commended the National Park Service for its thorough 
evaluation of cumulative effects associated with activities that could 
potentially impact Sonoran pronghorn, and encouraged the National Park 
Service to continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to 
address the continuing incremental reduction in the ability of Sonoran 
pronghorn to maintain a viable population in United States.
    ERP No. DS-USA-K11099-CA Rating EC2, Oakland Army Base Disposal and 
Reuse Plan, Implementation, New Information concerning a Flexible 
Alternative, City of Oakland, Alameda County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns due to pollution 
prevention issues and environmental justice related impacts/
environmental justice related mitigation measures.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J65286-MT, Hemlock Point Access Project, Construction 
of 860 feet of Low Standard Road Access for Plum Creek Lands, Approval, 
Swan Valley, Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest, Lake 
and Missoula Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental concerns with 
impacts from the connected actions of road construction and timber 
harvest resulting from granting the access easement. EPA concerns are 
based on potential adverse impacts from Plum Creek road and harvest 
plans to water quality and fisheries in Windfall Creek and the 
threatened bull trout and grizzly bear. EPA recommended the ROD address 
less damaging road construction and logging measures on Plum Creek 
lands from the proposed action.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65327-CO, Baylor Park Blowdown Project, Salvage and 
Treat Down and Damaged Timber, To Reduce Impact of Spruce Beetles, 
Implementation, White River National Forest, Sopris and Rifle Ranger 
Districts, Garfield, Mesa, and Pitkin Counties, CO.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-AFS-J65345-MT, Pink Stone Fire Recovery and Associated 
Activities, Reduction of Existing and

[[Page 49671]]

Expected Future Fuel Accumulations, Kootena National Forest, Rexford 
Ranger District, Lincoln County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the effects of 
timber harvest on the fire impacted streams. Additional harvest and 
fuel reduction action in the preferred alternative will increase peak 
flow impacts. EPA suggested evaluating an alternative that provides a 
more optimal balance of the environmental and resource trade-offs.
    ERP No. F-BOP-G81010-LA, Pollock Federal Correctional Institution, 
Construction and Operation, near Town of Pollock, Grant Parish, LA.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the selection of the preferred 
alternative as described in the Final EIS.
    ERP No. F-BOP-K80043-AZ, Southern Arizona Federal Correctional 
Facility, Construction and Operation, Pima and Yuma Counties, AZ.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-COE-K90029-CA, Delta Wetlands Project, Construction and 
Operation Water Storage Project on Four Islands in the Sacramento-San 
Joaquin Delta, Approval of Permits, San Joaquin and Contra Costa 
Counties, CA.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-FHW-G40147-NM, Paseo del Volcon Corridor, Acquisition of 
Right-of-Way and Construction of Roadway, from the Intersection of I-40 
to Intersection of NM-44 near the Town of Bernalillo, Bernalillo and 
Sandoval Counties, NM.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred 
alternative as described in the FEIS. Comments offered on the DEIS have 
been fully responded to. We have no additional comments to offer.
    ERP No. F-GSA-D80030-DC, Department of Transportation Headquarters, 
Proposal to Lease 1.3 to 1.35 Million Rentable Square Feet of 
Consolidated and Upgraded Space, Five Possible Sites, Located in the 
Central Employment Area, Washington, DC.
    Summary: The Final EIS adequately addresses the comments raised in 
the Draft EIS. EPA requested that GSA, prior to the opening of the new 
DOT Headquarters, coordinate with the Washington Metropolitan Area 
Transportation Authority (WMATA) on Green Line capacity assurance for 
the additional DOT passengers.
    ERP No. F-IBR-K36132-CA, Colusa Basin Drainage District, Developing 
an Integrated Resource Management Program for the Control of Flooding, 
Glenn, Colusa and Yolo Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA urged a focus on effective management and smaller 
structural approaches such as Best Management Practices, flood 
easements, setback levees and modified grazing practices. The District 
and Reclamation have stated that the current evaluation is programmatic 
and that identified information gaps will be addressed at the project 
level. We requested a specific commitment in the Record of Decision to 
full project level evaluation and analysis of these information gaps.
    ERP No. F-SFW-K64020-CA, Metro Air Park Habitat Conservation Plan, 
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit, To Protect, Conserve and Enhance 
Fish, Wildlife and Plants and their Habitat, Natomas Basin, Sacramento 
County, CA.
    Summary: EPA remains concerned with cumulative impacts and general 
conformity with regional air quality plans. We recommended the ROD 
include a more complete cumulative impact analysis and a general 
conformity analysis, if applicable.
    ERP No. F-USA-K11092-AZ, Yuma Proving Ground Multipurpose 
Installation, Diversification of Mission and Changes to Land Use, NPDES 
General Permit and COE Section 404 Permit, Yuma and La Pas Counties, 
AZ.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

    Dated: September 24, 2001.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 01-24384 Filed 9-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P