[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54241-54242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27044]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6623-2]


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-J65338-UT Rating EC2, Units National Forest Revised 
Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Juab, Sanpete, 
Tooele, Utah and Wasatch Counties, UT.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns with the small number of 
wilderness area acres recommended for

[[Page 54242]]

designation in the two preferred alternatives compared to the 594,350 
acres that qualified and the lack of management guidelines and the 
analysis of potential impacts to water quality that would result from 
increasing motorized trail use.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65349-UT Rating EC2, Griffin Springs Resource 
Management Project, Implementation, Commercial Timber Harvesting, Aspen 
Regeneration, Management Ignited Prescribed Fire, and Road Work, Dixie 
National Forest, Escalante Ranger District, Garfield County, UT.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential adverse impacts 
from road upgrades and maintenance, beetle suppression and routine 
management activities to old growth forests, wetlands and wildlife. The 
FEIS should include additional site specific analysis/description of 
road and beetle management strategies.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65352-MT Rating EC2, Kelsey-Beaver Fire Recovery 
Project, Implementation of Fuel Reduction and Salvage of Fire-Killed 
Trees within Roderick South, Kelsey Creek, and Upper Beaver Areas, 
Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger District, Lincoln County, 
MT.

Summary

    EPA supported proposed watershed and road system improvements. EPA 
expressed environmental concerns with the limited range of alternatives 
analyzed and potential adverse impacts to water quality. EPA 
recommended that additional winter logging be considered and 
stabilization of eroding banks on streams to reduce sediment 
production. EPA also suggests the final EIS address the consistency of 
proposed actions with State TMDL development needs for the 303(d) 
listed South Fork Yaak River.
    ERP No. D-NPS-D65023-DC Rating LO, Mary McLeod Bethune Council 
House National Historic Site, Implementation, General Management Plan, 
Washington, DC.

Summary

    EPA expressed lack of objections and concurs with the selection of 
Alternative 2.
    ERP No. DS-AFS-J65288-CO Rating EC2, Uncompahgre National Forest 
Travel Plans Revision, and Forest Plan Amendment, Updated Information, 
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Garrison, 
Hinsdale Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan Counties, CO.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns with the lack of detail 
provided for the monitoring plan and its implementation and there are 
no adaptative management strategies discussed to address unanticipated 
impacts to natural resources.

    ERP No. DS-MMS-L67008-ID Rating EO2, Smoky Canyon Mine Panels B and 
C, Propose to Mine Phosphate Ore Reserves in the Final Two Mine Panels, 
National Forest System Lands and Federal Mineral Leases, Caribou 
National Forest, Permit, Caribou County, ID.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental objections based on predicted selenium 
contamination of the Wells Formation aquifer exceeding the national 
ground water standard, the absence of a low-permeable cap design to 
minimize impacts to ground water, a narrow project scope which did not 
examine impacts from continued use of the tailings pond and possible 
mitigation measures, and inadequate mitigation, monitoring, and 
financial assurance for the entire project. EPA requested that these 
issues be addressed before issuing a final EIS.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BLM-K65340-NV Reno Clay Plant Project, Construct and 
Operate an Open-Pit Clay Mine and Ore Processing Facility, Plan-of-
Operations, Oil-Dri Corporation of Nevada, Hungry Valley, Washoe 
County, NV.

Summary

    EPA expressed continuing environmental concerns regarding the 
project's potential impacts to water quality and the need for 
additional information regarding monitoring and mitigation to address 
air and water quality concerns. Any adverse impacts from the project 
would disproportionately affect the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony adjacent 
to the project site. EPA commended BLM and Oil-Dri for working with a 
private land owner to secure a road right-of-way that will reduce air, 
noise and traffic impacts to local residents. EPA will review Washoe 
CountyAQMD's draft minor source air permit when it becomes available 
for public review.
    ERP No. F-FHW-G40157-TX Tyler Loop 49 West, Construction from the 
TX-155
    Highway to I-20 Highway, Funding, NPDES and
    COE Section 404 Permits, Smith County, TX.

Summary

    EPA had no objections to the action as proposed.
    ERP No. F-NPS-G65079-OK Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, 
General Management Plan, Implementation, Roger Mill County, OK.

Summary

    EPA had no objections or comments on the Final EIS.

    Dated: October 23, 2001.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 01-27044 Filed 10-25-01; 8:45 am]
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