[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 218 (Friday, November 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56674-56675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28218]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6623-5]


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 (66 FR 27164).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J65351-MT Rating EC2, Beaverhead-DeerLodge National 
Forest, Noxious Weed Control Program, Implementation, Integrated Weed 
Management, Dillon County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
potential for herbicide transport to surface and ground waters. EPA 
requested additional information on site-specific identification of 
weed species and weed coverage, application rates for herbicide 
treatments and herbicide transport and leaching potential. EPA 
recommended monitoring for herbicides in sensitive waters, a 300 foot 
buffer width for streams and flagging during aerial herbicide 
application.
    ERP No. D-DOE-L08057-OR Rating LO, Umatilla Generating Project, 
Construction and Operation, Gas-Fired Combined Cycle Electric Power 
Generation Plant, Nominal Generation Capacity of 550 megawatts (MW) 
Connection to the Regional Grid at McNary Substation, Umatilla County, 
AZ.
    Summary: EPA used a screening tool to conduct a limited review of 
the draft EIS and, based upon the screen, EPA does not foresee having 
any environmental objections to the project. Consequently, a detailed 
review of the draft EIS was not conducted.
    ERP No. D-FRC-K05057-CA Rating EC2, Big Creek No. 4 Hydroelectric 
Project, Issuing New License, (FERC Project No. 2017), San Joaquin 
River Basin, Sierra National Forest, Fresno, Madera and Tulare 
Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA identified environmental concerns with the analysis, 
including segmenting the analysis of different projects and an 
insufficient range of alternatives. EPA recommended that the analysis 
of the Big Creek #4 Project be incorporated into the ongoing basin-wide 
analysis of the Big Creek System.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J67022-MT, Asarco Rock Creek Copper and Silver Mining 
Construction and Operation Project, Plan of Operations Approval, 
Special Use Permit(s), Road Use Permit, Mineral Material Permit, Timber 
Sale Contract and COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, Kootenai National 
Forest, Sanders County, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the potential 
for elevated metals, particularly copper, to occur in mine drainage/
seepage. EPA recommended that cement be added to the paste tailings as 
a mitigation measure and requested participation on post-EIS technical 
panels as well as adequate public disclosure and review of audit test 
results, paste tailings deposit design and environmental decisions.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65346-ID, Middle Fork Weiser River Watershed 
Project, Implementation of Vegetation Restoration, Landscape Fire 
Pattern and Watershed Restoration Objectives, Payette National Forest, 
Council Ranger District, Adams County, ID.
    Summary: The final EIS fully responded to EPA's comments on the 
draft EIS and EPA has no objections to the action as proposed.
    ERP No. F-BOP-E81039-00, Criminal Alien Requirement (CAR) II, To 
Contract for a Private Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated 
Correctional Facility in Florida, Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama to 
House Adult-Male and Non-US Citizen, AL, FL, GA and/or MS.
    Summary: EPA expressed no environmental objection to the proposed 
project.
    ERP No. F-GSA-D81032-MD, 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 has determined that the General Services 
Administration has adequately addressed its comments within the FEIS.
    ERP No. F-IBR-L36114-WA, Keechelus Dam Project, Safety of Dams 
Modification, Implementation, COE Section 404 Permit, Yakima, Kittitas, 
Benton, and Klickitat Counties, WA.
    Summary: EPA raised environmental concerns that the final EIS did 
not include or analyze dam building/reconstruction alternatives that

[[Page 56675]]

incorporate fish passage as a project alternative that should be 
evaluated.
    ERP No. FB-COE-E32022-NC, Manteo (Shallowbay) Bay Project, 
Enlarging and Deepening Basin at Wanchese, Dare County, NC.
    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental objections to this 
proposal based on our concerns about its potential long-term impacts on 
a regionally important commercial fishery resource, the difficulties 
associated with the construction and operation of the jetty system, 
especially its sand bypassing component, and the uncertainties 
regarding both the need for the project and its assumed economic 
benefits. EPA believes that the project would result in significant 
environmental impacts that should be avoided in order to ensure 
adequate protection of the environment.

    Dated: November 6, 2001.
Joseph C Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 01-28218 Filed 11-8-01; 8:45 am]
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