[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 61 (Friday, March 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15193-15195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7648]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6627-8]


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 
27647).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-F65030-IL Rating LO, Natural Area Trails Project, 
Construction, Reconstruction,

[[Page 15194]]

Maintenance and Designation of Trails for Hikers and Equestrian Use, 
Approval of Site-Specific Mitigation and/or Monitoring Standards, 
Shawnee National Forest, Jackson, Pope, Johnson, Union, Hardin and 
Saline Counties, IL.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the proposed repair, relocation 
and establishment of trails which are intended to reduce erosion and 
exotic plant introductions, and provide quality recreational 
experiences for equestrian users and hikers.

    ERP No. D-BLM-K09807-NV Rating LO, Table Mountain Wind Generating 
Facility Project, Construction of a 150 to 205 Megawatt (MW) Wind 
Powered Electric Generation Facility and Ancillary Facilities, Right-
of-Way Grant, Spring Mountain Range between the Communities of 
Goodsprings, Sandy Valley, Jean and Primm, Clark County, NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections with the DEIS, 
supported the mitigation measures presented and commended BLM for its 
role in developing renewable energy sources.

    ERP No. D-COE-E39056-FL Rating EC2, Lake Tohopekaliga Extreme 
Drawdown and Habitat Enhancement Project, Fish and Wildlife Habitat 
Improvements, Construction, Operation and Maintenance, Osceola County, 
FL.
    Summary: EPA requested additional information about the effects of 
each alternative, and expressed environmental concerns over the impacts 
of converting littoral wetland habitat into muck disposal islands.

    ERP No. D-NOA-K91010-00 Rating EC2, US West Coast Fisheries for 
Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP), Approval and 
Implementation, Ocean Waters off the States of Washington, Oregon and 
California a portion of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), WA, OR and 
CA.
    Summary: The DEIS is progressive in its management of the highly 
migratory species fishery. However, EPA expressed environmental concern 
on the lack of information on bycatch in the fishery, benefits of 
particular mesh sizes for the drift gillnet fishery, Endangered Species 
Act coordination, and research actions to address information gaps.

    ERP No. DB-COE-H36012-MO Rating EU2, St. Johns Bayou and New Madrid 
Floodway Project, Channel Enlargement and Improvement, Revised 
Information to Formulate and Analyze Additional Alternatives, Flood 
Control and National Economic Development (NED), New Madrid, 
Mississippi and Scott Counties, MO.
    Summary: EPA rated the Authorized Project (alternative 2) as 
``environmentally unsatisfactory-insufficient information'' (EU2) on 
the basis of significant loss of wetlands, uncertainty of achieving 
compensable mitigation, and an incomplete Clean Water Act Section 
404(b)(1) evaluation. Alternative 3-2 was also rated EU-2 (same basis). 
Alternative 3-3 was rated ``environmental objections-insufficient 
information'' (EO-2) as this alternative reduces impacts to a 
contiguous tract of bottomland hardwood wetlands, and reduces the 
mitigation burden.

    ERP No. DR-COE-H34028-00 Rating EU2, Missouri River Master Water 
Control Manual Review and Update, Mainstem Reservoir System, New and 
Updated Information, Missouri River Basin, SD, NE, IA and MO.
    Summary: The Missouri River Master Manual RDEIS has no preferred 
alternative; thus, all alternatives were rated. The CWCP and MCP 
alternatives were rated ``environmentally unsatisfactory--insufficient 
information'' (EU-2), based on their environmental impacts which 
increase environmental degradation. Alternatives GP 1521, GP 1528, GP 
2021 and GP 2028 were rated ``environmental concerns'' (EC-2). EPA also 
stated that a better discussion of a monitoring plan, and more specific 
discussion of how adaptive management will be implemented, should be 
included in the Final EIS.

    ERP No. DS-FRC-L05053-WA Rating LO, Condit Hydroelectric (No. 2342) 
Project, Updated Information on an Application to Amend the Current 
License to Extend the License Term to October 1, 2006, White Salmon 
River, Skamania and Klickitat Counties, WA.
    Summary: EPA believes that the overall environmental benefits that 
would be achieved by removing the dam at the end of the license term 
outweigh the loss of the relatively modest amount of power that the 
project contributes to the Western Systems Coordinating Council region 
of the North American Electric Reliability Council. EPA supports the 
selection of the Settlement Agreement alternative including recommended 
modifications.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J08025-CO Nucla-Telluride Transmission Line Project, 
Permit Approval and Funding for Construction and Operation of a 115 kV 
Transmission Line between the Nucla Substation in Montrose County and 
either the Telluride or Sunshine Substations in San Miguel County, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about a lack of 
quantitative analysis of the acreage of wetland and aquatic resource 
impacts. The level of these impacts was not clearly differentiated 
among the various alternatives.

    ERP No. F-AFS-J65339-UT Solitude Mountain Resort Master Development 
Plan (MDP), Implementation, Special-Use-Permit and US Army COE Section 
404 Permit Issuance, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake County, 
UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with water withdrawal 
for snowmaking associated with this project due to the potential for 
adverse impacts to aquatic life in Big Cottonwood Creek.

    ERP No. F-AFS-L65315-ID West Fork Potlatch Timber Harvesting, Road 
Construction, Reforestation and Watershed Restoration, Palouse Ranger 
District, Clearwater National Forest, Latah County, ID
    Summary: The final EIS adequately discloses the impacts and 
satisfactorily responded to most of EPA's comments on the draft EIS. 
The project is intended to benefit the landscape and EPA has no 
objection to the action as proposed.

    ERP No. F-AFS-L65379-ID Little Weiser Landscape Vegetation 
Management Project, Implementation, Council Ranger District, Payette 
National Forest, Adams County, ID.
    Summary: The final EIS adequately responded to EPA's comments on 
the draft EIS and EPA has no objection to the action as proposed.

    ERP No. F-AFS-L65386-ID Little Blacktail Ecosystem Restoration 
Project, Health and Productivity of Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitats 
Improvement, Implementation, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, 
Sandpoint Ranger District, Bonner County, ID.
    Summary: The final EIS responded to EPA's previous comments on the 
draft EIS and EPA has no objection to the action as proposed.

    ERP No. F-DOE-L08057-OR Umatilla Generating Project, Gas-Fired 
Combined Cycle Electric Power Generation Plant Construction and 
Operation with a Nominal Generation Capacity of 550 megawatts (MW) for 
Connection to the Regional Grid at McNary Substation, Umatilla County, 
AZ.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

    ERP No. F-NOA-L91016-AK American Fisheries Act Amendments 61/61/13/
8: Amendment 61 Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands Area; Amendment 61 Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Amendment 
13 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab, and Amendment 
8 to the Scallop Fishery off Alaska, Fishery Management Plans, AK.

[[Page 15195]]

    Summary: EPA agrees with the conclusion that the weekly pollock 
landings and fish waste discharges by inshore processors during summer 
months raises environmental concerns about impacts to water quality. 
EPA recommends that the ROD commit to monitoring and follow-up 
mitigation measures to ensure that significant degradation of water 
quality and habitat do not result from the amendment.

    ERP No. FE-NOA-L64015-AK Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures in 
the Alaska Groundfish Fisheries, Fishery Management Plans for 
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the Groundfish Fishery of the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area, AK.
    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about the 
population viability of Steller sea lions.

    Dated: March 26, 2002.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-7648 Filed 3-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U