[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20762-20763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10342]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6628-7]


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 April 12, 2002 (67 FR 11992).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-FHW-D40316-WV Rating EC2, US-340 Transportation Corridor 
Improvement Study, Implementation, Proposal to Improve US 340 from the 
four-lane Section of the Charles-Town Bypass, Jefferson County, WV.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the considerable 
amount of floodplain impacts along Bullskin Run, and the analysis of 
cumulative impacts. Additional information has been requested to show 
that floodplain impacts are indeed minimal, and that design features 
could be incorporated to minimize those impacts. EPA suggested that the 
cumulative impact analysis be done from a resource perspective, not a 
development perspective.
    ERP No. D-FHW-E50293-00 Rating EO2, Louisville-Southern Indiana 
Ohio River Bridges Projects, To Improve Cross-River Mobility between 
Jefferson County, KY and Clark County, ID, Coast Guard Bridge and US 
Army COE Section 10 and 404 Permits Issuance, Jefferson County, KY and 
Clark County, IN.
    Summary: Environmental issues exist regarding wetlands, streams, 
cultural/community impacts, traffic noise, and habitat. EPA requested 
additional information and clarification regarding these impacts and 
avoidance/mitigation measures.
    ERP No. D-FHW-F40400-MN Rating EO2, Trunk Highway (TH) 169 
Improvement Project, Improvements to TH-169 from TH-27 north of the 
City of Onamia to the Intersection of TH-18 and TH-6 northwest of the 
City of Garrison, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs Counties, MN.
    Summary: EPA has identified issues with and requested information 
regarding the effectiveness of the alternatives; potential impacts to 
aquatic resources and compliance with the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines; 
water quality, and pedestrian impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-F59003-IL Rating EC2, Lake County Transportation 
Improvement Project, To Identify a System of Strategic Roadway, Rail, 
and Bus Improvements, Transportation Management Strategies, Lake 
County, IL.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with respect to aquatic 
resources/Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines compliance, 
wetland functional assessment methodology, water quality, indirect land 
use effects, and about how either alternative may impact resources, 
since either build alternative will adversely impact a significant 
amount of wetlands, many of which are of high quality. However, we 
believe that appropriate avoidance and minimization measures have been 
taken at this stage in the analysis. EPA recommends that the FEIS 
provide specific information about what analysis and determinations are 
planned for Tier 1 versus Tier 2 NEPA documentation.
    ERP No. D-IBR-K39072-00 Rating EC2, Implementation Agreement (IA), 
Inadvertent Overrun and Payback Policy (IOP), and Related Federal 
Actions, Implementation, Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), 
Lower Colorado River, in the States of AZ, CA and NV.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concern with potential impacts 
to water and air quality, biological resources, Indian tribes, and 
potential cumulative impacts on water quality and the increased 
probability of more frequent and higher magnitude water shortages for 
other users of Lower Colorado River water, and with the related 
implementation of the

[[Page 20763]]

Quantification Settlement Agreement and Imperial Irrigation District/
San Diego County Water Authority Water Transfer and significant 
information gaps in the environmental documentation.
    ERP No. D-NOA-A91067-00 Rating EC2, Deep-sea Red Crab (Chaceon 
quinquedens) Fisheries, Fishery Management Plan, Development and 
Implementation, Norfolk Canyon in the south to the Haque Line in the 
north, Continental United States and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
    Summary: EPA requested additional information on minimum size, 
holding bottom traps, and unauthorized sales.
    ERP No. DS-GSA-K80037-CA Rating LO, San Diego-United States 
Courthouse Annex Project, Site Selection and Construction, New 
Information concerning Addition of the Union Street with Hotel San 
Diego Facade and Lobby Alternative, Central Business District (CBD), 
City of San Diego, San Diego County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objections with the DSEIS, but 
recommended that GSA's Final EIS address the applicability of Executive 
Orders on energy and water conservation, using environmentally 
preferable materials for facility construction, waste prevention, 
recycling, and other feasible pollution prevention measures; as well as 
the Council on Environmental Quality's handbook on analyzing cumulative 
effects under NEPA.

    Dated: April 23, 2002.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-10342 Filed 4-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P