[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63420-63421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26000]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6634-1]


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 17992).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-E60006-KY Rating EC2, Daniel Boone National Forest 
Land Exchange Project, Exchanging two Federal Tracts for 98.17 Acres of 
Privately Owned Land located in Owsley County, Federal Lands to be 
considered are Tract 107AB (52.15 acres) located on Langdon Branch in 
Leslie County and Tract 745 (39.96 acres) located on Spicer Fork in 
Perry County, KY.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential adverse impacts 
from the proposed land exchange and reasonably foreseeable surface 
mining activities on the long-term quality of headwater streams. The 
final EIS should describe how the water quality of Buckhorn Lake will 
be protected.
    ERP No. D-AFS-F65032-MN Rating EC2, Holmes/Chipmunk Timber Sale 
Project, Implementation, Superior National Forest, LaCroix Ranger 
District, Saint Louis County, MN.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential impacts to 219 
acres of wetlands under the preferred alternative. The final EIS should 
describe restoration methodologies and the details of contingency 
mitigation measures.
    ERP No. D-BLM-G65083-NM Rating EC2, Farmington Resource Management 
Plan, Implementation, Managing Public Lands within the Farmington Field 
Office (FFO) Boundaries and Federal Oil and Gas Resources within the 
New Mexico Portion of San Juan Basin, San Juan, McKinley, Rio Arriba 
and Sandoval Counties, NM.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concerns for potential impacts to water 
quality, riparian habitat and air quality. The final EIS should give 
more detail on mitigation measures and discuss contrasts between the 
various alternatives.
    ERP No. D-FHW-E40320-NC Rating EO1, US 321 Highway Improvement 
Project (TIP), from NC-1500 (Blackberry Road) north to U.S. 221 in 
Blowing Rock, Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, 
Town of Blowing Rock, Caldwell and Watauga Counties, NC.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental objections to Alternative 4A due to 
impact to the Blue Ridge Escarpment and cut-and fill construction.
    ERP No. D-FHW-E40795-NC Rating EC2, US-17 Interstate Corridor 
Improvements, south of NC-1127 (Possum Track Road) to north of NC-1418 
(Roberson Road) Funding and Permit Issuance, City of Washington and 
Town of Chocowinity Vicinity, Beaufort and Pitt Counties, NC.

Summary

    EPA had environmental concerns and requested more information 
regarding noise analysis, farmland losses, and mitigation of potential 
impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-K40252-CA Rating EO2, Willits Freeway Bypass Project, 
Construction and Operation of a New Segment of U.S. 101, Funding, U.S. 
Army COE Section 404 Permit, NPDES Permit and Endangered Species Act 
Incidental Take Permit, City of Willits, Mendocino County, CA.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental objections to the magnitude of impact 
to waters of the U.S. from the proposed project. Additionally, 
sufficient information regarding feasibility and commitment to 
appropriate mitigation measures was not provided. EPA had concerns 
about the scope of analysis, indirect and cumulative impacts, and the 
avoidance and minimization of these impacts.
    ERP No. D-NPS-K65365-AZ Rating LO, Navajo National Monument, 
General Management Plan and Development Concept Plan, Implementation, 
Navajo Counties, AZ.

Summary

    EPA expressed lack of objections and supports protecting cultural 
and natural resources and providing improved visitor services by 
emphasizing partnerships with tribes and other stakeholders.
    ERP No. D-USN-D52000-00 Rating EC1, Introduction of F/A 18 E/F 
(Super Hornet) Aircraft, Replacing the F-14 (TOMCAT) and F/A-18 C/D 
(Hornet) Aircraft, Homebasing and Operation, Possible Homebase sites 
include Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, VA; Marine Corps Air Station 
(MCAS) Beaufort, SC and MCAS Cherry Point.

Summary

    EPA expressed environmental concern regarding noise impacts 
associated with the introduction of the Super Hornet aircraft. EPA 
believes that Alternative 6 would have lesser overall adverse 
consequences to the natural environment than Alternative 4A.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-F05123-00, Adoption--Bond Falls Hydroelectric 
Project, New License Issuance for an Existing Hydroelectric License 
(FECR No. 1864-005), Ontonagon River Basin, Ontonagon and Gogebic 
Counties, MI and Vilas County, WI.

[[Page 63421]]

Summary

    EPA has no objections to this project. The project has not changed 
significantly since the Draft stage.
    ERP No. F-BIA-K65237-CA, Agua Caliente Indian Reservation Project, 
Proposed Section 14 Specific Plan and Master Development Plan, Agua 
Caliente Band of Cahulla Indians, City of Palm Springs, Riverside 
County, CA.

Summary

    EPA expressed continued environmental concerns about impacts to air 
quality and water sustainability. EPA requested that BIA address the 
applicability of the Clean Air Act's General Conformity Rule and 
discuss current regional water management efforts in the Record of 
Decision.
    ERP No. F-BLM-J02011-00, Programmatic EIS--Southern Ute Indian 
Reservation Oil and Gas Development, Implementation, San Juan Basin, 
LaPlata, Archuleta, Montezuma Counties, CO and Rio Arriba and San Juan 
Counties, NM.

Summary

    EPA continues to express environmental concerns about uncontrolled 
methane migration to the surface. The final EIS does include additional 
information on wetland impacts and avoidance and permitting procedures 
in response to EPA comments on the DEIS.
    ERP No. F-FAA-K51040-CA, Santa Barbara Airport Improvements, 
Extension of Runway Safety Areas for Runway 7/25, Expansion of the 
Airline Terminal Building, Construction of New Cargo Building, New 
Taxiway M, New On-Airport Service Road and Additional T-Hangers and 
Pavement of Taxiway B, Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 and 10 
Permits Issuance, Santa Barbara County, CA.

Summary

    EPA had no objections to the proposed action. EPA did request that 
the Record of Decision address whether further air quality mitigation 
measures by the airport are feasible and available to reduce non-
project-related emissions at the airport; and whether FAA can assist in 
the implementation of additional air quality-related mitigation 
measures.
    ERP No. F-FHW-C40152-NJ, NJ-52(1) Causeway (known as MacArthur 
Boulevard) Construction Project, between NJ-9 in Somers Point, Atlantic 
County to Bay Avenue in Ocean City, Cape May County, Funding, U.S. Army 
COE Section 404 and 10 Permits and U.S. Coast Guard Permit Issuance, 
Atlantic and Cape May Counties, NJ.

Summary

    EPA expressed no further concerns regarding the project as 
proposed.

    Dated: October 8, 2002.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-26000 Filed 10-10-02; 8:45 am]
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