[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 66630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27827]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6634-6]


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-K65245-AZ Rating EC2, Kachina Village Forest Health 
Project, forest health improvements and wildfire reduction potentials 
on national forest system land, implementation, Coconino National 
Forest, Mormon Lake Ranger District, Coconino County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns related to 
transportation system planning, fire risk conditions on adjacent 
private lands, ecological justification for harvesting large trees, 
funding for mitigation and details of road decommissioning. EPA 
requested this information be included in the final EIS.
    ERP No. D-AFS-K65246-AZ Rating LO, Flagstaff/Lake Mary ecosystem 
analyses area, amendment to the Coconino Forest Plan, implementation, 
Coconino National Forest, Peaks and Mormon Lake Ranger Districts, 
Coconino County, AZ.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the proposed action.
    ERP No. D-AFS-K65364-CA Rating LO, Red Star Restoration Project, 
removal of fire-killed trees, fuel reduction, road reconstruction and 
decommissioning and associated restoration, Tahoe National Forest, 
Foresthill Ranger District, Placer County, CA.
    Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed project, given that 
the ecological restoration activities, including road decommissioning, 
mitigation measures, and monitoring are implemented as described in the 
Draft EIS.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K65242-CA Rating LO, Coachella Valley California 
Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto 
Mountains Trails Management Plan, implementation, Riverside and San 
Bernardino Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed plan, and requested 
that additional information concerning adaptive management and 
monitoring be provided in the Final EIS.
    ERP No. D-BPA-L08062-WA Rating EC2, Grand Coulee-Bell 500-kV 
Transmission Line Project, construction and operation, U.S. Army COE 
section 10 permit issuance, Douglas, Lincoln, Grant Spokane Counties, 
WA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
alternatives, air quality, cultural resources, water quality, 
characterization of expected effects and threatened and endangered 
species. EPA requested additional information be added to the EIS to 
more fully discuss alternative actions, how the project will comply 
with existing TMDLs, clearly define resources at risk and include a 
biological assessment.
    ERP No. D-COE-G01015-TX Rating LO, Three Oaks Mine Project, 
construction and operation of a surface lignite mine, U.S. Amry COE 
section 404 permit issuance, Lee and Bastrop Counties, TX.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the selection of the preferred 
alternative. EPA requested that clarification information be added to 
several items to strengthen the Final EIS.
    ERP No. D-NPS-K65244-CA Rating LO, Yosemite Fire Management Plan, 
alternative for carrying out the fire management program, 
implementation, Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada, Mariposa, 
Tuolumne, Madera and Mono Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed plan and commended 
the Park Service for its thorough and user friendly Draft EIS.
    ERP No. DS-AFS-J65314-MT Rating LO, Meadow Smith Project, new and 
additional information concerning management actions designed to 
maintain the presence of and protect the unique characteristics of 
open-grow, large-tree ponderosa pine and western larch forest 
communities, Flathead National Forest, Swan Lake Ranger District, Lake 
and Missoula Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections and noted opportunities 
for increased mitigation measures with no more than minor changes to 
the proposed action resulting in improved aquatic health, especially 
improved fish passage.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BLM-K65231-CA, Northern and Eastern Mojave Planning Area 
(NEMO), California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendments, 
implementation Mojave Desert, CA.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K65330-CA, Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Plan 
(Plan), implementation, comprehensive framework for managing species 
and habitats (BLM), Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP) and Chocolate 
Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range, California Desert, Riverside, Imperial 
and San Bernardino Counties, CA.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-NPS-K65229-CA, Santa Cruz Island Primary Restoration 
Plan, implementation, Channel Island National Park, Santa Cruz Island, 
Santa Barbara County, CA.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. FA-NOA-E91007-00, South Atlantic Region Shrimp Fishery 
Management Plan, amendment 5, additional information concerning rock 
shrimp in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), NC, SC, FL and GA.
    Summary: EPA's previous issues have been resolved. Therefore, EPA 
has no objection to the proposed action and supports additional future 
amendments describing actions intended to generate data on bycatch and 
characteristics of rock shrimp essential habitats.

    Dated: October 29, 2002.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-27827 Filed 10-31-02; 8:45 am]
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