[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69215-69216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29052]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6635-1]


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 the Federal Register dated April 12, 2002 (67 FR 17992).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-COE-E35086-FL Rating EC2, Fort Pierce Shore Protection 
Project, Future Dredging of Capron Shoal, Implementation, St. Lucie 
County, FL.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns regarding the direct and 
indirect consequences of this proposal which will require additional 
information to determine if the unavoidable losses will be 
appropriately mitigated.
    ERP No. D-DOE-L08063-WA Rating EC2, Plymouth Generating Facility, 
Construction and Operation of a 307-megawatt (MW) Natural Gas-Fired 
Combined Cycle Power Generation Facility on a 44.5 Acre Site, 
Conditional Use/Special Use Permit Issuance, Benton County, WA.
    Summary: EPA identified environmental concerns with the proposed 
project based on its contribution to significant cumulative visibility 
degradation in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and at 
Mount Hood. EPA recommended that the EIS be revised to include a more 
comprehensive air quality analysis.
    ERP No. D-NOA-E91011-00 Rating LO, Northeast Skate Complex Fishery 
Management Plan, Implementation of Management Measures, Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, New England Fishery 
Management Council.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposal, but made suggestions 
on enhancing the efficacy of the study fleet and on multi-species zone 
closures.
    ERP No. D-NOA-E91012-00 Rating LO, Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean 
Quahog Fishery Management Plan Amendment 13, Implementation, US 
Exclusive Economic Zone along the Atlantic Seaboard from Maine through 
North Carolina.
    Summary: EPA expressed no objection to Amendment 13, but made 
suggestions for periodic stock assessment monitoring; for reducing clam 
dredge bycatch; and, for determining gear effects on fauna.
    ERP No. DS-COE-H32002-00 Rating LO, Missouri River Fish and 
Wildlife Mitigation Project to Restore Fish and Wildlife Habitat Losses 
Resulting from Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the Missouri 
River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP), Missouri River, 
Sioux City, Iowa to the Mouth near St. Louis, NB, KS and MO.
    Summary The Draft Supplemental EIS for this project was adequate 
and considered all appropriate environmental impacts. Comments made on 
the DSEIS consisted of suggestions to improve the presentation or 
organization of data to ease the reader's understanding.
    ERP No. DS-UAF-K11076-00 Rating LO, Airborne Laser (ABL) Program to 
Conduct Test Activities at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) and White 
Sands Missile Range/Holloman AFB, New Mexico and Edwards AFB and 
Vandenberg AFB CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed a lack of objection on the proposed action 
but requested clarification on the applicability of this project to the 
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, the Pollution 
Prevention Act and Executive Order 13148 for ammonia, chlorine and 
sulfuric acid.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-BIA-K39071-00 Truckee River Water Quality Settlement 
Agreement-Federal Water Right Acquisition, Implementation, Truckee 
River, Placer County, CA and Washoe, Storey and Lyon Counties, NV.
    Summary: EPA commended the Truckee River Water Quality Settlement 
Agreement signatories' work to permanently improve Truckee River water 
quality and reduce violations of water quality standards. EPA 
encouraged them to continue to work with EPA in achieving full 
compliance with water quality standards. The FEIS adequately addresses 
our concerns.
    ERP No. F-DOE-G06012-00, Technical Area 18 (TA-18) Relocation of 
Capabilities and Materials at the Los Almos National Laboratory (LANL), 
Operational Activities involve Research in and the Design, Development, 
Construction, and Application of Experiments on Nuclear Criticality, 
NM, NV and ID.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the selection of the preferred 
alternative since EPA comments on the draft document have been 
adequately responded to.
    ERP No. F-FHW-E40786-FL, I-4 Corridor Improvements, Upgrading the 
Safety and Mobility of the existing I-4 from west of FL-528 (Bee Line 
Expressway) Interchange in Orange County to east of FL-472 Interchange 
in Volusia County, Funding, U.S. Army COE Section 10 and 404 and NPDES 
Permits Issuance, Orange, Seminole, and Volusia Counties, FL.
    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns about the 
extent and mitigation of related socio-economic impacts. EPA suggests 
that a schedule for construction and operation of all project 
components be documented in the Record of Decision to ensure that 
alternative project considerations are consistent with comprehensive 
review procedures under NEPA.
    ERP No. F-FRC-E03009-00, Patriot Project, Construction and 
Operation of Mainline Expansion and Patriot Extension in order to 
Transport 510.000 dekatherms per day (dth/day) of Natural Gas, TN, VA 
and NC.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns regarding the need for 
better documentation regarding cumulative and secondary impacts, 
environmental justice issues, sampling and analysis of potentially 
contaminated sediments at Mud Creek, and pipeline safety.
    ERP No. FS-COE-E34030-FL, Central and Southern Florida Project, 
Indian River Lagoon-South Feasibility Study, Additional Information 
concerning Selection of Plan, Alternative 6, Restoration of the 
Southern Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie Estuary Ecosystem, 
Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties, FL.
    Summary: EPA supports the positive water quality and habitat 
benefits which should result from the proposed IRLS plan.


[[Page 69216]]


    Dated: November 12, 2002.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 02-29052 Filed 11-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P