[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41336-41338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17620]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6641-9]


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 04, 2003 (68 FR 16511).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-J36053-UT Rating EC2, Monticello and Blanding 
Municipal Watershed Improvement Projects, Implementation, Manti-La Sal 
National Forest, Monticello Ranger District, San Juan County, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the loss of 
wetlands and impacts from logging. EPA supports replacing the failing 
water collection system in this watershed and will be providing grant 
funding for this project.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65420-AK Rating EC2, Greens Creek Tailings Disposal 
Project, Additional Dry Tailings Disposal Storage Facilities 
Construction, Authorization, Admiralty National Park Monument, Tongass 
National Forest, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the preferred 
alternative given uncertainty with achieving water quality standards 
for sulfate and selenium, lack of water quality data for 8 parameters, 
inconsistent use of standards and NPDES effluent limits, and use and 
effectiveness of carbon to effectively immobilize dissolved metals. The 
final EIS should disclose more commitments to using the existing 
treatment plant, and describe the methodology for meeting water quality 
standards.
    ERP No. D-AFS-L65421-WA Rating EC2, 49 Degrees North Mountain 
Resort Revised Master Development Plan, Implementation, Colville 
National Forest, Newport Ranger District, Stevens County, WA.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns regarding the Purpose and 
Need of the project and recommended an additional alternative that does 
not require additional ski terrain and the need for alternatives with 
Comfortable Carrying Capacities that exceed the proposed parking 
capacity should be provided. The final EIS should disclose information 
on consultation with Native American Tribes.
    ERP No. D-BLM-J65376-CO Rating LO, Gunnison Gorge National 
Conservation Area Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Montrose 
and Delta Counties, CO.
    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K65251-CA Rating EC2, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto 
Mountains National Monument Management Plan, Implementation, Public 
Lands Management, Riverside County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the following 
issues and requested clarification regarding the preferred alternative, 
tribal consultation, mitigation for impacts to recreation, 
implementation schedule and funding, land exchanges, acquisition 
strategy, existing conditions, Section 7 Endangered Species Act 
consultation and water resources.
    ERP No. D-BLM-L67043-ID Rating EC2, North Rasmussen Ridge Mine, 
Agrium Conda Phosphate Operations, Proposal to Extend the Existing 
Mining Operations, Federal Phosphate Leases I-04375 and I-07619 within 
the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, and State Lease I-9313, Soda 
Springs, Caribou County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with habitat loss 
from mining activities, sedimentation and selenium contamination of 
water resources and uptake by wildlife. The draft EIS used extensive 
modeling to predict possible pathways of contaminants and size of

[[Page 41337]]

plume but analysis relied heavily on lab experimentation given lack of 
actual field data. Field verification of modeled results should be 
included in the final EIS as well as more detail on the placement of 
monitoring wells.
    ERP No. D-COE-E39061-MS Rating LO, Royal D'Iberville Hotel and 
Casino Development Project, Construction and Operation, U.S. Army COE 
Section 10 and 404 and NPDES Permits Issuance, City of D'Iberville on 
the Back Bay, Mississippi, Gulf Coast, Harrison County, MS.
    Summary: EPA has no significant environmental concerns regarding 
construction of this casino/hotel complex.
    ERP No. D-COE-G35022-TX Rating LO, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in 
the Laguna Madre, Maintenance Dredging from the JFK Causeway to the Old 
Queen Isabella Causeway, Nueces, Kleberg, Kennedy, Willacy and Cameron 
County, TX.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the selection of the preferred 
alternative with implementation of the mitigation measures as described 
in the DEIS.
    ERP No. D-COE-K39078-CA Rating LO, Napa River Salt Marsh 
Restoration Project, Salinity Reduction and Habitat Restoration in the 
Napa River Unit, San Pablo Bay, Napa and Solano Counties, CA.
    Summary: EPA supports the objectives of the proposed project to 
restore salt marsh and managed pond habitat analyzed in the Napa River 
Salt Marsh Restoration DEIS. EPA has no objections to the proposed 
project, but requested clarification on the need for a National 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.
    ERP No. D-FHW J40160 UT Rating EC2, Southern Corridor Construction, 
I-15 at Reference Post 2 in St. George to UT-9 near Hurricane, Funding, 
Right-of-Way Grant and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, St. 
George, Washington and Hurricane, Washington County, UT.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns about the lack of 
appropriate analysis for a BLM right-of-way, mitigation for habitat 
fragmentation, the lack of a comparative analysis for potential 
interchanges on the highway, and no indirect and cumulative impacts 
they may have. EPA also recommends additional mitigation for air 
quality impacts from construction activities and additional mitigation 
for water quality impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-L40218-WA Rating EC2, I-90 Two-Way Transit and HOV 
Operation Project, Provision of Reliable Transportation between Seattle 
and Bellevue, Sound Transit Regional Express, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. 
Army COE Nationwide Permits Issuance, King County, WA.
    Summary: While supporting the goals of the project, EPA has 
environmental concerns about the potential risk of cumulative impacts 
and induced growth in eastern King County, resulting from the proposed 
project. EPA also has concerns about user safety, and recommends more 
of an emphasis on transportation demand and safety management measures.
    ERP No. D-NPS-D61056-DC Rating LO, Rock Creek Park and the Rock 
Creek and Potomac Parkway Project, General Management Plan, 
Implementation, Washington, DC.
    Summary: EPA expressed no objection to the proposed action.
    However, we requested clarifying information on motorist and 
visitor safety related to road improvements, including Beach Drive 
weekday closing and mid-afternoon reopening to motorists and more 
detail on the implementation plans to protect federally protected 
species and historic resources in the final EIS.
    ERP No. D-NPS-K65253-CA Rating LO, Whiskeytown Fire Management 
Plan, Implementation, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Klamath 
Mountains, Shasta County, CA.
    Summary: EPA believes that the mitigation measures proposed for 
smoke impacts are adequate, therefore EPA has no objection to the 
action as proposed.
    ERP No. D-NPS-L61225-AK Rating EC2, Denali National Park and 
Preserve Backcountry Management Plan and General Management Plan 
Amendment, Implementation, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential 
impacts of expanded snowmobile use under the revised plan to aquatic 
resources, streams, wetlands, soil, vegetation and wildlife. The final 
EIS should address concerns with recreational snowmobile use and Plan 
consistency with the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
and the Wilderness Act.
    ERP No. D-NRS-E36181-TN Rating LO, Cane Creek Watershed Remedial 
Plan, Widening and Degradation of the Cane Creek Channel, Lauderdale 
County, TN.
    Summary: EPA has no significant environmental concerns regarding 
construction of the remedial structural and non-structural features as 
documented.
    ERP No. D-NSA-G81012-NM Rating LO, Chemistry and Metallurgy 
Research Building Replacement Project, Consolidation and Relocation, 
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos County, NM.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred 
alternative and mitigation measures as proposed in the DEIS.
    ERP No. DS-AFS-L65357-ID Rating EC2, East Beaver and Miner's Creek 
Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning Project, Timber Harvesting to 
Provide Forest Products, Implementation, Dubois Ranger District, 
Caribou-Targee National Forest, Clark County, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns related to cumulative 
impacts from grazing on water quality and adverse impacts to fish and 
their habitat. The final EIS should further address how the purpose and 
need and management direction is tied to achieving the desired future 
condition, the status of road decommissioning in the project area and 
impacts to tribes, as well as information on tribal consultation.
    ERP No. DS-BLM-J65325-WY Rating EC2, Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated 
Activity Plan/Draft Green River Resource Management Plan Amendment, 
Updated Information, Rock Springs, Portion of Sweetwater, Fremont and 
Subelette Counties, WY.
    Summary: EPA continued to express environmental concerns that the 
preferred alternative may cause adverse impacts to wildlife and their 
habitat for the Greater Sage-Grouse, and deer and elk herds. More 
detail is needed in the adaptive management plan.
    ERP No. D1-FHW-L40184-WA Rating EO2, WA-167 Freeway Project, WA-161 
(Meridian Street North) in the City of Puyallup to the WA-509 Freeway 
in the City of Tacoma, Funding, U.S. Coast Guard, NPDES and U.S. Army 
COE Section 10 and 404 Permits Issuance, Cities of Puyallup, Fife, 
Edgewood, Milton, and Tacoma, Pierce County, WA.
    Summary: EPA has environmental objections to the proposed project's 
potential direct, secondary, and cumulative impacts to aquatic 
resources (wetlands, groundwater, surface water, and overall 
hydrological function and connectivity). The quality, quantity and 
overall effectiveness of mitigative actions should be improved with 
more analysis and application of the information to target actions. EPA 
has further objections regarding effects to threatened fish species, 
the Puyallup Tribe, air toxins, prime farmland, noise impacts, and lack 
of transportation demand management measures and facilities.

[[Page 41338]]

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-F65030-IL Natural Area Trails Project, Construction, 
Reconstruction, 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 in the Shawnee National Forest which are 
intended to reduce erosion and exotic plant introductions while 
providing a quality recreational experience for equestrian users and 
hikers.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L65406-ID North Kennedy-Cottonwood Stewardship 
Project, Existing Transportation System Modifications and Forest Health 
Improvements through Vegetation Management both Commercial and Non-
Commercial Methods, Boise National Forest, Emmett Ranger District, Gem 
and Valley Counties, ID.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the level of 
restoration of degraded riparian areas, lack of differentiation between 
action alternatives and analysis of impacts. More details should be 
included in the final EIS on the selection of the preferred 
alternative.
    ERP No. F-AFS-L67044-ID Golden Hand No. 3 and No. 4 Lode Mining 
Claims Plan of Operations Approval, Implementation, Frank Church-River 
of No Return (FC-RONR) Wilderness, Payette National Forest, Krassel 
Ranger District, Valley County, ID.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-BLM-K81027-NV Nevada Test and Training Range Resource 
Management Plan, (formerly known as the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR)), 
Implementation, Clark, Nye and Lincoln Counties, NV.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-COE-G01015-TX Three Oaks Mine Project, Construction and 
Operation of a Surface Lignite Mine, U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit 
Issuance, Lee and Bastrop Counties, TX.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the selection of the preferred 
alternative.
    ERP No. F-FHW-C40144-NY US 219 between Springville to Salamanca 
Improvements from NY-39 to NY-17, Funding and US Army COE Section 404 
Permit Issuance, Erie and Cattaraugus Counties, NY.
    Summary: EPA has environmental objections to the selection of the 
freeway alternative as the preferred alternative. This alternative has 
greater impacts to wetlands and farmlands, as well as impacts from 
induced development, when compared to the upgrade alternative.
    ERP No. F-FHW-L53003-WA Vancouver Rail Project, Rail Improvements 
at the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Rail Yard and Possible 
Elimination of the West 39th Street At-Grade Crossing, Funding and 
NPDES Permit Issuance, Clark County, WA.
    Summary: The final EIS adequately discloses the impacts and 
satisfactorily responded to most of EPA's previous comments on the 
draft EIS. In addition, EPA is pleased that the final EIS positively 
addressed issues of safety and accessibility. Therefore, EPA has no 
objection to the action as proposed.
    ERP No. F-GSA-F11037-WI Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Property 
Disposal, Implementation, Townships of Sumpter and Merrimac, Sauk 
County, WI.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns and requested that open 
burning, as a means of demolition of structures, be addressed before 
the property is transferred.
    ERP No. F-TVA-E29001-TN Rarity Pointe Commercial Recreation and 
Residential Development on Tellico Reservoir Project, Request for TVA's 
Land and Approval of Water Use Facilities, Tellico Reservoir, Loudon 
County, TN.
    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental concern regarding 
water quality impacts and requested specific commitments to mitigation 
measures in the ROD.
    ERP No. FB-AFS-L65137-AK Tongass Land Management Plan Revision for 
Roadless Area Evaluation for Wilderness Recommendations, 
Implementation, Tongass National Forest, AK.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. FS-COE-G36148-TX Dallas Floodway Extension, Flood Damage 
Reduction and Environmental Restoration, New Information concerning 
Additional Formulation, Trinity River Basin, Dallas County, TX.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred 
alternative.
    ERP No. FS-NPS-J61102-00 Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks 
and John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, Winter Use Plans, 
Updated and New Information on New Generation of Snowmobiles that 
Produce fewer Emissions and are Quieter, Fremont County, ID; Gallatin 
and Park Counties, MT and Park and Teton Counties, WY.
    Summary: EPA continued to express environmental objections given 
the final supplemental EIS predicts the preferred alternative will 
result in localized visibility impairment and adverse human health 
effects in this Class 1 airshed. Additional mitigation to avoid these 
impacts should be considered along with an ongoing rule making process.

    Dated: July 8, 2003.
Joseph C. Montgomery,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 03-17620 Filed 7-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P