[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3339-3340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1484]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6647-7]


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 04, 2003 (68 FR 16511).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-H65015-NE Rating LO, Pine Ridge Geographic Area 
Rangeland Allotment Management Planning, To Permit Livestock Grazing on 
34 Allotments, Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge Ranger District, 
Dawes and Sioux Counties, NE.
    Summary: EPA recommended that protection of aquatic resources 
remain a priority and that mitigation contingencies be explored should 
there be impacts to paleoentological resources during soil disturbance 
activities.

    ERP No. D-AFS-L65442-OR Rating EC2, Baked Apple Fire Salvage 
Project, Salvaging Fire Killed Trees in the Matrix Portion of the 2002 
Apple Fire, Umpqua National Forest, Umpqua Ranger District, Douglas 
County, OR.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with permitting 
timber harvesting in riparian reserves resulting in potential adverse 
impacts to the aquatic system and Northern Spotted Owl. The final EIS 
should include mitigation for timber harvest impacts and post-logging 
road densities to improve the condition of the sub-watershed.

    Summary: ERP No. D-BLM-K08028-CA Rating EC2, Desert Southwest 
Transmission Line Project, New Substation/Switching Station, 
Construction, Operation and Maintenance, Right-of-Way Grant and US Army 
COE Section 10 and 404 Permits Issuance, North Palm Springs and Blythe, 
CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential 
impacts to air quality and waters of the U.S. The DEIS indicates that 
the project does not conform with the State implementation Plan. EPA 
recommends the FEIS include a conformity determination, and additional 
information on the project's potential impacts to the waters of the 
U.S. and cultural resources, and mitigation measures for these impacts.

    ERP No. D-COE-E32082-AL Rating EC2, Arlington and Garrows Bend 
Channels and Adjacent Area Restoration and Maintenance Dredging, City 
of Mobile, Mobile County, AL.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
proposal, with a special emphasis on the impacts to wetlands and water 
quality. EPA raised concerns over the proposal to convert shallow water 
habitat and/or emergent marsh to uplands as the preferred means of 
isolating contaminated sediments. EPA requested further information 
regarding impacts and proposed mitigation measures.
    ERP No. D-COE-E39063-AL Rating EC2, Choctaw Point Terminal Project, 
Construction and Operation of a Container Handling Facility, Department 
of the Army (DA) Permit Issuance, Mobile County, AL.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding the 
proposed project, including potential impacts to wetlands and water 
quality. EPA raised questions regarding the ability of mitigation 
measures to offset environmental impacts, and requested additional 
information.

    ERP No. D-DOI-J39030-UT Rating EC1, Lower Duchesne River Wetlands 
Mitigation Project (LDWP), To Implement Restoration Measures in the 
Lower Duchesne River Area, Strawberry Aqueduct and Collection System 
(SACS) on portions of the, Strawberry Reservoir, Ute Indian Tribe, 
NPDES and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permits, Duchesne, Utah, Uintah 
Counties, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with potential 
adverse impacts to wetlands and water quality. EPA suggested that the 
final EIS include in-kind mitigation to offset the previous habitat 
losses.

    ERP No. D-FHW-F40418-IL Rating LO, Macomb Area Study, Construction 
from U.S. Route 67 (FAP-310) and Illinois Route 336 (FAP-315), City of 
Macomb, McDonough County, IL.
    Summary: EPA lacks objections regarding the proposed project. 
However, EPA does recommend that additional clarification regarding 
storm water management, use of native vegetation, and the selection 
criteria for wildlife underpass locations be included in the FEIS.

    ERP No. D-FHW-H40180-00 Rating EC2, Interstate 74 Quad Cities 
Corridor Study, Improvements to I-74 between

[[Page 3340]]

23rd Avenue in Moline, Il and 53rd Street in Davenport, IA, NPDES, 
Rivers and Harbors Act Section 9 and US Army COE Section 404 Permits, 
Scott County, IA and Rock Island County, IL.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the proposed 
project relating to the level of information provided on the final 
disposition of the existing bridge. EPA also recommended that the FEIS 
include the mitigation strategy for impacted mussel species and 
recommends that the mussel relocation site be determined with due 
regard for cumulative impacts.

    ERP No. D-FRC-L05231-AK Rating EC2, Glacier Bay National Park and 
Preserve, Falls Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC. NO. 11659) and Land 
Exchange Project, Issuance of License and Land Exchange, Kahtaheena 
River (Falls Creek) near Gustavus in Southeastern, AK.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns with the lack of 
operation, mitigation and monitoring plans that are proposed to be 
developed after the issuance of the license for the project. EPA 
recommended that these plans be developed and included in the FEIS and 
that the developmental analysis and recommendations be made consistent 
with the rest of the EIS. EPA also recommended that additional 
information be included in the EIS related to the need for power, 
continued use of diesel generators and access to the project.

    ERP No. DS-FTA-D54041-VA Rating LO, Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit 
Project, Additional Information to Assist Decision-Makers, Area 
Residents and the Business Community in the Evaluation of High Quality 
and High-Capacity Transit Service in the Dulles Corridor, West Falls 
Church Metrorail Station in Fairfax County to the vicinity of Route 772 
in Loudoun County, VA.
    Summary: EPA lacks objections to the proposed project. EPA 
encourages the development of the full Metrorail alternative which is 
expected to have the greatest impact on reducing congestion and air 
pollution.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-HHS-D81034-MD Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort 
Detrick Construction and Operation, Adjacent to Existing U.S. Army 
Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Facilities, City of 
Frederick, Frederick County, MD.
    Summary: EPA has determined that the National Institutes of Health 
has adequately addressed its comments within the FEIS.

    Dated: January 20, 2004.
B. Katherine Biggs,
Associate Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal 
Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-1484 Filed 1-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P