[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9313-9314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4389]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6648-8]


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-COE-E39063-NC Rating EC2, Bogus Inlet Channel Erosion 
Response Project, Relocation of the Main Ebb Channel to Eliminate the 
Erosive Impact to the Town of Emerald Isle, Carteret and Onslow 
Counties, NC.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the proposal to 
establish a given channel alignment and beach profile in a dynamic 
nearshore ecosystem.
    ERP No. D-FHW-E40801-NC Rating EC2, US 74 Improvements Corridor, 
between U.S. 601, north of Monroe in Union County and I-485 (Charlotte 
Outer Loop), Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, 
Mecklenburg and Union Counties, NC.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project 
regarding stream and water quality impacts, noise receptor impacts, 
upland forest communities and terrestrial wildlife, endangered species, 
agricultural land impacts and air quality. Additionally, EPA also has 
concerns about indirect and cumulative impacts from induced development 
effecting natural resources.
    ERP No. D-FHW-F40419-MN Rating EC2, MN-371 North Improvement 
Project, Reconstruction from the Intersection of Crow Wing County Road 
18 in Nisswa to the Intersection of Cass County Road 42 in Pine River, 
Funding, NPDES Permit and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, 
Crow Wing and Cass Counties, MN.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project 
regarding wetland mitigation, wetland impacts, noise monitoring, water 
quality, and cumulative and indirect impacts.
    ERP No. D-FHW-L40220-OR Rating EC2, Pioneer Mountain to Eddyville 
Project on U.S. 20, Corvallis-Newport Highway Improvements, Funding, 
Right-of-Way Grant and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit Issuance, 
Lincoln County, OR.
    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project 
regarding the range of alternatives evaluated in the EIS, potential 
impacts to headwater streams and terrestrial wildlife, and the design 
of the conceptual mitigation plan. EPA recommends that additional 
information related to these topics be included in the final EIS, along 
with information related to wildlife crossings, the disposition of the 
present highway, and cuts and fills.
    ERP No. DB-COE-E34030-FL Rating LO, Central and Southern Florida 
Project, Indian River Lagoon--South Feasibility Study, to Address the 
Requirement of section 601 of the Water Resources Development Act 2000 
and Three Additional Alternatives, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee 
Counties, FL.
    Summary: EPA continues to fully support the project goals and 
recommended that water quality elements be maximized in these 
restoration efforts.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J65386-MT, Programmatic EIS--Winter Motorized 
Recreation Amendment 24, Proposal to Change the Flathead National Land 
and Resource Management Plan, Flathead National Forest, Flathead, Lake 
and Lincoln Counties, MT.
    Summary: EPA continues to express environmental concerns that the 
preferred alternative potentially decreases protections to grizzly bear 
security compared with other alternatives meeting the purpose and need. 
EPA suggested mitigation for potential impacts to air quality and human 
health in areas of concentrated use.
    ERP No. F-BLM-G70005-NM, Sierra and Otero Counties Resource 
Management Plan Amendment and Federal Fluid Minerals Leasing and 
Development, Implementation, Sierra and Otero Counties, NM.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.
    ERP No. F-COE-E30042-FL, Broward County Shore Protection Project, 
Fill Placement in Segment II (Hillsboro Inlet to Port Everglades) and 
Segment III (Port Everglades to the south County Line), Broward County, 
FL.
    Summary: While EPA has no objections to the beach nourishment 
proposal, EPA did suggest further turbidity control measures in areas 
adjacent to hardbottom resources and recommended that the Record of 
Decision outline the consequences when all practicable sources of sand 
have been expended.
    ERP No. F-COE-K32012-CA, San Diego Harbor Deepening (Central 
Navigation Channel) Involving Three Components: Federal Central 
Navigation Channel Deepening, Disposal of the Dredged Material at the 
LA-5 Ocean Disposal Site and Relocation and Disposal and Abandonment of 
a 69 kV Electrical Site, San Diego County.
    Summary: While EPA found that the final EIS adequately addressed 
many of the issues raised in EPA's comment

[[Page 9314]]

letter on the draft EIS, including the beneficial reuse of dredged 
material, EPA continued to express concerns that the final EIS did not 
demonstrate independence of the proposed action and the planned 
Terminal Deepening Project; provide specific Best Management Practices 
to protect water quality; or provide further information on air 
pollution due to the increased number of large vessels using the Port.
    ERP No. F-FHW-F40407-IN, I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis Corridor 
Study, I-69 Completion in Southwestern Indiana and Corridor Selection, 
IN.
    Summary: EPA continues to have environmental concerns with the 
proposed project regarding future project compliance with CWA section 
404 and potential impacts in karst areas. EPA recommends that the Tier 
1 ROD commit to all proposed mitigation measures and advises that Tier 
2 EISs contain adequate indirect and cumulative impacts analyses.
    ERP No. F-NPS-F65038-OH, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rural 
Landscape Management Program, Rural Landscape Resources Preservation 
and Protection, Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga and Summit Counties, OH.
    Summary: The final EIS addressed EPA's previous comments, therefore 
EPA has no objection to the action as proposed.
    ERP No. F-NPS-G65085-AR, Arkansas Post National Memorial General 
Management Plan, Implementation, Osotouy Unit, Arkansas and Mississippi 
Rivers, Arkansas County, AR.
    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

    Dated: February 24, 2004.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-4389 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
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