[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64569-64570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24752]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6657-4]


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 02, 2003 (69 FR 17403).

Draft EISs

    ERP No. D-AFS-G65093-NM Rating LO, San Diego Range Allotment 
Project, Proposes to Revise Grazing Program, Santa Fe National Forest, 
Jemez Ranger District, Township 17-19 North, Range 1-3 East, Sandoval 
County, NM.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the selection of the preferred 
alternative.
    ERP No. D-AFS-J65422-MT Rating EC2, West Side Reservoir Post-Fire 
Project, Proposed Implementation of Timber Salvage and Access 
Management Treatments, Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse and 
Spotted Bear Ranger Districts, Flathead County, MT.
    Summary: EPA supports actions that promote watershed restoration. 
However, EPA expressed environmental concerns because all actions 
alternatives, including the preferred, have the potential to cause 
adverse impacts to riparian area, soils, water quality, and the 
threatened grizzly bear. The final EIS should maximize decommissioning 
of road, restrict ORV use from wetlands and other sensitive habitats, 
provide large snags and downed material to improve habitat quality and 
continue to minimize new road construction.
    ERP No. D-BLM-K65275-00 Rating LO, California Coastal National 
Monument Resource Management Plan, To Protect Important Biological and 
Geological Values: Islands, Rocks, Exposed Reefs, and Pinnacles above 
Mean High Tide, CA, OR and Mexico.
    Summary: EPA has no objection to the proposed BalancedManagement 
Alternative.
    ERP No. DS-GSA-G80000-TX Rating LO, Del Rio Port of Entry (POE), 
Increased Security Measures Associated with Phase II Expansion, 
Supplement to the 1992 Del Rio Border Patrol Station, Del Rio, Val 
Verde County, TX.
    Summary: EPA has no objections to the proposed alternative.

Final EISs

    ERP No. F-AFS-J70020-CO Upper Blue Stewardship Project, Vegetation 
Management, Travel Management, and Dispersed Camping Sites Designation, 
Implementation, U.S. Army COE 404 Permit, White River National Forest, 
Dillon Ranger District, Summit County, CO.
    Summary: EPA's concerns were adequately addressed in the Final EIS; 
therefore, EPA has no objection to the proposed action.
    ERP No. F-FHW-H40176-MO US 40/61 Bridge Location Study Over the 
Missouri River, Improvement of the Transportation System, section 9 of 
the Rivers and Harbor Act Permit, and U.S. Army COE section 10 and 404 
Permits, Missouri River, St. Charles and St. Louis Counties, MO.
    Summary: The Final EIS adequately addresses issues raised by EPA in 
the review of the Draft EIS for this action; therefore, EPA has no 
additional comments related to the bridge construction as described in 
the Final EIS.
    ERP No. F-FHW-J40161-UT I-15, 31st Street in Ogden to 2700 North in 
Farr West, Reconstruction, Widening and Interchange Improvements, 
Funding and U.S. Army COE section 404 Permit, Weber County, UT.
    Summary: EPA expressed concern about FHWA's responses to EPA's 
comments on the air quality analysis performed for the DEIS.
    Amended Notice: ERP No. F-AFS-L65443-OR Biscuit Fire Recovery 
Project, Various Management Activities Alternatives, Implementation, 
The Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forests, Josephine and Curry 
Counties, OR.
    Summary: The modified preferred alternative was well crafted to 
balance the need to salvage valuable wood, provide economic 
opportunities to the local community, and protect and restore the burn 
area. In addition to reducing the overall salvage acreage by a third, 
the modified preferred alternative includes additional riparian 
protection and has reduced salvage from

[[Page 64570]]

small openings within the LateSuccessional Reserves. The riparian 
buffers, culvert work, replanting, and benefits of decommissioning, 
closing, and stabilizing over 70 miles of roads should result in an 
overall, long term benefit to water quality. These changes address the 
significant concerns EPA raised in comments on the draft EIS. Revision 
of FR Notice Published on 9/3/2004: Correction to ERP Summary 
Paragraph.

    Dated: November 2, 2004.
Robert W. Hargrove,
Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-24752 Filed 11-4-04; 8:45 am]
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