[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 97 (Friday, May 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29307-29308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10111]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6663-6]


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 1, 2005 (70 FR 
16815).

Draft EISs

EIS No. 20050037, ERP No. D-AFS-H65022-MO, Mark Twain National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Revise to the 1986 
Land and Resource Management Plan, Several Counties, MO.

    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about air quality, 
cumulative impacts assessment, and the adaptive management process. The 
significant increase in prescribed burning realtive to the 1986 Forest 
Plan supports the need for a detailed pre-burn analysis. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20050038, ERP No. D-BLM-G65096-NM, McGregor Range Resource 
Management Plan Amendment (RMPA), Implementation, Otero County, NM.

    Summary: EPA expressed lack of objections for the proposed action. 
Rating LO.

EIS No. 20050049, ERP No. D-NOA-L91026-00, Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Fishery Management Plan, To Conserve and Enhance Essential Fish Habitat 
Designation and Minimization of Adverse Impacts, Pacific Coast 
Exclusive Economic Zone, WA, OR, and CA.

    Summary: EPA supports the Habitat Suitability Probability modeling 
approach used by NMFS, but has concerns about inaccuracies and 
limitations with the data used in the model, as acknowledged by NMFS. 
Additional information is also needed on the Fisheries Economic 
Assessment Model and Environmental Justice analyses. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20050089, ERP No. D-FHW-K40257-CA, Los Banos Bypass Project, 
Construct from CA-152 in Merced County beginning near Volta

[[Page 29308]]

Road west to Los Banos, bypassing Los Banos, ending near the Santa Fe 
Grade Road, U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, Merced County, CA.

    Summary: EPA has environmental concerns with the proposed project 
regarding impacts to waters of the U.S., the scope of action, and the 
analysis of indirect impacts. EPA recommends that Alternative 3M be 
selected as the preferred alternative as it avoids permanent impacts to 
wetlands and the Gadwall Wildlife Area. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20050110, ERP No. D-AFS-K65279-CA, Freds Fire Restoration 
Project, To Reduce Long-Term Fuel Loading for the Purpose of Reducing 
Future Fire Severity and Resistance to Control, Eldorado National 
Forest, El Dorado County, CA.
    Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to 
drinking water supplies and air quality, and the use of herbicides. EPA 
also requested additional information be provided on Clean Air Act 
requirements, consultation with tribal governments, and the analysis of 
environmental justice issues. Rating EC2.

EIS No. 20050116, ERP No. D-COE-G39042-TX, PROGRAMMATIC--Lower Colorado 
River Basin Study, Provide Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem 
Restoration, Colorado River, TX.

    Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed action. Rating LO.

EIS No. 20050090, ERP No. DS-IBR-K64023-CA, Battle Creek Salmon and 
Steelhead Restoration Project, To Address New Significant Information, 
Habitat Restoration in Battle Creek and Tributaries, License Amendment 
Issuance, Implementation, Tehama and Shasta Counties, CA.

    Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed project. Rating LO.

Final EISs

EIS No. 20050100, ERP No. F-HUD-K60034-CA, Marysville Hotel Demolition 
Project, Proposed Acquisition and Demolition of Building, City of 
Marysville, Yuba County, CA.

    Summary: No formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

EIS No. 20050122, ERP No. F-DOE-K08025-00, Sahuarita-Nogales 
Transmission Line, Construction and Operation of a 345,00-volt (345 kV) 
Electric Transmission Line across the United States Border with Mexico, 
Application for Presidential Permit, Tucson Electric Power (TEP), 
Nogales, AZ.

    Summary: EPA previous issues have been resolved, therefore EPA has 
no objection to the action as proposed.

EIS No. 20050152, ERP No. F-AFS-J65411-MT, Snow Talon Fire Salvage 
Project, Proposes to Salvage Harvest Trees Burned in the Fire, Helena 
National Forest, Lincoln Ranger District, Lewis and Clark County, MT.

    Summary: EPA expressed concerns about salvage logging on severely 
burned soils, however supports project planning and design that appears 
to minimize sediment production, and included restoration work to 
reduce existing sources of sediment. EPA reiterates the importance that 
the selected alternative avoid sediment delivery to streams, including 
303(d) listed Blackfoot River and Copper Creek, a critical bull trout 
spawning stream.

    Dated: May 17, 2005.
Ken Mittelholtz,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 05-10111 Filed 5-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P